UPDATE: No interior power, no crank

[Bob]

1974 Charger

Been driving today with no hard starting issues because of fuel. I'm loving it.
Ok, Charger was in the garage and I'm feeling confident. My spouse and I were going to go for a drive. Get in, turn the switch and it engaged for a split second and nothing. No horn, no lights no radio, no start.

So, I replaced the positive battery cable (it was original)  and made sure the battery is at full charge. Even took the new starter in and had it tested. I have power to the starter and the relay on the fire wall. I have power out of the fuseable link. Under the dash I have 12v on the left side of the fuse box and 10 on the right.

Tell me it's something easy to fix please.

[1974dodgecharger]

Power to ignition? Do the jump tric at the pos stud with flat head?

[A383Wing]

ammeter wires or ammeter itself may be problem

[1974dodgecharger]

ammeter wires or ammeter itself may be problem

that too....

[Bob]

ammeter wires or ammeter itself may be problem
[/quot

From the relay it goes straight to the ammeter. From the ammeter it feeds the fuse block, correct?

[Bob]

UPDATE:

Inspected all connectors including bulk head. No burnt wires.

With the battery charger hooked up everything works fine with the exception of the starter. When trying to start it just clicks rapidly.

Could it possibly be the relay for the starter on the firewall?

I guess it may be time for a new battery also. It is 12 years old. Could it just stop working without notice? It was cranking the engine like nobody's business before this little glitch.
Even my map light started working.

[Pete in NH]

Hi Bob,

Check to make sure the battery terminal connections are clean and tight. That clicking sound is likely the starter solenoid trying to pull in but the voltage to the starter is too low. Of course with a 12 year-old battery that may be the likely explanation of not being able to deliver enough power to the starter. If the terminals are clean and tight, I think I'd get a new battery. Yours may have given it's all.

[Bob]

Hi Bob,

Check to make sure the battery terminal connections are clean and tight. That clicking sound is likely the starter solenoid trying to pull in but the voltage to the starter is too low. Of course with a 12 year-old battery that may be the likely explanation of not being able to deliver enough power to the starter. If the terminals are clean and tight, I think I'd get a new battery. Yours may have given it's all.

I purchased a new battery. I will install tonight.

[1974dodgecharger]

bob,
when I was getting emissions for my 68 my car was starting left and right I kept turning her off and on and when I got on the 'roller' she did not turn at all battery just freaking died with no warning whatsoever and just 10 secs before that she started up like a champ.

From the ammeter it goes to neg. and from that neg wire it splits into the ignition, fuse box, and lights dome.  thats how mine is wired up until I just upgraed to 10g wires and bypassed the ammeter and connected them.

[Bob]

I feel like an azz. I put the new battery in and it fired right up. Started him a couple more times and took him out for a hard run. When I got back I let all the fuel boil out and new it would be hard to start with the old starter. After 20 minutes went back and it took 2.5 seconds to fire back up compared to less that 1 second to start cold.
The old battery had an internal short and when I put my start/charger on it to start, the battery was drawing all 16 volts.
I did learn the old troubleshooting tricks and replaced cables that I have been putting off for years.

Thanks all