Wassell wiring looms - any good?

cliffa said:

Or keep the wires and fit some blue lights

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Kinda obvious now you mention it...!

Fast Eddie said:

Yeah, true, the original Lucas bullets do corrode and fall apart... after 50 years...!

My T140 has a new harness, complete with the Lucas connectors and they’re fine. In fact, in the interest of standardisation I have continued to use them when modifying the harness too.

I think an application of silicone grease on the bullets is a good idea though.

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I think Joe Lucas got a bad rap to be honest. I took my ignition switch apart to modify the contacts as described here and it was in remarkably good condition. The same when I re-jigged my handlebar switches. My main dislike of the Lucas bullets is trying to get them apart. I still have them all over my MG-B where they are mostly not exposed to the elements and as good as the day they were made. ( I hope).

cliffa said:

I think Joe Lucas got a bad rap to be honest. I took my ignition switch apart to modify the contacts as described here and it was in remarkably good condition. The same when I re-jigged my handlebar switches. My main dislike of the Lucas bullets is trying to get them apart. I still have them all over my MG-B where they are mostly not exposed to the elements and as good as the day they were made. ( I hope).

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Hope that day wasn't a Friday!!!!!

or a monday...

Landspeedracer said:

Well my mind was made up for me after Tuesday’s rideout. I had a lovely ride, 40/50miles in, somethng like that, then all of a sudden at about 50mph it cut out............ then started up again as if nothing was wrong. Then 10 miles later it did it again, and restarted as I was slowing down while in gear. Then it was OK for another 20 miles, and once again it cut out and wouldn’t do its previous trick and restart while the engine was still turning over. I pulled up with a jerk, put it into neutral, and the jerk started it first kick. I didn’t touch anything, it just started. Weird. The 30 mile ride home was faultless. I’d already isolated the cut out switch prior to this.

so, I’ve ordered a new loom and ignition switch and I’ll fit them post haste, then see if I can get to the bottom of any possible wiring problems. All of my existing bullet connectors are either new or in good condition. But I can now take my time and build my own version with fewer unnecessary wires.

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Ignition switch.

what is it about the harness that makes you feel it’s bad?
Visible damage?

No, not really, it is 46 years old and all the extra dangling unused connectors really annoy me. My intentions now will be to fit the new loom and new switch. Then I will strip back the original loom carefully, remove the unused wires, check the original wires, add some additional Earth cables and then recover it. I’ll open the switch, check it internally with a view to doing the mod I’ve read about

If you have the time to spare it's always better in my experience to make your own loom

swooshdave said:

You are not wrong that modern wiring and connectors are an improvement. That doesn't mean it's the best option for everyone. Sometimes a new harness will suffice.

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the point i was trying to convey was that reliabilty is improved immensely by eliminating as many connectors as possible. I am not a fan of the lucas bullets as some of the previous posts describe the many failures, there is now better out there

850commando said:

the point i was trying to convey was that reliabilty is improved immensely by eliminating as many connectors as possible. I am not a fan of the lucas bullets as some of the previous posts describe the many failures, there is now better out there

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Many failures after 50 years. I wouldn’t disparage someone who bought a new stock harness nor would I blame someone who made a modern one.

I built a harness and the next harness I get will be stock. I expect the same reliability out of both.

Landspeedracer said:

are the Wassell ones any good? I realise there are a few wiring diagram issues, but otherwise are they well made? They’re not too expensive.

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I have purchased 3 parts from Wassell, I refer to them as Strike, 1, Strike 2, and Strike 3. I can't speak for the rest of their catalog, but I'm one step deeper into the "shame on me" syndrome and have no interest in applying additional payments for a zero value proposition. The idea and image of wiring harness built by stoners in a corner of some 3rd world sh*t hole makes me laugh and cringe simultaneously...

In general, if you understand E=IR, the term "complete circuit" and know, or can look-up, the current carrying limitations of stranded wire gauges you can build your own very reliable wiring harness. I also suggest that you know or learn when to crimp, solder or crimp and solder your terminations. here are some dazzling examples of wiring harness on this forum that would be right at home on the ISS.

Best.

swooshdave said:

Many failures after 50 years. I wouldn’t disparage someone who bought a new stock harness nor would I blame someone who made a modern one.

I built a harness and the next harness I get will be stock. I expect the same reliability out of both.

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not to criticize another persons choices, i believe there is better wiring material out there now than being provided in premade harness. and yes i have made 2 from scratch.

Some feedback.

I have purchased a new loom and a 35351 ignition switch and stripped out the old one 2 days ago and fitted the replacement yesterday/today.

the loom is very similar to the original, as I’d expect it to be, and all of the bullets, lucars and wires match up nicely, and all of the correct length.

however, the Earth cable for the horn is not ‘earthed’ it does not do anything. Thankfully there are 2 spare ‘earths’ alongside this one which do the job - these are 2 of the many additional extra wires not normally used on a stock loom. Simply resolved and of no worry, but just of interest. I would use another, no problem especially as their bullets are very robust and retain well.

the problem is mainly within the switch. The original was one click anti-clock to switch on the parking lights and remove the key. Click clockwise once to switch all off and remove the key. Then one click clockwise turns on the ignition and retains the key (obviously doh!) then another clockwise click turns on the sidelights and use the headlamp toggle switch to turn over to headlights, key retained. A total of 4 clicks. With me so far?

the Wassell 35351 switch which is supplied in place of the Lucas 39784 does not have any numbers on it to show which terminal is 1,2,3 or 4. Pain!

also, it has a different ’click’ system. Possibly this is the difference brought about by the part number change, I’d like some feedback on this.

anticlock one click retains the key, clockwise one click removes the key, a further click clockwise retains the key, but appears to be only 1 detent. i.e. A total of 3 clicks only.

is the switch faulty, or is the new norm turn one way for ignition and t’other for running with lights. And therefore no parking facility?

does anyone have a schematic of which terminal is which, please?