Source
r/MechanicAdvice•
dbtg

Is this diy fix okay? Electrical wiring issue.

The overdrive in my 86 Volvo 240 comes disconnected quite frequently. I don't wanna get into it but it's a pain to reattach. It wouldn't be if the wires were a half inch longer.

I tried adding some wire length but the butt connectors I used are too long and bulky.

Is it okay/effective/safe to wrap the wires together and just cover them with electrical tape? Bonus question; there are two plugs in my gear shift knob to connect the wires to and I don't know if there's a positive/negative or not.

Posted Jan 17, 2016, 12:58 AM UTC

213
zzyzzx2•

We need pictures. Use a soldering iron instead.

5
dbtgOP•

I don't have a soldering iron. I'll try to get some pictures when I get home

1
zzyzzx2•

Get a soldering iron, or ask around until you find a friend who knows how to solder.

5
boom10ful•

If you live near a Harbor Freight they're about $4.

2
Solarisphere•

If you're not comfortable soldering, solder sleeves are a good alternative. You strip the ends of each wire, slide them into either end of the solder sleeve so they're overlapping in the center, and put a heat gun (a lighter can work if you're careful) on it until the solder melts and flows into the conductors.

They can be expensive if you're using a lot of them though.

3
boom10ful•

Huh, never heard of them before. Useful for using in a pinch!

1
Transmissionmech•

Do what now?

How is Overdrive disconnected? What exactly are you talking about?

And no, that's not a good fix.

2
dbtgOP•

The od is engaged through a button the gear shift knob. It came disconnected when the knob came off.

1
Transmissionmech•

Ok you need to be more specific in your OP then. You're talking about your GEAR SHIFT. None of which was explained in your original post.

You just said something about wires and overdrive being disconnected. Which leads me to believe you're talking about your transmission.

Either way, you need to fix it correctly with some butt or spade connectors or something. Just twisting them together and putting tape on it is a joke. And liable to cause more problems if they come apart and short something out. When you're talking about a wire that connects to the transmission from the gear shift to operate the trans, you don't want an electrical problem to develop and affect the transmission itself.

3
cptboring•

It really should be soldered but wire nuts could work.

2
larrymoencurly•

No crimp butt splices (but the solder type mentioned by Solarisphere are good), no wire nut splices, no electrical tape. Make soldered inline splices, and cover each one with 2 layers of heatshrink (one slightly longer than the splice, another over it quite bit longer to give mechanical strength). Use heatshrink made of polysulfone or Teflon because they withstand heat better than PVC heatshrink does. They're sold by electronics supplies and hardware stores, often in 3-foot lengths. If you have to make several splices, you may want to stagger them because if they're in the same place, the cable could become too fat to fit. Support the cable adequately against strain and vibration. Use black wire ties, not white ones, which don't last nearly as long in sunlight, and do realize that plenty of ultraviolet shines on the bottom of the car and even in the engine compartment.

Get a soldering iron that's safety approved by UL, CSA, or ETL because the ones that aren't approved or are just CE approved can burn out in a few weeks or months, cause dangerous electric shock, or get so hot (barrel turns blue) that they're uncomfortable to hold. A Radio Shack or similar iron is good, and 35 watts is about the right amount of power. A chisel-shaped tip is better than a cone-shaped one, and an iron-plated tip is better than a chrome-plated or plain copper tip. Use rosin core leaded solder, like 60/40 (60% tin, 40% lead) or 63/37, because no-lead solder needs much more heat. Also some brush-on or paste rosin core can help the solder to stick and melt faster. Wipe off the tip frequently with a damp cloth or paper towel or some curly hair brass, copper, or stainless steel (kitchen supplies, soldeing supplies).

2
framerotblues•

Found the guy who worked for NASA that one time

1
SillyStringTheorist•

Twisting and electrical tape is not the best way to connect wires, but should be ok. You could always buy shrinkwrap tubing from a auto supply store, would cost a couple bucks but looks neater and works better.

I'm just guessing at your bonus question, but I bet the button just completes a circuit, so polarity wouldn't matter.

1