bulkhead connector

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Took the 66 Barracuda out the other night, first trip out of the driveway. After a short ride to a cruise in and the car setting awhile, there was no power to the inside when I went to leave. After wiggling the wires under the dash it had power and started up, but the ammeter was almost pegged out. The next day I pulled the bulkhead connector apart to find that the terminal on the red ten gauge wire from the starter relay to the bulkhead was charred. What would cause this? The alternator is new the voltage regulator is also new. I change it over to electronic voltage regulator and it is matched up with the alternator as far as being from the same year car.
 
Norm's Cuda said:
Took the 66 Barracuda out the other night, first trip out of the driveway. After a short ride to a cruise in and the car setting awhile, there was no power to the inside when I went to leave. After wiggling the wires under the dash it had power and started up, but the ammeter was almost pegged out. The next day I pulled the bulkhead connector apart to find that the terminal on the red ten gauge wire from the starter relay to the bulkhead was charred. What would cause this? The alternator is new the voltage regulator is also new. I change it over to electronic voltage regulator and it is matched up with the alternator as far as being from the same year car.
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The same thing caused it that causes it on most of these old girls.
The power going through that little metal contact in the connector is more than the little metal contact can handle without creating heat.
That's why we drill that hole out and pass the wire directly through the connector.
It looks stock to the average eye, but eliminates that contact that creates heat.
 
That's usually caused by bad contact. The wires sometimes push out of the connector and do not get a good contact.
 
I thought of doing that, but isn't that the fuse able link wire? It looks like it was replaced at one time with just the ten gauge.
 
Waytek and other suppliers carry the Packard 56 series terminals. They are available for #12 and #14-#16 wires. The new ones are tin plated to protect the terminals from oxidation.
 
I had this exact same issue. All I did was to carefully clean each contact (male and female) and coat them with dielectric grease. You can replace the damaged terminal as mentioned above.
 
Norm's Cuda said:
I thought of doing that, but isn't that the fuse able link wire? It looks like it was replaced at one time with just the ten gauge.
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Part of it is I think but not all of it, and certainly not the part that goes through connector.
I used a self resetting circuit breaker with 10ga in place of the fusible link, because lord knows we don't need something that burns by design under the hood. :D
 
Thanks TrailBeast. I'll give that a shot. We sure don't want any flames in there! Thanks to everyone else for their input.
 
With the help of some fellow FABO members, I did the fleet bypass on mine after it started sizzling at the bulkhead. Used 10 gauge and 40 amp fuse (still running an original alternator) in a sealed blade fuse holder. Then I cleaned every bulkhead connector and packed it full of dielectric. I probably barely avoided a fire.

You definitely want to do something!!! Either the replace the Packard 56 terminals and pack with dielectric, do the fleet bypass, or bypass the ammeter all together as soon as possible.
 
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Norm's Cuda said:
Is the fleet bypass in a thread in this forum?
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For starters, if you have not done so, please read the MAD electrical article on ammeters, EVEN if you don't end up doing the mod the way they did. The reason is, that article gives a VERY good overview of the how why and what of ammeter / bulkhead problems in "these girls"

Catalog

Then, if you have not, go to MyMopar and download yourself a free factory shop manual. The 72 manual referenced above is there, too. Several of those manuals came from the guys here

MyMopar - Mopar Forums & Information - MyMopar Tools/Reference

Some radom rambling.........

1....Some of the early model cars DID NOT HAVE the small terminals the later cars use for the bulkhead connector. Rather, they had two very large buss terminals that "fed right through." 100X better

2.....I used to work in HVAC. The same type 1/4" blade connector that is used for the ammeter circuit in the bulkhead is used for quick connectors in electric furnaces. These handle nominally 20A THEY FAIL ROUTINELY, meaning, 20A is a stretch for these connectors.

3....Fleet wiring, also known as "Fleet taxi police." This was either a factory or dealer installed option that came with 60? 65 amp alternators, and is a "step towards" the Mad article. Essentially, this option added individual grommets to feed larger ammeter wires through the firewall. The diagram posted above "is it."

In the diagram posted above, notice the "cut wires" at far lower right with the dotted lines. THESE ARE your factory former ammeter wires which have been abandoned by the "fleet" wiring option

Also, the bottom ammeter wire is probably a misprint, "A1A-16R" that is surely a no6 wire rather than no 16
 
I have read the MAD article and copy their wiring diagram and will probably use that. Thanks 67Dart273 for the info on the shop manuals, I will defiantly check that out. I took a look at it today the bulkhead terminals were so hot they had turned blue. I have never seen this before and have owned quite a few Mopars. Guess you learn something new everyday.
 
Mad has some good stuff, I'm not a fan of his approach to getting power into the passenger compartment.

If the terminals and connectors are burnt up, that makes things a little more difficult. I usually suggest running the factory wiring as is, then add a charge wire from alt to starter relay.
 
I don't necessarily think the stock low amp non fleet design is bad....but clean clean clean and check those ammeter connections. My 71 after I cleaned and die electric greased all of the connections has no voltage drop through the bulkhead connectors. But it was fairly clean to start with.
 
Vinegar and table salt solution...dunk connectors and let them soak. Then neutralise with baking soda mixed in water. Does more than you could with a brush.
 
Too bad you don't have the 1965 bulkhead, which feeds the big ALT & BAT currents thru on bolted buss bars (as does 1963). I put one in my 1964. But, I think your 1966 has a 3rd connector for the wiper in the engine bay, so can't adapt.
 
For now I just drilled out the bulkhead connector and feed a new red 10 gauge wire thru to get the car running again. I have an Autogage volt gauge under my dash that I plan on connecting after I do the MAD mod hopefully this weekend time permitting. I have also gave thought to rewiring the hole car with an EZ wiring harness. The car is so faraway from being original it doesn't matter what the wiring looks like.
 
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