Duster Amp meter

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Bills70

Bills70

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while reading a few post I have saw where a few members have said that they by past there fire wall connection to Amp meter! did they mean that they disconnected the wire at firewall and connect it straight to amp meter or are the eliminating the original amp meter all together?
 
Bills70 said:
while reading a few post I have saw where a few members have said that they by past there fire wall connection to Amp meter! did they mean that they disconnected the wire at firewall and connect it straight to amp meter or are the eliminating the original amp meter all together?
Click to expand...

Here's probably more than you wanted to know, but it has all the answers about modding the weak bulkhead/amp meter situation. This has been discussed so many times it's a lot easier to just point you to this:

Catalog
 
340demon72 said:
Here's probably more than you wanted to know, but it has all the answers about modding the weak bulkhead/amp meter situation. This has been discussed so many times it's a lot easier to just point you to this:

Catalog
Click to expand...
I am assuming I am suppose to click on "Catalog" but when I do, the page locks up!
 
I don't like the mad approach.

When I sell a wire around set up, I suggest the following. If the bulkhead where the large red and black wire pass is in good shape, leave ALL the OEM wiring in place. Balck wire remains connected to alternator. Bypass the ammeter.

No need to chop up the OEM wiring if it's in good shape.
 
crackedback said:
I don't like the mad approach.

When I sell a wire around set up, I suggest the following. If the bulkhead where the large red and black wire pass is in good shape, leave ALL the OEM wiring in place. Balck wire remains connected to alternator. Bypass the ammeter.

No need to chop up the OEM wiring if it's in good shape.
Click to expand...
when you say bypass amp meter, does that mean just connect the two wires together?
 
Before messing with it, make sure it something you feel you need to do. Making changes because some other guys did is not a good reason. If you are adding electric loads, like electric fans and fuel pumps, thats a different story. For stock type loads, the problems mostly are in bulkhead and headlight connectors - and the headlight wiring in general. Crackedback sells a relay system for the headlights that is close to plug and chug. If you drive at night, that is one modifcation that I recommend. That will reduce the load on the headlight connections at all locations including the bulkhead, and reduce the load on the main feed through the bulkhead as long as the alternator is working decently at idle.
 
Whether you do it the MAD way or not please READ the article as it details the why and how of the failure. There are several failure points in these cars "in general"

1...the bulkhead connector. Those terminals were NEVER designed for the high current of charging. Even at nominal 20A these connectors routinely fail in such uses as electric furnaces!!

2...The terminals on the wires at the ammeter can fail
3...The entire ammeter structure is poor. Typically, the alternator studs are "sandwiched" between the ammeter shunt, the insulating washers, on some years a PLASTIC cluster housing, and the nuts. If ANY of that starts to get loose, then it heats and causes complete failure. Seen MANY of these with driving lights, snowplows, or winches on pickups

4...In a few rare cases the "welded splice" which is in the black ammeter wire up under the dash has failed. I've lost count, but in my lifetime, I've eitiher seen or been privvy to about 10 of these failures now.

"For good measure"

5...In other related cases, the fuse clips become old and corroded in the fuse box

6...The headlight switch can become overheated and damaged connector/ terminals/ switch

7....The ignition switch connector, the switch itself internally, and the "ignition run" wire going through the bulkhead terminals causes voltage drop and OVER CHARGING

There are of course other problems!!!! LOL
 
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