Author Topic: New Wiring Harness Sources? (Read 7450 times)

n/a · « **on:** August 30, 2004, 11:06:54 »

Hi, I am seriously think about removing my engine and trans so that I can have the engine bay restored, there is some rust so new metal will be installed. My question is the wiring in the engine compartment is of course old. Where is my best source for a wiring harness either MB or reproduction if correct? Thanks!

waqas · « **Reply #1 on:** August 30, 2004, 13:27:53 »

Last time I set my Pagoda on fire :evil: I couldn't find any wire harness sources, so I made my own: I used 12-16 guage wires in various colours and used heat-shrink wire bundlers to do most of it. I don't think you can find the original wire colours. Make sure you use the correct guage for each wire --depending on the intended current draw. Now the next owner <shudder> of my car will inherit lots of hand-drawn multi-coloured wiring diagrams!

waqas
--
1965 230 SL Euro, 4sp. man, dark green

Cees Klumper · « **Reply #2 on:** August 30, 2004, 14:47:11 »

Van Dijk in Holland lists wiring harnesses for various W113 models. Priced between around $1,000 to $2,800 for the front, and $400 for the rear part. I would expect other suppliers also offer sets. Not cheap, but I suppose it's a lot of work to make these by hand in a country like Germany.

Cees Klumper in Amsterdam
'69 white 280 SL automatic

Tom · « **Reply #3 on:** August 30, 2004, 15:33:01 »

James,

When I restored my car, I chose not to do a new wiring harness. The wiring is generally well preserved in these cars. Unless you know your car had an issue with water (i.e. submerged), I would lean toward not replacing the harness.

_____________________________________________

1971 280sl Tunis Beige Metallic (restored & enhanced)
1971 280sl Tobacco Brown (low mileage stock)
_____________________________________________

n/a · « **Reply #4 on:** August 30, 2004, 17:08:14 »

Thanks Tom, good advice and much cheaper than the 1100-2400 dollars for replacement. Someone shot the engine bay in black, and of course, painted the sheating here and there. I guess I could rewrap with new tape, replace grommets, etc.? Any other known restoration techniques for wiring and switches?

Malc · « **Reply #5 on:** August 31, 2004, 02:15:32 »

quote:
Originally posted by James Soule

I guess I could rewrap with new tape, replace grommets, etc.? Any other known restoration techniques for wiring and switches?

James,
Unless you are desperate for originality you can use split automotive conduit for running your wires, the stuff they use in modern cars. It comes in various diameters and you can get it in various colours, usually black.

.
If you want to wrap your harness after rebuild DO NOT use ordinary electrical tape!!!
The glue will soften in the heat of the engine bay and you will end up with a very sticky mess. You can still get proper harness tape if you want to go that route.
HTH
Malc

George Des · « **Reply #6 on:** August 31, 2004, 07:18:00 »

The wiring harness can be rebuilt fairly easily. All the wiring in the correct color codes and the vinyl harness covering are available through Rhode Island Wiring Service. I've done it. This is a good winter project. Make sure you have plenty of spare connector pins and female connectors that you can get off a junker and approach the dissassembly and repair of the harness methodically. You have to develop some pretty good skills at both splicing and soldering but this is well within reach of the hobbiest. No doubt in my mind that I could have built the entire harness in the proper color schemes, guages and covering from scracth. Mine was in good enough shape that I just needed to repair several previous splices, some frayed and burned areas and of course the entire covering.

George Des

n/a · « **Reply #7 on:** August 31, 2004, 11:27:23 »

Thanks George and Malc, good information. Yes, I would use the cloth style friction tape versus the standard electrical tape. I do not like the modern split conduit as I would like the wiring to look period correct. something tells me that I will be doing a fair amount of cleaning,splicing, and soldering along with some dremel tool work on contacts (love those little brass wire wheels!) God help me!

Malc · « **Reply #8 on:** September 01, 2004, 02:54:03 »

quote:
Originally posted by James Soule

Thanks George and Malc, good information. Yes, I would use the cloth style friction tape versus the standard electrical tape. I do not like the modern split conduit as I would like the wiring to look period correct. something tells me that I will be doing a fair amount of cleaning,splicing, and soldering along with some dremel tool work on contacts (love those little brass wire wheels!) God help me!

James,
Just alitle more info.
If your soldering wires make sure that the solder joint is well supported either side as the joint is harder than the wires which can then fatigue break (bitter experience with a rally car). If you do solder use heat shrink tubing to protect the joint.

