Power to cluster 1973 dart

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John Borris

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I’m having difficulty tracing the circuits in the fsm. It’s not like it used to be.
so I need to know which wire feeds the instrument cluster. I have one diagram (not a Chrysler diagram) which shows the power coming from the altenator field which I think is wrong. But I can’t find which wire or circuit powers the cluster.
any and all help is appreciated
John
 
Alternator field goes through the ammeter. Power to your cluster comes via the round 9,10,or11 (I can’t remember how many) pin connector on the back of it. One of those is power to the cluster.
get a Chrysler made service manual for your car and it will show you.
 
I have a Chrysler service manual but I can’t figure out which wire feeds power to the cluster. Can anyone tell me which page in the fsm it’s on? Or where the power comes from?
thanks
 
You need the 1973 version of this which is also available online to download at another site.

IMG_2212.jpeg


IMG_2213.jpeg
 
Go to classiccarwiring.com

around 25.00 for a colored laminated wiring diagram.

very easy to follow.

there may be errors but mine is VERY easy to follow.


Also if you can see the back of the cir board you can trace out the pins to their bulb, gauge, or IVR. that will show you which wire goes to what.
 
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I have this wiring diagram. It’s the one that shows the feed for the cluster coming from the altenator field.
 
John Borris said:
I have this wiring diagram. It’s the one that shows the feed for the cluster coming from the altenator field.
Click to expand...
IMHO you are reading it wrong.

The power to the cluster would come from the ignition switch. And the power to the ignition switch would come from the main splice from the alternator output.

Things changed in the mid 70s so maybe I'm wrong


Did some digging...

Dk blue which feeds the field and the cluster seems to come from the turn signal switch?
 
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Go to MyMopar.com and download the factory 73 manual if you do not have. Wander on past the diagrams and there are depictions of the connector appearances. CE is "connector, Engine", "CI" is connector, "instrument.

PART of what you need to do is trace the panel itself. Go to the hot side of something like a warning lamp, as these have switched 12V power on one side, and the other goes through the appropriate switch to ground, AKA oil pressure switch. Once you find that, you can trace, on the PC board wherever else it goes, and back to the harness pin.

Here is the PC board connector, "CI-14" That same oval label will be on the WIRING diagram next to ANY terminal depicted that is at that connector This is from page 8-168 of the 73 Dodge manual

CI14.jpg


Now, we know we are dealing with CI-14, and now we have to think............Look below, is the junction of incoming power for the oil and brake lamps. Note also it feeds the gauge limiter. NOTE that this goes up to CI-14 in the center, the G5-20 DBL (Dark BLue) Now you will have to refer to the CI-14 diagram to see which pin that is. NOTE that the G5 wire goes to a juncton at the top left of the crop. You'll have to follow this back, but it eventually ends up at the ignition switch

Power.jpg
 
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CAVEAT. BE VERY CAREFUL OF THESE CONNECTOR DIAGRAMS. Is this diagram looking at the FRONT of the harness connector, or at the PC board, which would be the REAR of the harness connnector? (Mirror views!!)

Edit. You are welcome. You need to follow this with every circuit, because of how they are drawn

EASE:

One thing I do is cheat. I refer to the 72 manual, which IS DIFFERENT but close enough that you can at least follow most of the wiring, as it is the last year, drawn the "line drawing" method. Also download the 2 page MyMopar af termarket diagrams. These are not as detailed, leave out options and some connectors, BUT ARE easier to follow.

Also, others suggest various 3rd party diagrams. If you are not comfortable with electrics, that would likely be a good thing to look into
 
Here's a cut and paste some links to other threads about '73 wiring.

Field circuit branches off of the ignition run circuit
Field Circuit shown in this post.

'73 Duster Cluster photos in this thread Cluster fun.

There are two power supplies for the car.
Power flows from whichever one can supply at the higher voltage.
  • Battery can supply power at approximately 12.5 Volts.
  • Alternator will supply power at approximately 14 Volts.
Power distribution
The output wires from the battery and alternator are joined at a welded splice under the dash.
That welded splice is also a junction to feed the main circuits:
  • Key switch (wire J1)
  • Fuse box (fuses that are always hot) (wire Q3)
  • Headlight switch power for headlights (wire L1)
1696558264689.png

Dome light, parking and marker lights, brake lights, horn, all get power directly through the fuse box's hot buss.

Windshield wiper switch gets power only when the key is in accessory or run position.
Heater fan, Radio, Reverse lights, and Turn signals only when the key is in accessory or run position.
On 1973 models, the heater switch, reverse lights, and radio share a fuse and wire circuit to the turn signal flasher.

