[C2] Red Wire Syndrome Solution
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 780
Likes: 112
From: Redneck Riviera, FL
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 859
Likes: 53
From: Magnolia Texas
This may be the one Frankie is referring to...
http://madelectrical.com/electricalt...-gauges2.shtml
While for a slightly different manifestation of the issue, the purpose and methods are similar.
Steve
http://madelectrical.com/electricalt...-gauges2.shtml
While for a slightly different manifestation of the issue, the purpose and methods are similar.
Steve
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
Since this is a common ailment of these cars, why would anyone think a replacement harness of the same design wouldn't have the same problem? Some of these cars had this problem when they were 5-7 years old.
A permanent fix is to simply run a jumper wire around the firewall connection and eliminate the possibility of a bad connection. This was common practice long ago. Still good idea today unless you just want new and exciting.
A permanent fix is to simply run a jumper wire around the firewall connection and eliminate the possibility of a bad connection. This was common practice long ago. Still good idea today unless you just want new and exciting.
I'm not talking about the possible need to replace and old harness or keep it. Talking about design/materials.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 780
Likes: 112
From: Redneck Riviera, FL
This may be the one Frankie is referring to...
http://madelectrical.com/electricalt...-gauges2.shtml
While for a slightly different manifestation of the issue, the purpose and methods are similar.
Steve
http://madelectrical.com/electricalt...-gauges2.shtml
While for a slightly different manifestation of the issue, the purpose and methods are similar.
Steve
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 859
Likes: 53
From: Magnolia Texas
That's what I meant by different manifestation of the issue. What that points out is how they went through the firewall. If you do it like I described, the original "battery" meter still works just as it did from GM. Going through the firewall of a Corvette is less risky than a steel car because the fiberglass is non conductive. Therefore no shorts.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 6,501
Likes: 1,938
From: The Golden Triangle, Florida
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '20 thru '25
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 58,061
Likes: 7,146
Army
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 2,984
Likes: 494
From: Michigan
2023 Restomod of the Year finalist
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,135
Likes: 9,447
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
no I don’t. I think I remember seeing one poster a long time ago. But in short it said to do what Mike suggested above. By just by-passing the fuse block terminal and just splicing together. While it is a flawed design many cars have made 60 years without problems. Why some cars have the trouble and others don’t is behind my scope of electrical knowledge. If your trying to fix problems you don’t have yet your never “fix” your car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 6,501
Likes: 1,938
From: The Golden Triangle, Florida
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '20 thru '25
no I don’t. I think I remember seeing one poster a long time ago. But in short it said to do what Mike suggested above. By just by-passing the fuse block terminal and just splicing together. While it is a flawed design many cars have made 60 years without problems. Why some cars have the trouble and others don’t is behind my scope of electrical knowledge. If your trying to fix problems you don’t have yet your never “fix” your car.
Steve
Racer
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 470
Likes: 147
From: Va.Beach Va.
Dodge didnt use a shunt style ampmeter as the C2 did. Which means all the current the car needs passes thu the ampmeter. Which could melt it and leave the car stranded (A series circuit). Bad idea. That design Definitely melted the firewall connector for sure over time though. A Shunt design (C2) measures for a voltage drop in the power supply part of the harness (A parallel circuit) and will not leave the car stranded because of the low voltage/current that passes through it. Though all the current still passes through the firewall and exposes its weakness.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 382
From: Freehold NJ
Originally Posted by Nowhere Man
no I don’t. I think I remember seeing one poster a long time ago. But in short it said to do what Mike suggested above. By just by-passing the fuse block terminal and just splicing together. While it is a flawed design many cars have made 60 years without problems. Why some cars have the trouble and others don’t is behind my scope of electrical knowledge. If your trying to fix problems you don’t have yet your never “fix” your car.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 54,135
Likes: 9,447
From: Sitting in his Nowhere land Hanover Pa
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2015 C2 of Year Finalist
I have a feeling it's a corrosion issue exploiting the weak design - when the connection gets a little corrosion, the resistance (and the heat produced) is the result. If you happen to have one that made it without too much corrosion then you're one of the lucky ones that doesn't get a melted connector.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 5,372
Likes: 2,880
From: Western Massachusetts
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C2 of Year Finalist (stock)
2015 C2 of the Year Finalist
Mopars have a similar issue - we run a #10 from the alt lug to the starter relay with a fusible link. It makes the ammeter less accurate but everything works better, blower to dash lights. Powering the whole car, everything but the horn via one conductor passing through a plastic connector with Rinke dink pins is stupid. But easy on the assembly line.
Dan
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 859
Likes: 53
From: Magnolia Texas
Never looked at trying to connect to the fuse block but the headlamp motor breaker is very near the fuse box and since it's a very high current line, I figured tying the new wire there was a good choice. It's been in place now for a number of years and works fine.
Steve
Steve
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 5,372
Likes: 2,880
From: Western Massachusetts
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C2 of Year Finalist (stock)
2015 C2 of the Year Finalist
Dan
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 859
Likes: 53
From: Magnolia Texas
Dan,
I'd suggest going right to the alternator. That way, you minimize the load on the wire from the alternator TO the horn relay and it's actually a shorter run ... at least on my car with the alternator on the driver's side.
Steve
I'd suggest going right to the alternator. That way, you minimize the load on the wire from the alternator TO the horn relay and it's actually a shorter run ... at least on my car with the alternator on the driver's side.
Steve
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 5,372
Likes: 2,880
From: Western Massachusetts
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2019 C2 of Year Finalist (stock)
2015 C2 of the Year Finalist
Steve-
I have a 396 so mine is too, It can be argued however that the regulator will better respond to system loads if it sees everything as it does pinned to the horn relay. Your way is how I wire a Mopar. I'll look at that, thanks.
Dan
I have a 396 so mine is too, It can be argued however that the regulator will better respond to system loads if it sees everything as it does pinned to the horn relay. Your way is how I wire a Mopar. I'll look at that, thanks.
Dan