No meltdown yet just some jumpy needle and pegging one way or the other issues...I have a new Powermaster alt and regulator ready to go in, and going to clean all the connections, but also want to beef up the bulkhead issue. I've downloaded the diagrams from an old post here showing how they bypass the Amp gauge altogether and the black wire from the alternator end ups going straight to the starter relay..But I like the sound of the other method I've heard of where you leave all the original wiring intact and have a working amp gauge, and just add another wire from the alt through the bulkhead to the amp gauge, then back to the relay. Basically just adding an extra wire that mimics the original setup, but doesn't have a bulkhead connector in it. Any drawbacks to this method? thanks in advance...

Did you add any additional electrical loads from stock? Do you have factory a/c or power windows? I don't believe running the larger gauge wire from the alternator to the amp gauge and then from the amp gauge to the starter relay is the best idea, because your amp gauge is not designed to handle the increased current of an aftermarket alternator. You might get away with it, if there is no additional electrical load being supplied to anything non-factory.

Mad Electric's suggestion of routing the alternator wire to a main distribution point(usually the starter relay for us Mopar folks) and bypassing the amp guage in exchange for a volt meter is just tried-and-true great advice, especially if you are adding any additional aftermarket electrical loads to your car.

His advice for using relays for the headlights and any other high current devices is also great advice because it takes an additional load off your bulkhead terminals, wiring and switches.

I recommend that you go to his website and learn what he has to say about automotive electrical systems.

Just keep in mind that Mopar alternators are notoriously poor at producing power at low rpm's no matter who has reworked them. If you have added high current demand items like electric fans, fuel pumps, A/C, electric windows, you may need to retrofit another type of alternator capable of producing a large amounts of amps at idle speeds.

I found one that bolted right in and produces over 115 amps at a low idle and over 170 off idle. Sweet!

I'm running a powermaster alt on one of my cars and it definitely made a big difference at the low RPM areas...Ran the additional 8-10 gauge from alt to relay out in the engine bay...Then eliminated both amp gauge bulkhead terminals by running a new wire straight through the empty bulkhead holes for each....Re-wrapped the harness and you can't tell anything was done other than the extra terminal/fusible link at the relay...This still pretty much renders the amp gauge useless but you won't have open holes in the bulkhead connector ...Also,as stated you need to be smart about where you draw any new high amp circuits and keep them out in the engine bay with it's own dedicated fuse if possible...

No heavy draws due to power equipment or stereo's or anything. The alternator is a new 75amp Powermaster. I figured the mad-electric method was the recommended way, just hesitant to give up my amp gauge altogether, it being there is how I know I have problems right now...it hasn't burnt or died- yet..

There are several approaches to this

It depends on how non-original you are willing to modify the car

It depends on whether you insist on an ammeter

It depends on added accessories, and the load on the sysem.

Just upgrading the wiresize and eliminating the bulkhead connectors is a huge first step.

Keep in mind that the ammeter itself can heat up and fail. "at least some" models I've seen use the plastic mounting of the dash to actually hold the ammeter together and make the elctrical connections. This means that any heat or looseness causes MORE heat and then catastrophic failure of the ammmeter connections, melted wire ends, etc.

If you are in love with ammeters (I am) the BEST approach, and there's been discussion of this--is to figure a way to convert the old "full current" meter to one like used in the later '70's. These meters were a sensitive milliameter which used part of the car wiring for a SHUNT (external shunt) and so the only HEAVY wire coming through the bulkead was the supply conductor to the interior of the car.

All the heavy charging/ ammeter circuits remained under the hood, the ammeter conductors being small no18 or so wire.

I BELIEVE I found a site of someone doing a few of these meter conversions. I'm sure it would depend on the ammeter---the smaller round ralley gauge used in the RR/ Chargers could be a beaouch

Read this, it helped me out:
http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

I think the post I found on another website a couple of weeks ago and can't find now said the poster cleaned and Noaloxed the bulkhead connector, then just ran an extra wire with fusible link from alternator to the starter relay to help carry the load, didn't change anything under the dash. Is that an option, will it charge and work normally? I assume the amp gauge wouldn't give a correct reading that way?

When i did the amp bypass.I went to a voltmeter you can still tell if you'll having charging problems.