Can anybody give some tips/tricks on refurbishing the bulkhead connectors on the firewall? Mine has corrosion, burnt/melted places, loose terminals, etc. If I could I'd replace it all. Can you get replacement bulkheads?
How to refurbish a bulkhead connector?
- Thread starter sargentrs
- Start date
-
No idea but I have the same questions.
Subscribed.
Subscribed.
Beatnik
Well-Known Member
You call up Bill Evans at evanswiring.com and order a new one. I was in the same boat. My bulkhead connector was toasty/burnt terminals as were parts of my engine harness. Best decision I've made on wiring for the Duster was just getting a new one. $70 may seem a little pricey but to me it was worth it. Now I know I'm not driving around like a fire hazard waiting to happen!
Also since you'll have everything apart, it makes for a good time to clean/check all your terminals on the harnesses on both sides of the firewall for issues and replace as needed. As well as bypass the troublesome ameter! All of which I did when I put Bills new bulkhead connector in and new engine harness.
Also since you'll have everything apart, it makes for a good time to clean/check all your terminals on the harnesses on both sides of the firewall for issues and replace as needed. As well as bypass the troublesome ameter! All of which I did when I put Bills new bulkhead connector in and new engine harness.
Absolutely right Beatnik! Correct new parts are cheap insurance. I have seen connectors and plugs for sale on E-bay but not the bulkhead itself. Mitchell Motor Parts should have them but expensive there. Classic Industries, Laysons, Herbs, Mega Parts USA might have pieces.Sometimes if you call those places, if they don't have what you need, they know who does. I was lucky that mine wasn't burned. I cleaned the terminals and reinstalled. tmm
nm9stheham
Well-Known Member
If just the heavier wires have melting around them, then the MAD electrical mods are an alternative, along with cleaning and burnishing or replacement of the other terminals. I belive these have been identified as Pacaked 56 terminals that you can get at NAPA. But the key to doing these right is the crimping tool; it has to be the rigth type or you are wasting your time over the long term. You can alternatey use any crimp and then solder, but you have to support the wires properly outside of the connectors; soldered stranded wires will very often break at the end of the soldered section after a while if unsupported and subjected to automotive vibrations.
With a new or cleaned temrinal, I would recommend some getting some silver loaded dieletric grease for the the spade part of the contact; use just a little right on the metal, and rub it into the brass; silver will tend to coat directly onto the brass surface with a little pressue. Don't smear it all over the place, and remove any excess gobs of it. Then use regular dieletric grease on the crimps and other area of the terminals. The silver loaded dieletric grease makes a significant improvement in contact conductivity.
The silver loaded dielectric grease can be found on eBay and from other sources.
With a new or cleaned temrinal, I would recommend some getting some silver loaded dieletric grease for the the spade part of the contact; use just a little right on the metal, and rub it into the brass; silver will tend to coat directly onto the brass surface with a little pressue. Don't smear it all over the place, and remove any excess gobs of it. Then use regular dieletric grease on the crimps and other area of the terminals. The silver loaded dieletric grease makes a significant improvement in contact conductivity.
The silver loaded dielectric grease can be found on eBay and from other sources.
jos51700
Green Bearing thread connoisseur
If your bulkhead is smoked, why would you assume that any part of the rest your harness isn't compromised. Replace/inspect every inch of it.
My car did that, nearly burnt down. On installing the new harness I found several wires hidden inside the old one that were fused together and shorted or nearly so, miles away from the bulkhead connector. If you're going to the trouble to inspect it that far (which requires removal), stab in a new one.
BYPASS THE CHARGING CURRENT PAST THE BULKHEAD CONNECTOR WHILE YOU'RE AT IT.
My car did that, nearly burnt down. On installing the new harness I found several wires hidden inside the old one that were fused together and shorted or nearly so, miles away from the bulkhead connector. If you're going to the trouble to inspect it that far (which requires removal), stab in a new one.
BYPASS THE CHARGING CURRENT PAST THE BULKHEAD CONNECTOR WHILE YOU'RE AT IT.
Evans has been making his quality wiring for many years. I ( we, us) tend to bypass this important part of our car.
AlV
Crabs in a barrel
I agree that when it comes to electrical you don't want to be thrifty when repairing primary areas on the old systems. Check out my repair thread:
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showpost.php?p=1970195180&postcount=39
I was originally going to source a bulkhead connector from a donor harness but ultimately decided to go with a new connector from Evans. Mostly because the used bulkhead gets worn and heat cycled which can prevent the tang on the terminal connectors from getting a good positive lock when inserted into the bulkhead connector. This aspect is very important when you start plugging in the engine harness connectors and want to make sure you have positive insertion.
Pick up a little dielectric grease also.
Best advice is to take your time and inspect everything.
AlV
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showpost.php?p=1970195180&postcount=39
I was originally going to source a bulkhead connector from a donor harness but ultimately decided to go with a new connector from Evans. Mostly because the used bulkhead gets worn and heat cycled which can prevent the tang on the terminal connectors from getting a good positive lock when inserted into the bulkhead connector. This aspect is very important when you start plugging in the engine harness connectors and want to make sure you have positive insertion.
