Re: not sure, maybe a blown headgasket
[Re: ashburnmike]
#177234
01/04/09 10:10 AM
01/04/09 10:10 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,200 Upper Midwest
MoparforLife
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,200
Upper Midwest
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The rear grounds need not be like the heavy neg battery cable. Usually just a braided strap wire.
Clean it, if it's Dirty. Oil it, if it Squeaks.
But: Don't fix it, if it Works!
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Re: not sure, maybe a blown headgasket
[Re: RapidRobert]
#177235
01/04/09 10:19 AM
01/04/09 10:19 AM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia
ashburnmike
OP
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 455
Ashburn, Virginia
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Quote:
Quote:
Is this what all you guys go thru when you get one of these old cars going after 20+ years?
before we had Moparts it was worse
I can imagine Robert, you guys have certainly been my life line on this project.
I am going out with my test light to try to find this electrical problem. I have plenty of juice in the battery.
Where would you start looking for a failed component.
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Re: not sure, maybe a blown headgasket
[Re: ashburnmike]
#177236
01/04/09 10:58 AM
01/04/09 10:58 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,200 Upper Midwest
MoparforLife
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 25,200
Upper Midwest
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Make sure that the connections are clean and tight at the bulkhead connector. Recheck your battery terminals and connections. Just because the battery is new it doesn't mean it can't be bad or that the connections are good. did you scrape the factory protectant off the posts? did you scrape the cable ends clean and shiny before you put them on?ake sure that the cable were indeed tight on the posts and that you couldn't grab them with your hands and turn them? If they are not tight or the posts clam together tight without being real tight on the posts you can re pair this by taking the bolt out and clamping the the cable camp together with a vice or vice grips and running a hack saw through the split and then putting the bolt back in and it will tighten down tighter. Rechecking - starting at the battery is the first place I would look and work from there. Making sure all grounds are tight and clean and all connections tight.
Clean it, if it's Dirty. Oil it, if it Squeaks.
But: Don't fix it, if it Works!
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Re: not sure, maybe a blown headgasket
[Re: MoparforLife]
#177237
01/04/09 11:25 AM
01/04/09 11:25 AM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia
ashburnmike
OP
mopar
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OP
mopar
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 455
Ashburn, Virginia
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Quote:
Make sure that the connections are clean and tight at the bulkhead connector. Recheck your battery terminals and connections. Just because the battery is new it doesn't mean it can't be bad or that the connections are good. did you scrape the factory protectant off the posts? did you scrape the cable ends clean and shiny before you put them on?ake sure that the cable were indeed tight on the posts and that you couldn't grab them with your hands and turn them? If they are not tight or the posts clam together tight without being real tight on the posts you can re pair this by taking the bolt out and clamping the the cable camp together with a vice or vice grips and running a hack saw through the split and then putting the bolt back in and it will tighten down tighter. Rechecking - starting at the battery is the first place I would look and work from there. Making sure all grounds are tight and clean and all connections tight.
Battery is good to go. clean, connections are tight and the test light is as bright as can be.
I should start a new post as this is moving into a different area?...electrical.
a good idea?
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Re: not sure, maybe a blown headgasket
[Re: ashburnmike]
#177238
01/04/09 01:52 PM
01/04/09 01:52 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,680 Va. Beach, Va
69superbee383
master
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master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,680
Va. Beach, Va
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I am going to dive in here and throw out something simple. I had a 73 Duster. Similar issue. Drive fine then for no reason the thing would start missing and everything would go nuts. What i found on this car was at the wire connector coming out of the steering column two of the wires inside the connector had fused together slightly. When hot they made contact and even when moved or if I hit a bump. I bypassed the connector on the two wires and solved the problem. Later I also found this had damaged the switch itself and I ended up replacing it and the connector.
77 Macho Power Wagon LWB factory 440
70 Coronet 440 N code 3 speed
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Re: not sure, maybe a blown headgasket
[Re: 69superbee383]
#177239
01/04/09 02:16 PM
01/04/09 02:16 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia
ashburnmike
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Ashburn, Virginia
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Quote:
I am going to dive in here and throw out something simple. I had a 73 Duster. Similar issue. Drive fine then for no reason the thing would start missing and everything would go nuts. What i found on this car was at the wire connector coming out of the steering column two of the wires inside the connector had fused together slightly. When hot they made contact and even when moved or if I hit a bump. I bypassed the connector on the two wires and solved the problem. Later I also found this had damaged the switch itself and I ended up replacing it and the connector.
If you are talking about those two "thin banks" of wires that come out of the steering column.... I will go an examine them right now.
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Re: not sure, maybe a blown headgasket
[Re: ashburnmike]
#177240
01/04/09 03:10 PM
01/04/09 03:10 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,680 Va. Beach, Va
69superbee383
master
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master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,680
Va. Beach, Va
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yes at least on the 73 they were in a white connector I believe 8 wires. The black and one other had melted the connector into each other. Been many years but that thing gave me fits.
77 Macho Power Wagon LWB factory 440
70 Coronet 440 N code 3 speed
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Re: not sure, maybe a blown headgasket
[Re: ashburnmike]
#177241
01/04/09 03:39 PM
01/04/09 03:39 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,279 Buzzardbreath Wyoming
BigBird
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,279
Buzzardbreath Wyoming
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Quote:
Just curious.
Is this what all you guys go thru when you get one of these old cars going after 20+ years?
Yep.... I spent 3 days tracing wires to finally figure it was a shorted bulb in the tail light.
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Re: not sure, maybe a blown headgasket
[Re: MoparforLife]
#177242
01/04/09 04:51 PM
01/04/09 04:51 PM
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Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 455 Ashburn, Virginia
ashburnmike
OP
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Ashburn, Virginia
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Quote:
either will work on the key. Would like to see a good ground from a head or rear of engine to the fire wall. Should have had one in original state.
OK fellas....I don't understand why this is happening at all. Tutor me on this grounding sitation.
I took my test light and read every hot lead in the car. All good to go.
I kept watching the dome light to see if it would come on. It did not.
I then added the additional ground strap from the head to the firewall.
when I did this all systems lit up like a Christmas tree. Dome light came on. Key in buzzer started screaming and the motor fired right up.
I disconnected the strap to see what it would do...it ran for a about 40 seconds and just conked out. Dead. Hooked the strap back up and everything works fine
What in the world is going on here?
Why would it run for 70 miles or so since the initial start up....then just quit?
I can't believe this may be all this whole she-bang is all about. A ground wire?
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Re: not sure, maybe a blown headgasket
[Re: ashburnmike]
#177243
01/04/09 05:04 PM
01/04/09 05:04 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,680 Va. Beach, Va
69superbee383
master
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master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,680
Va. Beach, Va
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Oh yes it can cause all that. Without a good ground things try to find their own ground. I had a simple ground wire from the battery to the radiator support come loose and had all sorts of weird stuff. Broke the wire from the head to the firewall once and when the clutch was depressed all was good. let the clutch out and lost everything.
77 Macho Power Wagon LWB factory 440
70 Coronet 440 N code 3 speed
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Re: not sure, maybe a blown headgasket
[Re: 69superbee383]
#177244
01/04/09 05:07 PM
01/04/09 05:07 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,680 Va. Beach, Va
69superbee383
master
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master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 6,680
Va. Beach, Va
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While you are at it check your battery ground to block connection and the ground wire to the support bracket. Make sure they are clean and tight.
77 Macho Power Wagon LWB factory 440
70 Coronet 440 N code 3 speed
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