Why do people hack up wiring?

[spidernut]

After removing all the wiring that hacked up and spliced in here and there for the stereo, I took a good look at the wiring under the hood. Why do people hack up wiring?

I have a weird relay-looking item with another relay-looking item on top of it with wires cut off, wires going to the fan, wires grounding to the Plenum, wire going to the positive side of the coil, etc. I checked out the wiring diagrams and it makes no sense. Looks like I'll get to spend a day tracing wires trying to figure out what they did.

The best I can tell is that the fan temperature switch went bad so someone Mickey Moused some kind of aftermarket thing into the car. There's a wire going to the fins in the radiator and to the relay. Maybe a temp senser? Who knows.

[grittracing]

Im going through a wire mess right now. sorry man I fell your pain

[Redline]

Ditto. I've spent several weekends undoing the damage of 40 years of idiotic "repairs" and "improvements". The end result was worth it.

[Curly]

Maybe it's an American thing
This is how SPYDUH arrived in Oz from California. Note the 'custom' wiring and coolant T connection.

[spider2081]

I have 45 years experience wiring general aviation aircraft, that doesn't make me an expert but I have a lot of experience. I am amazed when I read people buy aftermarket kits to replace original Fiat wire harnesses. Fiat used wire in their cars that even by today's standard is good quality wire. Their wire size is also adequate for the circuit. Any connection can deteriorate over time especially the push on type spade connector like those used on the ground spiders. Sometimes these can be cleaned and re-tensioned and sometimes they need to be replaced. I purchased my 81 in 2003, inspected the wiring fixed a few things and have been driving it trouble fee since. The car is kept mostly outside. I only put the cover on in the winter. I have not had a wiring problem with the car. The car now has 153,000 miles on it with much of its life in New England

I think much of the wiring mess originates from people installing radios with out the Fiat wire diagram.

The ignition switch is expensive so many people in stall relays between the ignition switch and the headlights, between the ignition switch and the starter and sometimes between the ignition switch and the circuits on the 15/54 contact of the switch. If done correctly any of these relay circuits extends the life of the ignition switch. Unfortunately when these mods are done each person does it their own way. So where the relays are mounted and how they are wired is a mystery to anyone who works on the car later.
I do have some wire diagrams and will try and help if I can. Just email me.

[kmead]

It comes from people not understanding wiring and not using a wiring diagram. It also comes from a "friend" who "knows electrical" "helping" on the "unreliable" Italian car.

I was incredibly lucky with my cars when I bought them (my x1/9 has a couple extraneous wires in the trunk) as they are largely unmolested. They have their original as delivered wiring and everything works on my cars (so far). I do admit to making changes but my rule is I either follow the OE colors approach and wiring if I am replacing (or updating to newer specs on my 850) or I build up stand alone sub systems which can be completely removed and do not effect the existing system. I also maintain my wiring diagram for those add ons so I can maintain it over time.

Given I have owned my cars for twenty years and don't expect to sell them anytime soon I am not too worried about mine. Though most cars I see have a sad mess of wires all over.

[Redline]

I also agree that the wiring in my Fiat is of exceptional quality. Lovely, proper double-crimped connectors, good gauge and almost no deterioration. The only strangeness was the work of others.

[KalamazooJohnny]

When I bought the 79 spider in Detroit a few years back, I did not check it over very well. I drove it 3 hours back to Kalamazoo and started going though it. Turns out, all the fuses were replaced with bolts, and just about the only electrical that worked was the coil and the electric fuel pump wiring, which was barely hanging on to the fuel pump. Must be the cooling fan worked too though, because I made it here. Wiring was a melted mess.

[mdrburchette]

I'm thankful for the early model Fiat wiring diagrams that are easy to follow. I've had to rework most of the wiring on my 72 and will soon be tackling the wiring on my 71. Clean spade connectors and good, tight connections eliminate most wiring problems with these cars. I'm glad I'm not the only one that doesn't have a problem with Fiat's original wiring harness.

[speedshift]

Take a note from Kmead: When you add or find a different wire make a diagram of it.Time erases memory. Rarely do radio an on people make the best wiring choice. Always check this on a used car.

[maytag]

teeheehee... I remember when I was younger, driving down the freeway with an International Scout that I had just purchased. I started smelling electrical fire... then smoke came pouring out from under the dashboard. I was in fast-moving traffic wityh no shoulder to get to.... so I reached-up and grabbed a handful of wires (burning my hand very badly in the process) and yanked 'em out. I mean, literally, a handFULL of wire. I bet there was most of 2 pounds of copper!

When I got it home.... I couldn't find anything that didn't work.

Whatever the previous owner had done was so redundant and ineffective that I never DID need to replace any of what I tore out that day.

[forzaphil]

Oh my gosh, that is an extremely funny story maytag.