Need some electrical help with my ‘68 Plymouth Valiant 100

[67Dart273]

You normally do not want the 60A "big" regulator for smaller alternators as the two draw differing field current. But nowadays, car parts are not what they were. If you buy a parts store replacement regulator, it will probably resemble the old one, but may have a shorter case, and will be solid state instead of electro mechanical. Re-read what I posted earlier about voltage drop. That is the major cause of over charging and pulsation. The old electro mechanical (relay type) VR can cause that but is not the prime cause, usually

 

[67Dart273]

The alternator makes and alternating electric current (AC), but the car uses non-alternating current (DC).
.
the car's charging wiring, including wiring to the ammeter in the dash, is not large enough to handle the increased current.
But that's a subject for about a hundred other pre-existing threads.

- Eric

I would have simplified this greatly, and added, that the car's alternator makes AC INTERNALLY in the alternator. An alternator normally does not output anything except DC. That is, simply and practically speaking.

The too large vs stock alternator is a danger to stock wiring, and is why you must examine, repair, or bypass the ammeter circuit. THAT IS certainly for later discussion

 

[snailgarden]

You normally do not want the 60A "big" regulator for smaller alternators as the two draw differing field current. But nowadays, car parts are not what they were. If you buy a parts store replacement regulator, it will probably resemble the old one, but may have a shorter case, and will be solid state instead of electro mechanical. Re-read what I posted earlier about voltage drop. That is the major cause of over charging and pulsation. The old electro mechanical (relay type) VR can cause that but is not the prime cause, usually

This is off topic (again I’m sorry), but just noticed this…. Anyone have any idea what this entails? Does this have to do with the intake gasket? The entire hole is stripped and the bolt was fully corroded. This is close to the area that had been leaking coolant (the coolant is coming out of that crack to the right of this hole.)

 

[Dana67Dart]

This is off topic (again I’m sorry), but just noticed this…. Anyone have any idea what this entails? Does this have to do with the intake gasket? The entire hole is stripped and the bolt was fully corroded. This is close to the area that had been leaking coolant (the coolant is coming out of that crack to the right of this hole.)

I would suggest you start a new thread for the coolant leak to keep things organized.

in the mean time if the threads on the bolt are gone and there is coolant leaking there, that is most likely a BIG part of the problem.

What part of Utah are you in?

There may be members in the area who wouldn't mind spending a day with you going over some of the things.


as for the bolt. post a photo of the bolt out of the hole.

 

[Dana67Dart]

Still waiting on my service manual too, hopefully it gets here soon but maybe won’t until after Thanksgiving.

this link will download a ZIPped Plymouth 68 Factory service manual. It would be eastly downloaded on a PC rather than a phone BUT it can be done.

I don't know your computer skills so here in a nut shell.

1. click on the link
2. a download will start
3. once it is downloaded you will need to unZIP it (Zip is a file compression program) Windows & Apple PCs, should be able to decompress it. Android and Apple phones I'm not sure if they can decompress ZIP files without an App.
4. Save the decompressed file in a convenient location. It will be a PDF type file

Apple Phone Decompress
Open a ZIP file
Open the Files app
Find the ZIP file or archive you want to open
Tap the ZIP file or archive
A folder with the same name as the ZIP file will be created
Tap the folder to open it
Tap the files within the folder to view them

Android Phone Decompress
Open the Files app
Find the zip file
Select the zip file
Tap Extract
The extracted files will be saved in the same folder as the original zip file

 

[snailgarden]

I would suggest you start a new thread for the coolant leak to keep things organized.

in the mean time if the threads on the bolt are gone and there is coolant leaking there, that is most likely a BIG part of the problem.

What part of Utah are you in?

There may be members in the area who wouldn't mind spending a day with you going over some of the things.


as for the bolt. post a photo of the bolt out of the hole.

I will make a separate post for the coolant leak.

