So i have a 73 duster 340. IT needs a new ignition switch so i nstalled it and where it plugs in to the wiring harness at the bottom of the steering coloumn the plug is misssing. the old one had the end cut off and all the wires were butt connected togeather. Is there any place i can get that plug so i dont have to cut the end off of my new ignition switch and crimp the wires togeather? I would like the car to be correct and not all hacked up.
Wiring harness question.
- Thread starter jay dcpt
- Start date
-
BillGrissom
Well-Known Member
That connector changed, sometime around your year of 1973, so post a photo. I found the older one (2 rows of pins, 8 or 10 forgot, translucent housing) on a 1980's Dodge motorhome. Before that, I bought a set from a guy here to fix my 65 Dart, which had the same clueless mechanic do the "snip connector off & butt-crimp" mess. It isn't hard to release the pins from the housing when changing turn signal switches. If you want new, there is a name for that type of connector, which I posted in the past (search). I recall that type was used as a bulkhead connectors on another U.S. car, but don't recall a source.
the original connectors were points of melt down. That's very likely why yours is missing.
Two schools of thought to consider...
School 1. Connectors were only for ease of assembly and future service. Your better off without them.
School 2. The connectors were adiquate for their application. A fault caused overload and subsiquent melt down at the weakest point. If it didm't melt down there it would surely melt down somewhere else.
My guess is your car has a more serious electrical fault. Replacing a failed part doesn't cure the condition.
Two schools of thought to consider...
School 1. Connectors were only for ease of assembly and future service. Your better off without them.
School 2. The connectors were adiquate for their application. A fault caused overload and subsiquent melt down at the weakest point. If it didm't melt down there it would surely melt down somewhere else.
My guess is your car has a more serious electrical fault. Replacing a failed part doesn't cure the condition.
Sorry havent had time to post pics yet. Redish, i dont think my car has a electrical problem and the only reason i say that is because i have owned and been driving this car for the past 12 years. I dont find it uncommon that a ignition switch could fail in that time, let alone how long it was in there before i bought the vehicle. I can however see that at one time it was melted i didnt know this was a common problem on these cars. But i havent had any real problems with the car so your probly right about the electrical problem at some point but i think the previouse owner might have fixed that problem. I would like to fix it the right way and then we will see if i have a problem. Would you happen to know where i could find the connector?
-
