Charging system and other wiring change help needed

[67Dart273]

The question I have with this ignition box is why do they have a heavy red wire that needs to be hot at all times? Will this draw any current when key is off since they want it to battery power?
Crossing my fingers that I get to start this thing this weekend!!
Thanks Rod

You are going to have to ask MSD that, LOL. It is setup like a relay. I don't know if it's a physical mechanical relay, or a solid state switching device. So far as current draw with the key off, you could actually measure that. The "small red" is what activates the box, so think of it like a trigger wire on a relay

 

[67Dart273]

. Also you can see where I mounted the starter relay.
View attachment 1714939589

Something concerns me, here. Is that the main battery cable you have pictured? I would not do that. If the feedthrough is strong, I'd use it for the main termination, otherwise, buy a good solid junction and terminate the main cable, then use a second cable to jumper over to the feed through, and use a SMALLER cable to jumper over to the starter relay. Depending on how large the alternator is, and how it's wired, the jumper to the starter relay doesn't need to be over 8--6 ga wire

(The only thing holding the starter relay stud in there is the small ears on the case and the thin insulating "cover" for the relay)

 

[rod7515]

I started the car tonight! Wow, what a great feeling. At this point the wiring seems to be ok. I didnt run the car for more then about 2 minutes at a time. I was keeping my attention to the wiring and making sure nothing got hot and all seems ok there. I didnt get a chance to check and see if I had enough output from the alternator but I will check that tomorrow night. The only problem I had was that when it first started it had a very bad popping back thru carb. I checked all plug wires and found all good there. I then went to the connection where the distributor plugged into the leads for the ignition box. The 2 wires coming out of the distributor were not indexed into a plastic connector so I didnt know which way to hook them up. I switched them around and everything cleared right up. Now I can put them into the plastic connector for a permanent connection.
I do have a question about the ignition box wiring. With the 2 leads that go to the distributor from the box (orange and black) they are a little short making the connection from the distributor to the box very tight. These wire do not use a copper type strand but they are a silver color strand. Is it ok to cut them and extend them with the standard type wire.
Thanks Rod

 

[rod7515]

Bringing back an old thread because I am changing to a one wire GM style alternator with internal reg vs my original hot wire and field wire. My instructions say to eliminate the voltage regulator buy cutting and dead ending the wires going to the regulator. Then run the one wire from the alternator directly to the battery with a 200 amp fuse in line. Since the battery is in the trunk could i run my one wire to the starter relay instead? I will include a pic of my wiring diagram that I am currently wired to. I havent crawled back up under my dash yet to verify my wiring as to where everything runs. I have moved all my wiring and componets under the dash so there are no wires in the engine compartment. Bad thing is I did not make a custom diagram as I went so I need to pull and chase and verify all wiring to be sure.
Another question I have is I still need to hook up my voltage gauge. Where or what wiring would you tap into for this?
Thanks Rod

 

[rod7515]

Forgot to add the diagram.
In this diagram it shows going to the Ballast, however I have removed that part of my wiring. Could I just remove the continuous duty relay and put my 200 amp fuse in between at that point. I already have the 8 gauge wire going to and from the CD Relay.
Then from the battery post on the starter relay to the i am running directly to the starter and on a seperate wire from the same post I am going back to the cut off switch to the battery.
I hope this all makes sense.
Thanks Rod