So I don’t have a photo of the bolt, but what I did find out today after spending all day outside with it, the bolt has somehow been broken off inside of the hole…when the bolt is out of the hole, it leaks coolant like crazy. Guessing this is the coolant plug for the intake manifold. I don’t think I can get the bolt piece out let alone fix this part, so I need to find help with this somehow or just take it into a shop.

I am located in northern Utah, Ogden specifically.

 

[snailgarden]

this link will download a ZIPped Plymouth 68 Factory service manual. It would be eastly downloaded on a PC rather than a phone BUT it can be done.

I don't know your computer skills so here in a nut shell.

1. click on the link
2. a download will start
3. once it is downloaded you will need to unZIP it (Zip is a file compression program) Windows & Apple PCs, should be able to decompress it. Android and Apple phones I'm not sure if they can decompress ZIP files without an App.
4. Save the decompressed file in a convenient location. It will be a PDF type file

Apple Phone Decompress
Open a ZIP file
Open the Files app
Find the ZIP file or archive you want to open
Tap the ZIP file or archive
A folder with the same name as the ZIP file will be created
Tap the folder to open it
Tap the files within the folder to view them

Android Phone Decompress
Open the Files app
Find the zip file
Select the zip file
Tap Extract
The extracted files will be saved in the same folder as the original zip file

Thanks for this I’ll have to get my laptop up and moving to download this.

so while I was looking at the coolant leak I decided to maybe take some time to try and figure out what is going on with the wiring, since the heater doesn’t work nor does the radio (not end of the world, but just curious why it doesn’t), I tested all of the fuses and the heater/AC fuse doesn’t work. Some other specific AC fuse doesn’t work, and the radio/rear light fuse doesn’t work. I replaced the ones that were dead and still nothing. I then used a circuit/fuse tester with the light on it, touched those fuse ends and none of the three lit up, even with new fuses in them. So I was curious if the fan motor worked at all and for some reason the fan motor wires are internal not on the firewall under the hood, so i unscrewed the glove compartment box and found them behind it.

I used a wire and wrapped one end around one of the fuses that worked (around the park light/headlight fuse), and touched it to those fan motor wires and they started working. I couldn’t really figure out what else was causing those fuses to not work (besides the AC one because there is no AC compressor at all) and unsure on how to wire chase this issue. For now so i have defrost/heat at least, I used a wire and tucked it around the headlight/park light fuse then connected it around the heater/AC fuse, so when I have the headlights or parking light on, I can utilize the heater and defroster. It gets snowy and cold here in the winter, so it’s nice to have.

 

[Dana67Dart]

Guessing this is the coolant plug for the intake manifold

there is no coolant plug. It is just one of 10 or so intake manifold bolts and if it is broken off in the head the only way to fix it is to remove the broken off piece and putting a new bolt (along with new intake gaskets etc) That might be best left to a shop. It might come out easy (rarely) or REALLY hard and if you mess up the threads in the head you have a bigger issue.

I then used a circuit/fuse tester with the light on it, touched those fuse ends and none of the three lit up, even with new fuses in them

Some of the fuses are only live when the switch to the device is turned on and if your test light is connected to Plus voltage and the tip is on a Plus voltage it will never light up. so be sure the wire end is attached to a good ground.

is your car an AC car? post a photo of your dash the center part.

 

[Dana67Dart]

1 = Instrument lamps, dash lights, gear shift light, radio light - its path... main splice off the ammeter wiring to the headlight switch then runs through the dimmer in the headlight switch then to the fuse then to the bulbs.
2 = Tail lights, stop lights, dome lights - its path... main splice off the ammeter wiring to the fuse then to the bulbs.
3 = Cigarette Lighter - its path... It taps off of the Tail Light input IN the fuse block then runs through the fuse then to the cigarette lighter
4 = ACC RR - A/C = AC - Its Path... My wiring diagram does not have anything shown
5 = Heat A/C - Its Path... It taps off the Radio input IN the fuse block then through the fuse then to the heater switch. From the heater switch it goes to the heater blower motor.
6 = Radio - Its path... main splice off the ammeter wiring to the ignition switch then runs to the fuse block through the fuse then to the radio.


