wiring help

[70sixpack]

Hello all. I currently have a 70 GTX v code that has been my project for the past few years. Bought it back in 2011 as a restored car and well u know how it goes, the car deserved to be better! 2 shops later and alot of $$ and now have some electrical issues. I have been stumbling through them since I received the car back in pieces and u know how that goes. The main problem I have is that every time I hook up the battery I blow the fuse that controls the interior lights. Any ideas... I am confused to say the least...

 

[440+6]

It's grounded out somewhere, you need a shop manual and trace the wires until you find it.
If you have a console check the wires to that, the connector is behind the drivers kick panel, unplug it and try again.
Also door jamb switches.
Welcome, and posting a few pics wouldn't hurt.

 

[67 coronet]

you can also find it by checking the power wires to each interior light and find the one that has continuaty to the body.easy to check with a cheep electrical tester.

 

[HT413]

Here's a useful link to many free online wiring diagrams. You need one of these diagrams, a voltmeter, and lots of patience. :VB toast:

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=27

So let's see some pix of that restored GTX.

 

[70sixpack]

It's grounded out somewhere, you need a shop manual and trace the wires until you find it.
If you have a console check the wires to that, the connector is behind the drivers kick panel, unplug it and try again.
Also door jamb switches.
Welcome, and posting a few pics wouldn't hurt.

I have a service manual, bought a wiring diagram but it does not show the rallye dash. I downloaded the wiring for a 70 challenger / cuda with a rallye dash and it helps out a bit. The console wires looked ok. Your saying the wires in the drivers kick panel or door jamb switches. Maybe I should disconnect them one by one and see what happens?
The car itself when I bought it was a color change to B5 blue. I had a complete restoration done and out it back to the born on color, burnt bronze. I am glad I did. Here is a picture from a few weeks ago before the engine and trans went in......
I also have the stock hood and wheels.

 

[eagleone1983]

beautiful car! I guess you could do the disconnect method but you'll be going through a bunch of fuses, not that they are expensive. The connectors behind the driver's side kick panel are for the rear light harness, dome light harness, and I think there is one more I can't think of it off the top of my head. If you disconnect all of those and it still blows a fuse you know your issue is in the dash harness or your console. If it doesn't blow the fuse with those disconnected I hope your issue isn't in the dome harness or hopefully the headliner isn't in yet.

 

[70sixpack]

OK. Here's the update. Now when I connect the battery nothing happens. No interior lights, no blown fuses. I have power at the fusible link going into the wiring harness on the firewall, but no power anywhere inside. Nothing at the fuse panel, no power at the connector for the interior lights. Trying to check at the wiring harness that comes in the car is a little tight as you know. Any other suggestions? As a last resort I thught about bringing it to Herbs in De. I have read about how they work on cars and I spoke with him yesterday at the Mopar event at Carlisle. Ideas?

 

[terzmo]

I believe there is a disconnect under the sill plate to the console...disconnect there and you'll have a smaller direction to explore...submitted before I read last post...wish you were in western ny...I'd love to troubleshoot that. The first stop for power is at the starter relay. Check on the "goes outta" side when the key is on

 

[HT413]

Ok, what i would do is this:

You have 12v at the fusible link that enters J terminal on bulkhead.

Check the following spots for voltage:
1- P terminal is coming directly off alternator, goes through bulkhead, splits off at welded splice and goes to ammeter. If no volts, either ammeter is done or bad wire or connection. It says there is a circuit breaker there, but mine wa s bypassed so i just dont know how tht circuit breaker functions. Maybe a simple fix?
2- if you have juice, check horn relay power (violet). Sounds funny but it comes directly off ammeter at welded splice that splits to power basically whole car.
3- if ok, check the red tracer wire at the top of this pic that goes to the fusebox. It comes directly off that splice as well and should be hot.



Maybe someone has a better idea, but that's where i'd start.

 

[terzmo]

The wire at the alternator is the end of the road for the positive side of the batt....it's stop before the alt is the neg side of the ammeter gauge. I'd start at the other end...first the power side of the sarter relay with the key on. It obviously will have power to the large lug without the key on as that is coming directly from the pos side of battery...(if the battery didn't crap) Actually, I'd check the battery terminals for a good clean connection and the battery voltage.Then follow up the line...

