As I read through post after post on wiring issues, can a person still get a factory wiring harness for the older vans??


It seems to me that as these vans get older the wiring starts to fail and at different point along the way. Could a person put a wiring harness from a new van into an older van?? Say a 2000+ into a older 1990's?? Just trying to come up with ways to help myself and others.


Thanks Doc.

 

I have long held that wires (unless they have had their plastic jackets pierced and probed) don't go bad, but connections do... that is oxidation on connections to the harness will fail. Connectors can be fixed and or spliced with new or junk yard salvaged connectors. I would doubt that newer harnesses would retrofit with older harnesses... a newer harness would have more connections to upgraded and added sensors on newer vans. i.e. newer vans have an OBDII data link connectors to smart sensors where older vans do not. An older van would be easier to troubleshoot electrically then a newer one because of fewer electronic sensors controlling the engine.

 

Hey rsdata, let's start a new company repairing wiring harnesses!

 

You can call it "Two Wire Nuts".

 

LMAO... BAHAHAHAHAHAHA


Thanks RS, I was just wondering...

 

THAT'LL WORK!

 

Doc Joe
I am currently fighting a gremlin in my electrical section of my '01 van, that has yet to be resolved. Often electrical grounds get rusty on our vans and electrical problems start after 15-20-25 years of service.

Be sure to clean any ground connections you find and any corrosion on the connectors.

I use this stuff religiously... you can find it on amazon or order from MCMelectronics.com

 

Brother thank you so much for the info and help. I am going to order a can or two of that spray ASAP. I am working on the engine this week, replacing the intake manifold gaskets and anything else that may cause a vacuum leak. Like hoses and rubber connectors and plastic lines. But I just have a feeling this van has some issue related to the electrical system as the "Check Engine" light is burned out. Not a good sign.


Doc.

 

What year is your van? I have had an '85 that I had for almost 250,000 before it rusted out in 2000. And I had a '94 that I put 225,000 on and it was still running strong before I rear-ended a truck in a sheeting rain storm and bent the frame in 2003. Both vans held up well in all those years. My current van is an '01 and with 195,000 the complicated electronics/sensors/PCM are now giving me an issue.

The instrument cluster is easily taken out to replace the CEL bulb if you are so inclined...

 

no offense to anyone

but you all know timing chains, lifters, camshafts, valves and other things like that usually wear out at 150-200k miles and the PCM will not know these are broken. The PCM tries to compensate and throws everything out of whack. Then you chase problems that aren't really there.

A burnt valve and a flakey PCM did cause me to experience a lot of weird problems when I first bought my van...just food for thought