ChargedDart75
Well-Known Member
Honestly, with a mini starter from a Magnum truck that's not as big of a deal. I don't think plug changes are all that hard, but it's ultimately your choice.
No spark
- Thread starter dartfreak75
- Start date
-
dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
I went back and forth with it my original plan was to use the headers I have and I even cleaned them up and painted them and I just wasn't happy with them. My theme for the car from the beginning was I want it to look and function like an original 1975 dodge dart if they had offered a 360 performance package in 1975 for the swingers. This is kinda my take on what I would have imagined a performance swinger would have had from the factory. And headers just didn't fit that bill. No car from my recollection came from the factory with headers lol. I may change my mind later own and want a little more performance and upgrade to headers if I do I will spend the money and get the doug shorties. I have plans on doing a 318 for a truck later on I will probably use the headers for it.
I'll just offer this, incase in the future you go headers.
- Run the smaller hex socket spark plug. Example: RC12YC instead of RN12YC in a Champion brand. Your socket will be 5/8 instead of 13/16 and that will give you more room on cylinders 5 & 7.
- Run a mid 90's mini starter. Do this anyways even with your manifolds. Better starter, lighter, and smaller. I personally prefer a used one from the junkyard than a 70 dollar new one.
dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
Thanks I am already running the 5/8 plug. Im running the autolite equivalent to the rc12yc can't remember the number off the top of my head. I had planned on buying a starter but I found one in storage I can't remember what it came off of now. It was either my 86 318 or the 77 360 I don't know tbh lol. But I bench tested it and it worked. And begin around Christmas and I was extremely tight on money I said what the hey let use it lol. That will be something I will go back and replace eventually.
dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
I just realized I have like 4 threads going about wiring/electric issues lol. So I will post this across them all lol. So I was working on my car a min ago and was trying to fix some of the electric issues. I finally found and fixed the signal lights it was the flasher it was bad. But while doing that I noticed my amp meter wiring didn't like right so I pulled the cluster out and this is what I found. My guess is the voltage regulator is bad?
The amp meters are know to be bad and fire hazards. Looks like you go lucky.
Might want to do this upgrade.
Catalog
dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
Hey bud long time no see! I haven't seen you on here in a while! How you been?
Be doing good. No problems with the car so have just been lurking but not posting.
Glad to see you go it going. Reminded of those TV car builder shows when the moment of truth comes and it car won't fire and its always the distributor out 180!
dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
Im wondering if that is where my drop issue is? I guess I can bypass the ammeter and add a volt gauge somewhere. I really wanted all my original gauges to be working. But I don't want to burn it to the ground either lol
dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
Yea lol. It's funny because I knew from reading here not to do that and I did it anyway lol
dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
Im curious is the the gauge itself that causes the wires to overheat ? Does bypassing gauge prevent that or is there something else wrong that is causing the wires to overhead at the gauge?
I think it's a combination of the gauge and the wiring through the bulk head. I added a voltage gauge and called it good but you can search and I believe some have modified the amp meter to look stock but have voltage regulator function.
dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
That would be cool. I knew it was an issue but I was hoping I could avoid it lol guess not. Im glad I found it before something bad happened
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Combo
1...Bulkhead connector terminals were never designed for over 20A. I used to service HVAC/R and the similar 1/4" "flag" terminals are/ were used universally in electric furnaces, which typically draw 20-25A per element and THEY FAIL
2....50 year old wire crimps at terminals
3...Wire size is small for anything over about a 40A alternator
4.. Ammeter has several problems depending on year. Worst were the later cars with plastic cluster housings. If the studs/ nuts get the slightest bit loose, the plastic softens and then they get MORE loose. The studs are not soldered/ crimped / or welded to the ammeter "guts." They just slip through and depend on the nuts to stay tight...and they don't. Add up compression of the fiber insulating washers over the years, and "we have a fire"
5...Then us kids come along and stick larger alternators on 'em and Great Big fans, pumps, stereos, etc
1...Bulkhead connector terminals were never designed for over 20A. I used to service HVAC/R and the similar 1/4" "flag" terminals are/ were used universally in electric furnaces, which typically draw 20-25A per element and THEY FAIL
2....50 year old wire crimps at terminals
3...Wire size is small for anything over about a 40A alternator
4.. Ammeter has several problems depending on year. Worst were the later cars with plastic cluster housings. If the studs/ nuts get the slightest bit loose, the plastic softens and then they get MORE loose. The studs are not soldered/ crimped / or welded to the ammeter "guts." They just slip through and depend on the nuts to stay tight...and they don't. Add up compression of the fiber insulating washers over the years, and "we have a fire"
5...Then us kids come along and stick larger alternators on 'em and Great Big fans, pumps, stereos, etc
dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
You are dead on about the nuts on the ammeter they were certainly loose. I know I tighten them down. I overtighten everything lol
mopardude318
Well-Known Member
Just read all of this. Glad you got it! Del is a good guy to be helpin ya over the phone too. Excellent.
