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  1. #1
    FEP Member vdubn's Avatar
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    Default Installing Headlight Relay Harness

    I just bought a dual relay headlight harness last night, and hoping to get it installed this weekend. From what I can see, everything runs through the factory drivers side hi/low beam plug, so I am considering pulling the passenger side headlight wires and sockets out of the harness that crosses from the drivers side to the passenger side. The main purpose would be to thin out the harness, and run the new ceramic plug H4 harnesses across in place of the factory wires. It should be safe to pull these wires, right?

    The timing seems optimal since I have the front end off of the car and I am in the middle of routing the engine harness around the engine bay.

    Just curious if there was any reason not to pull the factory wires out of the harness?


    One final question... I bought a harness for about $40, and there are some as cheap as $15 or $20, all with ceramic headlight plugs. The pic below is of the Painless Wiring version of the same harness, except that it has standard plastic headlight plugs. Can anyone explain why, other than maybe higher quality relays, Painless wants $200 for their harness?

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    85 GT Hatchback, T-Tops. 2012 Coyote 5.0L Swap, T56 Magnum, GT550 Dept of Boost kit, with Eaton M122 SC, RAM 11" Powergrip clutch, BBK Long Tubes/OR X-Pipe, Flowmaster Axle Back, Stifflers DS Loop, and Rear X-member, AJE Tube Crossmember with AJE-Mod Mounts, 3.73 Posi 8.8, 5 lug Cobra 13" fr and 12.6" rear disc swap, 2004 Hydroboost Swap, MM SubFrame Connectors, MM Panhard Bar, MM front A-Arms, MM rear control arms, MM CC Plates, MM Coilovers w/Koni dampeners, MM Torque Arm (soon to be installed).

  2. #2
    FEP Member vdubn's Avatar
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    Default

    Has anyone else removed the right side of their headlight harness, or do most folks just leave them in place?
    85 GT Hatchback, T-Tops. 2012 Coyote 5.0L Swap, T56 Magnum, GT550 Dept of Boost kit, with Eaton M122 SC, RAM 11" Powergrip clutch, BBK Long Tubes/OR X-Pipe, Flowmaster Axle Back, Stifflers DS Loop, and Rear X-member, AJE Tube Crossmember with AJE-Mod Mounts, 3.73 Posi 8.8, 5 lug Cobra 13" fr and 12.6" rear disc swap, 2004 Hydroboost Swap, MM SubFrame Connectors, MM Panhard Bar, MM front A-Arms, MM rear control arms, MM CC Plates, MM Coilovers w/Koni dampeners, MM Torque Arm (soon to be installed).

  3. #3
    FEP Member brianj's Avatar
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    I stripped all of the original harness, and just used one high and one low beam wire as trigger wires for 2 relays, installed where the battery used to be. Worked well, eliminated a bunch of old, brittle unnecessary wires.
    1983 Mustang G.T. No-option stripper- I like strippers.
    5.0, GT40P heads, Comp Cams XE270HR-12 on 1.6 rockers, TFI spring kit, Weiand 174 blower, Holley 750 mechanical secondarys, Mishimoto radiator, Edelbrock street performer mechanical pump, BBK shortys, T-5 conversion, 8.8 rear, 3.73 gears, carbon fiber clutches, SS Machine lowers, Maximum Motorsport XL subframes, "B" springs.

  4. #4

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by vdubn View Post
    One final question... I bought a harness for about $40, and there are some as cheap as $15 or $20, all with ceramic headlight plugs. The pic below is of the Painless Wiring version of the same harness, except that it has standard plastic headlight plugs. Can anyone explain why, other than maybe higher quality relays, Painless wants $200 for their harness?
    What's the difference between a POS GM that rusts in 5 years and has head gaskets blow like crazy (GM has a LONG history of designing sheet metal and heads to last xxx-long). Or, the difference between "beef" and T-bone?

    Fwiw:
    Imho, those of us that work on, and have worked on 15+ year old POS GM cars, learn quickly about the quailty of parts, and how it effects long term reliability/problems.

    With the above, you have the many possibilities for low-cost cr*p:

    Internal Wire - purity, number of strands, material - will it rust/oxidize?

    Wire covering - is it rated for heat, temperature, long term use - will it deteriorate?

    Terminals: Materials and purity - will they rust/oxidize?

    Connectors: Materials and purity - will the plastic deteriorate and fall apart from the heat/cold.

    Loom: Materials and purity - For example, GM is infamous for cr*p looms that deteriorate and fall apart from the heat and/or age.


    It all depends on how long someone is planning on keeping a car, the use of the car, etc.
    My car is over 30 years old. ALL of my GM cars were in worse shape after 10 years than my 30 year old Stang. And, I plan on keeping my '86 for another 30+ years - with using it as my good weather summer daily driver. So, for my Stang, I'm not doing repairs, upgrading, or buying based on cost. I'm doing it based on what I think will last the longest.
    Also, I lost the desire to screw around replacing stuff a long time ago (e.g. buy cheaper stuff, replace more often).


    Good Luck!

  5. #5
    FEP Power Member Ourobos's Avatar
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    Default

    Your information center will show you have a headlight out, if you have one.
    1986 CHP SSP Coupe

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