My new 71 Dart and the issues I am finding. Help needed please

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Swan Song

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I just bought this 1971 Dart and feel I got a good deal. However, I need help figuring out what to do. I have found issues with the instrument panel - bouncing speedo, fuel gauge dead, no lights, no radio, no cigarette lighter, no wiper/washer, blinker that wont stay on when turning right, no horn, no heat, fan, or AC.
It has a 318 and had factory air.
I had a 76 dart that I had some instrument panel troubles with, and was able to remove, repair it. I also replaced the radio. It had no factory air to contend with.

Since that time, I had neck surgery and cant bend like I used to. How do I approach this?
I need working instruments, lights, wipers and a radio. The HVAC i can get a mechanic on.
I know there are a lot of you who know how to do this. Can you advise me please?

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In spite of your challenges, it looks to be quite an attractive acquisition (I envy you dude!). As for your electrical issues, consider it takes a positive (+) and negative (-) voltage potential to motivate anything electrical. Integrated into any factory circuit is a fuse, located in the fuse block. I would start by checking the fuses. If the actual fuses look good, the next check is: are they getting power? Check (with a volt meter) if at least one side of the fuse has battery voltage when it should (like when key is in the ON position). The flip side of the coin in an electronic circuit requires a negative (-) supply as well. This is the ground connection. It is possible that you have power+ and ground going to your starter (and maybe even your ignition coil) where the engine runs. However, few (if any) of your accessories work.

With that said, I suggest checking the fuses; making sure they have battery+ voltage to them. If they check good, check ground wires. You should have battery ground-to-block, battery ground-to-firewall/inner fender, and perhaps other grounding wires. To verify, a volt meter can verify both power+ and ground- at individual accessory connections. There really isn't any more than that.
 
Bouncing speedometer, try greasing the inner cable.

Your instrument cluster needs to be grounded to the dash frame for a negative return path.
 
Moparmat2000 - I got it yesterday and the only thing I've done is upload pictures to my personal album on facebook.
I have replaced all fuses, and I will check with the ohm meter tomorrow. I know he had the engine out so grounds could be loose in various places. I'll be looking for loose wires as well. I'm having trouble with the dash (my neck wont allow me to look up under the dash easily). Can i take the seat out and get to it pretty easy?
 
Disconnect the battery first then unbolt the steering column from under the dash 3 nuts and lower it down, then unscrew the cluster to move it towards you, reach in from the side to disconnect speedometer, and ammeter wiring nuts. The instrument cluster grounds to the dash for a return path through the cluster mounting screws. This path is probably degraded with corrosion. Lots of guys put a dedicated ground return wire from the cluster diecast housing to the dash frame.
 
First and foremost... Get A wiring diagram from classiccarwiring.Com
Best money I have spent.
 
That’s a few items to problem solve or fix. Was the seller upfront about those items not working? Since you said you got a got deal I presume that’s why. Sounds like a grounding issue might solve a lot of your electrical issues.

I’d be leery of a Mopar with a trunk and engine bay not painted body colour.
 
I have found issues with the instrument panel
bouncing speedo,
As others have said, lube inner shaft of cable, but there also might be debris between the rotating head and the part the needle attached to.
fuel gauge dead,
Does your temp gauage work?
no lights, no radio no wiper/washer, no heat, fan, or AC.
This points to ignition switch.
blinker that wont stay on when turning right, no horn
That points me to the turn signal switch[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]
 
Speedo cable- be sure the cable is not bad before you lube it. Is more common for the cable to be bad. Fuses- use a test light. Do you have juice going into the fuse and out. No juice into the fuse means you have a problem farther up stream. Check these things first and then move on to others. Fuel gauge- remove sender wire at gas tank and ground it, this should peg the gauge needle to full, if it doesn't we can talk about what to do next.
 
If you remove the right side kick panel there should be a ground wire on the hinge pillar. That ground if not connected can give you dash issues. I had issues and found the terminal had broken off.
 
okay, so i have spent the evening pulling out the seat and taking the AC vent loose. I tested the fuses and found two which did not register a voltage with the ohm meter. I also found some wires chewed by a mouse which I re-spliced and repaired. The radio wires were lying unconnected. The HVAC controls had a wire off of one of the pins also. (Im thinking the person who installed the radio knocked off) I will be looking for more tomorrow and also retesting the fuse panel. Im starting to see a common theme though. Anything that works off of the ignition switch is dead. (including all interior lights, wipers etc.) Now I need to find out why. (if it was a shitty radio wire job, tachometer job, or a mouse infestation, etc.) I ordered the wiring diagram as advised as well as the service manual. Some dip ran a wire out on the steering wheel to act as a horn button. I suspect that there may have been some tinkering in the steering wheel / column that might account for some of the trouble. I will keep you posted with what I run into tomorrow.

Thanks for all of the help folks.:wtf:
 
Since you are limited doing a lot of work on the car by yourself, I highly suggest bringing that car to a trustful body shop or mechanic and have them checked this car thoroughly. I think it is better paying a few dollars now and having somebody taking a really close look at the body, brakes, suspension, engine etc.
A good deal rarely exists nowadays. I just want to make you aware that this good deal can easily turn out to be a money pit. I am very sorry to write that, but I am afraid that this is a flipped car. If that's the case I would pull the emergency brake and either return it or sell it.

Wolfgang
 
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Turn signal issue is the cancel cam. Some do replace that part of the switch assembly alone. I choose to replace entire signal switch. I dont see a washer bottle. Ignition module?, voltage regulator? something placed where the washer bottle should be. If this build had electric wash there will be a brown wire in that general area not connected to anything.
 
Turn signal issue is the cancel cam. Some do replace that part of the switch assembly alone. I choose to replace entire signal switch. I dont see a washer bottle. Ignition module?, voltage regulator? something placed where the washer bottle should be. If this build had electric wash there will be a brown wire in that general area not connected to anything.


You are correct in the brown wire being there. What i hate is that they painted under the hood like it was a chevy... In doing so there are some wires that are also black now which is a bit of a pain but not the end of the world. The washer wash removed from what I can see. I have it at my mechanic's place. We suspect turn signal switch and ignition switch will need replacement. But there are probably a few more things to find before it all comes back to life.
Even if I have to pull a new harness, It will get restored eventually.
 
Since you are limited doing a lot of work on the car by yourself, I highly suggest bringing that car to a trustful body shop or mechanic and have them checked this car thoroughly. I think it is better paying a few dollars now and having somebody taking a really close look at the body, brakes, suspension, engine etc.
A good deal rarely exists nowadays. I just want to make you aware that this good deal can easily turn out to be a money pit. I am very sorry to write that, but I am afraid that this is a flipped car. If that's the case I would pull the emergency brake and either return it or sell it.

Wolfgang
I took your advice and dropped it at my friend's shop for going thru. I appreciate your insight however, even if its a flipped car, I got a '71 AC car with a 318/4bbl, new paint, decent interior and chrome that runs and drives all for well under 10k.
I think its a good deal and car it just needs some TLC. I will get the car back up in time. Not to mention, its my favorite body style for the dart so I am pretty motivated on this one.
 
Wire out the column for a horn? Hey, i respect that....my first 65 had the same thing! It even had a push button starter under the dash as the ignituon switch was bad. Get'er done!
 
BTW guys, I want to get new rims and tires for it. I like torq thrust 2 rims like these:
VN105 Torq-Thrust D.jpg

What sizes wheel and tire will this dart take front and back... I like the muscle look as well as the gangster look. So, a little bigger and fatter than stock without cutting stuff up... Any advice here guys?
 
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