Wire Harness

[ah53]

The trunk light wire on my 280sl frayed and shorted.  It managed to smoke a good part of the harness in the trunk.  Can anyone give me a name for a new harness.  I would also suggest that you go out and check your trunk light wire were it attaches at the hinge.  Hopefully it will save some one else a problem.  Thanks

Joe
'71 280sl
A few Austin Healeys

[ja17]

Hello Joe,


Wiring harness problems are unusual on these cars. This may be a dealer only item (pricey).  Try "Rhode Island Wiring Harness".

Also, if I recall correctly, the rear harness unplugs under the dash on the left firewall. It runs under the chrome threshold trim on the dirver's side door sill. It travels through the rear firewall and into the trunk.  Most of the ends unplug. There are some grounds and the  fuel pump attachment which will require disconnection.

 Remove the door seal trim and see how far the wires are damaged. If not too  bad you can get the exact color and size wire from "Rhode Island" and replace or repair it and re-wrap the harness.



Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[ah53]

Thanks Joe.  It looks like I have a nice winter project.

Joe C.

[George Des]

Joe C.

This is a common problem with the rear harness. As Joe A said, RIW has all you need to do the repair or make a new harness. The rear harness is a fairly easy job. Several years ago, I unwrapped and repaired both the front and rear harness using RIW supplies. The job is not particularly difficult, just time consuming, but given the prices being asked for new, well worth the time spent. A salvage yard is a good source for the pins and sockets that make up the plugs. I keep these items around in case I need to add a circuit for something like a radio or a/c system.

George Des

[hands_aus]

I had the same problem.

While at the wreckers I bought the wiring and fitting out of a 123 or 114 model (just the boot lid wiring part) and also a male and female 2 pin old style plug base and top and a selection of cable clips for a couple of dollars.

I wired the replacement harness into the boot lid and soldered the plug top to the cable. The base I screwed to the side support for the boot lid hinge and soldered it to the exisitng wiring harness.

So now I can just unplug the connection and whilst it isn't standard it looks original because of the genuine MB parts and braided harness.

Bob Smith (Brisbane,Australia)
RHD,1967 early 250 SL, auto

[waltklatt]

Joe,
you can also go to the junkyard and remove the wiring loom from any MB model and cut it open to find the same color coded wires you need and solder the connections together in hidden places.  Just trace the bad wires to the place where they are still good and not melted or fused.  Then splice in the new wire/s.
I've got a box milk crate box filled with wires from 3 MB models that sacrificed their wires to me.  Handy as most of the ends retain the factory plugs and connections and I simply use them again.
Walter
1967 220SL-diesel