Just joined the group a couple of days ago and this is my first post. I have just recently purchased a 1965 Plymouth Satellite Convertible. It has a 1973 440 in it and runs good.

When purchasing it, I knew that it had some electrical problems and the only gauge that is functional on the dash is the Amp gauge. I started noticing that even with the key removed, power was not. Wipers would still work, heater blower, turn signals etc. still worked. I purchased a speedo cable and hooked it up to the cluster and routed it down to connect to the trans. Jacked the car up just enough to get under it and when moving the cable I noticed it spark and thought I had hit the starter. I then removed the battery cable and hooked it up. I took it for a ride and it still didn't work which could be numerous things but I noticed the Amp gauge was extremely hot to the touch. I also realized I had been no where near the starter so I became concerned and disconnected the speedo cable from the cluster and it had melted near the connection.

In latter models, I know that the IP harness grounded at the right side of the car behind the kick pad, but I can't find any grounding on the IP harness. Does anyone know where it grounds and any suggestions as to what might be wrong would be appreciated.

I retired from Chrysler and built many of the old "muscle" cars in those days and was fairly familiar with the build process in the Chassis department, but was not that familiar with the Trim process. Looking at the underbody brings back a lot of memories.

Thanks

Bob

 

Hi 65,welcome to the forum, Im new here myself. im sure youll like the guys here. It sounds like you have a problem in your ignition switch. If the controls are still hot and working, then I would look at that first. the key cuts the power through the switch to the controls when off. if its still hot, then the sitch is ither bad and not killing the juice like its suppossed too. Or you could have a connector bad at the bulk hed connector where the wire bundle comes in to the cab from the engine bay, a terminal could have melted the plastic around it and is keeping the juice going to the rest of the controls while the keys off. Definatly keep the battery terminals unhooked till you diagnose the prob.

 

rr69

I am leaving the battery disconnected and I will start with the Ignition switch and I have felt that the problem started there and then I will check the bulkhead and see if I can see something that doesn't look right.

Any suggestions on what the cluster would melt the speedo cable like it was using the speedo cable to ground it out to the trans?

Thanks for you quick reply.

Bob

 

check to make sure it has a good ground strap from the motor to the firewall and this might sound stupid but check to make sure they put the right wires on the alt. as not to be from the water temp or oil , like i said it might sound stupid but anythings possible , and make sure you check to see if there are not anywires grounding out to the frame from laying on something hot or sharp i had it happen with a brake warning light wire and it melted everything in its path as far as the IP harness im not sure but there will be someone that will be able to help you out im sure
AND WELCOME 65S and let me know if nothing comes up with it and ill do some more looking for you

 

65, I would look at the fusable link from the starter relay to the bulk head connector. If you had a surg and it melted the link it will alow to much voltage to go into the bulk head.then theres where the wires can melt together. I woild guess that the reason for the melting is that you have so much juice going through the dash harness that its grounding on the metal tip from the cable and causing it to get super hot.the metal tip goes into the plastic housing, and the curcuit board on the back of the cluster housing is 12 volts hot.I beleive the tip touches the curcuit board wheer it goes into the spedo gauge. Its possible that a wire is grounding out on the steering column while the switch isnt shutting off the juice and you actually have 2 prob. going on at ounce. the current is running constant, and a bare wire is grounding on the colunm. Ive seen stranger things. Actaully, check this now that i think about it. check the cigar lighter in the ash tray. take it out and unplug the hot wire from the back of the ash tray and hook the batt up and see if you still have contant juice, i had a bad lighter ounce, the hot wire grounded out on the ashtray frame, causing all kinds of dmg.

 

Thanks to all of you that have responded. You have given me a lot of good things to look for and they all make sense. These suggestions will give me many things to look at over the weekend.

I will post anything I find.

Again thanks for the quick responses and excellent suggestions.

Bob