Bulkhead connector ideas?

-

superdart

Shade Tree Tinker Gnome.....
Joined
Aug 26, 2004
Messages
1,146
Reaction score
28
Location
DFW, Texas
After stripping out a large amount of the wiring from under the hood of my '75...I realized there are a lot of empty slots in the factory firewall bulkhead connector.

I also plan to run all aftermarket gauges, so the under dash wiring will get a lot rework also. This will be the perfect time to rethink the type of connector on the firewall.

Who has changed theirs? What type did you use? Did you change the location? Do you have pics?

I am leaning toward a cannon-plug connector to handle all of the small wiring (not much). The battery is in the trunk, and I have a positive buss bar up front, so there is little in the way of high current circuits to go through the firewall.
 
If this is not something like a racecar, that you feel the need to break down often, the best thing in my opinion is NO connector. Just run the wiring straight through a great big grommet

ANY connector, unless it's absolutely water and airtight, faces the environment it's in. You have some road splash and dirt, etc, but mostly the vapors the engine produces, mixed in the air, HEATED. Just about anything in the way of aspirated or vaporized chemicals under the hood, when heated, is going to be corrosive to wiring or connectors.
 
I was thinking about using this:
wp22m-k_med.jpg


http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/weather-pack-22-position-bulkhead-connector-kit-p-364.html
 
I agree with no connector. My duster years ago would stop running for no apparent reason. When I disassembled the car, I found out that one of the wire connectors had slid back in the plastic bulkhead connector and was barely making contact. I rewired EVERYTHING with a Painless kit. I have all aftermarket gauges and an MSD ignition, so there is not much of the wiring that's Mopar anymore.
 
when i rewired my car, i just cleaned pulled the wires and connectors out of the bulkhead connector, and then just pushed the new wires through the holes left behind. this way it looks stock, but there are no connections to get dirty and build up resistand and catch on fire. the best thing you can do for you mopar is rewire it though. good luck with whatever decision you make.
 
I took a nos wiring harness from an late 70's dodge truck and used it (switched pins around to work in my A) and put it in my early A. now I have electronic ignition and a electronic voltage regulator with the dual field alternator and all new wiring
 
JGC403 has the right idea. That's what my wiring is getting when I get around to that part.

[ame="http://www.google.com/search?tbs=shop:1&q=weatherpack+bulkhead+connector"]weatherpack bulkhead connector - Google Search[/ame]
 
Will be using a billet connector from painless - one for the engine where it's hidden, another between the outer and inner fenders for the lights, horn, fans, etc. The goal is no visible wires.

Going with no connector eliminates points of failure, but if the connector isn't a 40-year-old piece of garbage it wouldn't be a problem in the first place. If you go this route, you don't have the luxury of being able to just unplug it to pull the engine.
 
Well, I was looking at the Tyco CPC (cannon plug).

http://www.tycoelectronics.com/catalog/feat/en/c/10574?BML=10576,10307

I work alot with these type of plugs at work so it's nothing for me to wire one in to the car. I'd like to relocate it away from the engine if possible.

Those are NOT weatherproof connectors. You definitely want a weatherproof connection underhood.

I was testing a Viper that somebody had instrumented with those connectors, and I had nothing but trouble. I removed those and replaced them with FCI/Interlock sealed connectors and my Viper testing continued without any wiring issues.

Food for thought.
 
They make weather proof connectors, which is what I would use.....I was just too lazy to find the exact connector on their site.
 
Anyine know who sells the factory electric bulkhead fitting?
 
If this is not something like a racecar, that you feel the need to break down often, the best thing in my opinion is NO connector. Just run the wiring straight through a great big grommet

ANY connector, unless it's absolutely water and airtight, faces the environment it's in. You have some road splash and dirt, etc, but mostly the vapors the engine produces, mixed in the air, HEATED. Just about anything in the way of aspirated or vaporized chemicals under the hood, when heated, is going to be corrosive to wiring or connectors.


i agree when we did mine we eliminated the connector all together..
 
-
Back
Top