Repairing Damaged Wiring on a Junk Car - Used Car Tips
Check for brittle, frayed or exposed wiring along an affected circuit. Cut off damaged wire and corroded terminals with wire cutters or long nose pliers Prepare the wire for a new terminal by peeling 1/4 inch of insulation from the end with a wire stripper. Insert the wire into a matching slot, close the tool and twist it back and forth until the insulation is severed and can be pulled off the wire.
Terminals come in a variety of shapes and wire sizes, male an female connector styles, and with or without plastic sleeves. To splice two wires together, strip 1/2 inch of insulation from each wire and place both into a butt connector from opposite ends. Crimp the terminal or connectors.
Use a crimping jaw of a wire stripper to pinch the junk car's connector near the end of the wire. Crimp again where the wire enters the connector. Give the wire a firm pull to test the crimp. If crimping fails to hold, cut off the sleeve of the terminal with a utility knife and solder the terminal as well.
Clamp the crimped terminal loosely with locking pliers. Hold a hot soldering iron or gun against the back of the terminal and touch acid-core solder to the face of the terminal and the exposed wire. When the solder melts into the wire and over the terminal, remove the heat and allow the connection to cool. Wrap a generous amount of electrical tape over the wire to protect any exposed portion from the elements.