Smokin

The wiring diagram that Bob supplied is for a stock system. This is not what you have. From your description of the ammeter, as Bad Puppy said, it is probably the problem. Do you have an ohm meter? Very easy to determine where the short is with an ohm meter.
 
Here's what I am working with. A couple of wires are burned through and a couple need to replace because of heat.
W/o a 12v diagram to work with I'm just replacing each wire one at a time end to end.
After I get my replacement ammeter I'm going to connect the terminals together, w/o the gauge, and give it a smoke check.
Also I need to know if the armored cable to the distrib can be cut and have a wire crimped to it?
 

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There is no wiring difference in voltage, only polarity with regards to ammeter and coil.

be careful of repro ammeters. most are junk

Why do need to mess with the primary cable [ armored cable] ?
 
I have an ohm meter but not much experience in troubleshooting with it. Right now my ammeter is doa, and 2 wires are burned through and need replacement.
So at this point there isn't any point in ohm-ing anything, until I replace the wires,and by-pass the ammeter.
I know that the burned wires out can give me a trail to the short and I hope with my limited elec experience that I can finish the repair without smoking anything else. I just wish I had a local model A bud to look over what I'm about to do.
 
Gene,

Are you anywhere near western North Carolina. I would be happy to visit you to help if you are within reasonable distance.
 
Sorry Gene, too far to drive.

I looked for a video that would show you how to search for a short with your ohm meter but they are all oriented towards modern cars. So here is a short tutorial by yours truly.

There will be a setting on your multimeter that indicates ohms. If you have a way to set the scale set it on ohms not kilo ohms or mega ohms. If it is automatic just leave it alone.

You may have to change the red wire on your multimeter to the ohm socket. The black wire can just stay in the common socket.

Disconnect the battery. Put a piece of paper between the points. Turn the ignition on.

Touch the two leads together and you will get a reading close to zero, like 0.03 ohms. The reading indicates the inaccuracy in the meter but don't worry, it will not effect the results.

Now put one of the leads on a good ground point on the car. It will be a shinny metal part. If you can, clamp the lead to the ground point because you don't have to move it to do the test. Put the other lead on another shinny metal part to test the ground point. You should get a reading close to 0.1 ohms if there is a good ground at both points.

Now take the other lead and touch it to the end of a wire. If the meter reads OL that means that there is no short in that wire. If it reads a low reading, anything around 0.1 ohms, there is short to ground.

If that wire is OK, then test another wire. If you find a short to ground, start disconnecting the ends of the wire, one end at a time, and re test. When the ohm reading is OL you have found your short.

If you have any questions about any of this, please feel free to write me a personal message (PM).


I will ask that others chime in on their suggestions on how to use your ohm meter. I may have missed something.
 
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That's a pretty good tutorial, nkaminar.

That rat's nest at the firewall was not what I expected to see. Not a good conversion job, even if it did work for a long time. You need to straighten it out and clean it up and find out what's connected to what in order to make sense of it.
 
Is that the speedometer cable running through the junction box opening? You need to get it out of there and run it correctly through a grommet near the upper floorboard and secured inside the firewall with a clamp.
 
Bad Puppy, good catch.

It would be nice if someone could go help Gene. I would but I am too far away.
 
Trying to load an image, but doesn't work. See my pm.

The loom wire in post #13 you say is black and the wire in post #22 that looks green should be the same wire; used to be yellow.

You asked if the wire from the dist. could be shortened; I suppose it can, but not worth the trouble. I looks like the skinny replacement armored wire which you can just loop a couple times and connect it to the coil. I don't know why it's run inside.

Also need to identify what the thing is with two #6 wires connected to it. Does the starter have a solenoid?
 
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Bad Puppy, First photo post 13 shows a normal starter switch on the starter motor. The item in the photo in post 22 on the firewall looks like it may be a battery switch. There is another item with a red wire on the firewall next to it that I cannot identify.

If it was my car I would be tempted to rip out the wiring and start over. It does not look like Gene has the fuse on the starter switch which would have saved him a bunch of toasted wires.

I wished I lived close by so that I could help Gene in person. There must be someone near him with some electrical knowledge that can help in person.
 
nkaminar said:
Bad Puppy, First photo post 13 shows a normal starter switch on the starter motor. The item in the photo in post 22 on the firewall looks like it may be a battery switch. There is another item with a red wire on the firewall next to it that I cannot identify.

If it was my car I would be tempted to rip out the wiring and start over. It does not look like Gene has the fuse on the starter switch which would have saved him a bunch of toasted wires.

I wished I lived close by so that I could help Gene in person. There must be someone near him with some electrical knowledge that can help in person.
Click to expand...




Yep, me too.
It wouldn't take too much to get somewhat period correct wire and and start cutting and soldering. An afternoon and a couple beers should do it.

It would also be nice if questions were answered.
 
katy said:
To me it looks like an older ballast resistor.
Click to expand...

Sure does. Run a 6V coil through the resistor, bypass it during start. Like Chevy used to do - damn things burned out all the time. But I don't see where the other end connects to.
 
He could very well need the ballast if using a 1.5 ohm coil. But that shouldn't be causing his problem. Its easy enough to check the ballast.

If he started rewiring first thing this morning it would be done about now.
 
Been ******* with other family problems so I've had to backburner the A.
I still read and appreciate everyone opinion and advise, but I don't have time or energy to tear it all out and do it better or right. I just want to getting it running again whether its a farmers fix or not.
At 85 I don't have the stamina to crouch, bent over to replace wiring under the hood, against the firewall, inside or in the eng compartment.
I know I haven't kept up with enough feedback to help you help me. But I appreciate all the help you've given me.
RE: that resistor there is no wire on one side and the wire on the other side goes to one side of the ign sw?????????
 
mccsix said:
RE: that resistor there is no wire on one side and the wire on the other side goes to one side of the ign sw?????????
Click to expand...

That resistor was probably wired to a previous 6V coil, should remove it and the wire from the ign. sw. Unused hot wires spell trouble.

Also wonder about all the red wires at the starter post. They need to be sorted as well.
 
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