Headlights won't go off

[Big O]

Great information Nacho! Honestly, I've pulled back some of the harness tape and it all looks good, the melting looks like it happened right before the bulkhead connector. The alt, batt, and another wire were the ones that melted, so I'm going to recheck those as well as the ignition and ignition run wires. As for the engine bay harness, totally agree and may be one that I replace in the near future as I feel like I can handle that one and I'm sure it has degraded from heat, time, etc. over 50 years. Thanks again and I'll let you know where this ends up. Much appreciated.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I use to sold wires and cover them with shrinking tube ( dual on some cases ) instead using crimping joints, but mostly for a cleaner look than those generic crimping joints with the plastic cover. I don't like how they look LOL.

 

[Big O]

It's alive! Fired off and now running... Thanks for all the information and help. Sometimes working on these old Mopars can be really frustrating but at the same time very fulfilling and for some crazy reason I enjoy the challenge. On to the next project...

 

[72RoadrunnerGTX]

I use to sold wires and cover them with shrinking tube ( dual on some cases ) instead using crimping joints, but mostly for a cleaner look than those generic crimping joints with the plastic cover. I don't like how they look LOL.

Generic crimping joints? Are you referring universal butt connectors? For a good low-profile wire splice, cut the plastic insulating sleeve off the appropriate wire sized quality butt connector, use the bare barrel, crimp and solder, heat shrink over that.

As mentioned, complete harness replacements are not always necessary, certainly not just because of age. If you have the skills, unwrap, and rebuild them. I will also replace/upsize some charging system wiring to better accommodate other electrical improvements or simply to address some known connection weaknesses in the original design, wrap back up for a factory appearance.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

Sorry, didn't know how to call them. Yes, remove the plastic sleeve and replace it with shrinking tube is a good idea too!!!

 

[Triplegreen500]

I inline-solder my connections, with a fixture made from an old metal coat hangar and two alligator clips. Basically, a coat-hangar version of this:

I bend about 6" of hangar into a U and crimp the gator clips onto the ends. I keep my clips about 3" apart. Strip back the wires. Put heat shrink on one side, away from the heat. Clip the wires into the clips, so the stripped sections lay next to each other (one wire from each side). Solder together. Slide the heat shrink over the joint, shrink, and go.

I have a couple of the fixtures - a small one that will either hang free for in-car work, or get clamped into a bench vise for stability; another from a longer hangar section that has a "Z" shaped base that I can simply lay on a flat surface; tape to a fender; or weigh down with something heavy to hold in place while working.