Sounds great!
Sounds great!
I used the mad amp meter by pass method, it’s worked great for me. Some folks don’t like doing it that way.
Bypassing the Amp gauge - Question about the MAD Electrical method
Bypassing the Amp gauge - Question about the MAD Electrical method
dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
Iv read over the mad system. Couldn't you simply just splice the red and black ammeter wires together and be done? Instead of rerouting the black wire thru the bulkhead and moving the alternator wire back to the relay.
You can and most do just that. But you can also take the load off the bulk head by rerouting it.
The whole point is, the firewall connector cannot take the load as it is stock. That's why a LOT of them are melted. If I was gonna do one and not the other, I'd leave the amp gauge hooked up and isolate where the hot wire comes through the firewall by relocating it out of the connector right by itself.
Last edited:
dartfreak75
Restore it, Dont part it!
So could I run the main wire that goes through the bulk head in a solid wire ie without the bulkhead connector and just leave the black wire alone? I don't understand the rerouting of the alternator wire to the relay. Also in the mad method the main wire circles back into itself how does that work?
It circles back on itself because they eliminated the amp gauge and simply connected both wires on the amp gauge together.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
The Mad method generates a somewhat tricky parallel circuit. Essentially, the old black alternator wire and the old red ammeter wire are now in parallel to carry the current INTO the interior, which is now a SMALLER current because the alternator charging current now goes direct to the battery instead of through the BLACK through the bulkhead, through the ammeter and back out the RED and to the battery
mopowers
Well-Known Member
I'd just run a new thick gauge wire from the alternator to the positive terminal of the starter relay. That alone takes a lot of load off of the bullkhead connector.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
If you want to keep the ammeter, you must make certain it itself is in good condition. "I simply would not." And I like ammeters
The MAD thing creates a somewhat tricky parallel path, which causes both the original black alternator wire and the original red ammeter wire to become in parallel as one bigger wire to supply electrical loads from within the car. This part is goo. But to do so either the bulkhead terminals must be in good shape or run wire clear through
Crackedback advocates making sure this is so and then simply connecting a big jumper from battery to alternator WITH FUSE/ breaker in that wire. This is simple and works
There are a few ways to do this.
If you study the factory diagrams around 68is to 72ish and look for the modification for 65A optional alternators, there was a factory setup called "fleet/ taxi/ police" wiring, that was in fact a partial bypass OF THE BULKHEAD. It involved a larger gauge wire fed through a separate grommet--separate from the bulkead.
The MAD thing creates a somewhat tricky parallel path, which causes both the original black alternator wire and the original red ammeter wire to become in parallel as one bigger wire to supply electrical loads from within the car. This part is goo. But to do so either the bulkhead terminals must be in good shape or run wire clear through
Crackedback advocates making sure this is so and then simply connecting a big jumper from battery to alternator WITH FUSE/ breaker in that wire. This is simple and works
There are a few ways to do this.
If you study the factory diagrams around 68is to 72ish and look for the modification for 65A optional alternators, there was a factory setup called "fleet/ taxi/ police" wiring, that was in fact a partial bypass OF THE BULKHEAD. It involved a larger gauge wire fed through a separate grommet--separate from the bulkead.
-
