I think I smoked a amp gauge!

[toolmanmike]

A few weeks ago I tried to start my 66 Dart after sitting for a month or so during the winter. The battery was dead so I jumped it with a booster pack.
After it started the amp gauge was bouncing off it's peg trying to charge the dead battery. I drove it for 15 min. or so and parked it until today. No crank, no interior lights, no heater blower but it would crank if I jumped the starter relay but no spark. I have power on both ends of the fusable link at the starter relay but nothing getting inside. According to the wiring diagram power goes through the fusable link, through the bulkhead connector to the positive terminal of the ammeter. From there power is sent to the fusebox, ign switch and accessories. When I bought the car the in and out ammeter
leads were hooked together and the gauge was burned out. Now I see why.
Anybody else had this problem? Mike

 

[DragginMAster]

i think that is one of those problems that books are written about... cuz they happen so often

 

[dartcuda]

I have had almost the same problem with my 66 Dart. I would first check the connection at the gauge, and then see if you have power to it and on the other side. If the gauge goes out you will lose all power. Had that happen to me one night when I went to a cruise. I ended up by passing the gauge so so i could do the cruise and get home. Hope this helps and good luck with it.

 

[toolmanmike]

I need the help of a electrical engineer that could change my amp gauge to a volt meter. (ammeter has current passing through it in series and a voltmeter
is hooked in parallel. toolmanmike

 

[DragginMAster]

go here:

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

 

[GoodysGotaCuda]

I need the help of a electrical engineer that could change my amp gauge to a volt meter. (ammeter has current passing through it in series and a voltmeter
is hooked in parallel. toolmanmike

edit: beat me to it lol

 

[toolmanmike]

Thanks for the info. I'll print it out and do some studying! toolmanmike

 

[GoodysGotaCuda]

ask if you have questions! did it on my barracuda when my denso alt went in.

 

[toolmanmike]

I Googled "gauge repair" and came up with a few places that repair gauges.
Instrument services Inc. (clocksandgauges.com) listed ammeter conversions as one of their services. I contacted them and will report back with their response. A voltmeter would be the way to go. Mike

 

[GoodysGotaCuda]

yea youll want a voltgauge, redline gauges converted my dads challenger to volts.

 

[FASTBACK340]

CHECK THE BULKHEAD CONNECTOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This is where 75% of old Mopar electrical issue evolve from. I'll talking about where the outside harnesses connect to the inside harness at the firewall behind the drivers side valve cover. Most of the time water, dirt, and other crap corroded the terminals causing high resistence which in turn creates heat, which leads to things either loosening up, or flat-out frying.... If you check for continuity it'll appear to be OK. Under load, well, that's a different story.

The MadElectrical link is priceless. There's very good information in it.

 

[toolmanmike]

I pulled the cluster and bypassed the gauge and everything works now.
Mike