The input (heavy red wire) to #2 and #3 are always hot
The input (heavy black wire) to #5 and #6 are switched

you REALLY need to get a wiring diagram and start tracing wires

MyMopar has the wiring diagrams separately or in the FSMs or CLASSICCARWIRING.COM has colored wiring diagrams, very easy to follow, BUT some times is missing some things like the #4 fuse feed. (It does have a separate break out section for the AC wiring though)

 

[MDchanic]

Okay, Dana did a great job of explaining and illustrating a number of things, so I am going to just make a couple of comments, without directly addressing or quoting any questions or statements:

That broken intake manifold bolt is bad.
It's a big effin' problem.
It's not insurmountable, but will create gluteal pain for a while.
Possible courses of action:

• Drill a very precise small hole right in the center of the broken-off screw (it's a screw, not a bolt, as it threads into a solid object, and not a nut), then use a screw extractor to turn the broken part out.
This will only work if the part of the screw that is in the hole is not tight or rusted-in.
There are also neat extractors that you attach to a drill, they drill their own hole, then they twist the screw out.
This almost never works.

• Remove intake manifold. There is a tiny chance that the screw is broken off below the manifold, but above the head. If so, then remove with Vise-Grips.
This is also unlikely to be the case.

• With manifold off, drill a precisely-centered and precisely-straight hole almost but not quite as large as the screw itself. Sometimes when there's very little left, you can back it out with an extractor.
But probably not.

• Remove the head as well (this entails removing the exhaust manifold) and bring it to a machine shop, where it can be set up on a mill, aligned precisely, drilled out, and then fitted with a HeliCoil or a TimeSert to replace the drilled-out threads.
(You can try this at home, on the car, if you're brave, but if you screw it up, you may need to buy a new head).

Was the car really cheap? This could be why.



I am not certain from what you wrote how much you understand about fuses.

First, to start at the most basic, you do understand that they come in different values, right, and that you need to put the right ones in the right places to protect the right circuits?

Second, the current flows in one metal end and out the other, and the fuse itself doesn't care which.

Third, one edge of each fuse is the "hot" side, which is supplying the power, and the other edge is the side to which the power is being sent.

Fourth, you described jumping a bunch of wires around to make things work –
You know that if you put too much load on a particular fused circuit, the fuse will blow (that's why they're there), right? And you also know that if you put that load before the fuse, the wires will melt and the car may go on fire, right?

Just clean the little snappers that hold the fuses very carefully and thoroughly with a little wire brush, with the battery disconnected, then clean them with some decent contact cleaner, such as Caig DeOxIt, then test the continuity through each fuse, out of the car, with a continuity tester or ohmmeter, or with a test light, which you can make with a small instrument panel lightbulb (don't want to blow any fuses) and a bit of wire, or which you can buy.

I strongly, and I emphasize strongly, do not recommend jumping wires around your fusebox.

Good luck!

And Happy Thanksgiving!


– Eric

edited slightly for style after I woke up more.

 

[snailgarden]

1 = Instrument lamps, dash lights, gear shift light, radio light - its path... main splice off the ammeter wiring to the headlight switch then runs through the dimmer in the headlight switch then to the fuse then to the bulbs.
2 = Tail lights, stop lights, dome lights - its path... main splice off the ammeter wiring to the fuse then to the bulbs.
3 = Cigarette Lighter - its path... It taps off of the Tail Light input IN the fuse block then runs through the fuse then to the cigarette lighter
4 = ACC RR - A/C = AC - Its Path... My wiring diagram does not have anything shown
5 = Heat A/C - Its Path... It taps off the Radio input IN the fuse block then through the fuse then to the heater switch. From the heater switch it goes to the heater blower motor.
6 = Radio - Its path... main splice off the ammeter wiring to the ignition switch then runs to the fuse block through the fuse then to the radio.


