Car won't start. Could miss Carlisle! Please help.

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What he said
67Dart273 said:
Those connectors have always been a problem.
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When I put my car together in 99, I knew about the bulkhead problem. I had had Mopes since 1970. So I was meticulous in servicing it.I took every connector out, cleaned it to brightness, tightened it up, and reassembled it with dielectric grease. So I was good to go. Or so I thought.
Well that lasted for maybe two years and then the supply wire to the ammeter overheated and I could smell the melting plastic at 30 mph. And I was an hour and a half from home.
Well, my daddy didn't raise no fool. I had everything I needed to make a roadside repair,in the trunk, and a short time later I was going on down the road. Later when I got home, I made a permanent bulkhead-bypass. I've never had a problem since.
 
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^^My first bulkhead connector problem showed up in the old 70 RR long about 1972. This was a 440-6 car and was supposed to have had the 65A "big" alternator option, but came with likely a 55A instead. The original owner, still a friend, was and still is a radio amateur, just like me.

So in about 72, here we are..........drilled out the original ammeter holes, replaced it with larger wire "drilled through" the connector. Of course this was before Al Gore invented the internet.

So you see, "ratvon" some of us, contrary to your opinion, DO work on our own cars.........then and now

Old photo and faded, taken either 73 or 74

81sruds.jpg
 
67Dart273 said:
Please be sure you don't get led "down that road." It is far more likely that a bad terminal in the bulkhead connector is the problem rather than "the wire." You may have "fixed" it by wiggling that terminal/ the new one/ etc, all I'm saying is "be certain." You might want to wiggle the heck out of the bulkhead connector before something leaves you stranded.

Those connectors have always been a problem.
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Listen to this guy , very knowledgeable of electrical trouble , just helped me through an overcharging situation , bulkhead should be the first thing to check when you buy a mopar , what we do is split apart brush muriatic acid on terminals , rince and clean with baking soda rince again (acid does not affect plastic) , just prepare hose or bucket of water close by to rinse in case of spill , but you should brush a little at a time so not to spill any , tighten all connectors , pack with dielectric grease(stuff is not cheap but a tube will last you many repairs and years), wear gloves!
 
AJ/FormS said:
What he said


When I put my car together in 99, I knew about the bulkhead problem. I had had Mopes since 1970. So I was meticulous in servicing it.I took every connector out, cleaned it to brightness, tightened it up, and reassembled it with dielectric grease. So I was good to go. Or so I thought.
Well that lasted for maybe two years and then the supply wire to the ammeter overheated and I could smell the melting plastic at 30 mph. And I was an hour and a half from home.
Well, my daddy didn't raise no fool. I had everything I needed to make a roadside repair,in the trunk, and a short time later I was going on down the road. Later when I got home, I made a permanent bulkhead-bypass. I've never had a problem since.
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An hour and a half from home in manitoba isn t so bad , I hear on the great plains you can still see your home an hour and a half away!Just watch out for them mosquitos...
 
abodyjoe said:
the orange box has had know issues since the 90's. just up and quit on people.. its a common issue..
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Good to know, I have an orange box, ran it for about 4-5 years, then tore my car down. My car is slowly going back together. I will pick up one of the
abodyjoe said:
the orange box has had know issues since the 90's. just up and quit on people.. its a common issue..
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Good to know, I have an orange box, ran it for about 4-5 years, then tore my car down. My car is slowly going back together. I will pick up one of the newer boxes to have as a spare. I do remember working on a Dodge truck that the box tested good with the troubleshoot steps, I still suspected it and threw a new one at it. It started right up. I think that was an Orange box also, It always stays in my memory because the box tested good by the book, but then the book may just test wiring, I may have misinterpreted what I was doing. Oh well, it was 20+ years ago.
 
domdart said:
It is fixed. I had to replace the wire from the bulkhead to the ballast resistor. I removed the center bulkhead and jumped the power from the connector to the firewall bulkhead. I turned the key on and had power coming back out of the firewall. I plugged the connector back into the firewall and had power to the resistor. I tried to start the car without success. I checked the resistor again and had no power. I wiggled the wire and I would have power on and off. I replaced the wire and it fired right up. Thanks for the help.
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Good to hear you found the problem. I had a 69 Super Bee that ran like a scalded dog. It never stalled but occasionally wouldn.t start. (cranks but no start) I would pop the hood and wiggle the bulkhead connector and away we go. It really needed the "bulkhead bypass" that was mentioned earlier. What gauge wire would be good? 6 or 8?
 
I made it to Carlisle Saturday morning. I drove straight to the event. After I checked in at the hotel, the car wouldn't start. I did the wiggle and it started. After dinner I had to do the wiggle again. Sunday it started at the hotel, in the showfield, and at the gas station. I made it home, no problems. I guess I will have to research the bulkhead by-pass. Thanks to everyone for the help.
 
When it comes to Mopars..... Double check your grounds. Clean and tighten bulk head connections and others as well.
 
domdart said:
I made it to Carlisle Saturday morning. I drove straight to the event. After I checked in at the hotel, the car wouldn't start. I did the wiggle and it started. After dinner I had to do the wiggle again. Sunday it started at the hotel, in the showfield, and at the gas station. I made it home, no problems. I guess I will have to research the bulkhead by-pass. Thanks to everyone for the help.
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I'll bet when you unplug the bulkhead connectors you will see the problem. Mopar runs a lot of current through connectors that can only handle half as much. You will probably see something that looks like this.

download (2).jpg
 
I am having trouble with the blue/white wire that runs from ignition 1 to the bulkhead (N) then to the ballast resistor. Will the ammeter bypass solve this problem? With the bypass, the red wire enters the bulkhead (J), powers up the fuse box, ignition, and lights, then comes out the bulkhead (P). My connector N is slightly deformed like toolmanmike's image.
 
The madelecrical bypass is on 2 other wires ( red and black ). Looks like you'll need to bypass more than just those 2.
The blue w/white is switch hot, feeds voltage regulator/alternator field in all examples.
I don't know what more you might have on that circuit. Electric choke maybe?
My memory is suggesting ignition is fed by brown and blue no tracer. Probably varies with model, ecu or points.
 
RedFish said:
The madelecrical bypass is on 2 other wires ( red and black ). Looks like you'll need to bypass more than just those 2.
The blue w/white is switch hot, feeds voltage regulator/alternator field in all examples.
I don't know what more you might have on that circuit. Electric choke maybe?
My memory is suggesting ignition is fed by brown and blue no tracer. Probably varies with model, ecu or points.
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Yes on the electric choke. Is there a better place for the choke?
 
domdart said:
Yes on the electric choke. Is there a better place for the choke?
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Was a good guess huh? I suppose you do want it switched and that is the switched hot. That factory wire is plenty sufficient for signaling a relay and a relay would supply everything through added wires and fuses. The very best way to power a electric choke is through a rear defrost timer module robbed from a later model whatever but that gets complicated. Adding relays, not so much. Good luck with it.
 
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