Lengthening the wires

[roosterrusek]

Hey there, in prep for my 71 GT going to the body and paint shop, I am trying to dress up my engine at the same time I am tuning it. My question revolves around the wires that run to the various parts of the engine.....

Has anyone taken the existing wires that run to the valves/sensors and mucky muck like that, and in an effort to make the engine compartment neater LENGTHENED the wires. Meaning instead of having the wire that runs to the Idle Air Control laying over the manifold, can I lengthen that wire with some wires from a store and be able to tuck and neaten?

I don't see a problem doing that as a few inches would not make a diff.

Thanks

Paulie

[PROPEL]

I see no problem so long as the wires are correctly spliced, soldered, and insulated.

[Nathan Acree]

technically there is no problem with what you are saying other than the fact that anytime you introduce another connection (the splice in the lenghtened wire) you increase the chances of problems with the connection. Also, most times this is done somebody will just grab a crimp type butt splice and splice in a length of whatever color/size/type of wire they have laying around. The spliced connection will work for a while until the wire is pulled and the crimp splice fails or gets corrosion damage or fails due to an improper gauge of wire or even improper insulation type. And if you use a different color you or someone else might be confused later on when trying to locate that wire.

If you want to do the job properly do not use crimp-type splices. Obtain some automotive type wire (oil and solvent resistant) wire of the same gauge and the same color and make the splices using soldered connections that are properly covered with an appropriate size of heat-shrinkable tubing. Keep the length of the soldered joint small (to avoid wicking solder up the wire and making it stiff) Use some alcohol to clean the soldered wires to remove the flux from the solder and please don't use a torch to shrink the tubing- exposure to open flame will damage the tubing. Use a heat gun and keep it moving until the heat shrink has reduced in size all the way around. This should make the splice virtually as good a connection as the original wire.

You can get automotive wire at an auto parts store but be aware that the strands in this type wire are normally larger guage than the original wire meaning that the new wire is more susceptible to damage from excessive bending and will not be as easy to bend as the original.

-Nathan Acree
Albuquerque New Mexico

[roosterrusek]

everything sounds cool so far... To avoid color problems should I just get a roll of each color in the right gauge? Then I could keep everything semi uniform?

I know it will take time to do this right, but it would be so worth it...we'll see.

Also, anyone know offhand what the best paint for a car is if I am planning on painting my GT a metallic burgandy/wine color?

Thanks

[Nathan Acree]

Originally Posted by roosterrusek everything sounds cool so far... To avoid color problems should I just get a roll of each color in the right gauge? Then I could keep everything semi uniform?

That would be the best way to go-

-Nathan Acree
Albuquerque New Mexico

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by roosterrusek Also, anyone know offhand what the best paint for a car is if I am planning on painting my GT a metallic burgandy/wine color? Thanks

Paulie;
If this car is for daily use, then stick with enamel, something hard. Lacquor is for show cars.

[namba209]

Here's a trick I did on Willit? during my engine/tranny swap. In order to keep the connectors intact and to maintain the color coding of the wires, I cut the wires in the middle of the run and soldered a new wire in. That way at the ends of the wires the colors were the same and I used the original connectors. Of course this means soldering both ends of the new wire to the old wire, but after they were covered with convulated tubing, you couldn't tell that it wasn't original. HTH.

[opelbits]

In the past, I have extended or replaced existing wires in order to tidy things up or move wires out of the way of frequently accessed parts.
If you don't mind a junkyard trip, you can save money (alot of money) by scavenging wire from BMW and Mercedes. This will get you excellent quality wire (which is not often found in autoparts or even electrical/electronics stores), often with the correct color coding, for next to nothing. I try to get the wire from under the dash or running through the cabin, since this wire has been very well protected and not exposed to the elements.

Another thing to think about, and I have done this before, too, is instead of splicing, use weathertight connectors (again, look at the German/Swedish cars, but under the hood. Usually, they have release pins and such so you can replace the wires in the connector). Basically, you can make removable sub-harnesses. When rewiring headlights and using the wires from the main harness only for activating relays, you can make a completely removable front light/horn harness. If you do this in the right places, you will not have to fish 6 feet of wire back though a small opening, just unplug it and it's out of the way. This works well if you are sorting all the wiring and accessories, THEN disassembling it all for a good paint job.

[heimue]

Originally Posted by namba209 Here's a trick I did on Willit? during my engine/tranny swap. In order to keep the connectors intact and to maintain the color coding of the wires, I cut the wires in the middle of the run and soldered a new wire in. That way at the ends of the wires the colors were the same and I used the original connectors. Of course this means soldering both ends of the new wire to the old wire, but after they were covered with convulated tubing, you couldn't tell that it wasn't original. HTH.

That's one of those easy and obvious ones, where probably everybody thinks "Why didn't I have the same idea when I did that...".

Thanks, Ron!

