What does the white wire clip to?

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Fuse link cooked most likely. I would undue what you did before replacing or it will happen again. The fuse link is about 6" and connects to the engine side bulkhead connector. It is usually marked fuse with a yellow tab attached to it, but not always.
 
Obviously I know just enough to get in trouble. Is it possible that by connecting the black ground to red lead on back of cluster I burnt up the connection at the engine bay harness and if I traced out the problems with a schematic and test light I could fix the problem or just go with a brand new wiring harness for engine bay.
 
I did Rocky and put everything back to where it was before. Lights worked everything worked except no dash lights because cluster not grounded. I hope I can relatively easily fix the problem and ground the cluster properly. It was previously grounded to the back of the old voltage limiter. I noticed the under dash fuse box no fuses were blown.
 
whatever you did I haven't looked at a schematic to know what the red wire is for. It appears it created a short and the path of least resistance was the fuse link. You should be able to check with meter to verify it is what fried (probably. and hopefully so).

I probably would have tried to ground from the clusters metal frame bezel to the dash frame corner. The dash lights pull ground from the same thing in part. You can just replace the fuse link, either with fusable link wire, or a new replacement fuse link, without replacing the wiring harness
 
Can you post what the black looks like? What other wires does it break out of the harness with? There are almost no ground wires in the harness, and they are not necessarily black.
 
Guys the black wire which was connected to the back of the old voltage limiter is anchored to a bolt coming off the steering column. I'm think it is a ground. I think my mistake was to ground it on the same post on back of cluster that red wire bolts to. I think the red wire carries a lot of voltage/amps and I must of caused some overload or feedback surge. If you guys need pics I can send them. I saw smoke and heard a little pop at the engine side bulkhead connector. Would burning out the fuse able link kill all the power to my headlights dome light etc. Should I replace fueable link with correct mopar replacement part higher quality or buy it almost anywhere? Could I test the connections for juice at the engine bulkhead connector with test light? I'll just look at schematic to figure out what is what at bulkhead connector.

Carl
 
Ok I have been reading into a replacement fuseable link. I know that my alternator on my dart has been rebuilt to charge up to 60 amps and I have an electronic conversion to a 6A MSD ignition. Do I have to take that into consideration when buying a fuseable link? Also I have read that the fuseable link should be roughly 2 sizes/guage smaller then wiring it is protecting so when it breaks further damage doesn't occur. What size to buy and where?
 
The fusible wire should be gauged to protect the wiring not the components added. So that it blows before damaging the wire harness. I would just replace with factory type.

I'm sure there are other resources to get them maybe locally and cheaper, dealer? Napa? Make one? not sure of the gauge off top of my head though 14ga rings a bell.
http://www.classicindustries.com/product/mopar/parts/ma4200.html
 
Yep, sounds like you grounded the main power circuit coming into the interior from the battery; i.e., you shorted your battery to ground. The fusible link is there to protect for this type of severe short. With that severe short, it likley went pretty fast. Inpsect the big red wire for any signs of melting at the cluster and all along its length to the firewall connector too. If none, you got lucky.

For the 60A altenrator I would not worry too much about the fusible link size. If the car is driven regularly and the battery stays charged the only real current back through there is the battery charging current which can be heavy if the battery is at low charge but typically won't be any more than before. And the orignal fusible link wil just protect you better; I would only mess with it if it started blowing in normal operation.

The main thing you need to worry about with the bigger alternator is the overall wiring into the compartment. Have you been pointed to the Mad Electrical mods for these cars?

I would buy a REAL fusible link, not fab one from regular wire. Fusible link wire is specific to the use. Try at NAPA. Use their online seaach and put in "No Vehicle Specified" and then search for "Fusible Link"
 
Everyone I did some work and took some pics so there is a clear understanding of where I'm at and what happened. You can see the fuse link connection at the firewall that burned out. There is some melted plastic where the fuse link plugged into the bulkhead connector. You also can see how my fuse link popped. Lastly I took photos of the red wire running to cluster I tried to ground off of and where the black ground wire is anchored. Should I replace the whole clip that snaps onto the bulkhead connector?

Carl
 

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The red wire I believe is batt voltage to the amp meter. Yeah that would create a short alright to either one of those wires.
 
It is for sure that you unfortunately grounded the battery + through the fusible link connection and through the firewall and the red lead to the ammeter.

Not sure I understand this. "Should I replace the whole clip that snaps onto the bulkhead connector?"

With the condition of the bulkhead connector where the fusible link plugged in, I feel that you are better off just biting the bullet with Mad Electrical mods. If this is something you are uncomfortable with trying (espcially after the last experince), then some intermediate steps may be the best. At the very least, you are going to have to hog out the fusible link hole in the bulkhead connection and make the fusible link to red wire connection there. I can't see form the pix of the harness connection to the bulkhead how good/bad is the condition of the red wire in that connector.
 
Is the plastic bulkhead connector burnt or just the harness connector? It looks like the bulkhead is fried from the picture but the flash makes it hard to tell for sure. If that is a cooked bulkhead I would replace it.

I will look at a bunch of dash harnesses I have and see if I have a good one. I think new they are about $80.00. Yeah, I just looked...
[ame="http://www.ebay.com/itm/MOPAR-BULKHEAD-CONNECTOR-1966-67-68-69-70-DODGE-PLYMOUTH-NEW-REPRODUCTION-/181535030985?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2a4454bec9&vxp=mtr"]Mopar Bulkhead Connector 1966 67 68 69 70 Dodge Plymouth New Reproduction | eBay[/ame]


John
 

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John

It appears it is just the harness connector. I could hopefully replace the harness connector transfer over all the connections and put in a new fuseable link. Do you think that would work? Do you have a harness connector I could buy from you? Would this problem kill all power to the headlights dome light etc?

Carl
 
John

When I try to ground the instrument cluster this time I don't want to make a similar mistake. Could I just run that black ground to a screw/bolt in the metal casing of the instrument cluster? Like put it under the screw which holds down the radio suppressor?

Carl
 
Carl,

Yes, a bad fuse link will kill all power as described. So long as you don't have that wire hooked up where it was with that red wire you should be fine if all was well prior.

I will look now that I know just what you need. If I have one you can have it for whatever it takes to send it to you.

Yes, from the suppressor would create a ground for the lighting, then run it to the lower corner of the dash frame where it can ground with the chassis and not the frame.
 
John, Del and all others


I can't thank you guys enough for helping me diagnosis and fix my problems. There is a sense of satisfaction in figuring out and doing things yourself even if it comes with mishaps. I called Bill Evans at Evans Wiring. Super nice guy helped me with a lot and I ordered everything I need to put things right. Once I get all the parts and get it back together I'll let you know how it works out. Thanks again.

Carl
 
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