 

[70sixpack]

Ok, what i would do is this:

You have 12v at the fusible link that enters J terminal on bulkhead.

Check the following spots for voltage:
1- P terminal is coming directly off alternator, goes through bulkhead, splits off at welded splice and goes to ammeter. If no volts, either ammeter is done or bad wire or connection. It says there is a circuit breaker there, but mine wa s bypassed so i just dont know how tht circuit breaker functions. Maybe a simple fix?
2- if you have juice, check horn relay power (violet). Sounds funny but it comes directly off ammeter at welded splice that splits to power basically whole car.
3- if ok, check the red tracer wire at the top of this pic that goes to the fusebox. It comes directly off that splice as well and should be hot.

View attachment 127121

Maybe someone has a better idea, but that's where i'd start.

Mine has the circuit breaker. I plan on pulling the fusible link out of the connector on the firewall and plugging it directly into the other connector. If still nothing, I'll check for voltage at the ammeter. My car has the circuit breaker on the back of the gauges. Do they go? I had power before and no all of a sudden I have no power at all inside the car.

 

[67 coronet]

frying the amp meter in these cars is very common.i would check that first if you still have the stock amp meter.

 

[HT413]

Yeah, gotta start with that ammeter and circuit breaker. I just dont know much about that circuit breaker, is it resettable or easily replacable? Really dont know. I'll pm ya later.

 

[70sixpack]

frying the amp meter in these cars is very common.i would check that first if you still have the stock amp meter.

So I should have power on the positive side of the amp meter. I have the circuit breaker and what also looks like a condenser on the back of my cluster. The wire from this "condenser" go into the connection for the circuit breaker. I thought it sounded like a popped a fuse yesterday and when I checked it they were all good. Maybe it was the circuit breaker? Any way to check the condenser, or circuit breaker?

 

[terzmo]

If you have continuity, from the battery, through the starter solonoid, with the key in the on position,you should have power at either side of the ammeter as the power just goes through..the ammeter is a series connected item and drops no voltage to worry about....

with the key on, if you have power on one side of the breaker but not the other...the breaker needs to be reset or replaced..if reset and no power, the breaker is ka..ka

 

[HT413]

Hopefully one of the gurus will chime in (apologies to those who have already helped lol). My knowledge of these cars is limited to things that were broken and i was forced to fix or things i broke and was forced to fix lol. You should be able to test resistance across the circuit breaker or with the battery connected and it in run position, look for a voltage drop across it. but honestly, if it is the problem, is it really necessary with the fusable links in place? Maybe you can just jump it out? I checked rockauto and i dont see it for sale.

 

[terzmo]

Hopefully one of the gurus will chime in (apologies to those who have already helped lol). My knowledge of these cars is limited to things that were broken and i was forced to fix or things i broke and was forced to fix lol. You should be able to test resistance across the circuit breaker or with the battery connected and it in run position, look for a voltage drop across it. but honestly, if it is the problem, is it really necessary with the fusable links in place? Maybe you can just jump it out? I checked rockauto and i dont see it for sale.

A circuit breaker,fuseable link drop no voltage, they are a short when working and "open" when overloaded as a thin wire would burn/break if overloaded. You will read no resistance through a link or breaker that are not open.(broke or popped)

 

[HT413]

A circuit breaker,fuseable link drop no voltage, they are a short when working and "open" when overloaded as a thin wire would burn/break if overloaded. You will read no resistance through a link or breaker that are not open.(broke or popped)

Yeah, that was what i was trying to say lol. but, is this just a push button resettable item, or one that when popped needs to be replaced?

 

[70sixpack]

can u reset the circuit breaker? if so how?

 

[HT413]

can u reset the circuit breaker? if so how?

That's the $100 question lol. I googled it and searched rockauto and have found no mention. I'll try the mopar sites and get back to you.

- - - Updated - - -

Hey, is this the circuit breaker?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-Tung-Sol-Circuit-Breaker-Relay-12V-30-Amp-Mopar-GM-Chevrolet-Ammeter-Dodge-/121132054321?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3ACharger&hash=item1c34087731&vxp=mtr