Car is sending morse code thru headlights

[JayBee]

http://www.cuda-challenger.com/cc/index.php?topic=117565.0

 For whatever reason the diagrams were not showing up when I look through this thread just now

Same here, just that tiny little box were the pictures used to be.

[xtopfuel]

nothing? cmon guys im counting on your cuda challenger knowledge

[1 Wild R/T]

nothing? cmon guys im counting on your cuda challenger knowledge

Problem is unless someone has eliminated the wires there should be a 12 ga red & a 12 ga black wire each with molded ring terminals.... These are big fat wires that should be fairly obvious.... Someone may have had a under dash meltdown & they could have bypassed the ammeter look for the power supply wire coming from the starter relay battery terminal.... Originally it passes through the bulkhead connector, If there was a meltdown it may still be going through the bulkhead... Or not.... Anyway you should be able to find a big fat wire bringing power from the starter relay into the car.... Follow it & you should see signs or where they spliced into the original wiring....

[xtopfuel]

Fantastic thank you

[shadango]

Great upgrade! Post your opinion after the install. Good luck!

I installed the upgrade on saturday......though I didnt have a chance to test on the road at night yet, I did test in the garage in the dark and yeah its BRIGHT baby.  I tried using my cell phone light meter app...I measured about 15-1600 lux before and (if i did it right) 2500-ish lux after....IF I did it right....

I ended up mounting the relays on the radiator side , front edge of the battery tray.....underneath, and used two rivets/washers to secure it. 

For my battery it ended up a perfect spot....and the two main fused ended up in front of the battery where I can get to them easily.

I suppose because I installed there versus on the REAR edge of the tray, the harness leading to the alternator was a little short....so I am telegraph-wiring between the tray and the firewall a little.  Not horrible but wish I had just a few more inches of cable (no jokes please....LOL)

If I had installed the relays on the BACK edge of the battery the fuses would have ended up there as well, and I prefer them in the front for accessibility.

But everything went in easy.....just about 2 hours as has been said.  I spent added time tweaking other stuff as I went along....

Its an extremely high quality kit....heavy wire loom covering, relays look great, etc.  Well thought out and engineered as far as I can see.

Cant wait till I drive at night to see what the difference is !

[crackedback]

Thanks for the positive comments.

Is the main power wire set too short for your liking?  If you would like one a bit longer, pop the set up out of the block and send it back to me and I'll build a longer one for you.  Let me know how much longer you'd like the power wires.  I was building them about 6" longer and got a bunch of feedback that they were a smidge too longer...  about 6", so I started making them shorter. 

The headlight runs should be good to go with that mounting location.

It can go in a small flat rate box for about $6 or so, or any other way to ship that is less is OK with me.

Rob

[shadango]

Thanks for the positive comments.

Is the main power wire set too short for your liking?  If you would like one a bit longer, pop the set up out of the block and send it back to me and I'll build a longer one for you.  Let me know how much longer you'd like the power wires.  I was building them about 6" longer and got a bunch of feedback that they were a smidge too longer...  about 6", so I started making them shorter. 

The headlight runs should be good to go with that mounting location.

It can go in a small flat rate box for about $6 or so, or any other way to ship that is less is OK with me.

Rob

Yeah the headlight runs are actually a few inches longer than needed where I mounted the relays....but easy enough to hide that.   I didn't think  I had enough length on the headlight runs to mount the relays at the REAR EDGE of the tray.....

Any chance you would consider sending me the longer one in advance so I can re-do it all at once?  Don't want to have the car siting "down" for a couple weeks waiting for the longer one  ....its having to basically pull the battery , tray etc again to swap it out...

I would bet that the 6 inches is what I am missing......maybe 8....

[crackedback]

Yeah the headlight runs are actually a few inches longer than needed where I mounted the relays....but easy enough to hide that.   I didn't think  I had enough length on the headlight runs to mount the relays at the REAR EDGE of the tray.....

Any chance you would consider sending me the longer one in advance so I can re-do it all at once?  Don't want to have the car siting "down" for a couple weeks waiting for the longer one  ....its having to basically pull the battery , tray etc again to swap it out...

I would bet that the 6 inches is what I am missing......maybe 8....

Sure.

I think I built that to 8'6".   Any way to get a measurement of what you have now so I can get it right on the first shot?  I used to build them right at 9', and got the too long feedback.  Tell me a total length and I can get after it and send it to you. 

I usually suggest mounting relays in  the middle toward front of tray on b/e cars.

[shadango]

Sure.

I think I built that to 8'6".   Any way to get a measurement of what you have now so I can get it right on the first shot?  I used to build them right at 9', and got the too long feedback.  Tell me a total length and I can get after it and send it to you. 

I usually suggest mounting relays in  the middle toward front of tray on b/e cars.

I used a piece of string to measure the current one without uninstalling it.....

I am measuring to the tips of the ring connectors to the fuse and then from the fuse to the relays (that last part was a very close approximate).

It does look like its 8'6" currently........used a piece of string again to layout the "looser" routing. 6 inches should do it. It probably actually wouldn't hurt to go 8 inches in my case....

On my battery tray at least this was the best place to mount so as to provide access and a flat place to mount....plus, the rivets are not under the battery, so no worry about setting the battery on them.   I riveted because I didnt have any low profile headed bolts available, plus it seemed the easier route.

Not too hard to get the wires out of the relay piece for the swap?

Thanks for your help!

[crackedback]

OK.

I'll get after it this afternoon.

Terminals are pretty easy to remove.  Small paper clip or a scribe can depress the lock tab.

[1 Wild R/T]

If you haven't ever released any terminals from the shell connector look from the face where the relay plug in down at the terminals, there is a rectangular notch use the paperclip down through that notch to depress the lock tab.... When you have the new wire in your possession it will be pretty apparent....

[crackedback]

Here's a quick youtube.  IMO, this person uses more force than necessary to release the lock tab.  When you go full steroids on the lock tabs, you risk deforming the terminal itself.

https://youtu.be/nD2feNyZwFw

A trick is to lightly push the wire into the block, release the pin with as little pressure as possible and pull the wire/terminal out. Sometimes there is a small shelf/ledge where the lock tab rests. Pushing it back in moves the tab above the ledge.  It's really easy to do.