Fried Wires? ** Updated 7-08-07 **

[Bullitt-]

      I'd at least want to know why I'm spending $220.00       & get a fire extingusher anyway....
                       first thing I did before firing my car up for the first time in 15 yrs
   

[RDF]

Here's a ? for you guys.....if I disconnect the headlights and the wire for the headlights going into the harness, I should be ok to drive the car during the day right?    I'm just looking at all options here that's all.

[Chryco Psycho]

why not untape the harness a separate the wires melted together & retape them individually

[ChallengerHK]

Here's a ? for you guys.....if I disconnect the headlights and the wire for the headlights going into the harness, I should be ok to drive the car during the day right?    I'm just looking at all options here that's all.

I'm the paranoid type, so I'd want to verify the damage to the harness exactly.  It might be that something else was, say, damaged enough to raise the resistance, but the circuit will still work in the short term, although it will be running hotter than it should.

[FY1 RT SE]

      I'd at least want to know why I'm spending $220.00       

This sums it up.

Hey all....just got in from working on the Cuda for about an hour....turns out the harness seems fried.  I took it off at the firewall and looked at the connections....the power (red) seemed like it melted the plastic casing and the metal connector seemed burnt.

Have you looked at the dash side yet?

[RDF]

why not untape the harness a separate the wires melted together & retape them individually

That's what I was thinking, but I don't know for sure if they are melted together.  If they aren't, I'm still in a pickle b/c I don't know where to look next.

Have you looked at the dash side yet?

Yes, I unplugged the switch and the headlights still came on.

[FY1 RT SE]

Yes, I unplugged the switch and the headlights still came on.

Okay, that is a start, what does the dash harness look like at the bulkhead, fuse block etc?

[RDF]

Fuse box is ok, nothing melted looking or anything.  The harness box on the outside looks ok as well, but when I unplug the front harness from the box, the power (red) wire looks like it melted the plastic casing a little and the prong looks black and burnt.

I'm heading out for a couple of hours to try to buy a new car.  I'll be back later though.  Thanks a million to all the tips and help!   

[JayBee]

Hey RDF, I just want to comment on that red wire (A1-12R, pin 16 of the bulkhead connector). It goes straight to the ammeter and all the juice you use goes through it so it's not uncommon to see what you saw. I've already replaced one connector and plastic housing and am due to do it again. Anyway, just wanted to let you know this and that it's not that uncommon. Maybe some other members can verify this. I'd be interested to know if you and I are the only ones melting plastic connectors. Oh, and all the best finding the short.

[RDF]

Ok I'm trying to take out the wiring harness (front) but I've got the turn signels on my fenders and I can't seem to get the bulb to come out of the housing, does anyone know how to get these out?  I took the screw off and then the metal piece, then the plastic orange piece, but the bulb seems connected to the rubber gasket somehow.

Any ideas? 

[Bullitt-]

On my '73 you can umplug the turn signals from the main harness a foot or so from the housings.

[GoodysGotaCuda]

On my '73 you can umplug the turn signals from the main harness a foot or so from the housings.

  there is a single wire plug somewhere in your harness that will unplug those fender mount turn signals. Like bullitt said, about a foot off the bulb housing.

[RDF]

On my '73 you can umplug the turn signals from the main harness a foot or so from the housings.

ok found it!!  I never would have know those where there if you hadn't answered.  Thanks a bunch.  Now it's time to peel back the 30+ years of electrical tape and other garbage to see if I can find the short. 

[RDF]

I got the harness out, stripped down half way and so far, all the wires seem good.  If all the wires are good, could that mean the box in the firewall is bad???  if so....

[RDF]

well I stripped down as much as I could and all the wires look good....in fact, they look brand new.....nothing seems melted or bonded together.....plugged it all in and headlights are still coming on.   

What next?  Is it possible the plastic connector is junk?  Or am I just beating around the bush in what appears to be the box in the firewall that is gone??