70 GTX electrical open circuit

[zundel]

Has anybody out there had trouble with the bulkhead connector on '69 or '70 b body Plymouth?

I ran a separate wire to the positive post on the ammeter from the battery post on the relay, then spliced in a wire to the black wire coming from the output post on the alternator and ran it to the negative post on the ammeter. On the bulkhead connect these were the "R" and "P" terminals.

Whole car is dead, no lights, ignition horn radio ect. The battery starter, batt terminals and solenoid are good because the engine cranks normally if jumped at the relay.

There is an open circuit somewhere

 

[67 coronet]

http://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/electrical.html here is an article on our bad bulkhead conector problems.also has some other real good electrical info.

 

[Propwash]

Well, terminal port "R" is for your temperature sensor wire.......so that would probably put a dampner on your day. Terminal port "P" is from the alt. Terminal Port "J" is the power wire off the Starter relay.

Here's some more reading goodies for your viewing entertainment :evil5::


http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1970/70BelvedereGTXSatelliteRoad%20RunnerA.JPG

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1970/70BelvedereGTXSatelliteRoad%20RunnerB.JPG

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=109

http://madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml



Here's to some smooth sailing from here on out chief! Good luck.

 

[zundel]

Okay. Found the problem. When I ran a new wire to the output post on the alternator, I didn't take into account the factory had spliced in several other wires to the original black wire on the negative post on the ammeter prior to the black wire going into the bulkhead connector. This stuff is hard to see and you have to look for it and pay attention. Anyway, I found it yesterday.

To fix it I simply reattached the original black lead to the negative terminal on the ammeter. I hadn't cut it out of the wire harness, just had cut off the end where it came out of the wire harness prior to going into the back of the bulkhead connector. Hence, the original wire was still spliced into I'm not sure how many more circuits/wires. So now the neg. post on the ammeter has two wires attached. My new wire, which goes to the output post on the alternator and the original, which goes to the spliced in stuff and then stops.

The Great News: It now cranks, has interior lights, radio, horn, flashers ect.

Back in the late seventies my brother bought a GTX that had a similar problem. It gave us so much frustration because we didn't understand how to deal with it. Sometimes it would start, other times the whole car would be dead.

Nothing give greater satisfaction than fixing an electrical open circuit. Especially one that sometimes works without explanation.

Praise the Lord.

- - - Updated - - -

Hey Propwash,

Thanks for the correction, it is the "J" terminal.

There have to be thousands of cars out there that have had or have similar problems. My '70 Barracuda had it until 2 years ago. The fix there was to replace the ammeter gauge.

Hint: You may be in for a similar experience if your headlights begin to flash on and off while driving at night.

Now I can go to getting the "X" running. Wouldn't it be great if we could use a whip on her?

 

[Propwash]

Good to hear you got it fixed Zundel and thanks for the tip. I bypass or convert the Ammeter to a voltmeter on all my Mopars. They're nothing but a gas soaked campfire waiting for a match.

Now that you got her going, have fun in the GTX of yours. :icon_salut: