<VV> Some thoughts on wiring harnesses

[Dennis Nichols]

I looked at harnesses when the Corsa burnt and I gasped, too. Not much alternative there but to go with new- and good. I would replace a harness if it had physical damage, or multiple electrical or grounding quirks- but I would do it only after checking everything else I could out. Stock Corvairs are pretty simple electrically, so it's not a big hassle. 
I've got a real good example from last week. The 1981 LeMans had a corner tailight out, so I had a bulb and replaced it. Still out. So, it was in the wiring. As I was scratching my head, I ran into the house and got a small piece of sandpaper and my fingenal clippers. Stuck the sandpaper on the clipper's nail file and cleaned the cotacts in the bulb socket. Replaced the bulb, hit.the light switch and voila! The bulb worked! And well.
 
It's just my opinion, but if the connectors and wiring look good, and one's having problems, do some contact cleaning first, then if things are still not so good, jimmy the wires to check for a bad connection. If that does it, replace the connector pin(s). It's easily done with lots of patience and, usually, a tiny screwdriver. Bad contacts, be they due to oxidation, or loose/broken at the connector crimp are a big reason for electrical faults. You can, once again if you ahve the patience, uncrinp and recrimp the connector pin to the wire, old or new. If it were just a standard terminal (spade, ring, QD), I'd just recrimp woith new one. in the end, I'm more likely to "restore" a harness than buy a new one. Wire is cheap at the hardware store, or electrical supply shop.
 
Recently I was under the hood of my Volvo diesel.The harnesses in European cars are just about garbage, a big weakness with them. More cracked and worn insulation in there than I cared to see. As I shudder at the thought of the cost of Volvo wiring hanesses, it going to be disaassembly, new wire and recrimping. Lots of patience as well.
 
I'll say this, the wiring in the inert Lakewood is in far superior shape to the stuff in the Volvo that's half it age.





"Every time a man gets in his car it should be a vacation"- Harley Earl

Dennis Nichols    CORSA, CKC

1961 Lakewood 700 98/3 

Interested in wagons? lakewood700@yahoo.com

 





		
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