Well. My 2c worth... if you are going to replace the wires... use the same gauge.... it was designed to work on that thickness.... so stick to it. going bigger will increase resistance in the wire lenght. thus having a effect on your electronics. just a easy way of working out resistance voltage and current.... OHMS LAW!

Voltage = Current x Resistance
Resistance = Voltage / Current
Current = Voltage / Resistance...

And don't ever use smaller gauge wire.... it will over heat due to the current and burn!

either way your going to have to do some labelling. The choice is yours, I would go with a replacement loom or make a new one from scratch.

Hints on Making a new one.

A) Buy one roll of wire, just gets confusing buying 50 different colour combos
B) Buy wire tags and tag each wire every 50 cm with a code or purpose, the tags I am talking about come in are sort of a sleeve arrangement. If codes make notes on a piece of paper, computer file, and make copies.
C) Buy quality crimps, new plugs etc
D) If possible use old loom as a guide

This is the way I would do it if I needed to unfortunately I'm more of a dodgy repairer these days. But this is basically how we used to do avionics wiring where I used to work and we would wire up to 100 pin connecters so different colours just wasnt viable.

The Ultimate Hint
Pay a sparky to do it
Cheers

_________________
If it squeaks and leaks, then its sure to be a mini

Building a dream one nap at a time....

http://spaces.msn.com/members/derbydog/

u sure bout that?

maybe going longer with the same gauge but not the same length with a high gauge.....

Build myself a new Harness!?! Now that's asking alot! Considering I said I have no idea about electrical at all other than the odd crimping, soldering and heat shrink tubes

I think I will do the new harness option and leave it as is since it works right now and does not need "fixing"

_________________
Lillee - 1969 Morris Mini K

You just contradicted yourself.

Going to a larger guage (larger cross sectional diameter) will decrease the resistance over a given length. You will get less voltage drop and increased current capacity.

The guage or wire you use will be dependant on it's intended use and length of run. Most stock wires will be fine in the stock guage. The only exception may be headlights. In which case you would have the original wiring operate a relay and run new heavier guage wiring on the power side of the circuit.

Cheers,

Damo.

_________________
Metal to burn, sparks to fly...

My Bad... thinking all F***ed up today..... drank to much on the weekend.. lol

but there for.... if you have higher current.... then you can over drive components....

JUST STICK TO WHAT IS REQUIRED!

I thought components used what current they needed from what was avail. Not used all current avail hence overloading.

Yep, you aren't going to hurt anything putting heavier guage wire on there. Manufacturers use the smallest possible size to get the job done simply to save money.

Cheers,

Damo.

_________________
Metal to burn, sparks to fly...

Not quite... some components can control what they use.. but from what I can tell if you increesed the current to say your headlights... I would say they would get brighter and brighter then nothing!

Alternators have current regulators to aviod burning out itself or any other component including wires. Electricity jumps along the surface area of wire, not thru it, hence why you have muliple strands within a wire. So if you have more current running thru a smaller guage wire it gets hot as you have lots of jumping electrons. This will in time melt. So larger guage wire is used to avoid meltdown. Now lets say we used thicker guage wire(better for Current), we would see an increase in resistance. This in automotive electrics is really not very much and well within tolerences when your talking about mini wiring. there is no electronics that need specific resistance, current and voltage. So if you are wondering what all this means.
If you have a larger alternator, use a larger guage wire if avaiable
std, well use what is there.
If you add halogen headlights or a thrmo fan, use a larger guage wire, they draw more current.
If yuo haven't got a clue what i just said, DONT TOUCH IT. You will only regret it.

Not trying to be harsh but i have seen many cars burnt out because someone thought it was ok to do this or that. JUst imagine using a coat hanger wire for a fuse..... leave that to your imagination.
Cheers

Aaron

_________________

i ran out of fuses so i used a bolt for one until i could get a pack

hey its not as bad as some frog hunting rednecks who used bullets for their fuses...

_________________
Inconspicuously Conspicuous
Appreciation without Depreciation
forever chasing clearer skies...

haha duc

chong, i know where your coming from, but leave it until it breaks, once something goes..then get a new loom..personally i'd solder everything if your going to go to that much trouble though.

_________________

Starlet Conversion:
http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15484

there was once i had bad connections in Trevor the moke.
had to drive with left arm under the dash holding wires to one side or else everything would cut out.

i went home and soldered everything (good solder, good iron, good work)
but it just didnt work.

in the end i cut out ALL the soldering work i did, twisted the wires together and bunged tape over.
He still goes.
so Make sure your solder works

dunno why mine didnt

_________________
Inconspicuously Conspicuous
Appreciation without Depreciation
forever chasing clearer skies...

When I resurrected Mini Ha-Ha 10 years ago, there were bits missing from the middle of the loom.. someone had needed some wires...!
So, I spliced some new wires in there, soldered all the connections and heatshrunk them, then taped it all up again with factory black PVC tape..

Chong, if not broken I wouldn't `fix' it by piecemeal wiring- if you really want to do it proper buy a new loom as Aaron said.

_________________
DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

What he said and double it. I will bet you money that it will be a disaster. Proposing to do it this way indicates straight away that you haven't got the knowledge to trouble shoot any problems and there will be plenty.

_________________
Chris

Everything I like is either
illegal, immoral or fattening.