Dieter

[PROPEL]

Originally Posted by heimue That's one of those easy and obvious ones, where probably everybody thinks "Why didn't I have the same idea when I did that...".r

Yup, a good idea. Along the same lines, I've found that keeping a spare Opel wiring harness around to scavenge from is kind of like having a parts car on hand.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by Nathan Acree technically there is no problem with what you are saying other than the fact that anytime you introduce another connection (the splice in the lenghtened wire) you increase the chances of problems with the connection. Also, most times this is done somebody will just grab a crimp type butt splice and splice in a length of whatever color/size/type of wire they have laying around. The spliced connection will work for a while until the wire is pulled and the crimp splice fails or gets corrosion damage or fails due to an improper gauge of wire or even improper insulation type. And if you use a different color you or someone else might be confused later on when trying to locate that wire. If you want to do the job properly do not use crimp-type splices. Obtain some automotive type wire (oil and solvent resistant) wire of the same gauge and the same color and make the splices using soldered connections that are properly covered with an appropriate size of heat-shrinkable tubing. Keep the lenght of the soldered joint small (to avoid wicking solder up the wire and making it stiff) Use some alcohol to clean the soldered wires to remove the flux from the solder and please don't use a torch to shrink the tubing- exposure to open flame will damage the tubing. Use a heat gun and keep it moving until the heat shrink has reduced in size all the way around. This should make the splice virtually as good a connection as the original wire. You can get automotive wire at an auto parts store but be aware that the strands in this type wire are normally larger gauge than the original wire meaning that the new wire is more suseptable to damage from excessive bending and will not be as easy to bend as the original. -Nathan Acree Albuquerque New Mexico

. . . and just to add a word or two about maintaining existing wire color coding when lengthening wires, of which I am a great fan and practice whenever I do this . . . anal, I know, but just knowing it's correct has always been enough reason for me to take the time to "do it right!" As Nathan said, the next owner - and really, even if there isn't one - will certainly appreciate it!

Several of my Opels have "wiring extensions" in them primarily because component relocations (alternator/GT FI air meter/etc.) or addition (GT FI/Rallye gauges/etc.) have dictated it. Based on my 30+ years of Opel ownership, he's also "dead on" in his wiring methods - solder/heat shrink.

Granted, wiring will be a little more involved that way, especially if you go to the trouble of also running any added wiring through the original wiring looms, instead of merely outside, and adding correct wiring loom to sleeve your wiring extensions! Certainly worth the time though, IMO.

[oldopelguy]

With the proper tools and good quality crimp connections there are a lot of cases where they are a better connection than soldering. The dissimilar metals, and the fact that both oxides of lead and tin tend to not conduct electricity will make solder joints best suited for dry conditions. Good quality crimp connections are usually silver plated, and silver oxide conducts electricity nearly as well as pure silver.

Of course to get a good crimp connection you need a proper crimper, the kind that ratchets down on the connection and cannot be released without going full stroke. That's the only way to assure you are actually applying enough pressure to the crimped lug to fully pressure weld it onto the wires. Just squeezing is not going to cut it. I also have a lot better results with the non-insulated ones, they tend to be of higher quality and are a lot easier to work with, and I use then almost exclusively.

With either method, though, sealing up the joint is essential. For anything exposed to serious weather or chemicals, either soldered or crimped, I have a 4-step process:
-Slide length of appropriate diameter heat shrink down one of the wires.
-Crimp or solder the two wires together.
-Coat the solder connection or uninsulated lug with either "Duco Cement" or "Seal-All" to completely seal any exposed conductor.
-Slide the heat shrink over the joint and heat to seal and provide strain relief.

[markandson]

There is a huge difference in crimp connector quality. I buy all mine from McMaster Carr and get the best ones they have, I believe they are nylon so they never crack or crush when crimped properly. You can also get what is known as double crimp connectors which have a longer crimp sleeve and they are very good. I also use the bare connectors where they can be used but you need the proper crimper which will give you almost factory perfect crimps on both the wire and the insulation connection which is the strain relief part of the connection. Some of the connections that I did when switching all my lighting wires around because of my changed blinker system and running lights etc. etc, I didn't want a permanent soldered or crimped connection, otherwise I could not get the harness back out if I had to. I used crimp connectors, male and female spades and then taped them right into the harness so you can't tell they exist. This protected them from the elements and also kept my wiring neat.

[blancojp]

Hello!
To make the best possible splicce to an existing wire, never use any type of crimp on splice. The best connection is only achieved when you solder the wire and then use heat shrink to cover the exposed area.

On supply wires, like your alternator and so on, I would recommend to replace the wire for the proper length. The end result is alot better and safer than to have a wire come lose and your vehicle catch fire.

[wrench459]

On my splices butt connections I use silver solder(yes its pricey).
The major problem I'm having now is the manufacturers of the shrink tubing.
One batch seals well ..the next who knows!
The shunt wire from the alt to the ampmeter should the same length period.
Dont you just love working on these older cars.
Not to change the subject try figuring out a high voltage wire bleeding across a low voltage wire or a logic problem.

[blancojp]

Originally Posted by wrench459 On my splices butt connections I use silver solder(yes its pricey). The major problem I'm having now is the manufacturers of the shrink tubing. One batch seals well ..the next who knows! The shunt wire from the alt to the ampmeter should the same length period. Dont you just love working on these older cars. Not to change the subject try figuring out a high voltage wire bleeding across a low voltage wire or a logic problem.

DA! that is what I do 24/7.....