Bulkhead Connectors

[dobie]

This evening I started the bird for a family member and while it was running I jiggled the connectors for a few trying to see if I could get the lights working. I may have discovered my problem.....

While touching the middle connector I damn near burnt my finger on the passenger side of the connector. It seems as though something was getting VERY hot. I pulled the middle bank of wires and Im now thinking that the bottom passenger side wire is the one that's getting fried.

So, does anyone have a diagram of what wire is what? I looked in my shop manual but I couldn't find what I was looking for.

Also, where do you guys recommend I go from here? Am I correct in assuming that this is the likely culprit as to why I have no lights, other than headlights?

 

[dobie]

So I looked a bit closer. It's definitely melted a bit of the bulkhead connector. It's a blue wire with a white tracer, which is the ballast resistor wire if I'm not mistaken. I checked the ballast resistor and the wires look fine on that end.

So my next question, that shouldn't have anything to do with having no lights, right?

 

[Jim S.]

Well the headlight switch goes through the bulkhead. Anytime you have a poor connection (like a contact in the bulkhead) it causes high resistance which will increase current draw causing heat.
The two main bulkhead culprits are for the ammeter and are shown in the links. Although there are a few other connections which could get hot also if the connections are bad..

http://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/electrical.html

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index ... ic=89439.0

 

[mac]

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1969/6 ... unnerA.JPG

http://www.mymopar.com/downloads/1969/6 ... unnerB.JPG

 

[Basketcase]

sounds like you're gettin there Steve

 

[dobie]

Thanks for the links guys. I'll start reading up on it more this week.

 

[dobie]

sounds like you're gettin there Steve

I don't know about that. I cant inagine this is why I have no lights, so this may be just another issue. But, at least I found it in my garage and not while it was burning up alongside the road.

 

[A31PKG]

The wiring diagram posted in the reference section will tell you all you need to know....

As has been stated before, keep the connections clean & tight and your bulkhead/electrical woes will be minimized, if not elliminated.