To clean the connectors I have used Scotch bright pads etc to clean. Try and avoid using any water etc as it can creep up underneath the sheath and rot the wire core. You will sometimes find the wire core is black and or green from corrosion. You must cut this out!

Finally one trick I did with my BMW 2002Tii was to take the whole (rotten) harness out and lay each major section out on a sheet of plywood (8ft x 4ft). By using nails as guides and drawing out the harness I then I laid new wires out following the "paths". It did work and made life much easier than trying to do it in the car. However I added a couple of inches here and there to make putting it back much easier

HTH
Malc

n/a · « **Reply #9 on:** September 01, 2004, 15:49:15 »

I like the plywood trick! Thanks Malc! Taht would allow for a much easier way to work on the wiring in a dedicated fashion. I am no stranger to heat shrink and soldering. I have my eye already on a few crimped connections that need to go! I used to have a '72 2002 tii. With all the money i put into that car years ago I could have bought a very nice 280sl!

ja17 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 01, 2004, 20:38:02 »

Hello James,
Try Rhode "Island Wiring Harness" for excellent quality harnesses which look factory.

Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

n/a · « **Reply #11 on:** September 02, 2004, 13:15:53 »

Thanks Joe, I went to Rhode Island's site, great resource. I will first attempt to clean things up after engine is pulled and go from there. Nice to know that I can get the correct wire color combinations for splicing/repair etc. Thanks again!

mdsalemi · « **Reply #12 on:** September 07, 2004, 09:11:06 »

Unless they've changed things, the challenge with RI Harness (which comes with great respect in the world of automotive restoration) is that they come without the connectors on the ends--unlike most of the products they sell. The problem with this is if you are in that desparate a situation where you need a new harness you most certainly need new connectors as well. THAT my friends will be a monumental challenge! I don't believe all these connectors are readily available.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

Malc · « **Reply #13 on:** September 08, 2004, 02:16:42 »

quote:
Originally posted by mdsalemi

I don't believe all these connectors are readily available.

If they are Bosch connectors you should be able to get them, yes?

Malc

mdsalemi · « **Reply #14 on:** September 08, 2004, 06:06:52 »

Should be able to; yes. Are able to;

Dan Caron has an in with Bosch, maybe he knows whether or not they are available. You then need some special pins and cable making tools to assemble it all. I used to field assemble Amphenol cables and it was a royal pain in the arse.

Personally, w/o the cable ends supplied I think the RI harness is way overpriced.

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

Malc · « **Reply #15 on:** September 08, 2004, 09:17:28 »

Michael,
I know there are companies in the UK that supply auto electrical connectors et al. I assume they do more than Lucas type stuff

. I also have put together afew "Bendix" type connectors and agree with your assembly comments!
However I do know that people like RS have the tools, at a price, to properly crimp the connectors.
Malc
Scotland

George Des · « **Reply #16 on:** September 08, 2004, 20:25:53 »

Guys,
You're making this entirely too hard. If you need the connectors, male and female pins for your harness, just go to a salvage yard and cut these off the harness of a donor MB. The type connectors used on our cars were used on most all MBs of the 60's, 70's and 80's. You'll be amazed at what good shape you can find these things in. Just take a cutter with you to the junk yard and cut the connectors off. The pins can be desoldered very easily so they can be reused on your new harnes. This is how I rebuilt my own harness.You'll go broke trying to buy these things new if you have thoughts of replacing all of them.

George Des
67 230Sl ZF 5 speed

mdsalemi · « **Reply #17 on:** September 11, 2004, 13:02:24 »

Hi George,

I don't know where you live, but aside from places like Joe Alexander's and Dan Caron's--which is their home, not a junkyard--there are very few scrapyards around that have 20 and 30 year old cars, and certainly very few Mercedes that have not already been picked over...

Michael Salemi
1969 280SL
Signal Red w/Black Leather
Restored

George Des · « **Reply #18 on:** September 11, 2004, 21:57:17 »

I'm in the D.C area and was able to get these connectors off donor cars I found at Potomac German Auto in Frederick. I've also been able to find older cars at several other junk yards in Maryland. Many of the Pick and Pulls/U-Pull-its I've been to around the country including Reno and Denver have had older MB cars. The ABC Yard in Leominster, Ma had many of the older MBs. I travel to quite a few cities as part of my job and I try to scout these places out wheneve I can. These cars are still in many of the salvage yards. but you may have to find a yard that specializes in foreign cars. As I said, the connectors you're looking for were used on a good many MBs for many yeras.

George Des

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Author Topic: New Wiring Harness Sources? (Read 7450 times)

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