Wiring harnesses. Are old ones a bad idea?
#1057743
08/19/11 11:38 PM
08/19/11 11:38 PM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,938
Spokane Valley, WA
Big Bad Bee
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OP
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Spokane Valley, WA
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I'm no stranger to electronics and understand what happens to solderless connecions over time. I have a beautiful dash harness for my bee and my rear harness is quite nice also. I am contemplating using them but I don't want headaches with poor continuity and shorts.
is it just a nightmare to try to clean terminals and hit them with dielectric grease? I have contemplated putting in a modern system like an Ididit with the spade fuse block but I don't want to fight to make a generic harness fit. That and where do I get all the connectors or do I just use multiple spade connectors which sounds like a terrible hassle.
Tell me the good and bad from your experience.
I’m listening.
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Re: Wiring harnesses. Are old ones a bad idea?
[Re: Big Bad Bee]
#1057746
08/20/11 12:46 AM
08/20/11 12:46 AM
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 12,235
Looking for a way out of Middl...
IMGTX
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Looking for a way out of Middl...
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You can get the factory style terminals at Napa or many other places. Because of the color coding I like to use the factory harnesses when I can. I tend to find the oil pressure and temp sensor wire to be pretty brittle but in most cases the rest of the harness is OK. A little massage here a little tweak there and good as new. I do suggest bumping up the wires from the alternator to the battery to at least 1 size larger. While your at it bypass or beef up the bulkhead connector and add a fusible link at the alternator in addition to the one at the starter relay. A common problem is runaway alternators pushing too much amps through the factory wiring... 
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Re: Wiring harnesses. Are old ones a bad idea?
[Re: Big Bad Bee]
#1057749
08/20/11 10:28 AM
08/20/11 10:28 AM
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,096
Valencia, España
NachoRT74
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master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 6,096
Valencia, España
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MYSELF being overseas and where correct color wires are unavailable have been reusing wires since ever! no probs as far I clean terminals.
Of course as stated Engine harness is the one what is common what needs to to fix HOWEVER some the colors of this harness are pretty much common in grocery iron shops if needing to replace. Color regulary available down here are just 6: black, white, Green, Yellow, Blue ( sometimes light sometimes dark depending on manufacturer ), Red and that's all. Forgett about violet, gray, Pink, and even less traced, never have seen those on regular shops locally.
male spade conectors are also unavailable but females are somekind available, what is good because male terminals are easy to clean up and mantenience, but females are hard to mantenience ( how electrician stuff is correctly based in nature HUH!!!? LOL )
With a Charger born in Chrysler assembly plant in Valencia, Venezuela
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Re: Wiring harnesses. Are old ones a bad idea?
[Re: RapidRobert]
#1057751
08/20/11 11:50 PM
08/20/11 11:50 PM
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 10,938
Spokane Valley, WA
Big Bad Bee
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I Live Here
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OP
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Great suggestions, guys. That's one of the reasons I love moparts. One of the issues I have is the bulk head connector hole and if I rewire, should I use that old connector. Or is it possible to take one of the painless or ididit or others and wire it into the connector so it fills the hole. I am assuming that the new kits don't separate the harness at the bulk head connector. Seems like it wouldn't be too hard as long as I got it apart without cracking it.
I’m listening.
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Re: Wiring harnesses. Are old ones a bad idea?
[Re: NachoRT74]
#1057752
08/21/11 08:20 AM
08/21/11 08:20 AM
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 4,154
bethlehem pa
mikemee1331
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bethlehem pa
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Quote:
but females are hard to mantenience ( how electrician stuff is correctly based in nature HUH!!!? LOL )
words to live by! 
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Re: Wiring harnesses. Are old ones a bad idea?
[Re: mikemee1331]
#1057753
08/21/11 10:02 AM
08/21/11 10:02 AM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,041
Lincoln Nebraska
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There was a recent post on cooling that mentioned zinc anodes which I had been wanting to get but had spaced off & had an address so I called em & bought one & they (classic industries) sent me their catalog (arrived b 4 the anode did  ) & it's got alot of interesting stuff including colored bulbs etc but upon perusal they have new wiring harnesses & underdash for a 65 dart is $558 . If you set it (your OE harness) out on the floor/do 1 wire at a time/check crimps & solder/correct colors & gauges you'll easily have an exact high quality duplicate 4 cheap EDIT if high amperage anywhere has not damaged your bulkhead bakelite halves just use that mini eyeglass screwdriver to easily R&R the wires w no damage to the bakelite connectors
Last edited by RapidRobert; 08/24/11 10:23 PM.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Wiring harnesses. Are old ones a bad idea?
[Re: RapidRobert]
#1057754
08/21/11 11:53 AM
08/21/11 11:53 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,735
North Dakota
6PakBee
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I Live Here
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North Dakota
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IMHO there is no need to replace a factory harness unless it's been previously hacked up or burned up. I agree with IMGTX that it's a good idea to go larger on the main power wiring as I've done that to a couple harnesses; replace the alternator and ammeter wires with a larger gauge (can't remember how much larger I went). The main connectors in the firewall bulkheads for the alternator/battery feeds is a problem. This may not be pretty but I resorted to eliminating the spade connections and have ring tongue terminals bolted together on the passenger compartment side taped up.
"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".
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Re: Wiring harnesses. Are old ones a bad idea?
[Re: 6PakBee]
#1057755
08/21/11 12:29 PM
08/21/11 12:29 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 42,714
Spokane Washington
ScottSmith_Harms
Mr Wizzard
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Mr Wizzard
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 42,714
Spokane Washington
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Have you priced out a new harness from Year One? No, not cheap, but they are made by M&H and are a very high quality plug and play factory style reproduction. I just don't see the logic in spending good money on an aftermarket custom harness like a Painless for use on a stock/original car when a really nice reproduction is available for a few more bucks. In the big picture cost of an average restoration it's a drop in the bucket. As far as patching up and trusting an old harness (even if it "looks" really nice) not me! I've seen too many cars burn up because the owner tried to save a few bucks avoiding replacing an item that can destroy your car with zero warning
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Re: Wiring harnesses. Are old ones a bad idea?
[Re: ScottSmith_Harms]
#1057756
08/24/11 01:42 PM
08/24/11 01:42 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,592
None
71rm23
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master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,592
None
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Quote:
Have you priced out a new harness from Year One? No, not cheap, but they are made by M&H and are a very high quality plug and play factory style reproduction.
I just don't see the logic in spending good money on an aftermarket custom harness like a Painless for use on a stock/original car when a really nice reproduction is available for a few more bucks. In the big picture cost of an average restoration it's a drop in the bucket.
As far as patching up and trusting an old harness (even if it "looks" really nice) not me! I've seen too many cars burn up because the owner tried to save a few bucks avoiding replacing an item that can destroy your car with zero warning
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, time flies when your havin fun. Well my boss says if it flies floats drives or f----s it's gonna b trouble 1 way or the other EDIT next time I'll 4 sure grab a spool of every color in the harness (even several gauges of the same color if need b) & that'll make it easy
