66 instument cluster rewired ammeter prob

[afreejack]

My instrument gages (fuel, oil, water) were not working when the car is running( they had worked with the key on and the engine not started). I just installed a wiring harness from american autowire and a one-wire alternator. After scratching my head for a litte bit, I unplugged the ammeter, started the car and the gages worked fine! (except for the ammeter). Because of the new harness and the one-wire alternator, I had connected the ammeter yellow wire to the alternator post and the red wire to the battery stud on the starter relay. (I ran the two wires through the firewall and plugged them into the ammeter).

Is there a better way to hook up the ammeter? What would cause the rest of my gages to not work if the ammeter is plugged in this way?

on a side note, the american autowire harness was easy to install (relatively) and I got it right the first time (except for the ammeter, LOL)

 

[2+2GT]

My instrument gages (fuel, oil, water) were not working when the car is running( they had worked with the key on and the engine not started). I just installed a wiring harness from american autowire and a one-wire alternator. After scratching my head for a litte bit, I unplugged the ammeter, started the car and the gages worked fine! (except for the ammeter). Because of the new harness and the one-wire alternator, I had connected the ammeter yellow wire to the alternator post and the red wire to the battery stud on the starter relay. (I ran the two wires through the firewall and plugged them into the ammeter).

Is there a better way to hook up the ammeter? What would cause the rest of my gages to not work if the ammeter is plugged in this way?

on a side note, the american autowire harness was easy to install (relatively) and I got it right the first time (except for the ammeter, LOL)

The gauges, except the AMP meter, get their power from the accessory circuit via a Constant Voltage Regulator on the back of the cluster. Check to see if it is getting power. If it is, and the gauges don't work, it's shot.

If I understand how you have wired your AMP meter, to hooked it up as though it was a real ammeter. It's not. It is intended to be wired in parallel with the charging circuit, with only a tiny amount of power to it. Most likely what you did exceeded the spazillionth of an amp the tiny windings can tolerate, and blew them like a microscopic fuse. Of course, these don't work at all unless the connectors are absolutely clean, with a little silicone grease on them. ALL the connectors.

On the other hand, the stock wiring system works really well in all other aspects, if it is clean and not hacked up. It's all available new, in excellent quality.

Check your AMP wiring setup against this diagram.
http://www.hammar.dyndns.org/wiring/1966/66ignit.jpg

 

[afreejack]

The gauges, except the AMP meter, get their power from the accessory circuit via a Constant Voltage Regulator on the back of the cluster. Check to see if it is getting power. If it is, and the gauges don't work, it's shot.

If I understand how you have wired your AMP meter, to hooked it up as though it was a real ammeter. It's not. It is intended to be wired in parallel with the charging circuit, with only a tiny amount of power to it. Most likely what you did exceeded the spazillionth of an amp the tiny windings can tolerate, and blew them like a microscopic fuse. Of course, these don't work at all unless the connectors are absolutely clean, with a little silicone grease on them. ALL the connectors.

On the other hand, the stock wiring system works really well in all other aspects, if it is clean and not hacked up. It's all available new, in excellent quality.

Check your AMP wiring setup against this diagram.
http://www.hammar.dyndns.org/wiring/1966/66ignit.jpg

Thanks for responding. The gauges all work fine with the ammeter unplugged. (I'm wondering if, due to the full charge of the alternnator running through it, interfered with them when the ammeter was hooked up). At any rate, I went from an instrument cluster problem to an ammeter problem. I went to a one-wire alternator so the ammeter connections in the diagram doesn't help because it shows connections to a voltage regulator for the alternator. If I blew the ammeter, then I'll see about getting another one, but I need to find out how to hook up for a one-wire alternator. Should I have just put both the red and yellow wire for the ammeter at the battery post?

 

[rbohm]

do yourself a favor and dump the ammeter for a voltmeter.

 

[afreejack]

now that it looks like my ammeter is fried (I'm keeping it completely disconnected now, so it doesn't interfere with the operation of the other gauges), I'd like to get a voltmeter to replace it. Can you give me any idea of a good place to go to get it?

 

[rbohm]

check with national parts depot, i think they had one that installed like the factory ammeter.

 

[2+2GT]

check with national parts depot, i think they had one that installed like the factory ammeter.

Haven't seen that in their catalog. Got a p/n?

 

[rbohm]

been a while since i seen one of their catalogs. it might not be npd though.

 

[afreejack]

I have the latest NPD catalog (been using it for buying other stuff). The ammeter listed in there doesn't have any description beyond "ammeter". If you dont have their catalog, they have it online. Very easy to use.

NPDLink | National Parts Depot