Scottski

I recently posted a question regarding rebuilding my engine for a 79 Pantera. In short, I found a very clean 95 454 mag fully dressed for less than half what the rebuild was going to cost, so I got it and after a few minor speed bumps installed it in the boat yesterday.

In the back of my mind I knew at some point Id have to explore the ammeter to volt differences among the generations. I went to plug the 9 pin harnesses together and no, not that simple. The old 9 pin has 3 large pins and 6 small, the newer only has 2 large pins. In hours of online searching, this is all I've come up with. The 3rd large pin, Orange wire, is the feed to or from, cant remember, the alternator to Ammeter. I read to remove that pin and the plugs will connect, and then disconnect the orange wire under the dash. This will lose my buzzer. Install a volt meter and wire as needed.

Is it really this simple? Other things I read folks said the entire dash needs rewire, some say pull all and rewire the whole thing. Id rather not do that.

OR

Is there a rewire that keeps the Ammeter so I do not have to change to a voltmeter? For example, reroute that orange wire (boat side), be it to the alternator or solenoid etc? Ive looked at a few schematics and searched for hours and nothing is clarifying it for me.

What are my options? Simplest solutions? Thank you OSO

EDIT: Oh, and I should add. I used the newer alternator on the 95 motor. SO my thought is, the engine side is wired for volt, the boat side is wired for Ammeter.

carnutsx2

I would think that the simplest way would be to use the old motor harness.

Mbam

Lose the orange, put in a volt meter. Make sure to wire the volt meter to ground and a switched ignition (normally purple). Don't just leave the red wire on it or you will have a small but constant battery drain as the voltmeter will always be hot.

That leaves you with a large red wire that came off the ammeter. That is the power from the starter. It depends on whether the ammeter was used as a junction with the accessories & ignition switch connected to the ammeter. So if that is the case you will have to move that directly to the accessory hot or ignition switch.

Scottski

That sounds easy enough Ill get under the dash and start poking around this week. So at the cannon plug side of the boat harness in the engine bay, cut the orange at the plug and yank the big pin out of the harness? What's the normal procedure for that end of the plug and wire/ pin?

looking at it, its not that simple, unless I took the alternator and all the ignition and changed it as well, which I though of....and being the factory harness is NLA as it went to the 9 pin w/ only 2 large pins within, it seems going towards that plug isnt a bad idea for future engine swaps etc. If I ever rebuild the original motor, Ill likely wire it all new anyway which would be using the newer style plug.