New electical problems!!!!

[Danny Gutierrez]

  First of all I have to give you the facts.  My car has been completely rewired with Year One harnesses.  No wire is more than 5 years old in my 69.  Well recently my tachometer started acting up.  It would bounce around wildly while the car was running.  The tach is wired into the back of my dashboard.  I believe it's spliced into my dash dimmer wheel switch for power and the coil for RPM input.  It's also grounded of course.  Anyways, this went on for a few days and now I have a real big problem.  I recently drove the car and the tach started dancing around again.  I was close to home and the car started knocking!!  I would get on the gas and the engine would rattle like a can of marbles!!  I looked out the rearview mirror and black smoke was pouring out my car.  I got home and the car would barely idle.  I then messed with the dashboard dimmer switch and the car smoothed out!!  I then turned on the headlights and the car just died!!  Now nothing works.  No power at the ignition switch and no lights period!!  If I jump the car at the firewall she cranks with plenty of power but no spark.  No fuses are blown and the fusible link on the firewall is fine.  What is going on?

[UFO]

Since you had messed with the dimmer switch and engine smoothed out.I would disconnect tach and see how it runs.Maybe your tach is toast.

[71_deputy]

 

seen that happen before!

[hemi68charger]

First, get rid of the power splice to the dimmer switch....... This circuit could be screwing with your ignition circuit and juice could be going to unwanted areas......   Do you have a '69 Dodge Service manual? It'll show were the power supply should come from. It's actually one of the accessory feeds on the back of the fuse box. Let me check where it's grounded, if any....... I don't remember plugging anything into a ground when I reinstalled my tach harness when I recently replaced my entire underdash harness........

Troy

[Danny Gutierrez]

First, get rid of the power splice to the dimmer switch....... This circuit could be screwing with your ignition circuit and juice could be going to unwanted areas......   Do you have a '69 Dodge Service manual? It'll show were the power supply should come from. It's actually one of the accessory feeds on the back of the fuse box. Let me check where it's grounded, if any....... I don't remember plugging anything into a ground when I reinstalled my tach harness when I recently replaced my entire underdash harness........

Troy

Thanks Troy.  Unfortunately I do not have a 69 service manual.  The tach is an aftermarket unit and is spliced to the dimmer switch for a light source.  I plan on disconnecting the tach completely and trying to start the car again.  Currently she still cranks at the firewall but no spark.  All interior lights including dome and trunk lights do not come on at all.  The ignition switch is dead.  Headlights do not turn on at all.  I really am a novice at this electrical stuff.

[poppa]

In park or neutral,pop the connector off the back of the ignition switch and take a test light to see if your even getting power to the switch....