Please note the ammeter is in the battery circuit. it shows current flowing into or out of the battery. Nothing else.
 
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Mattax said:
Here's a cut and paste some links to other threads about '73 wiring.

Field circuit branches off of the ignition run circuit
Field Circuit shown in this post.

'73 Duster Cluster photos in this thread Cluster fun.

There are two power supplies for the car.
Power flows from whichever one can supply at the higher voltage.
  • Battery can supply power at approximately 12.5 Volts.
  • Alternator will supply power at approximately 14 Volts.
Power distribution
The output wires from the battery and alternator are joined at a welded splice under the dash.
That welded splice is also a junction to feed the main circuits:
  • Key switch (wire J1)
  • Fuse box (fuses that are always hot) (wire Q3)
  • Headlight switch power for headlights (wire L1)
View attachment 1716150457
Dome light, parking and marker lights, brake lights, horn, all get power directly through the fuse box's hot buss.

Windshield wiper switch gets power only when the key is in accessory or run position.
Heater fan, Radio, Reverse lights, and Turn signals only when the key is in accessory or run position.
On 1973 models, the heater switch, reverse lights, and radio share a fuse and wire circuit to the turn signal flasher.

Please note the ammeter is in the battery circuit. it shows current flowing into or out of the battery. Nothing else.
Click to expand...
You’re over complicating ****.
He just wanted to know which actual wire powers the cluster and it’s in the round pin connector. I love it when people put a red X on a post when it shouldn’t be there.
 
4mulas said:
You’re over complicating ****.
He just wanted to know which actual wire powers the cluster and it’s in the round pin connector. I love it when people put a red X on a post when it shouldn’t be there.
Click to expand...

The red X on your previous post is because this is false
4mulas said:
Alternator field goes through the ammeter.
Click to expand...
 
4mulas said:
No it’s not.
this picture is from your post. The ammeter just measures which way current is flowing. Either from the alternator or the battery.

View attachment 1716150870
Click to expand...
It shows current flowing into or out of the battery.

Once the battery is recharged no current flows through the ammeter,
but the alternator producing power and the car keeps running.
The ammeter points to zero.

Alternator power does not flow through the ammeter - except to recharge the battery.

Field circuit branches off of the ignition run circuit
Mattax said:
Field Circuit shown in this post.
Click to expand...

Illustrated here.
Mattax said:
<snip>

How the alternator supplies and gets power:
When the engine is running the ignition needs power.
Current flows from the high voltage power supply, the alternator, through the key switch to the ignition.
1715883342.png


The voltage regulator senses the voltage in the blue wire (labeled J2B).
Inside the regulator is basically a switch. Opening and closing the switch makes and breaks power to create the electromagnetic field inside the alternator.
View attachment 1715883361

View attachment 1715883362

More about the isolated-field alternator here: Identifying Chrysler Alternators (1960-1976)
Click to expand...
 
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Okay, so I was right and your big red x wasn’t warranted. I said Exactly that. It shows which way current is flowing. Not sure why you x’d it or seem to be arguing the the same side of the same point I was making.

keeping it a little more simple and just answering the OP’s question, the power to the cluster is provided through one of the pins on the round 9 pin connector. Your full service manual will have wiring diagrams in it to show which colour and gauge wire it is. Sometime you can download these manuals online for free.

‘’good luck
 
4mulas said:
Okay, so I was right and your big red x wasn’t warranted. I said Exactly that. It shows which way current is flowing. Not sure why you x’d it or seem to be arguing the the same side of the same point I was making.
Click to expand...
You don't understand. Let me phrase it differently.
The ammeter does not show current flowing out of the alternator.
The ammeter has nothing to do with the field circuit.

The OP asked about the field circuit.
John Borris said:
I have one diagram (not a Chrysler diagram) which shows the power coming from the altenator field which I think is wrong.
Click to expand...

You wrote.
4mulas said:
Alternator field goes through the ammeter.
Click to expand...
That is incorrect.
1696693496252.png

The field circuit consists of the branch of J2 going to the alternator field terminal, the brushes, slip rings, rotor windings, and wire R3 to the regulator.
Photos and explanation of these components are shown here. Identifying Chrysler Alternators (1960-1976)

I did not provide this detailed explanation in this thread because the OP only needed to know what the wires connected to, rather than what they don't connect to. The links were there in case he, or you, or anyone, wanted to know why.
 
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