Ammeter under dash fire.

[dodge41969]

Here's a cluster that came to our shop for a voltmeter conversion, as you can see there was a fire when one of the ammeter stud's came loose and shorted out on the housing, the insulation started to burn like a fuse....until the battery was disconected. This is a Mopar owners worst nightmare. This cluster is out of a '67 Plymouth Fury.

 

[Mopars & Missiles]

There's an extra wire added to that ammeter. Wonder if that modification had anything to do with the fire? :eusa_think:

Either way, its still a shame. Hope the car wasn't damaged too much.

 

[MikeyT]

This has and always will be the Achilles heel for Mopar owners... One of the first mods I do with my Mopar is the ammeter bypass mod... Well think of it this way, at least the car didn't burn to the ground

Mike

 

[Ron 73]

That is a shame, they do cause more fires then we know and i hope the car isint to bad, He must have caught it before it got out of hand to be in your shop for a change over we all should have...

 

[themechanic]

This has and always will be the Achilles heel for Mopar owners... One of the first mods I do with my Mopar is the ammeter bypass mod... Well think of it this way, at least the car didn't burn to the ground

Mike

That's what I was thinking. Tempting fate, he was.

 

[ilm65]

Go to Mad Electric's web site--the owner gives explicit instructions on why and how to bypass the in-dash ammeter gauges.

 

[paladin06]

My amp meter is bypassed in my road runner but not my Duster. I think I better bypass it ASAP!

 

[Budnicks]

Go to Mad Electric's web site--the owner gives explicit instructions on why and how to bypass the in-dash ammeter gauges.

Yeah that is a great web site, very good tech section, schematic, relay plugs/diagrams & great electronics parts, connection, fusible links & wiring supplies or automotive electronics supplies & tech too, used them for years found them by accident.... Mad Enterprises, www.MadElectrical.com , well worth going to the site, to check out/read some of the tech section alone...

- - - Updated - - -

Here's a cluster that came to our shop for a voltmeter conversion, as you can see there was a fire when one of the ammeter stud's came loose and shorted out on the housing, the insulation started to burn like a fuse....until the battery was disconected. This is a Mopar owners worst nightmare.View attachment 148639 This cluster is out of a '67 Plymouth Fury.

I'll bet that was a "Depends" moment for sure...

 

[wannadrag]

Worked and had many brand X cars and I have to say that the mopar wiring harness has to be the biggest joke ever. Its a wonder that all of them haven't burnt up.

 

[747mopar]

I'm glad you posted this "everyone needs to know what can happen".

 

[Moparsmitty]

At the very least use a battery disconnect switch until you can do the conversion.

 

[J5 GTX]

Go to Mad Electric's web site--the owner gives explicit instructions on why and how to bypass the in-dash ammeter gauges.

I'd like to keep the ammeter working. Does anyone have information on using a shunt to operate the ammeter? I"ve heard that some late '70's MOPAR passenger cars used an ammeter with a shunt (less current to drive the meter).

 

[Budnicks]

you can run a wire from the main 12vt output charging threaded terminal to the big threaded lug on the starter relay, that's on the firewall by the bulkhead connector, that helps some, to reduces/lessons the strain/load on the under-dash wiring, the large black wire that branches off & that feeds all the under-dash fuse panel & dash/gauges wiring etc., it helps allot & shortens the current & charging path... I've done it with an 6ga.- 8ga. wire in several of the B-Body cars, I've owned with larger amperage alternators {like 75amp & above, it's a Band-Aid, but will help} & that still also had the original Amp gauge in line & working... I always clean all the connections on all the bulkhead connectors, & add a dab of dielectric grease to all electrical connections, resistance equals heat, get rid of the oxidation/rust {on anything I do in the electrical system or added electronics stuff} including the back of the amp gauge... make sure the wiring is all in good shape, no cracks & all good connections, no loose ends... I also will sometimes add some shrink tube to the wire connection for added safety & a little peace of mind, the original connections are just taped...

 

[jessipup]

I did a very easy fix when my dash was out. I went to the hardware store and got some plastic spacers, drilled the ID out a little bigger and cut them off so they are a little longer than the metal frame that surrounds the terminals. So now there is no way a terminal can short to the frame no matter how I pull and heave on the harness. Simple, cheep and easy. This fix will last a lifetime and I can use the original guage without reading schematics or rewiring

 

[MarPar]

At the very least use a battery disconnect switch until you can do the conversion.

so will this work? I have read that you want to have it on the POS side better than the NEG side. is this true?

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fla-fr1013/overview/

 

[Budnicks]

clarification

you can run a wire from the main 12vt output charging threaded terminal {on the Alternator} to the big threaded lug on the starter relay, that's on the firewall by the bulkhead connector, that helps some, to reduces/lessons the strain/load on the under-dash wiring, the large black wire that branches off & that feeds all the under-dash fuse panel & dash/gauges wiring etc., it helps allot & shortens the current & charging path... I've done it with an 6ga.- 8ga. wire in several of the B-Body cars, I've owned with larger amperage alternators {like 75amp & above, it's a Band-Aid, but will help} & that still also had the original Amp gauge in line & working... I always clean all the connections on all the bulkhead connectors, & add a dab of dielectric grease to all electrical connections, resistance equals heat, get rid of the oxidation/rust {on anything I do in the electrical system or added electronics stuff} including the back of the amp gauge... make sure the wiring is all in good shape, no cracks & all good connections, no loose ends... I also will sometimes add some shrink tube to the wire connection for added safety & a little peace of mind, the original connections are just taped...

Just for clarification... it's the big threaded terminal from the Alternator 12vt main output, to the starter relay large threaded 12vt main terminal on the relay, if there was any confusion... the 1st sentence was kind of worded poorly