The input (heavy red wire) to #2 and #3 are always hot
The input (heavy black wire) to #5 and #6 are switched


View attachment 1716332965

View attachment 1716332964


you REALLY need to get a wiring diagram and start tracing wires

MyMopar has the wiring diagrams separately or in the FSMs or CLASSICCARWIRING.COM has colored wiring diagrams, very easy to follow, BUT some times is missing some things like the #4 fuse feed. (It does have a separate break out section for the AC wiring though)

Thank you for this and sorry for the delay, the Thanksgiving break had me busy with family for the last few days.

Anyway I am actually having someone fix the basket manifold/screw problem.

I have a question, though because I need to buy some new spark plugs. Which ones would be best? I keep getting such mixed answers on which ones would be best. What do you recommend?

 

[snailgarden]

Okay, Dana did a great job of explaining and illustrating a number of things, so I am going to just make a couple of comments, without directly addressing or quoting any questions or statements:

That broken intake manifold bolt is bad.
It's a big effin' problem.
It's not insurmountable, but will create gluteal pain for a while.
Possible courses of action:

• Drill a very precise small hole right in the center of the broken-off screw (it's a screw, not a bolt, as it threads into a solid object, and not a nut), then use a screw extractor to turn the broken part out.
This will only work if the part of the screw that is in the hole is not tight or rusted-in.
There are also neat extractors that you attach to a drill, they drill their own hole, then they twist the screw out.
This almost never works.

• Remove intake manifold. There is a tiny chance that the screw is broken off below the manifold, but above the head. If so, then remove with Vise-Grips.
This is also unlikely to be the case.

• With manifold off, drill a precisely-centered and precisely-straight hole almost but not quite as large as the screw itself. Sometimes when there's very little left, you can back it out with an extractor.
But probably not.

• Remove the head as well (this entails removing the exhaust manifold) and bring it to a machine shop, where it can be set up on a mill, aligned precisely, drilled out, and then fitted with a HeliCoil or a TimeSert to replace the drilled-out threads.
(You can try this at home, on the car, if you're brave, but if you screw it up, you may need to buy a new head).

Was the car really cheap? This could be why.



I am not certain from what you wrote how much you understand about fuses.

First, to start at the most basic, you do understand that they come in different values, right, and that you need to put the right ones in the right places to protect the right circuits?

Second, the current flows in one metal end and out the other, and the fuse itself doesn't care which.

Third, one edge of each fuse is the "hot" side, which is supplying the power, and the other edge is the side to which the power is being sent.

Fourth, you described jumping a bunch of wires around to make things work –
You know that if you put too much load on a particular fused circuit, the fuse will blow (that's why they're there), right? And you also know that if you put that load before the fuse, the wires will melt and the car may go on fire, right?

Just clean the little snappers that hold the fuses very carefully and thoroughly with a little wire brush, with the battery disconnected, then clean them with some decent contact cleaner, such as Caig DeOxIt, then test the continuity through each fuse, out of the car, with a continuity tester or ohmmeter, or with a test light, which you can make with a small instrument panel lightbulb (don't want to blow any fuses) and a bit of wire, or which you can buy.

I strongly, and I emphasize strongly, do not recommend jumping wires around your fusebox.

Good luck!

And Happy Thanksgiving!


– Eric

edited slightly for style after I woke up more.

Thank you for the info, I’ll be sure to remove that wire and just clean the fuse clasps with the battery unplugged, and hope that you had a great Thanksgiving!

The car was 3.7 k.

I’m having someone extract the broken screw and fix the intake gasket manifold. Also having them do a few more things while they’re in there.

Question though, I need to buy some spark plugs (I already asked Dana about this too, just asking you both), which spark plugs would be best for a 4.5 L 273 V8 ‘68 Valiant? I have attempted to look online for this answer, but I keep finding conflicting answers on it.

 

[Dana67Dart]

The factory service manual has all that info.

I can not speak to the accuracy of the site but it's a start


Spark plug cross reference

 

[MDchanic]

Thank you for the info, I’ll be sure to remove that wire and just clean the fuse clasps with the battery unplugged, and hope that you had a great Thanksgiving!

