I would like to discuss re-crimping terminals. By this I mean inserting a previously crimped terminal into the tool and crimping the terminal again.

Here is the reason for this question. Usually, the wire harnesses are so old and deteriorated that installing a new harness or fabricating a new one is the preferred way to repair them.

The dash harness from my 83 is in excellent condition. It has been relatively protected from any harsh environment, compared to the engine compartment, for instance. My only concern is the electrical connections at the crimps. On a few terminals, I cut them off and re-terminated the wires. The copper strands had very little to no tarnishing after stripping the insulation. I felt this would be the best repair. (A little cleaning of the conductors wouldn't hurt either).

I am now wondering if simply re-crimping would improve the connection. Using an ohm meter before and after the newly installed terminals or the re-crimped terminals are probably within the margin of error on my meter as the readings are near zero ohms.

I feel that re-crimping must be affecting something at the molecular level, such as cutting through or disturbing any corrosion that maybe be present.

Thoughts? Maybe I am over thinking this...

 

Wow, AI at its best! I entered my post into a Google search and this is what popped up:

Re-crimping 40-year-old terminals on a preserved wiring harness is generally not recommended in favor of replacing the terminal entirely. While your logic regarding breaking through corrosion at a molecular level is sound, re-crimping a pre-deformed terminal often leads to a weaker, less reliable connection due to material fatigue, rather than an improved, "gas-tight" seal.
Here is an analysis of your approach and thoughts:
1. The Risk of Re-crimping (Why it is generally discouraged)

• Work Hardening & Fatigue: The copper in the terminal has already been deformed once. Re-crimping (especially at a different spot) can cause the metal to work-harden, making it brittle and prone to cracking or snapping under vibration.
• Improper Deformation: The original crimp die shape and pressure might not align with your current crimping tool, leading to an inconsistent, loose, or under-crimped connection.
• "Gas-Tight" Failure: A high-quality crimp is meant to be a "cold weld" that eliminates air gaps (gas-tight). Re-crimping often fails to create this seal again and may even allow for more oxidation over time.

2. When Re-crimping is Acceptable
If a replacement terminal is absolutely unavailable, you can re-crimp, but it is not the "best" professional repair.

• If you do it: Use a ratcheting crimper for consistent pressure.
• Better Alternative: If you must use the old terminal, pull the old wire out, strip the wire back slightly, and solder the wire to the terminal to ensure a good connection, as simply re-crimping may create a weak, high-resistance connection.

3. Better Alternatives for Your Situation
Since you mentioned the wiring is in excellent condition:

• Cut and Re-terminate (Recommended): Your current method of cutting off the old terminal and installing a new, high-quality, non-insulated terminal (and soldering if desired) is the most robust, reliable method for long-term restoration.
• Add Heat Shrink: Regardless of whether you re-crimp or replace, applying adhesive-lined heat shrink over the junction is critical to prevent moisture from entering and causing corrosion, particularly on a 40-year-old harness.
• Solder Tip: For non-insulated terminals, a quick solder tip on the end can guarantee electrical continuity in addition to the crimp's mechanical, cold-weld connection.

Summary
While it feels like you are "freshening" the connection, the physical deformation of the metal means a new terminal is superior to a re-crimped one. Given your goal of high-quality restoration, cutting the old terminal off and using a new terminal (preferably with heat shrink) is the best practice.

 

Electrical contact is best without corrosion. You're not dealing with a high demand of corrosion application. Proceed as planned, and dab dielectric grease in each. If the wires have slack, you're GTG for decades.

Conversely, new terminals are usually inexpensive. It's usually more b.s. finding the part numbers than expense.

 

Just replace the wire. I wouldn’t fe crimp anything. You can get a spare harness and remove the one wire and install it in yiur harness. The crimped end slides out with a very tiny screwdriver. I did a ac wire on my car. Got the rest of the harness put away.

 

I've soldered a wire back on when the wire was hanging on by 2-3 wires. I feel that's better than re-
crimping, which I've tried also, soldering as above has giving better results. Of course, if a new terminal is still available. I'll go that route

 

New terminal crimp is always the most reliable. Length/fit can be a bit of a problem if the wire is in a multi-wire connector.
I'm **** enough that I also solder the crimped connector. Also individual wire & then harness heat shrink.
If ya got it apart, fix it to last for the rest of vehicle life. (Or until you die, which ever comes first. )

 

Thanks for all the suggestions! I have decided to leave well enough alone. Unless the crimps are obviously corroded or damaged I won't mess with them.

I did some more resistance measurements of several terminals with my new Fluke meter before and after repairs and the difference in ohms is negligible. The high amperage circuits, like the terminals at the starter solenoid, are the ones I paid more attention too. They have been exposed to high heat for so long it makes sense that those would probably need repair.

I was also concerned that the engine harness had aluminum conductors. I was a little intimidated by the repair procedure outlined in the service manual. Come to find out what they call the "Front Body Harness" is the one made of aluminum, and that is the one that runs along the driver side. I didn't have to touch that at all, other than clean it.

You can see the progress of my harness work on my build thread.