RE: wiring harnesses

[Jim Jablonski <jim@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Don and Team 62-65,

If I could I would like to footnote Don's wisdom with one comment ... I 
would start any inspection process at the bulkhead connectors, given 
Chrysler's full-flow amp gauge system on our-era's cars.

Mark Hamilton does a very good write-up on this at his Mad Electrical 
website (URL below).  I re-wired my wire harness - even though it was 
brand new - to eliminate this frequent cause of thermal wire stress.  I 
made a crude wiring diagram for my reference that I would be glad to 
share if anyone is interested.

http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/amp-gauges.shtml

Regards,

Jim


Jim Jablonski
Royal Oak, Michigan
'64 Fury



Don Dulmage wrote:
> 
> 
> I realize some folks just want new but I would like to tell this story.
> When i bought my 63 that was why it was sold despite its good condition. 
> I was told it needs a complete wiring harness.  having worked in  the 
> tune up business as wellas engine building (actually at the same time 
> under my old POWER TUNE UPnamefrom the 70s) I ad often been hired by 
> insurance compaies to repair harness es on exoctic or foriegn cars where 
> it waas not avaialble or not available in reasnonable time. being also a 
> Ham radio operator electical was not anything i wroored about doing.  In 
> that time of all the cars i fixed for insurance companies the most or 
> highest number of actual burnt wires in the harnesses was three. to me 
> it made little sense to replace a wiring harness worth up to $1000 for a 
> couple of hours af work. the largest of which was finding tor getting to 
> the offending part. Wiring problems are caused usually by one of two 
> things.  Sometimes the wiring was pulled tight arond a sharpe bracket or 
> corner when it was made and eventually wore through or the number one 
> cause even still  a badly installed audio system. 
> So when i bought my 63 and was told it needed a complete new wiring 
> harness i couldnt hear that. 
> I searched the car for the offending wiring. Alli could find was the 
> alternator wiring had rubbed trough the bendable bracket on the old 
> engines valve cover. Surely that wasnt what they meant? but it was. ten 
> minutes and about 5 bucks worth of supplies and the harness was better 
> than new. I even extended it to max wedgestyle haress down the inner 
> fender since those were the woires i was fixing anyway. that was 30000 
> plus miles ago. . I tell this story just to protect folks from alarmists 
> who say IT HAS TO HAVE A COOOOMMMMMPPPPPLLLLLLLEEETE NEW WIRING HARNESS. 
> (I have a couple of nephews like this)
> Highly highly unlikely even after 50+ years. And on top of that it is 
> much easier to repair a harness completely removing any questionable 
> part  than it is to change the whole harness anyway. Now I
> know some folks want a new harnes regardless and that is you call but 
> NEED is a totally different word and if like me you dont have too much 
> gold. just stepback a minuteand tal ke a good look at your harness and 
> what is ACTUALLY wrong with it. Often it is very little. Underdash 
> wiring is usually ot bad  . some undr hood wiring on the engine 
> especially the big red wire can get brittle nder constant heat but 
> replacing that section is childs play. Just my two cents worth. 
> Don . 
> Author of
> Return to Deutschland (True Adventure)
> Old Reliable (Mopar)
> http://altonapublicschool.faithweb.com/
> 


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