We did, thank you! Still eating turkey.

I hope yours was great, too!

The car was 3.7 k.

I am NOT a price authority, and we have not seen the rest of the car (well, maybe you posted it somewhere else – I haven't searched), but that sounds like it's in the "reasonable" range for a running, driving car, without major destruction (big rust holes, raccoons ate the interior, etc.).
I'm of the age where any price over $500 for one of these just seems crazy, so my subjective opinion has no value.

I’m having someone extract the broken screw and fix the intake gasket manifold. Also having them do a few more things while they’re in there.

Probably the best way to go, and if you're lucky, or if they're nice, it won't cost too much.

Question though, I need to buy some spark plugs (I already asked Dana about this too, just asking you both), which spark plugs would be best for a 4.5 L 273 V8 ‘68 Valiant? I have attempted to look online for this answer, but I keep finding conflicting answers on it.

I can only answer this for a Slant-6, so I can't suggest anything specific.
I can say, though, that the spark plug discussion can get like the oil discussion, so you might want to make a new thread for that.

In a non-high-performance application, the exact plug brand probably doesn't matter, so long as the heat range is about right.

My question would be: Why do you need to replace the plugs?
Are they totally worn out?
Are they dirty? Do they have thick leaded-fuel crusting?

Odds are, the ones you've got are fine, at least for now, if you clean them (wire brush and some lacquer thinner) and re-gap them, then go for a good long highway drive.

Aside from physical damage (chipped or cracked insulators, bad threads), so long as the electrodes have fairly sharp edges and aren't rounded, they should be fine.
I'd wait until things are more together, gather more information, and decide then.

All of that being said, I must admit that when I got my current car, I immediately bought new plugs, as well as wires, cap, rotor, points, condenser (all 4 old stock Blue Streak), belts, hoses, thermostat, carb rebuild kit, fuel hose, valve cover gasket, air cleaner, oil filter, oil, trans gasket & filter, ATF, rear-end oil and gasket, brake cylinders, master cylinder, rear e-brake cables, spring kits, adjuster kits, front wheel bearing seals, and I disassembled and re-lubed my universal joints, so I'm no a sterling example of conservatism.
(Of course, the car actually did need all of that stuff after sitting for so may years.)

– Eric

 

[66fs]

As for spark plugs, what carb do you have? Factory 2 barrel or 4 barrel? If factory 2 barrel carb, see post #88 but cross to a platinum plug. I use Bosch. If 4 barrel carb, use a platinum plug for a "72" 340.

 

[snailgarden]

The factory service manual has all that info.


View attachment 1716335336


I can not speak to the accuracy of the site but it's a start


Spark plug cross reference

Thank you, the issue is the previous owner put in a 4 barrel edelbrock carb, so I don’t know if these spark plugs would necessarily still be a good fit or not.

 

[snailgarden]

As for spark plugs, what carb do you have? Factory 2 barrel or 4 barrel? If factory 2 barrel carb, see post #88 but cross to a platinum plug. I use Bosch. If 4 barrel carb, use a platinum plug for a "72" 340.

The previous owner put in a 4 barrel edelbrock carb.

 

[snailgarden]

We did, thank you! Still eating turkey.

I hope yours was great, too!



I am NOT a price authority, and we have not seen the rest of the car (well, maybe you posted it somewhere else – I haven't searched), but that sounds like it's in the "reasonable" range for a running, driving car, without major destruction (big rust holes, raccoons ate the interior, etc.).
I'm of the age where any price over $500 for one of these just seems crazy, so my subjective opinion has no value.



Probably the best way to go, and if you're lucky, or if they're nice, it won't cost too much.



I can only answer this for a Slant-6, so I can't suggest anything specific.
I can say, though, that the spark plug discussion can get like the oil discussion, so you might want to make a new thread for that.

In a non-high-performance application, the exact plug brand probably doesn't matter, so long as the heat range is about right.

