Warning: bad bulkhead connections require floor pan repair!

[Moneypit440]

Car won't start sometimes.  No power to coil.  Problem comes and goes.  Buy a drawerful of ballast resistors.  Problem still there.  Resto shop refurbishes bulkhead connector, takes $$$, says all is well.  Head out for car show the next week, car keeps stalling.  After much testing and research, cleaning up the bulkhead male blade for wire #23 (feeds ballast resistor and coil) and coating with di-electric grease solves problem.  Resto guy gets to pay the bills, I get to learn how to read a wiring diagram. 

While under dash testing wires, notice bad carpet.   Order new carpet, since replacing seat covers anyway.  Carpet arrives.  Peel back old carpet.  Find rusty floor pan.  Buy partial floor pan, have it welded in.  Entire pan is a mess.  Clean and degrease five times, followed up with wire brush and shop vac.  Repaint floor pan.  Type stupid message on forum while waiting for paint to dry so new carpet can go in.

Really sad about seeing the drop of brake fluid sitting on the freshly painted, new floor pan patch this morning.  Sort of like when I saw the puddle of water in the same place as it rained right after I had weld job but before the car went back in garage.  Rust spot apparently caused by leaking master cylinder, cowl and maybe a meteor shower or two.  A lot can happen in 44 years.

[jimynick]

Amen brother, amen! Think of it as "Zen and the art of Mopar" if it makes you feel better. BTDT. 

[Moneypit440]

Amen brother, amen! Think of it as "Zen and the art of Mopar" if it makes you feel better. BTDT. 

And you will learn how to patch-sew rubber-backed carpet with fishing line pulled through on a giant needle with pliers when you cut that extra 3 inches at the console.  Now can read wiring diagrams and sew.  A coil wire turned me into a seamstress.

[dutch]

And you will learn how to patch-sew rubber-backed carpet with fishing line pulled through on a giant needle with pliers when you cut that extra 3 inches at the console.  Now can read wiring diagrams and sew.  A coil wire turned me into a seamstress.

    sounds like you`re doing just fine   

[Moneypit440]

   sounds like you`re doing just fine   

Can't remember having so much fun!  Now I have to go finish carpet, but since my hands are so sore I am typing with one finger, this job is not guaranteed for quality.  Maybe I can find a vent issue when I cut around the dash and become a heater expert.

[Chryco Psycho]

Sound right you start a simple project & it turns into a restoration !!

[Jesus H Chrysler]

I know the feeling all too well...

"Hey, nice Challenger.  Too bad it needs paint."



Ok, I'll sand a little bit and get it ready for a quick squirt...

[CUDA JAS]

hang in there brother.

Replacing a coil made me an expert in reading wiring diagrams and building wiring harness...had to reconstruct the wiring harness from scratch, to expensive to buy a new one.
 

Working on em is half the fun!!!

Jason

[joelson6]

this sounds all too familiar.


i remember putting my '72 engine harness into my '74 challenger. the key wouldn't engage the starter.
eventually i figured out if you pushed down on the emergency brake, the starter would kick over 

kind of had to fix that 

[Road_Runner]

Car won't start sometimes.  No power to coil.  Problem comes and goes.  Buy a drawerful of ballast resistors.  Problem still there.  Resto shop refurbishes bulkhead connector, takes $$$, says all is well.  Head out for car show the next week, car keeps stalling.  After much testing and research, cleaning up the bulkhead male blade for wire #23 (feeds ballast resistor and coil) and coating with di-electric grease solves problem.  Resto guy gets to pay the bills, I get to learn how to read a wiring diagram. 

WOW!!  You have exactly described what I'm going through with my Barracuda right now.  My car has had these same issues since I bought it over two years ago and like you I've changed everything out at least once, most things twice just to be sure.  So you're talking about the major harness plug at the firewall on the driver's side, correct?  and are the connections numbered so I can be sure to give special attention to the connector for wire #23??  I'm back home tomorrow afternoon, I would do a dance if I can clean the connections and the car suddenly starts!  I'll owe you big time!

Thanks, Jim