Friggin electrical problem is driving me nuts..
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Friggin electrical problem is driving me nuts..
When I went to the track yesterday, the electrical system of my '68 shut completely off (accessory power)...
I started checking out connections this morning when suddenly the power came back on...
Now, with the power back on, it'll be almost impossible to track down the contact that caused the trouble
I'm sure that it's somewhere in the bulk connector.. but now, with the contact working again, I have no idea how to figure out which one it was
During the off season around chrismas, I'll try to get rid of the bulk connector and connect the wires one by one... That'll take a while considering that there are tons of wires going in and out of the bulk connector... Oh well, at least I got the car running again... I figgin hate electrical problems
I started checking out connections this morning when suddenly the power came back on...
Now, with the power back on, it'll be almost impossible to track down the contact that caused the trouble
I'm sure that it's somewhere in the bulk connector.. but now, with the contact working again, I have no idea how to figure out which one it was
During the off season around chrismas, I'll try to get rid of the bulk connector and connect the wires one by one... That'll take a while considering that there are tons of wires going in and out of the bulk connector... Oh well, at least I got the car running again... I figgin hate electrical problems
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,731
Likes: 22
From: Marietta Ga.
Olivier, you said it shut completely down, do you mean all the systems inside? I would think that would be the main firewall plug loose or a ground, not just one circuit. Also what had you moved or jiggled that could have caused a shorted wire to clear it's ground point? Another thought, what have you done to it since the last trip to the track? Maybe there is a clue there.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Oliver, PM me, if this don't help...you got a voltmeter??
first thing to do is tighten that bulkhead connector, it's a 3/8? bolt in the center of the connector, snug it down...
second off try massaging the wires near that connector, pull on them, see if you can induce the problem....
after that, we need get creative....
GENE
first thing to do is tighten that bulkhead connector, it's a 3/8? bolt in the center of the connector, snug it down...
second off try massaging the wires near that connector, pull on them, see if you can induce the problem....
after that, we need get creative....
GENE
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by 72GACRZR
Olivier, you said it shut completely down, do you mean all the systems inside? I would think that would be the main firewall plug loose or a ground, not just one circuit. Also what had you moved or jiggled that could have caused a shorted wire to clear it's ground point? Another thought, what have you done to it since the last trip to the track? Maybe there is a clue there.
I checked ant the ignition switch got power and the switch worked..
The wire that goes back to the fuse panel has a bad contact at the bulk connector.. That is what you call the "firewall plug". In my car, the firewall plug isn't in the firewall anymore.. Both, the plug and fuse panel are in the engine compartment for easier accessibility.. I didn't relocate them but the previous owner did.. I actually like it because I don't have to be laying under the dash when working on connections.. The plan is to eliminate the bulk connector (plug) by directly connecting wires to each other and reloating the fuse panel (Painless wiring fuse panel) to the firewall or maybe to a easily accessible location inside the car.. but it won't be under the dash...
P.S. I do have a Voltmeter.. Actually, I used to study in a High School for Electrical Engineering back in Austria... But when I finished that school, I knew that I will never work in that profession
Last edited by GrandSportC3; Aug 14, 2005 at 09:50 AM.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by mrvette
Oliver, PM me, if this don't help...you got a voltmeter??
first thing to do is tighten that bulkhead connector, it's a 3/8? bolt in the center of the connector, snug it down...
second off try massaging the wires near that connector, pull on them, see if you can induce the problem....
after that, we need get creative....
GENE
first thing to do is tighten that bulkhead connector, it's a 3/8? bolt in the center of the connector, snug it down...
second off try massaging the wires near that connector, pull on them, see if you can induce the problem....
after that, we need get creative....
GENE
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
OH, jeez well since i'ts so far removed from stock at this point, I suggest you need do the VM trick....
Red is allways live allways.....Pink is the distributor/ignition wiring circuit.....all others are either switched or unswitched depending on function....brown is accessory..radio....yellow is wipers...etc....thin pink is cig lighter...etc....orange is brake lights, allways lit, but after fuse...
but with an aftermarket fuse panel....good luck...
may want to check for loose connection on the starter battery post, or the fender liner horn relay....
GENE
Red is allways live allways.....Pink is the distributor/ignition wiring circuit.....all others are either switched or unswitched depending on function....brown is accessory..radio....yellow is wipers...etc....thin pink is cig lighter...etc....orange is brake lights, allways lit, but after fuse...
but with an aftermarket fuse panel....good luck...
may want to check for loose connection on the starter battery post, or the fender liner horn relay....
GENE
Racer
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 421
Likes: 2
From: Long Grove, IL
Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
Thanks! The problem with the bulk connector that it's in really bad shape.. Either way it will have to be eliminated or replaced to solve the problem.. I have tried to pull the connector apart, but after 38 years, everything is stuck together.. It would take force to pull it apart...
Regards,
Jay
Last edited by griffths; Aug 14, 2005 at 10:07 AM.
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Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by mrvette
OH, jeez well since i'ts so far removed from stock at this point, I suggest you need do the VM trick....
Red is allways live allways.....Pink is the distributor/ignition wiring circuit.....all others are either switched or unswitched depending on function....brown is accessory..radio....yellow is wipers...etc....thin pink is cig lighter...etc....orange is brake lights, allways lit, but after fuse...
but with an aftermarket fuse panel....good luck...
may want to check for loose connection on the starter battery post, or the fender liner horn relay....
GENE
Red is allways live allways.....Pink is the distributor/ignition wiring circuit.....all others are either switched or unswitched depending on function....brown is accessory..radio....yellow is wipers...etc....thin pink is cig lighter...etc....orange is brake lights, allways lit, but after fuse...
but with an aftermarket fuse panel....good luck...
may want to check for loose connection on the starter battery post, or the fender liner horn relay....
GENE
I'm 100% sure that the problem is in the connector... just don't know which wire
One thing that I could do is to check all wires that are hot with the ignition on and just bypass the connector for those wires...
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 182,997
Likes: 88
From: Lakeland, FL
Cruise-In IV-V-VI-VII-VIII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03, '06, '17
Originally Posted by griffths
It is probably in the same shape as mine was. I was having all sorts of funky problems until I ran across this! The bolt that holds the connector in should also back it out of the bulkhead connector. There should be a certain amount of force needed to seperate the connector since it is just a large collection of male and female quickconnects.
Regards,
Jay
Regards,
Jay
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Originally Posted by GrandSportC3
That's the one... That one is in a lot better shape than mine.
case closed....
everything except rear lights, and front lights, that 1/2 of the harness still has the bulkhead connector....but the main power is totally redone...
GENE
