Alternator gauge

[Terry Hauck]

I have a 69 Roadrunner and I noticed the alternator gauge was not working. I looked in the back and both terminals are attached to the negative side.
I heard that the electrical goes thru this gauge and acts like a fuse if it opens. True?
Is it worth replacing the gauge?

 

[quikbird]

That one is an ammeter, and the power for the whole car goes through this thing. Also tends to have a bad connection on the bulkhead connector and can fry the whole wiring harness. Since your car still runs and hasn't burned up the wiring the gauge itself may be bad. Which is why it was bypassed. Probably better off putting a voltmeter in instead somewhere.

 

[69hemibeep]

Some bypass the ammeter that way when a larger alternator is added.

 

[dmartin]

Yeah man that's the main reason for most of the old mopar burned up that and a bad ground

 

[ACME A12]

Some bypass the ammeter that way when a larger alternator is added.

Or when the Mad Mod has been performed. Or both...

 

[Ranger]

I've had problems with my ammeter and ended up bypassing it. If I where you, I'd remove the wires from the gauge post because the insulator below the connector can go bad and short out. Been there done that. Just pull the wires and bolt them together and the tape 'em up to insulate them.

I did as Quickbird suggested and added a volt meter in my under dash gauge cluster.