Bulkhead Delete

[Wagon of Death]

Has anyone actually deleted the bulkhead fitting in a bid to tidy the engine bay wiring...Im looking at a full clean up in there, and am not sure If I should pull the plug and mount it somehow inside the firewall, or cut it off and solder wires on and direct them to their respective destinations...Im going to run a multi strand cable though the drivers side wheel arch for the front lights , horn etc
Has anyone done this? Any advice or concerns I should worry about?

 

[67Dart273]

I did on my 67 but its aftermarket harness. It's fairly easy if you have basic metal tools. Make a steel plate the same footprint as the bulkhead connector. If done right it will snap right into place instead of the connector using the same gasket and retainer clips. Punch a hole for a big grommet. The trick is likely getting a grommet. Some of the aftermarket wiring outfits likely sell them separately.

You will want a large grommet with lots of stretch for adding "whatever," tach, etc

There is no connector that you cannot fish through the hole, although of course you'll have to pull the ENTIRE harness if you remove it

Another way you could go is to pull (likely the underdash harness" loose to make slack, and feed ti partway out into the bay to work. Then document all connector wiring, and just remove all terminals from the original connector, and put it all together "empty." Then reassemble, and drill clear through each one and feed each wire through then splice on one side or t'other heat shrink, but splice, whatever. You might want to use sealer in each cavity when all done

 

[kursplat]

i have. mine had a few melted cavities.
tips,
A: have a factory manual
B: double check someone hasn't re-routed something and that all the wires are in the right place
C: learn to read the manual before you start cutting
D: pull the front seat and put some packing blankets on the floor

i unplugged everything on the engine side and popped out the cavity fitting from the firewall. that way i had working room. i did one at a time. i would not recommend soldering, current consensus seems to be quality crimped connectors are better. i used THESE style butt connectors with a double layer of shrink sleeve over each splice. use GOOD crimpers. i use sta-kon pliers for this style connector, (because i had them), but there's others out there. i also removed wires i no longer needed and added a few new ones. everything worked first time. you need to workout how you want to seal the hole too. at the moment i just have a block off plate i fabbed since i moved where the harness goes into the engine side.
i am going to redo mine. i want to re-route the main harness under the fender and get a cleaner look, but just removing the plug is not that big of a deal.
of course if you ever have a problem you might be cutting instead of unplugging something to fix it...

good luck

 

[64mopar]

I am just about done doing that.
I eliminated the bulkhead connector and ran all the wires into the frame then out to the front.

 

[Mike69cuda]

The only real reason for the bulkhead connectors is for factory assembly. Not needed if you are wiring it yourself.

 

[BillGrissom]

The only real reason for the bulkhead connectors is for factory assembly. Not needed if you are wiring it yourself.

True. They mostly dropped bulkhead connectors in the 1980's as the number of wires greatly increased. In 1985+ GM trucks I've picked, the harness just routes thru a hole in the firewall. Ditto for my 1996 and 2002 Chryslers. My 1985 M-B is in-between. The wires feed thru the fuse box which is in the firewall. Later cars have separate engine and cabin fuse/relay boxes.

 

[DionR]

Member here did some cnc bulkhead delete plates several years ago. No idea if he has anymore of them, but might be an idea at the very least.

Scroll towards the bottom of this post:

70 duster: updating, and a no-dough pro-touring makeover

 

[matthon]

I used the bulkhead for the wiper and reverse wires, as they are the only thing remotely close. Iirc I left the headlight wires there but they are new with relays and just run through it.
There was an existing hole by the po near the master cylinder, which I used for everything else.
Alternator, coil, distributor, horn wires run along the passenger inner fender, same as the factory has on the driver side with the same clips. No wires on the engine.

I like the frame idea, and building a channel inside the inner fenders.

I think I'll just clean mine up and have everything come out right in line with where the factory had the wires on the inner fender, except the wipers, and just block off the bulkhead hole.

I also have a hidden ground hub in the engine compartment and a positive hub under the dash, which help to clean everything up.

 

[64mopar]

Very few wires will be seen.
Alternator wires(coming up from under frame rail).
Coolant sensor wire.( from under as well).
Electric choke wire,(from the rear by ditributor).
Distributor wires,(coming from rear of block at transmission tunnel.
All these wires are obscured.
Notice no wires on fenders(wiring channel on drivers side fender gone).
No bulkhead connector.

 

[moparmandan]

Yup. Plate and grommet.