headlight wire gage?

[manimal]

I am getting ready to wire in headlight relays and was wondering if anyone knows the gage wire the headlights are? Thanks

BTW I have looked at an FSM and it does not list it. Thanks

-Lance

[kastein]

Too thin. Probably 14, 16, or 18 (i.e. a blue crimp terminal will fit fine.) You should use 12 or 10 gauge for your relay harness.

 

This is another of those wonderful areas where Chrysler saved 20 cents by screwing us in the long run.

 

EDIT: it does list it, at least in OBD-I and later vehicles, it's part of the circuit code - you'll see something like 18BK or 12RD/GRN which means an 18 gauge black wire or a 12 gauge red wire with a green stripe, etc. Not sure what year FSM you are looking at though, some of the older ones have wiring diagrams that are frankly about as much use as a map of the Tokyo underground.

 

Hmm... my 93 FSM does not show it. Maybe it's only 96 and later ones that do. Sorry to mislead :(

 

Checked and it looks like they started including it in 94 (don't have this FSM) or 95. So no MJ FSM will have it...

 

On a 95 XJ, the high and low beam wires list as 16ga and the ground lists as 18ga (wtf!?)

[manimal]

Cool, thank you very much. Looks like I will be building a new headlight harness and using the existing wires as triggers. Thanks again

-Lance

[HOrnbrod]

The 91 FSM shows the wire gauges for all the circuits too. 16AWG for the stock harness headlamps, and the entire headlamp load runs through the switch. :ack: I just used it to trigger the HI and LOW relays and 12AWG for the power leads.