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Installing a New Wiring Harness
By Carlos Cruz
Page One of Two
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The vast majority of British car owners have experiences electrical problems with their cars. My 1960 Austin Healey 3000 BN7 was no exception. Most owners associate the unexplainable problems to “Gremlins”. Being curious about the origin of the word I researched it on www.dictionary.com to see if there is a connection between British automobiles and Gremlins. What I found was truly amazing. A gremlin is defined as:
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An imaginary gnome-like creature to whom mechanical problems are attributed.
A maker of mischief.
Word History:
[Perhaps blend of Irish gruaimín, bad-tempered little fellow (from Middle Irish gruaim, gloom, surliness) and goblin.]
Elves, goblins, and trolls seem to be the timeless creations of the distant past, but gremlins were born in the 20th century. In fact, gremlin is first recorded only in the 1920's, as a Royal Air Force term for a low-ranking officer or enlisted man saddled with oppressive assignments. It is said to have been invented by members of the Royal Naval Air Service in World War I, gremlin is used in works written in the 1940's for “an imaginary gnomelike creature who causes difficulties in aircraft.” The word seems likely to have been influenced by goblin, but accounts of its origin are various and none are certain. One source calls in Fremlin beer bottles to explain the word; another, the Irish Gaelic word gruaimín, “ill-humored little fellow.” Whatever the word's origin, it is certain that gremlins have taken on a life of their own.
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I have experienced just about every imaginable electrical problem since acquiring my Healey in 1998. My Healey’s central nervous system had been cut, spliced, frayed, circumvented and piecemealed during the last 40 years. Troubleshooting problems became an all-weekend ordeal. Replacing the decomposing wiring harness with a new one was definitely in order.
Being somewhat timid with electrical matters I gave serious considerations to hiring someone to install a new one. The estimates I received ranged from 30-to-40 hours with rates from $60-to-$110 per hour. That is 10-to-11 times the cost of the new harness. That one was hard to justify to myself let alone my lovely wife (brownie points here guys). My Healey’s fate was set. I was going to tackle the job myself. Where to begin?
Being a project manager by profession, some research and planning was in order. Planning and preparation were key throughout the project. There is a lot of truth to the adage “People don’t plan to fail, they fail to plan”. Discussing the project with other Healey owners on the internet aided in the preparation and planning considerations.
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Preparation
With the new harness in hand, it is a good idea to spend some quality time getting to know your new harness before you begin the installation. Study the schematic in the shop manual. It is a good idea to visit a local photocopy shop and enlarge the schematic – it’s worth the trip. The other option is to buy a magnifying glass and bottle of aspirin.
Layout the new harness on the floor next to the car. Identify and label each connection point on each section. I used color coded file folder labels folded in half to group each connection point. Using the same color marker, I made an indication on the schematic as a reference point to be used during installation. Take your time and identify each connection point, using the car next to you as a reference. I'm confident the 1.5 - 2 hours of planning here saved at least 10 during the actual install.
With your new harness labeled, plan for two-four days worth of effort. It took me 3-ten hour days in, under and over the car to complete the project, not including the labeling. The project can be worked over several weekends, just make note of the good stopping points mentioned below.
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Parts
Sourcing the harness was the easiest place to start. Leveraging the experience and recommendations of other British car owners I contacted British Wiring (708)481-9050. Their quality product is truly complimented by the wealth of information the proprietors have on British wiring. The harness for an early Big Healey comes in eight sections. The sections include:
the rear tail light harness
the main harness which runs under the car
the engine harness (includes under the dash)
two pig tail harnesses for the head lamps
two pig tail harnesses for the horns
and the strator tube harness
There are other parts that should be ordered when ordering your new harness. Note: You may need to order from more than one supplier. The following is a list of other parts that may be needed for the job.
Bullet connectors. Order both single and double connectors. These are used to connect one harness to another. The old connectors can be re-used if clean and undamaged.
Bullets. The new harness comes with most of the bullets installed, however additional bullet connectors may be required. These come in two styles, soder or soderless. The soder connectors should last longer and require a sodering gun.
Retaining clips. Consider ordering new retaining clips to replace any broken old clips. There are several different sizes used throughout the car. Order accordingly or a handful of each. It’s always good to have extras on hand.
Grommets and rubber parts. This is a good time to consider replacing old, dried out grommets. Ones to consider include the license plate lamp, front and rear light assemblies, boot (trunk) wall grommets, large main firewall grommet and the headlamp assembly.
Extra fuses. It is possible the first time you electrify your newly installed harness a short may trip a fuse. Extras should be on hand allowing you to troubleshoot and re-test.
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