Fusible links ?

[BlackSheep28]

Hey everyone, just picked up a ’74 C10 project. I was going through, replacing fuses and redoing some wiring, trying to get the dash to work. I came across three fusible links (I’m assuming—that’s what they are; still new to these trucks).





I’m wondering what they go to and what a good replacement/size would be. The black wire runs into the firewall, and the black/white one runs to the passenger side (no clue where the other end is). The one not pictured is red/orange and runs to the junction on the passenger side of the truck.





Thanks in advance!

 

[Broken85]

That’s not a fusible link. It is just a sealed connector.

 

[BlackSheep28]

Had broken glass in it so I just replace it with a glass fuse ?

 

[Broken85]

Had broken glass in it so I just replace it with a glass fuse ?

I forget where it connects to, but I can check on my truck tomorrow. Fusible links would be (for example) a 12 gauge wire with a 14 gauge wire place at the end expecting the lighter wire would burn out first before the rest of the harness got damaged. You can usually spot these because they have a small black barrel where the two wires are spliced at.

I guess another inline fuse can never hurt anything so your repair is probably harmless.

 

[BlackSheep28]

Assuming it’s a mini glass fuse but thanks let me know I would greatly appreciate it

 

[75gmck25]

There are two fuses like that on a ‘74 and they are part of the shunt/circuit for the ammeter.

GM used the wiring loom itself as a shunt for the ammeter in the dash so they didn’t have to run full alternator current up to the dash. However, to for an ammeter shunt to work properly you must have a shunt with a known resistance, and all the old wiring changes resistance over time. I converted my ammeter to a voltmeter, which is quite simple if you are willing to pull the cluster.

If those small fuses are blown or disconnected the only thing affected is the in-dash ammeter.