Hello Guys,
Looking for some help with an electrical issue. Some facts first. 1970 Cuda, 440 with electronic ignition conversion. A Jacobs ignition coil p/n JAC 380672T, Mopar Chrome ignition control box, mopar ballast resistor, mopar electronic distributor with vacuum advance and electronic ignition wiring harness(Year One). The bulkhead connector #23 pin dark blue wire is melted on the engine side all the way to the NUMBER ONE SPLICE and interior side for about 2-3 inches. On the engine compartment wiring diagram for Barracuda, it appears to be the dark blue wire J2-16DBL and joins other dark blue wires at the NUMBER ONE SPLICE. The same wire is melted also at the steering column connector, bulkhead side only, steering column side connector is fine. Suggestions to fix the problem would be appreciated. Not sure how to post pics as format here has changed. Thanks in advance for your time.
Ray

is it running/charging right now? & what is the charging voltage at a fast idle? I'm assuming electronic reg? either something dead shorted in the blue wire ign1 (run) circuit or it full fielded. I'd do a quick visual on the affected area for anything that ain't kosher/grounded/loose etc especially the alt brushes/brush holders. Clarify the location of the burnt areas & on the bulkhead do you mean the eng side or the underdash side. Also at midnite with everything off pull a batt cable & see if there's any spark. Did the amp gauge peg recently? Did you use the vehicle to charge a depleted batt.

The car was running before the wiring harness was taken apart. Mopar electronic regulator. I read about bulkhead connector issues so I pulled it apart. Wires are melted from NUMBER ONE SPLICE to engine side bulkhead connector connector #23 and 2-3 inches of interior side of bulkhead connector. All gauges were working fine with no issues.

Will pull alternator off and check grounds and connections on alternator. Not sure what "something dead shorted in the blue wire ign1 circuit or it full fielded means"...I didn't use vehicle to charge a depleted battery.

"dead shorted" means a live wire inadvertently was grounded which in your house will blow a fuse (if that makes it easier to grasp) & in the vehicle the excessive amperage flow from whatever reason will melt insulation & eventually open the fusible link (usually too late!). "Full fielding" means that the reg (improperly) is giving full voltage to the alt field circuit instead of REGulating it like it should & making the alt put out 15+ volts & usually its a reg fault (bad reg) or a "dead short" in the green wire from the alt field green wire terminal back to the reg side green wire nub (its grounded somewhere along its length, somewhat rare but happens, gets pinched) & alt brushes/brush holders are a frequent culprit. Did not think it was likely from charging a depleted batt but I had to throw it out there to get us started. Holler back if anything comes to mind

Thanks for the house analogy, got it...If you drop a line to zabinsky4@msn.com, I can send you pics of the wires, if that helps.

Update: The blue wire to alternator field tab, the screw was loose. The green wire to the field tab, the screw was tight. The blue wire insulation was melted for about 16 inches from bulkhead connector to the NUMBER ONE SPLICE. The rest of the blue wires and harness wires were good. The blue was was only melted from splice to the bulkhead connector(16"). Why, if the blue wire field screw was loose, I would think the wire would melt from the loose screw and away from it? It melted after the splice to the bulkhead connector?

the loose connection would decrease flow there till it made contact again & then the reg would bump up the voltage to get the depleted (from intermittent charging) battery back to normal full charged with super high (full fielded) voltage coming out of the bulkhead & it goes to the #1 splice & t's off so each branch is getting less & that is likely why it melted from the bulkhead to the #1 splice (the T) but generally it melts the insulation to some extent everywhere as it can be 16-17 volts & that is just "pressure potential" and some circuits draw less amps (flow) so less damage/melting. EDIT the full fielded voltage is coming out the alt large "batt" stud & goes in/thru the bulkhead to the welded splice on the underdash area & to the ign sw (& other circuits) then back out the bulkhead to the blue wire circuit (ign1 run) circuit in question when it is running

Thank you for the info and your help. It will be OK to cut the damaged wire and solder in a new one, correct? Does it matter which wire(blue or green) that connects to the alternator field metal tabs, does it go to a specific tab, as they both tabs look the same? Also, my blue wires, there are 2 of them, only have a metal female connector, NO plastic housing. Should it have a plastic housing? TIA

yes you can cut/solder in a new piece & shrink fit insulation is good (dont forget to slide the piece of it on one of the wires before you pickup the soldering gun). the alt field terminals can go on either way. the plastic types are just a safety bonus to keep something from accidentally touching it & dead shorting it, not required & are OK IF you can seperate the metal terminal inside it so you can solder it or even just cut the plastic from the mini tube part of it where the wire slides in so you can solder the wire there for a good tight secure connection

Thank you...will keep you posted on outcome!

My buddies 440 six pk Roadrunner had melted alot of the blue J2 wire that feeds the alt , reg and ign ballast. His was also an alt problem but his ended up being a grounded rotor that was a dead short for the J2 circuit that was the 12 volt feed to the field (rotor). I had to replace the alt to repair his and I had to replace some of the harness that was melted. I have seen it a few other times also so it sounds like RapidRobert has you straightened out. Good luck with it. Ron

Thank you very much for sharing info. I don't know if I'm OK with everything yet, but you and RapidRobert have shared alot of useful info. I appreciate your input.