SC Electrical Problem...need some help...long explanation
 

hello all. I have posted one other time on this particular topic, but after many hours, much frustration, and little to no progress, I thought maybe a different thread title and a little more information might help me out.

The story begins with the red light of doom (the generator charge light). So I began down the path of replacing the alternator, and going with an internally regulated alt. Once I got everything in the car, I turned the key, and nothing happened. So naturally I assumed I left the key on or something and killed the battery. I hooked up the battery charger, and the magic smoke started coming out, so I quickly disconnected the charger, in the hope there was enough smoke still left in the car to keep it working.

From all that it appears that I have a short. I first assumed it was in my alt. wiring, since that was the last thing that I touched, I removed the alt. and probed between the battery cable and ground. Still had the short. I seperated all of the red cables at the battery to narrow down which circuit it was in.

So I was able to follow the circuit to the back of the ignition key, and out of the ignition key (a red wire with a black tracer). This wire goes directly to the back of all of the gauges, and to the rear window defroster fuse.

I have disconnected the wire from the backs of all of the gauges, I have disconnected the main plug from the rear fuse box to where the rear window defroster fuse is. When I measure the resistance between the red/black-traced wire to ground I get about 41ohms.

Im having a tough time finding my problem...any advice? I'm not really sure where to go from here, My next assumption is that since all of the items in the circuit are disconnected that I must have a wire that has been rubbed through, but I am not really sure how to go about finding it...

You are proceeding in the correct manner. You have a short, isolate and find it. There is no magic way to fix this. I hope you have a good wiring diagram.
I was touching the black/reds today myself...all day in the garage, mostly electrical work on the SC. I evidently have a bad switch in the power mirror circuit, so the mirrors will go right and down, but going left or up makes all of the gauges jump. You should have 12V from those red/black wires to ground.
Pat

I recently had a problem like that with a 77. The problem was a short in the alternator (or short in the alternator wire in your case).

As a way to eliminate the alternator as a possiility I suggest removing the red wire from the main terminal of the starter then try starting the car.

It'll only take a minute to remove the wire from the starter and it removes the alternator from the electrical system.

A short in the red wire or alternator will prevent the starter from operating.

Ive disconnected the starter wire. I also have the alt. completely out of the car.

A quick question about fuse locations, I find two fuse boxes: (1) large one in the drivers side front compartment, and one with (3) fuses in the drivers side engine compartment. Are there any other fuses?

Were you able to disconnect the red wire from the starter, not the large black wire?

Did you attempt to start the motor after removing the red wire?