Saskwatch Posted February 5, 2021 Report Posted February 5, 2021 Soooo, I’m trying to use the forums search function to gather information on replacing the main wiring harness on our 1948 D25 coupe. What would be the best words to insert into the search title & then the best most favourable options to chose ? Most grateful for any assistance ? Quote
Sam Buchanan Posted February 5, 2021 Report Posted February 5, 2021 You may not find a thread specifically on the '48 D25. However, there are many threads about replacing wiring in cars of similar vintage. I suggest you post any specific questions you have and use the replies to form a composite picture of what you need to know. Quote
1949 Wraith Posted February 5, 2021 Report Posted February 5, 2021 Sometimes it is easier to do a google search with all your parameters. Very often the most relevant links send you to the P15\D24 forum, and you just click on the link. 1 Quote
Saskwatch Posted February 5, 2021 Author Report Posted February 5, 2021 Thank you for your replies, i will give these suggestions a try ? Quote
Sam Buchanan Posted February 5, 2021 Report Posted February 5, 2021 (edited) Here is how to search the forum with Google: site: p15-d24.com wiring harness I found a ton of threads with this search string. Edited February 5, 2021 by Sam Buchanan Quote
Saskwatch Posted February 5, 2021 Author Report Posted February 5, 2021 27 minutes ago, Sam Buchanan said: Here is how to search the forum with Google: site: p15-d24.com wiring harness I found a ton of threads with this search string. Thank you Sam ..... I do appreciate this, ..... I have read here and been told that the “search” is my friend. My wife tells me that I’m unreasonable & hard to get along with /-; I reluctantly, accept this as the reason that I’m having difficulty making friends with the “search”. I do however take heart with the kindness & patience that is shown here by the forum members ? 1 Quote
Plymouthy Adams Posted February 5, 2021 Report Posted February 5, 2021 the search engine has changed from the original concept of the forum to the point that it is now to generalized and like google itself, returns too much fluff and not enough meat....quotes + and still return singles of the defined joined parameters...one has to have to almost know the specific thread to begin with to find it....I think we have taken a step backward with search feature. 1 Quote
Solution RobertKB Posted February 5, 2021 Solution Report Posted February 5, 2021 If you are thinking of buying a pre-made wiring harness there are a couple of companies that make them, YnZ and Rhode Island. You have to be careful when ordering anything out of the US as your Canadian Dodge D25 is really a Plymouth and you should order the Plymouth harness. When I restored my '51 Dodge D39 business coupe (Canadian Dodge) I ordered the wiring harness for a Plymouth and if fit perfectly. I use YnZ but lots of people use Rhode Island. If you plan on making your own harness, use your original as a template. Quote
Saskwatch Posted February 5, 2021 Author Report Posted February 5, 2021 Thank you, RobertKB for clarifying that the Canadian Dodge D25 is really a Plymouth p15 , that alone answer’s a few of my questions. I haven’t ruled out purchasing a replacement harness, but I do have to get this old one removed so I’m going to tag ? & identify each wire. If I can successfully get it out & unwrapped, I thought of taking it apart wire by wire & replacing them with the proper gauge wire appropriately with the correct electrical fitting. If this works out should I be planning to add inline fuse , relay or fuse block to compliment the original wiring harness ? Planning on keeping the 6 volt , positive ground . Thank you ? Quote
Eneto-55 Posted February 5, 2021 Report Posted February 5, 2021 I have taken mine apart and after marking 3 alignment points measured each separate wire, with references back to each alignment point through which it passes, and also location at which it exits the wrapped wiring harness, and the length of the wire from that point to the terminal. But I had labeled everything with masking tape back in 1980 or 81, and the tape got brittle in the ensuing years (while my car was in storage while we lived in South America) and a lot of the tags fell off. (I had repaired the harness back then, but the wire insulation also got very brittle over the years, so now I'm re-doing the whole thing.) Be careful about trying to get the cheapest wire, as the accuracy of the gauge classification is pretty iffy on wire coming out of certain countries. I'm planning to use marine grade wire, which is tinned copper. (At first I thought the entire original harness was tinned copper, but it turned out that it was only some sub-harnesses. I really wanted to use wire with the cotton loom wrapping, but it's just so much more expensive, and so I think I'll use the plastic coated stuff.) Quote
Sam Buchanan Posted February 5, 2021 Report Posted February 5, 2021 Well....the timing is uncanny. Yesterday afternoon I modified some wiring on the TR6 and when I turned the switch to test the mod smoke immediately escaped the wiring. LOTS of smoke.....kept on smoking even after I quickly shut everything down....filled the shop. A single wire must have been glowing red-hot for a few seconds and the vinyl insulation on the wire we buy at the local parts store quickly turns into thick smoke. There wasn't anything wrong with my mod but apparently the wire got pinched against ground in the process of putting things back together. Unfortunately, the British decided the radio supply shouldn't be fused (Lucas was the low bidder after all....) a point I had not yet determined. It is common knowledge in the aviation community to NEVER put this wire in an aircraft and I now have first-hand knowledge of why we don't. I rewired that portion of the car to put that circuit on a fuse so the smoke wouldn't have a chance to escape again. Smoke is hard to put back after it gets out. If I was building a new harness I would use the good stuff, it doesn't cost that much more. The insulation is Tefzel which doesn't turn to smoke and the wire is tinned copper. Here is one source: https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/unshieldlwire.php This is what you use if you want to build the best harness possible. 1 Quote
plymouthcranbrook Posted February 6, 2021 Report Posted February 6, 2021 "My wife tells me that I’m unreasonable & hard to get along with /-; I reluctantly, accept this as the reason that I’m having difficulty making friends with the “search”. If you are anything like me that will be one of your best features. Join me in struggling along. 1 Quote
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