wiring burnt

[danbrooks]

I'm new here but figured I'd jump right in with a problem I've found. I bought a 70 cuda 440 basket case, as I'm starting to put it back todether I found the wiring under the dash burnt. It seems to have started from the number 23 terminal at the block and went up into the harness melting other wires from there. It didn't cook everything just alot of melting together. I bought another dash harness from year one and am going to attempt to install it which may take me some time but I got plenty of that. My question is what could have done that kind of damage to this one circuit? It looks like it comes from the voltage regulator, comes through the firewall via the block, goes up to a splice in the harness which feeds what I believe to be the door buzzer on the other side as well as a light in the dash. This wire also goes to the plug in wiring going to the column. the wirning going up the column looks good but it's burnt right to it. Any ideas? When I'm done all the wiring throughout the car will be new but I dont want it happening again. Thanks, Dan.

[6packCuda]

Probably a result of corroded/melted terminals in the bulkhead connector. A very common and dangerous problem with our beloved Mopars.

[HP_Cuda]

or the beloved amp guage meltdown.

 

[734406pk]

or the beloved amp guage meltdown.

 

I'll check the diagram and let you know. You will want to eliminate the ammeter circuit. It has burned up a number of cars including 1 of mine. 

[anlauto]

I would replace ALL the wiring

[734406pk]

Dan- do you have the Year One dash harness already?

[734406pk]

I'm new here but figured I'd jump right in with a problem I've found. I bought a 70 cuda 440 basket case, as I'm starting to put it back todether I found the wiring under the dash burnt. It seems to have started from the number 23 terminal at the block and went up into the harness melting other wires from there. It didn't cook everything just alot of melting together. I bought another dash harness from year one and am going to attempt to install it which may take me some time but I got plenty of that. My question is what could have done that kind of damage to this one circuit? It looks like it comes from the voltage regulator, comes through the firewall via the block, goes up to a splice in the harness which feeds what I believe to be the door buzzer on the other side as well as a light in the dash. This wire also goes to the plug in wiring going to the column. the wirning going up the column looks good but it's burnt right to it. Any ideas? When I'm done all the wiring throughout the car will be new but I dont want it happening again. Thanks, Dan.

The wire for terminal 23 is the ignition switched hot wire (dark blue w/ tracer). at the dash, it feeds the brake warning light, seat belt warning light if equipped, and then to the engine for ignition system, alternator, regulator etc. if you dont have any signs of melting wires in the engine compartment, most likely the was a short under the dash. this circuit is only protected by the fusable link according to the diagram, and it has an 80 amp rating i think, so it can melt/fuse together if partially shorted.