Weekend Workshop
How to give your electrical system a health-check and service You will need
Prepare your classic’s electrical system for winter.
Winter is a punishing annual pincer movement on the electrical system of any classic car.
The starter motor uses extra energy to turn an engine that’s full of cold, viscous oil. Once the engine’s fired-up and running, it’s likely that current-hungry lights, wipers, heater fans and heated screens will all be deployed simultaneously. To add to your electrical system’s woes – and potentially to yours, too – the ageing wires and connectors of the engine bay spend a great deal of time in a light mist of salty spray.
It’s rare to suffer a major electrical failure. It’s not in the slightest bit uncommon, however, for a neglected electrical system to very slowly degrade. Lights will get dimmer, wipers slower and heater blowers more pitiful. You may not notice this steady wilting until things start nearing the point of fizzling out altogether.
Take a few straightforward precautions and do a little prior investigation, though, and it’s easy to avoid this. We’ll prescribe a few basic pre-winter preparations and checks, then show you what to look at if you identify a problem.
Many people panic when dealing with an electrical issue. Don’t be faced-down by intimidating clumps of wiring. You’re only going to be concerned with one wire at a time, so take your time to locate it. Wiring diagrams can be useful, so find one that relates to your exact make and model. They are of limited use, however, when you’re trying to pinpoint wires in situ or find hidden connectors – so you’ll have to use some detective work and logic as well.
This article’s timed to coincide with the start of winter – but it’ll be equally useful whenever electrical gremlins strike, or any time you want to check and refresh your electrical system.