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putco wiring harness help?

M

muddeprived

NAXJA Forum User
Location
PA
Can someone help me figure out what's going on with my setup? I'm trying to run the putco headlight wiring harness with new bulbs.

To start off, my passenger light was dimmed pretty bad but the driver's side was fine. I installed the harness like everyone else did (read a bunch of threads on the install, too easy) but when I turn on my lights, they don't turn on. Turn signals work. I got 12 volts going in and coming out of the relays BUT no power at the putco bulb plugs. My factory bulb plugs look corroded a bit but I still can read 12 volts from them. Both putco plugs are grounded (driver's side to the small bolt behind the turn signal housing and passenger side to the radiator support bolt. Paint removed). I'm running 20a fuses if that matters and all wire connectors checked out tight. I'm puzzled on how the wires coming out of the relay registers 12v but the same wire at the bulb register nothing.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
 
If you have 12V out of the relay but nothing to the light i would suspect a broken wire.

Do you have a volt meter that has a summer?
Do you have a testlight for car electronics?
If you do you can use that to check the wiring.
 
Tried high beams by chance? Maybe relay is bad?
 
I did a little more poking around and discovered that the ground wire for the factory passenger bulb plug split into two before the crimp on the female plug. It's weird how it split in that spot. It's like someone just cut the wire. I clipped off the entire plug and rewired a new one (Dorman 84790) and all is good, or should I say VERY BRIGHT.
 
muddeprived said:
I did a little more poking around and discovered that the ground wire for the factory passenger bulb plug split into two before the crimp on the female plug. It's weird how it split in that spot. It's like someone just cut the wire. I clipped off the entire plug and rewired a new one (Dorman 84790) and all is good, or should I say VERY BRIGHT.
Click to expand...

good luck with it. I had nothing but problem after problem with my putco. Sucked it up and went with an ARB harness and havent had an issue since(1 year strong)
 
fallacist said:
good luck with it. I had nothing but problem after problem with my putco. Sucked it up and went with an ARB harness and havent had an issue since(1 year strong)
Click to expand...

I checked all the plugs and made sure every single wire was crimped properly and I doubt i'd have any issues with it except for maybe the relays. I got spares coming so that shouldn't be much of an issue. When I got the harness, I then realized how easy it would've been for me to make it. Oh well.

Mind sharing the problems you had so I know where to look IF a problem pops up?
 
Not sure about fallacist, but mine kept melting the plugs at the relays. Also, due to the configuration of things and the fact that I don't run inner fender liners, the relays sit very close to a hole in the inner fender, which lead to very short life (not exactly the fault of the harness, but due to the lengths of it, I couldn't easily move them to a better location).

I've had two separate Putco harnesses fail due to melting the relay plugs (I had 100 watt bulbs in my lights for one, so I figured it just couldn't handle the extra power. The second used stock wattage bulbs). I sucked it up and ran all new wires on my own to relays and a fuse block up on the firewall near the cowl. Out of the way, heavier gauge wire, and easier to add on to if necessary.
 
donthelegend said:
Not sure about fallacist, but mine kept melting the plugs at the relays. Also, due to the configuration of things and the fact that I don't run inner fender liners, the relays sit very close to a hole in the inner fender, which lead to very short life (not exactly the fault of the harness, but due to the lengths of it, I couldn't easily move them to a better location).

I've had two separate Putco harnesses fail due to melting the relay plugs (I had 100 watt bulbs in my lights for one, so I figured it just couldn't handle the extra power. The second used stock wattage bulbs). I sucked it up and ran all new wires on my own to relays and a fuse block up on the firewall near the cowl. Out of the way, heavier gauge wire, and easier to add on to if necessary.
Click to expand...

Which relays did you go with when you made your own harness?
 
I just installed this harness that I bought on fleetbay. It seems to be decently made, install was painless, and so far it works fine. hopefully it stays that way! If not, hopefully I remember to update this post.

Harness Relay Halogen Headlight lamp Booster H4 9003 (bought from kw2401)
41GzmJWQOsL._SX450_.jpg
 
muddeprived said:
Mind sharing the problems you had so I know where to look IF a problem pops up?
Click to expand...

In a period of 6 months, I went through 3 pairs of relays, and 6 bulbs- on the same side. I switched housings and the bulb still burned out on the same side. Then my low beams went out, even on new relays. Replaced the light switch pull knob thing, still nothing. I finally bit the bullet and got tired of random shit not working, and constantly replacing my headlight and purchased the ARB harness. 1 year later, not a single problem.
 
i run the putco harness i had a relay went bad after a year had to tap it once and a while to get it to turn on! i changed the plugs and relays to the hella style plugs and relays.
 
I believe they are called Bosch relay plugs.
 
If it were me, I would use these relays:

http://www.rallylights.com/all/elec...7483-mini-relay-12v-40a-spst-dual-87-pin.html

With these sockets:

http://www.rallylights.com/hella-hl87127-mini-relay-base-for-harness-5-pole-with-terminals.html

And crimp these terminals onto the existing wires (with an open barrel crimping tool):

http://www.rallylights.com/hl87272-6-3mm-receptacle-each.html

But as others have said, there are easier, cheaper ways of doing it with off the shelf parts and without special crimping tools.
 
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