help with headlights and gauges

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Offline mopar340

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help with headlights and gauges
« on: December 24, 2008 - 09:39:14 AM »
I have a 73 challenger with a ralley dash.  I took out the complete dash and restored it and now I am putting it back in.  I have everything back together.  It will roll over but will not start.  I am not getting spark.  Plus the gauges do not work and the headlights will not work.  I replaced the votage regulator on the back of the dash, should I try the one on the firewall.  Please help me out where do I start.




Offline Moparal

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Re: help with headlights and gauges
« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2008 - 09:47:24 AM »
Check the neutral safety switch on the drivers fenderwell. Is your fuseable link hooked up to it and the other wire coming off the pos post bat terminal, one goes to the neutral switch.  Is there a plug in , in the harness coming from the alt wire group to the bulk head connector on the firewall?  I think 73/74 has a plug in there not like the 70/72. I am sure the 74 does.


You need a meter and a test light to really evaluate, but it should be a simple fix

Offline ntstlgl1970

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Re: help with headlights and gauges
« Reply #2 on: December 24, 2008 - 11:42:56 AM »
also the connector on the steering column can be flakey and cause a no start problem. Break out a test light and see if you have power out of the ignition switch/harness in the crank and run position. the headlights might be a seperate issue.
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Offline MEK-Dangerfield

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Re: help with headlights and gauges
« Reply #3 on: December 24, 2008 - 04:24:24 PM »
First off, did everything work BEFORE you pulled your dash out?

How do you know you don't have spark? Did someone pull a plug wire and hold it close to ground while you turned the ignition?

The only gauge that will work without the engine running is your fuel gauge... the clock too should work.


I would check the fuses in your fuse box. As Moparal suggested, this could be a bad fuseable linkage. It is part of the front wiring harness for the headlights.


  Mike

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Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: help with headlights and gauges
« Reply #4 on: December 24, 2008 - 04:35:07 PM »
could be wires plugged into the wrong place as well
 black to the volage reg for the guages
 Blue to tach
Clock is UMMM  :banghead:

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Offline quapman

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Re: help with headlights and gauges
« Reply #5 on: December 24, 2008 - 05:35:10 PM »
If the starter is turning, it's not the Neutral Safety Switch.

Check all your connectors under the dash, especially the starter switch connector. Loose or unconnected ground wires (black) can also be a common issue. Check the bulkhead connectors under the hood on the firewall. Check the Coil wires, the connectors to the ECU and Volt. Regulator, and the body ground off the battery.

Keep us posted!

Steve
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Offline Moparal

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Re: help with headlights and gauges
« Reply #6 on: December 24, 2008 - 05:44:37 PM »
The dash is fed to the neutral saftey switch with a fuseable link attached to the main post on the switch :2thumbs:

Offline quapman

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Re: help with headlights and gauges
« Reply #7 on: December 24, 2008 - 08:25:47 PM »
That's the starter relay. (Little yellow zinc plated box next to the battery)

The NSS is on the transmission. It's in the same housing with the backup light switch which screws into the trans housing on the same side as the linkage. It has a 3-wire connector which plugs into the bulkhead connector at the other end. One wire does connect to the starter relay, but that terminal can be grounded if the NSS doesn't work. (Dark wire...black, brown or green, I forget.) The yellow wire comes from the ignition switch and activates the relay.

On a 4-speed car, there's a clutch safety switch instead. Green wire from the switch by the clutch pedal to the relay.

Clear as mud, eh?

Steve
My name is Steve and I'm addicted to Challengers...


Offline ted

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Re: help with headlights and gauges
« Reply #8 on: December 24, 2008 - 09:28:44 PM »
The dash is fed to the neutral saftey switch with a fuseable link attached to the main post on the switch :2thumbs:

wrong
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Offline Moparal

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Re: help with headlights and gauges
« Reply #9 on: December 24, 2008 - 09:42:28 PM »
wrong

Hey Ted, tell him what's right then :2thumbs:   

Offline thedodgeboys

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Re: help with headlights and gauges
« Reply #10 on: December 24, 2008 - 10:01:55 PM »
If I remember correctly it’s the starter relay on the fender that the fuseable link hooks to as well as the neutral safety switch terminal just under the post that goes to the starter solenoid.
The neutral safety switch is in the transmission and hooks to the relay so they are related.
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Offline Moparal

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Re: help with headlights and gauges
« Reply #11 on: December 25, 2008 - 03:24:12 PM »
I was speaking the wrong part. I did mean the relay, not the switch :2thumbs:  I was looking at mine today. My words always go backwords from my brain :2thumbs:

Offline quapman

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Re: help with headlights and gauges
« Reply #12 on: December 25, 2008 - 04:46:42 PM »
Not a problem Al...I figured that's what you meant. Ted must have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed.

mopar340.....any improvement?

Happy Festivus!

Steve
My name is Steve and I'm addicted to Challengers...


Offline 73EStroker

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Re: help with headlights and gauges
« Reply #13 on: January 10, 2009 - 12:49:54 PM »
Mopar340

Wiring is one of the most frustrating procedures in an old vehicle. Wiring was terrible right from the factory and was designed to save copper (read $$$$$ savings for the manufacturers here) and now all our problems are multiplied by corrosion in the connectors, hot joints and the backyard mechanics modifying wiring from yesteryear. This is what I am doing to get my 73 back to working electrically.

First thing - GET A WIRING DIAGRAM FOR THE CAR. Then make the harness back to original if it has been modified. Heat shrink sleeves and solder to make the connections. Not those crappy crimp pieces of junk.
With the harness removed I labelled with masking tape, every dash connection. One of the gurus down your way can help you here as yours is obviously in the car. CP helped me and he knows every color off by heart.

Next I installed all of the park, tail, head lights, relays, other external stuff, etc and before plugging them into the harness check with a 12v power supply to see that they work. By doing this you prove if the light does not work that it is something else wrong. Use lithium (white) grease on all plug connections and bolted joints. (We use compounds to do 25,000 and 72,000 volt connections at work to avoid bad connections so 12V is more important in this case).

Biggest issues are what others have said here - column connectors and firewall connector. Check for a voltage signal on one side first then if you have something check the other side. No voltage on one side = one problem. Fix it, yellow the diagram and move on to the next.

Work on each circuit by going through the wiring diagram. And as each step is verified yellow that off on the diagram with a felt tip highlight pen to indicate success.

By doing things like I have stated above you will prove your good wiring and narrow down where the problems are. This is time consuming so don't get frustrated.I am also bypassing the firewall connector for the big red and black wires that go through to the ammeter. This will be done by bringing the wires through the connector and lug/bolt connection and shrink sleeve.

Hope I have helped here. Good Luck.
Barry (Salmon Arm)