Suggestions please:- How to best a wiring loom graft....??

Hi folks. I'm a "long time listener, first time caller".

Finally got round to getting Land Rover 90. Picked up a 1988 County model with a 200Tdi conversion.

Inevitably there a few "to do's" and after a pit-stop at Island Land Rovers ( Island Landrovers ) for some essential TLC (cam-belt, oils etc.) it handed me my first job.

The off-side rear light (that had wavered but lit on test when I bought it) failed.

Having tried the obvious bulb change and fitting check, a multi-meter was showing a 0.2v - 0.6v feed on the terminal. I traced back to the main loom where one of the 12 previous owners has grafted on the wiring for tow and caravan feed.

There, I found a cluster of crimped connections in various states of repair and corrosion.

Two were completely failed (don't know what they feed as all other lights OK!) and what proved to be the rear light circuit wire was partially failed and came apart in my hands. That all fitted in with the fractional voltage reading.

Removing the crimps, stripping, re-connecting with terminal blocks and lashing together with insulation tape has solved the immediate problem. Lights are working.

However, I'm aware that's not ideal long term and I should go back and do the lot.

Any suggestions please on what's the "right" way to make good on this? Where there are wiring connections exposed externally, what should I be using to make the connections watertight?

Thanks for reading. Thanks for helping!

you can lay it out mark with masking tape etc what each does replace/tidy ,use bullet connectors as std soldered on,or crimps with heat shrink tubing around joint

do not use bullet joints.
strip back solder joint and then insulate with adhesive lined heatshrink.

Always use the correct colour and gauge wire.

for most people if done well there good and can be easily pulled out/in for whatever reason,like swapping rear light ,they can corrode over years put easy enough fix if you tidy old loom up,std connection on old vehicle

only if yu dont mind corrosion.

I agree when the original was connected by bullets, but the OP has said "I traced back to the main loom where one of the 12 previous owners has grafted on the wiring for tow and caravan feed.
There, I found a cluster of crimped connections in various states of repair and corrosion."
That isnt the same scenario.

i would still remove/tidy and put loom back to original so much easier later for fault chasing /adding extra lights ,changing light assemblies as is more than likely,i change more of them than wiring connectors ,i would do it your way which is best if it wasnt likely you would need to remove/refit connectors later

we aint talking about the lighting connectors, but where someone has chopped into the main loom.

Soldering with shrink wrap means that you can use one jointing system for two or three way joints. It also means that you can add a length into a cable if necessary. Just remember the basics of soldering; a good physical joint makes the best solder joint and heat the workpiece not the solder.

If you take your time and do some neat soldering it can look very good but if you really want you could then wrap the lot in tape and make it look like a loom again.

As far as fault finding is concerned you end up with the correct cable colours at the necessary points.

If the wires are corroded, strip back the sheathing and leave the wire ends to soak in white vinegar & salt solution.

A few hours later the oxide will be gone & the wire will take solder again perfectly. Heat shring & job done!

but do use adhesive lined heatshrink, to stop water ingress.

Thanks a lot for the guidance here.

Spent some useful time on eBay during the week ordering the right bits as I didn't have a crimping tool or heat shrink. All came together last Friday when after the crimp tool and connector 'ammunition' were delivered next-day (take note larger sellers!) and I borrowed a gas-fired soldering iron from a chap at work.

Went with combined "heat shrink butt connectors". Essentially a crimp point sheathed inside some heat-shrink tube. Not the cheapest but they are most convenient, especially for a novice working in tight space. I highly recommend.

Spent a couple of happy hours under the rear axle removing the basic, non-sheathed crimp connectors, stripping back and cleaning the dodgy wires, re-connecting with the crimps and then applying the iron (in mini blow-torch mode) to the heat-shrink which sealed to the wires very nicely.

All working. All tidy. Thanks.