I am trying to decide if I want to pull all the wiring on the Yugo and just rewire the whole thing. All that is going to be left is headlights and taillights and the engine. Or work around the existing wiring. What do you do?
I am trying to decide if I want to pull all the wiring on the Yugo and just rewire the whole thing. All that is going to be left is headlights and taillights and the engine. Or work around the existing wiring. What do you do?
I'd strip it. You'll spend more time trying to figure out what goes where than just starting from scratch. That and I hate working with factory wiring looms.
I normally look at how old the original wiring is, if it is over 20-ish, I rewire everything within reason only reusing a short piece of wire from each connector. I also look at what I am getting rid of and keeping.
Both times I built stripped out race/Auto-X cars it was easier to tear everything out and only put back what I needed.
I've done both. There's not much difference in effort if you have the right documentation. These days, I tend to retain factory harnesses as much as possible because even 20-year-old factory wiring is still awfully good. Your failure points will be the connectors, why add in several new ones on each wire if you're keeping the OE plugs?
It's a PITA, but I think the best answer is to rewire, without splices. This requires finding new pins and either re-using the old plugs, or finding new plugs as well. I'm a fan of GM /Delphi sensors, since they sell plugs in component pieces.
I'd strip it and rewire. Simpler than sorting through factory spaghetti and you know everything is where you put it. Upgrade fuse block, connectors etc.
edit: and you won't be troubleshooting/ chasing shorts in old wiring when you need to be driving it
granted.. the wiring in a Yugo won't be complicated.. but if it is like most italian cars.. full of aluminum connectors and relays for the sake of relays
you prob wouldn't have a ton of weight left on the table using the stock harness...
but with how minimal your plans are it's prob easier building new from scratch...
I'd just make a point of keeping things well documented for a year down the road... or 5 years when the new owner has to track an issue down...
The wiring in a Yugo is 60s simple, you might save a whole pound or two ripping out the blower motor and the radio wiring.
Ranger50 wrote: ... I rewire everything within reason only ]reusing a short piece of wire from each connector.[/b
If this means what I think it means, I don't recommend it.
Splicing new wire to old pieces in order to reuse the connectors is not a great idea. Just adds a lot of splices, and creates electrical gremlins because of the varying conductivity.
Many connectors can be reused without using any old wire.
What Dave said. Get rid of it ALL.
It's a 20+ year old Yugoslavian attempt at copying Italian electrical engineering. 
Besides... you could rewire the entire car in 17 minutes reusing a pigtail from a table lamp! 
or www.delcity.com
SVreX wrote:Ranger50 wrote: ... I rewire everything within reason only reusing a short piece of wire from each connector.If this means what I think it means, I don't recommend it. Splicing new wire to old pieces in order to reuse the connectors is not a great idea. Just adds a lot of splices, and creates electrical gremlins because of the varying conductivity.
Most of the connectors I have, you can't go out and buy new and are model and part specific. Thank you Ford. 
I also solder and shrinkwrap most of the splices. The others I use a GM weatherproof connector.
I have gone to as close to the beginning of a wire and replaced everything (including plugs) from there to the end when I want to keep things as close to original as possible. Have also gutted it all and started over. A real pain but doable and easier than patching/splicing. As said, connectors are the weak point. Standard automotive connectors are junk. I used to be spoiled and had access to aircraft quality connectors. Loads better. Don't anymore since I don't bend wrenches on aircraft anymore. There are quality connectors out there if you look though. If you are only going with the basics on the car, I've been told that "Painless Wiring Kits" are well worth the cost. And they aren't that expensive. Available at many places, just google and pick.
i would leave the engine harness if fuel injected and build the harness for the rest of the car.
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