Alternator Upgrade and Bulkhead Disconnect

[Hilderbrand1983]

I've grown oddly attached to my '67 Dodge Dart 270 (225cid slant-6), and I've decided to get it resprayed. I'm in the process of taking the car apart to prep it for the new paint job. I pulled the wiring from under the hood and removed the cheap-o electrical tape that Dodge put on the vehicle fifty years ago. Having inspected the wire, the only one that needs to be replaced is the temperature gauge sending unit's wire. (Some yahoo had it running under the rocker cover when I bought it, and the gauge didn't work.)

I've decided to perform the alternator upgrade recommended at Allpar for a 60amp alternator. I'd like to be able to tap into the cigarette lighter to charge my cell phone and run a GPS at night (if such were necessary). Here's my question --

They insist on going through the firewall itself for the red and black wires. Why am I not able to replace the wires that currently exist that run to the ammeter through the bulkhead disconnect? I have the engine bay wiring out, and I'll soon have the under-dash wiring out ... so why can't I just replace the wires that are currently there?

After that is explained ... what does the author mean by using a squeeze-tap connector? Are there any pictures of that (which would be most helpful, since I'm a visual learner)?

Thanks!

 

[4spdragtop]

Loose/poor connections equal fire.

 

[RedFish]

You don't have to do the things suggested at webpages. Put it back just like factory if you want.
Those webpages that recommend bypassing the bulkhead connections ( where meltdown has occurred ) do not consider where the next point of meltdown will be ( under the dash ).
Adding relays ( headlight circuit and run circuit and a/c circuit where applicable ) is a much smarter way to reduce the current load on those bulkhead terminals and avoid that meltdown.
I take my clues from newer vehicles. Majority of them have 80+ amp charging systems but none have heavy gauge wiring inside the cabin where the humanbeans are. Walk a junkyard and see so many burnt, all under the hood.
To replace a old and questionable OEM amp gauge with a volts gauge or with a amp gauge that has remote stunt mounted under the hood is doable/practical too.
Some number of members will chime in here to preach the madelectrical bulkhead amp gauge bypass. Again, Believe what you wish to believe, Do what you want to do. it's your car.

 

[roccodart440]

For what it's worth I added a voltmeter. bypassed the old amp gauge and installed a tuff stuff 100amp 1 wire alternator. Works great and has been in there for years now.

 

[BillGrissom]

Gazillions of posts on this in the last few years. Search "MAD Bypass" and "Fleet Bypass" (from google is best). Those w/ 63 & 65 cars don't have the melted bulkhead concerns, though still need to avoid corrosion at the dash ammeter connections.

I don't think Redfish is correct that adding relays will be sufficient, though it is wise. The main thing that melts the bulkhead and under-dash is the large alternator charging current. The only way to avoid that is to shunt it to the battery within the engine bay. I use an elegant diode design that keeps my ammeters active, but don't suggest anyone not an engineer or smart tech to follow that.

"Squeeze-tap" are those nasty wire taps that U-Haul used to install as a quickie trailer light hookup and caused later failures in many cars. Knife fingers slice thru the insulation to touch the copper, but with the insulation cut a little flexing breaks the copper strands if corrosion doesn't get it first. Those and "butt crimps" look gomer to me, though the later are common and do usually work OK if crimped correctly. How many times have you seen a steering column where some gomer cut the wires to replace the turn signal switch because they didn't know how to release the pins, then put a butt crimp on each wire making a godly mess? Usually after the "we don't allow customers to watch in the shop" speech before they molest your car.

 

[Cliff'sDodge]

Gazillions of posts on this in the last few years. Search "MAD Bypass" and "Fleet Bypass" (from google is best). Those w/ 63 & 65 cars don't have the melted bulkhead concerns, though still need to avoid corrosion at the dash ammeter connections.

I don't think Redfish is correct that adding relays will be sufficient, though it is wise. The main thing that melts the bulkhead and under-dash is the large alternator charging current. The only way to avoid that is to shunt it to the battery within the engine bay. I use an elegant diode design that keeps my ammeters active, but don't suggest anyone not an engineer or smart tech to follow that.

"Squeeze-tap" are those nasty wire taps that U-Haul used to install as a quickie trailer light hookup and caused later failures in many cars. Knife fingers slice thru the insulation to touch the copper, but with the insulation cut a little flexing breaks the copper strands if corrosion doesn't get it first. Those and "butt crimps" look gomer to me, though the later are common and do usually work OK if crimped correctly. How many times have you seen a steering column where some gomer cut the wires to replace the turn signal switch because they didn't know how to release the pins, then put a butt crimp on each wire making a godly mess? Usually after the "we don't allow customers to watch in the shop" speech before they molest your car.

What is your opinion of not using the bulkhead connector and a straight through to the Inside?
Also do you use the Ammeter wires for the Voltage gauge?

 

[crackedback]

Charge line wire around and relays take loads off the bulkhead connector. It's that simple. Where you source the power for relays is a HUGE consideration on these mopars with an ammeter. Some relay kit sellers give poor advice and instructions regarding sourcing power.

If you only have to feed the interior requirements, without any additional loads, the factory wiring in good shape works fine.

Run a new switched wire to a voltmeter. Using the ammeter runs keeps the voltmeter ON at all times. The wire for a voltmeter does not have to be as large as the ammeter wires.

 

[66jim]

What is your opinion of not using the bulkhead connector and a straight through to the Inside?
Also do you use the Ammeter wires for the Voltage gauge?

Drill straight thru the bulkhead for the 2 ammeter wire connections this eliminates those high current bulkhead connections.Push a higher gauge wire thru the drilled
holes directly wire to the gauge. This fixes major problem and still locks factory.

 

[BillGrissom]

... Push a higher gauge wire thru the drilled holes directly wire to the gauge. ...

Use a rubber grommet in each hole or your car will be as bad as a 1970's Jaguar whose British designers thought a bare wire thru a sharp metal hole was OK. Many people just run the thick wires thru the plastic cavity where the ALT and BAT terminals were. It they melted the plastic, you don't even need to drill a hole.

Any size wire will work for a dash voltmeter. But, you still need the thick ALT and BAT wires to supply power to the cabin. The MAD Bypass just sends the large alternator charging current direct to the battery, not via the dash ammeter.

 

[66jim]

Use a rubber grommet in each hole or your car will be as bad as a 1970's Jaguar whose British designers thought a bare wire thru a sharp metal hole was OK. Many people just run the thick wires thru the plastic cavity where the ALT and BAT terminals were. It they melted the plastic, you don't even need to drill a hole.

Any size wire will work for a dash voltmeter. But, you still need the thick ALT and BAT wires to supply power to the cabin. The MAD Bypass just sends the large alternator charging current direct to the battery, not via the dash ammeter.

No, drill thru the plastic bulkhead male and female sides getting rid of the connectors, pass wires through the bulkhead which is plastic, no chance of short
to chassis ground.

 

[RedFish]

Most practical place to tie in a VOLTS gauge is blue with white tracer. It's after ignition switch and supplies 12 volts to charging system, etc.., at switch on.
I have used the scotch lock tap ( what they call a squeeze tap ) to tap this wire under the dash. Even though these taps are made a lot better today ( heavier materials and come with dielectric grease in them ) I've never just placed one over wire casings and squeezed expecting the metal link to serve as a knife. I found that didn't work well a lot of years ago when these little taps truly were weak junk. I learned to use a wire stripper first and work the wire stands into the link. Sure there are places where this simple wire tap is not sufficient but in some places they will serve the purpose just fine when properly installed.