Bypass the Amp guage in my 69 440 GTX?
- Thread starter MrDee
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Bob ??? 
BLK 68 R/T
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In what?
I bypassed mine some years ago with a loop on the bulkhead where the amm gauge wires otherwise would connect. I'm set to reroute bypassing the BH with that wiring in, but looking for another reason to remove the cluster. This is before putting in a new BH as the old one was heat damaged. Lower photo is after new BH. Fortunately ma mopar had left enough wiring for doing the BH install topside.
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MrDee
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69 440 gtx
BLK 68 R/T
Well-Known Member
If it’s a non AC car you should be able to reach up under the dash and disconnect them from the amp gauge and connect them together. Make sure to disconnect the battery first and insulate the connection well to avoid having it ground out. You can’t do it from the engine side as you need to be able to get to the dash harness side of the wiring to jump out the amp gauge.
440 PHIXX
The Island of Misfit Mopars
The easiest and fastest way to do it is to take one side off of the ammeter gauge, and stack it on the other side. Done. Takes about 5 minutes.
440 PHIXX
The Island of Misfit Mopars
You beat me to it! 8^}
440 PHIXX
The Island of Misfit Mopars
That still doesn’t address the bulkhead connector. It’s a bad design. Sure, it was quick on the assembly line, but over the years it corrodes and becomes a resistance point. Chrysler knew this and on the “K” police price class by 1970 MY they had a separate direct through in the firewall. I don’t think the full alternator amperage should ever leave the engine bay. Especially since so many alternators now push 100 amps.
On my ’63, think the police/fleet package did bypass the BH back then. Yeah, not the best setup, but mfg’s didn’t make them to last half a century or half that. I may have added extra toast to the BH when installing an electronic ignition 25-years ago, not sure but the install required a higher output alternator.
matthon
Well-Known Member
I did this on my 64:
New 10 gauge wire with fuseable link from alternator to starter relay + post.
Took black wire off alternator, shortened it, connected it to + on starter relay. Removed it from the ammeter and dead ended it.
Black wire has splice in harness that feeds dash, lights, etc.
Removed original red wire from ammeter to starter relay completely.
New 10 gauge wire with fuseable link from alternator to starter relay + post.
Took black wire off alternator, shortened it, connected it to + on starter relay. Removed it from the ammeter and dead ended it.
Black wire has splice in harness that feeds dash, lights, etc.
Removed original red wire from ammeter to starter relay completely.
MrDee
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It's an ac car, zero room to see the back of the dash
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What’s the concern with the ammeter? The Packard terminals in the charge path bulkhead connector are by far the weakest link in the original design. The earlier screw terminals pictured above are a better design but would not apply to a ’69. Better off bypassing the Packards or doing the fleet bypass.
To be clear, alternators don't "push" any amps, the amount of current flowing at any given time is determined by the current draw of the loads. On a healthy correctly loaded stock system there will be little to no current flowing through the ammeter (needle centered) while running as long as the alternator can cover all running loads.
When I say the same, I got attacked by “somebody” around for free LOL
MrDee
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My amp meter has been acting erratic for the last month. Reading high, then reading nothing, then reading Discharge then reading normal. When I read the charge with a meter, the voltage output is steady and consistent while the amp meter is moving around. The vr is new, the alternator is new and the engine side wiring is new. I do have an 8 gauge wire running directly from the alternator to the starter relay (with a fusable link)
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Yikes, that’s what’s become known as the “shunt wire” bypass, very dangerous for an all-stock system as it circumvents the designed circuit protection for all stock unfused wiring. With it in place it will also disable most of any ammeter response as charging current is routed across the shunt wire. If the ammeter moves significantly with the shunt wire in place, it’s responding the load current or resistance at load related connections. Again, I’d be looking at the Packard’s in the bulkhead closely. There is a great deal of ammeter/electrical information posted here, do a search on ammeters.
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Adding some… if the ammeter suddenly moves with that jumper wire added, the wire COULD be possibly missing contact AND in that moment the factory wiring entering into the game with an extra failure like loads incorrectly placed… or you are close to a short.
I’m just thinking out loud but that’s really weird and needs to take action before get into a bigger issue. The advantage of the ammeter over the voltmeter is it is a real and instant stage reading gauge. Also indicates what section of the wiring could be getting in troubles depending on which side of the gauges shows reading and also depending on how you wired it, because will tell you where is running the load. If reading discharge, the extra load is on alt side, if reading charge, the extra load is on batt side… this last just as far engine is running.
Extra load can be a temporal instant short not long enough to blow the fuse link. Althought with a jumper wire added, the fuse link is also somehow being bypassed.
I’m just thinking out loud but that’s really weird and needs to take action before get into a bigger issue. The advantage of the ammeter over the voltmeter is it is a real and instant stage reading gauge. Also indicates what section of the wiring could be getting in troubles depending on which side of the gauges shows reading and also depending on how you wired it, because will tell you where is running the load. If reading discharge, the extra load is on alt side, if reading charge, the extra load is on batt side… this last just as far engine is running.
Extra load can be a temporal instant short not long enough to blow the fuse link. Althought with a jumper wire added, the fuse link is also somehow being bypassed.
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MrDee
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The added 8 guage wire also has a fusable link...
This is a common mod recommended by Dead Dodge Garage
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DDG, really? Did you pay attention to his disclaimer at the beginning of his most recent video promoting this “fix”, where he states “I’m not exactly a trained expert in the field of automotive electrical”? The presence of a fusible link on the shunt wire changes the situation by little, still removes/bypasses the adequate amount of circuit protection for the all the stock unfused wiring, increasing the level of current flowing in the event of a short by paralleling (or shunting) the stock fusible link well beyond the point where the stock 12ga wires burn, look up Kirchhoff’s current law and the current divider rule. Mr. Attwood would be DDG wrong in this regard, read some of the comments in his most recent YouTube video where he pushes this dangerous “fix”.
Someone has challenged this particular misinformation in his own format.
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MrDee
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Yes and thank you. I spent the morning watching your videos. Your level of expertice is way beyond mine. Can I possibly call you to discuss further?
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