1973 Dart No electrical power

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Just for reference, is this the fusible link that you need.

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The plastic connector in your picture is available new if needed.
I started reading from the top. My 1st question was,"what in hell is that a picture of?" OH! I see now. Thanks for the clarification. Next thought, black wire off signal flasher? What's wrong with the OEM radio power wire for switched 12 volts? Next, lighter well current for radio memory? Thats far more juice than req'd. I wouldn't tie that to my jukebox without a inline fuse (5 amp). Since i always remove neg' battery cable, i dont bother with the forgetful power supply. Next, see mad electrical. Go ahead and drill through the bulkhead. About the kid who wired up a jukebox in his brand new Fiesta, melted the radiator cap into the upper tank, blew the engine, voided the warranty, I'll save that story. Good luck
 
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Hey,

The OEM radio wire was nowhere to be found, the previous owner started a conversion to a modern radio and then just have up before selling it to me, so everything involving the sound system was just screwed up. I could put a fuse there, I assume you mean it's too many amps? I also unplug my battery when I leave it for any more than a day or two, but the radio memory is a great quality of life to have.
 
Hey,

The OEM radio wire was nowhere to be found, the previous owner started a conversion to a modern radio and then just have up before selling it to me, so everything involving the sound system was just screwed up. I could put a fuse there, I assume you mean it's too many amps? I also unplug my battery when I leave it for any more than a day or two, but the radio memory is a great quality of life to have.
OK, their was a harness connector with a switched fused 12 volt (red maybe) and a orange for the OEM radio and light. Im' not sure the lighter well was ever fused beyond the fusible link. A shade tree connection there and a short could shut down the whole car. That wires purpose is to make fire! What do you risk for so called quality of life? I created a DIN friendly rally panel for our 67 fish. The Kenwood jukebox is not meant for in-flight use (expression borrowed from Del). A mp3 disc with all our favorites was all we needed.
 
Keep in mind that connectors are for assembly line use. If you are altering / replacing / improving your wiring you don’t need a lot of them. Many folks have drilled out the bulkhead connectors and just ran wire through them.
 
Do you think the radio memory being unfused could be what's causing the electrical issues I'm having problems with? I've never seen any major loads on the alternator gauge that concerned me with current draw with the engine off.
 
^ Exactly ^ The harness connector attached to fusible link is/was referred to as service disconnect. Kills everything in the cabin. If someone reached in and turned the key while another had hands under the hood,, no consequence. I don't know where your current problem may be.
 
I would bet you still have problems in the major power distro. IT IS RARE but tuck this away: A few inches from the ammeter, in the black ammeter wire, is a factory WELDED splice, which can break. That feeds the ignition switch input, the headlights only power to the light switch, the fuse panel hot buss, and varies, but sometimes other components in some years.

The bulkhead connector would be high on my list, and the ammeter connections, terminals, and ammeter itself

This is a simplified diagram from the MAD electrical page of the primary power

amp-ga18.jpg

Every major point in this diagram is a potential failure point. The power comes off a tag off the battery, and runs to the starter relay "big stud." This is not only one of the relay contacts, it acts as a junction.

From that stud, a wire with the fuse link runs to the bulkhead. Could be the eyelet to the wire at the relay stud, in the link itself, or in the bulkhead feedthrough terminal. You can see there are three major feeds off that splice, then the black continues on through the bulkhead connector and out to the alternator.

You simply have to follow through all of that and see where you are losing it.

One last time, I would concentrate FIRST on the bulkhead connector. BIG issue and BIG on probability

From the buikhead the power goes to the ammeter. Here you can have a poor connection in the factory crimp from the wire to the eyelet, problems inside the ammeter itself, or the eyelet terminal on the black wire coming out.

Then on to the welded splice, which again can fail
 
Update to the radio wire question, recertified and yes, BOTH power supplies into the radio have a built in fuse in the wire, rated at 15 amps.

Screenshot_20250829-104911.png
 
Just to make everyone comfortable its not drawing too much for the OEM wires, including you.
a. What's Rating on the yellow and the red wire fuses?
b. What's the power rating(s) on the system ?

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Tips when electric seems to be dead.
First, check lights that should always have power even with key off. This lets you know power is making past the main splice (junction). Headlights can be good because you can see them against a wall from the driver seat, and you can see how bright they are while looking at he ammeter. Parking lights, dash, and brake lights go through fuses but are also good.
Then you can check things that only work with key in run.

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tips on the engine bay.

1756588303411.png

The engine connectors were added to speed assembly according to @RedFish. They're vulnerable and not a huge help for diagnostics. Since your harness is new, they should not be a problem now BUT if the wires are strained that can cause a poor conenction sooner than later. You got lots of slack by the front of the valve cover. Make shure all of the terminals are well seated in the connector shells and then use all of the harness supports.
1756588772711.png
 

One last time, I would concentrate FIRST on the bulkhead connector. BIG issue and BIG on probability
^^This is a reasonable area to investigate^^^
You've installed a new harness with new engine side connectors, but have you checked the mating terminals?

The damage seen here
1756589320635.png


and here
1756589626355.png


may also be seen on the mating terminals.

Those terminals are (in my opinion) actually easier to remove and check.
If the terminal is good, make sure it clicks into the plastic connect (give it a very gentle tug to be sure it won't back out).
There's several threads about cleaning bulkhead terminals.

1756589975371.png


Also '73 has circuits that share a fuse and connect daisy chain fashion in ways you might not expect.
For example I recall helping someone here with the turn signal power that is joined to the backup light power at the bulkhead like so.
1756590251828.png
 
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