My question would be: Why do you need to replace the plugs?
Are they totally worn out?
Are they dirty? Do they have thick leaded-fuel crusting?

Odds are, the ones you've got are fine, at least for now, if you clean them (wire brush and some lacquer thinner) and re-gap them, then go for a good long highway drive.

Aside from physical damage (chipped or cracked insulators, bad threads), so long as the electrodes have fairly sharp edges and aren't rounded, they should be fine.
I'd wait until things are more together, gather more information, and decide then.

All of that being said, I must admit that when I got my current car, I immediately bought new plugs, as well as wires, cap, rotor, points, condenser (all 4 old stock Blue Streak), belts, hoses, thermostat, carb rebuild kit, fuel hose, valve cover gasket, air cleaner, oil filter, oil, trans gasket & filter, ATF, rear-end oil and gasket, brake cylinders, master cylinder, rear e-brake cables, spring kits, adjuster kits, front wheel bearing seals, and I disassembled and re-lubed my universal joints, so I'm no a sterling example of conservatism.
(Of course, the car actually did need all of that stuff after sitting for so may years.)

– Eric

Glad to hear you’re still enjoying the turkey! We have a carcass left that I’m saving to make some yummy bone broth soup with. Gotta make use of it all!

The interior isn’t the worst, but it’s got some big tears in some areas. The headliner needs to be redone badly too. I’ll probably do the upholstery on the two benches myself and have a professional do my headliner. Those seem tricky and I don’t want to mess it up. There is very minimal rust on the car. Most the rust is in the trunk due to rotted weather stripping and a small crack in the trunk (not from rust), looks like someone may have hit the car and caused it to crack on the inside seam.

Well, multiple other problems have come up with the valiant, which is why I’m needing new spark plugs. One of the distributor cap clips is broken off and it’s apparently being held together with a zip tie…thus causing it to misfire. So just going to replace the spark plugs since now having to replace the distributor.

The motor mounts are rotted, so while he is doing the intake gasket manifold he will put new ones in, along with a transmission mount, the alternator belt isn’t the worst, but it isn’t amazing, since I’m having to take all of it off I’m just replacing it since it doesn’t cost much, the alternator doesn’t look too great, so I did buy one just in case. My uncle is also sending my another alternator he got from a 70s dodge dart. Unsure if that one would work in my ‘68 valiant. But it’s free. I guess I could probs lay return the one I bought if it fits?

Radiator hoses/water hoses don’t look or feel the best, so I bought replacements for those. The voltage regulator is definitely shot so I did buy a new one. Also the coil resistor is no good, so got a new one. There is a possibility the the rear wheel cylinders are bad and for sure the front brake hoses are rotted. I ended up buying shoes for the front and rear along with new cylinders for all four.

Really hoping there aren’t further issues, but that’s what to know as of now.

 

[MDchanic]

Yeah, that's all the standard stuff. You pretty much have to assume that's all bad and figure the time and parts expenses in when buying a car like this. Sometimes we convince ourselves (or our spouses) that we won't have to replace so much this time, but in the end, we always do, sooner or later.

I forgot to put motor mounts and brake hoses on my list above, but I bought them right away, too.

Sounds like you're moving along and doing great. Just take it one thing at a time, and soon you'll be driving it around without a second thought.

– Eric

 

[66fs]

Thank you, the issue is the previous owner put in a 4 barrel edelbrock carb, so I don’t know if these spark plugs would necessarily still be a good fit or not.

Use Champion N9Y or equivalent platinum plugs then.

 

[snailgarden]

Use Champion N9Y or equivalent platinum plugs then.

I ended up getting ac delco r45xls. From my understanding, they should work, I think the only thing might be the gap. Might be 0.045 since they’re pre gapped, and if it causes some issues then I’ll just tap the electrodes in carefully so they’ll be 0.035

 

[MDchanic]

... I’ll just tap the electrodes in carefully so they’ll be 0.035

$3.99.


Or look in the top drawer of any toolbox in any garage you wander into.


