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#1
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The fusible link FUSED today!
I got in the 1971 Valiant today to go to work. Sat in the car with it idling for about 10 minutes while I read the new Dell catalog that came in the mail today.
Got on the road, and 1/2 mile later, things start sputtering and missing. No tach, no clock, then nothing at all. Coasted to a stop on the side of the road, right across the street from the local auto parts store! Smoke is coming out from under the hood. Open it and look. The fusible link had not only fused, but it melted and broke in half. We're talking charcoal here. This is where the main positive power lead goes into the firewall connector on the engine bay side. I bypassed it with a piece of wire I had in the tool box, and it was glowing red about 3 seconds after I turned the key on. Turned the key back off quickly. Unhooked the positive battery cable while I thought about it. Walked across the street and got a roll of 14 gauge wire. Ran positive power from the battery to the blue wire of the ballast resistor. One of my connections where I'd converted the car to electronic ignition slowly started smoking. I unhooked 2 of the 3 main connectors going into the firewall electrical block. Tried the wire again. No more smoke. Jumped the starter relay with a screwdriver. Engine cranked right up with no smoke. Now we've got no smoke, but also no lights or windshield wipers on a rainy day. The only things that work are the speedometer and oil pressure gauge. Drove the Valiant the 1/2 mile back home like that. None of the fuses in the fuse box blew during this whole thing. Okay all you electrical experts out there, let's figure out what finally shorted out here. Something in the main power system. |
#2
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Sounds like you have a direct short in the hot wire before it reaches the fuse block. My first guess would be at the firewall.
Time to get re-aquanted with Mr. volt-ohm meter |
#3
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One of four options. The battery to firewall connector failed, the Alt gauge shorted to ground, the number 1 splice shorted, or the firewall to alternator connector failed.
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#4
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Wire up every thing like it is factroy. With the bare minimal fuses for your car to run, start plugging them in one by one while checking for shorts or smoke. This is the long way of doing it but it will pin point the problem.
__________________
68 Coronet 69 Super Bee......new 500 cid comin soon! 73 Duster witha missing 440/727 |
#5
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I HAD THIS HAPPEN TO ME BEFORE ? man what a nite mare i called my brother and i told him i also changed from lean burn to a conversion mopar kit ballest box the works and the first thing he said was by switching to electronic egn. you have NO SURGE PROTECTOR ,well my neg battery cable was loose on the way to work and my volt metter hit the roof and i blew all my lights ,head lites dome lites running lites 2 fuses and a fusible link.all this because of a loose neg battery cable.sparks flying so i replaced all my lights head lites and all got a 1/2 inch wrench and tightened the cable down and haven't had a problem since.
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#6
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If it pulls current with the key off, then disconnect the large wire at the alternator. I had an alternator short out and blow the fusable link and this is the most likely suspect. If it still pulls current, the alt gauge may have shorted.
From what you said, I doubt the problem is on the keyed side, as most of that is fused, and the non-fused part is the same ignition circuit that you jumpered. If that dosen't fix it, you could have a short at the fuse box, or maybe even the bulkhead connector? |
#7
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During my roadside repair, I'd replaced the fusible link wire with a piece of regular wire. All was well until I switched the key on, then the wire got red hot in about 3 seconds. So I think it's in something that is switched on with the key. I'm also going to check for any wires with insulation rubbed through.
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#8
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I pulled apart the dash assembly today. Couldn't find anything wrong. The ammeter connections all looked good, no burned paint or marks that may have been arcing to ground or anything. Time to go look under the hood. Should have done that first, but I've never been known for doing things the easy way. The search continues.
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#9
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Looked under the hood. Didn't see anything wrong. No burned wires. My 1971 Valiant has the firewall connector with 3 seperate sections in it, each is a 2 by 4 block of 8 wires. Looking at the firewall from the engine side, the drivers side block goes to the windshield wiper motor. It had stayed plugged in all this time.
I tried plugging in the passenger side block of 8 and connecting my wire from the positive battery terminal to the blue side of the ballast with a 30 amp fuse in between. Everything was ok. Plugging in the center block by itself blew the fuse. So whatever is wrong is in that center block of 8. Checking with an ohm meter, 3 of the 8 connectors showed a ground with the key on. The main power wire to the ammeter (bottom right), and the 2 top ones on the left column of 4. Don't know what they power. My 1973 Plymouth shop manual shows detailed drawings of the power block connectors for all cars EXCEPT A bodies. Naturally. Anyone got a good diagram of what wire powers what? |
#10
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You can try this if you want. It worked for me at the time, but I knew what happened. I just needed to figure out how to fix it and where the problem was. I had shorted the hot wire on the altenator while working on the header bolts. And the big red wire in the connector fused inside the block.
Try pulling all three of those wires you mentioned. They will pull out but it will be hard to pull. Look it over first. Inspect them to see how they are put in. They are very tight. Put the connector back together with the three wires out. BUT!! be ready in case it isn't one of those three wires! Then turn on the ign. Push in a small jumper wire or Plug in one wire and see what happens. If the fuse doesn't blow then turn on some accesories.. If everything is ok then try another wire. Should be able to get it this way I'm thinking. |
#11
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Tim,
I have some old diagrams for 72 Valiant wiring that show the center row. I know it's not 71 but close, If you like I can e-mail them to you. Send me an e-mail at nospamabysmali@gte.net remove the nospam part of address Bruce |
#12
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Tim,
I have a 71 shop manual for Dodge. I think it should work for your Plymouth. I'll bring it to work tommorrow (Friday) and email me at christopher.palmer@earthtech.com and give me your fax number and i can fax you what i got. |
#13
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Tim,
I tried to email you, but it came right back with an error. I don't have a scanner and it is the original soft bound manual so if you can get near a fax machine I can help you out. |
#14
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Someone else had overloaded my email trying to send me some wiring schematics. I think I found the problem anyway. A shorted out alternator. Testing it at the local auto parts store showed less than half a volt, and it kept popping the circuit breaker in the tester.
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#15
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Good, I am glad you have the situation worked out.
The same offer goes out to anyone else. If you need an excerpt from the 71 dodge shop or chassis manuals just email me with a fax number and i will get it too you. |
#16
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If it did this with only the key on it must have been the field shorting. Originally I thought it was the output diodes shorted.
Anyhow, I hope that it's fixed now. |
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