Pick up a little dielectric grease also.
Best advice is to take your time and inspect everything.
AlV
fratzog lover
Well-Known Member
Do you actually need the plastic parts? You can get the connector terminals...............
Good question.
Good question.
Does anyone have a link to the instructions for eliminating the ammeter and the bulkhead connector (circuit) from the car entirely? I had a carburetor fire that burned all my underhood wiring, the connector and most of the under-dash wiring. I have replaced the throttle cable and throttle pressure cable (which were also burned) and have acquired all the under-hood wiring looms and their connector-ends (except the headlights' looms,) but have, since, heard of a way to eliminate the ammeter from the charging circuit, altogether, and maybe, the bulkhead connector(s).
Somewhere on the web, I am sure,exists detailed instructions on how to go about this. That is what I need.
Can anyone help?
Any info will be appreciated!
Here are a couple of pics of th carnage...
Hey Bill, does this help?
http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml
Part 2 has the actual instructions.
http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml
Part 2 has the actual instructions.
Thanks to all for the great tips and information! I, too, would interested to hear more about eliminating the bulkhead connectors entirely. With the problems I've been having with mine lately, a total rewire with an aftermarket harness is starting to look pretty darn good.
Damn Bill. That sucks!
That s exactly what I was looking for, and will be of tremendous help with my problem!
Thanks so much!!!!:cheers:
Yeah, Mike; just what I needed, with another car to finish right now... LOL!:banghead:
abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
and have poor crimps all over the damn thing. stay away from evans.. i had issues with his product and found quite a few others had the same issues.
adriver
Blazing Apostle
I went the trouble of saving the terminals.
Then found out you could by the "Packard" connectors.
DUH
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=222093&highlight=bulkhead
Then found out you could by the "Packard" connectors.
DUH
http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=222093&highlight=bulkhead
Beatnik
Well-Known Member
My experience was great, but everyone is different. Bill was friendly and informative and fast to ship. Product was nice. He even made me up the length of wife for the fusible link that goes from the relay to the bulkhead pigtail since my existing one was round style and shipped it for free to me. But again just saying my experience was very very positive. His engine harness was spot on and everything nice/tight.
abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
glad you had a good experience. but like i said i had 6 bad crimps (that i found) and god knows how many more on just an engine and wiper harness. then i saw a few threads pop up on a different board from guys that had the same issues. maybe his crimp tool is worn or something but there is a huge issue with them. damn wipers worked with the old beat to hell harness. put the new evans harness on and they no longer worked. think there were two bad crimps in that one. car ran fine with the brittle and patched harness in the car. put an evans engine harness in the car and it would randomly shut off. found at least 4 bad crimps in that harness and still had the issue. traced it to a blue wire in the harness. still don't know where the issue was in that wire. i ended up rigging it up so when it stalled i would turn my parking lights on and that would trigger a relay that sent power where that blue wire fed. every time it stalled i'd turn the parking lights on and it would start right up and run fine. something in that wire was bad.
he was nice and offered to fix it (i declined because no way would i ever trust it that harness again) and offered my money back but i said screw it and used the harness for parts. used and rebuild a few connectors when i did the entire car.
buy M&H from year one. they are the best out there..
he was nice and offered to fix it (i declined because no way would i ever trust it that harness again) and offered my money back but i said screw it and used the harness for parts. used and rebuild a few connectors when i did the entire car.
buy M&H from year one. they are the best out there..
BillGrissom
Well-Known Member
Yes, for some cars. You didn't tell us your year. A-body?
Re used parts, in the early A's, I found that C-body bulkheads are the same PN (or close enough). Probably B-bodies too.
Dodge motorhomes tended to continue the older electrical terminations, even into the 80's or 90's. They are rarely picked at the yards and might have fewer miles on them. Even when the bulkhead itself varies, the plastic housings of the connectors on the cable often match what you need.
As mentioned, usually just the thick ALT and BAT terminals melt. You can easily bypass just those with solid wires.
Finally, no requirement that you have a bulkhead connector. They were for easy factory assembly. Later cars ran wires straight thru a grommet in the bulkhead, since connectors became impractical with the numerous wires added for air bags, cruise control, ...
'74 Dart, 225 /6, A904. Evans catalog says he has them for small blocks but "call for slant six applications". "Vintage" vehicles are rare in the junk yards in my area. Few years back scrap hit 12¢/lb and everybody scrapped all the heavy metal they could find. All that's left in the yards is plastic, rubber, and beer can cars.
Does a screw hold the two halfs together or do they snap into each other?
Not sure about the inside half, haven't tried, but the engine compartment connectors (male spade) just plug into the firewall part. There's tabs at the top and bottom that snap onto the mating body to hold them in place. On the bottom of each connector, mine has 3, is a narrow trough. Stick the end of a large flat blade screwdriver straight into that trough a slightly raise your handle to spring the bottom tab. If you have a mirror you'll see what I'm talking about. I just used my pocket knife from the side to spring the top. Then gently work them apart.
-
