Here I go. Two and a half years of restoration, hours spent on the internet looking for help and parts. My 74 Dart Sport sat in a barn from July 1990 until June 2005. My son at the time was 17 years old. He asked if he could have the car. Of course, but he will have to help me restore it. This was absolutely the best father/son project. The kid has learned a lot. He's in college now (freshman) and is ready to start the car for the first time since 1990.

We installed a new fuel tank and hooked up the fuel pump and a new alternator this weekend. The battery is in and I know that the squirrels and rats that lived in that barn from 1990 until 2005 had nests in the engine bay. I want to test all the wiring. Some I see are chewed through. Where do I begin? Someone lead me through this step by step. I have my FSM, but what order do I do the testing? If you would, allow me to do two or three tests at a time and report back to you with the results and then proceed to steps four, five, and six.

I don't plan to crank the engine until I know my wiring is correct.

Take the engine and forward lamp harness off the car and visually inspect and repair any faults you find. Then test all the wires from the bulkhead connector to the opposite ends.

You'll also need to go over the positive battery cable and maybe the backup light/neutral safety harness to the transmission.

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Joshua

When we first fire up our rebuild club cars, I have a specific written testing sequence I use to find problems and prevent damage. You might consider something similar...
the object is to prevent any damage while testing. Stop and investigate if anything seems wrong!

Most problems for a car that's been sitting are poor connections due to a little corrosion; often, unplugging and replugging them in is all that's needed. I've often seen fuses do that too; I recommend pulling, inspecting, and reinserting every fuse before you start.

1) using a good battery, connect the (+) battery, but connect the (-) in series with an incandescent test light. Measure the voltage drop and/or current draw - with everything off, there should be on <10mA draw. If the light is on, something is certainly trying to draw current. (This will prevent a big poof of smoke if something has shorted.)

2) then hook up the (-) battery directly; again, look for any abnormal current draw/sound/smoke/smell/etc. Measure the voltage drop at a few places - battery, starter relay, alt BAT, fuse box. You should seen almost none - there still ought to be almost no current flowing.

3) try the lights - dome, then running, then headlights, then brake, then emergency flashers - don't go further until those are right. Again, the voltage drops ought to be <1V; much more and you should fix it. Check the ammeter studs and bulkhead connections 1st.

4) then try accessories - check the radio, turn signals, defroster, etc. Again, check for abnormal V drop, etc.

5) then turn on the ignition, but don't crank - measure the voltage at the +coil; should be 6-9V or so.

6) with somebody standing by ready to quickly disconnect the battery, crank - if it fires up, keep a close eye on the voltage and ammeter (if so equiped) and the wiring for anything getting hot, burning, or smelling... while cranking, the voltage ought to stay above 8V or so. If it goes way down, you may have a weak battery or a short in the starter...

Good Luck!

Thanks for the test sequence. I will be running this on the 67 Dart sooooon. Hopefully there won't be a smoke show...

On my older cars, the ones that sit all winter I install a battery cut off switch. I don't trust these old heaps not to self combust.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

I hooked up my battery backwards on my 63 dart one time.


There was lots of smoke.....................

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-76 Cordoba, 360 4bbl
-68 Valiant, 273 2bbl
-67 Dart /6 4bbl, Leaning Tower of Power!!!