- Eric

 

[Mattax]

The voltage regulator is definitely shot

Also the coil resistor is no good,

There is a possibility the the rear wheel cylinders are bad and for sure the front brake hoses are rotted. I ended up buying shoes for the front and rear along with new cylinders for all four.

I'm not sure how you decided these things other than visual inspections. The visual/physical inspection is a fair way to decide on the condition of the brake hoses and the coolant hoses.

As far as the wheel cylinders go, take the drums off, clean and look at what you have there. Leaks can be seen. Do not step on the brake pedal with the drums off! A wheel cylinder than is not working (rusted) takes a little more investigating. I encourage you to do all this first if possible. Two reasons: Quality of new parts generally is junk to will work OK. Replacing wheel cylinders is going to involve removing the fittings from the lines. On the front you will have to do some of that anyway - I'll grant that. On the rear its to the hard lines and it is sometimes a challenge in patience, some finese, and a bit of luck to remove without twisting or breaking the line.

Coil and ballast resistor. Ballast resistor is easy to check with a multimeter. Most of the new replacements wrongs have the wrong resistance. Coil can sometimes be a little trickier to know it was the cause whe nthe engine fails to run. I only read quickly and didn't see a mention of engine failing to run. If the engine ran, then the ballast resistor an dcoil are working.

Voltage regulator. A lot of really good guidance in this thread but a couple of misunderstandings of the mechanical regulator were posted. They are adjustments on the standard ones. They are done under the cover. Your shop manual explains how to do them. Also explains how to do some quick checks to see if it needs replacing. If both fusilible links are in place, and the resistors aren't burned out, then its probably OK.

Alternator. The new replacements often cause problems for various reasons including drawing too much field current. Again maybe I missed it but flickering lights is not enough for me to say 'alternator'. I would suggest that when you are ready to take some voltage measurements with the engine running. Use that in combination with observing the ammeter (labelled 'alernator' gage).
What you can do for now is make use of the ammeter to see what is going on with the charging system. The fact the battery started the car suggests its probaboy OK for now. The only thing I would do first is make sure the battery is fully charged.

Ammeter. The ammeter is in the line between the battery and the main junction for all the power except the starter. When the engine is not running and something is turned on the battery will discharge. Electrons will flow through the ammeter and its needle will point slightly toward discharge. After the engine is started, if the alternator is working properly, the ammeter needle will show charge for a few minutes and drift toward neutral. During normal driving the ammeter should show zero. If the alternator can't supply electricity the battery will do it and the ammeter will show discharge. Then you know there is a problem. How much the needle moves in relation to engine speed and electrical demand will be additional clues to what isn't working properly.

Fuses. Not every circuit in the car is fused. Many circuits share fuses. Dana has already described the fuses so if stuff is working, the fuses are OK, although it doesn't hurt to clean any oxideized and dirty connections. Connectors in the engine bay, including the firewall bulkhead connectors get the harshest environment. There's several threads about how to remove and clean them, when you are up to it.

 

[Mattax]

Ground wires.
On '67 the original ground wires connection was from the body to the rear of the cylinder head. Then the engine block to the battery negative was just the large cable to the battery negative. Later on a second small wire from the body to the battery negative was used to increase and improve grounding capacity.

All of the wires going through the bulkhead connector are 'positive'. Black and red were used on the main power feeds.
Several are hot whenever the battery is hooked up. They are not turned off by the key switch.
After starting the current flow for running the engine and recharging the battery looks like this.

 

[Mattax]

A good list of the the Master Tech Conference Materials.

Master Technician Service Conference - Chrysler's Training for Mechanics

The Imperial Mailing List Online Car Club is dedicated to the preservation, appreciation and restoration of Imperials and Chrysler Imperials of all years, models and body-styles.

www.web.imperialclub.info

Go here first because the list is descriptive.

Once you know whatyou're looking for (year and session)
An alternative source of the booklets and filmstrips in pdf and youtube formats
www.mymopar.com -> Master Tech