ENG40

Is there a way to splice a broken fiber optic cable or does it have to be replaced? I have a broken cable that goes to one of the rear lights and would like to repair/replace as long as the console is apart.
thanks....Rick

rumblefish

I had fairly good luck with just cleaning up the broken ends, cutting the strands to a uniform length, inserting them in a little bit of brass tubing, pushing the ends in until they bottom out against each other, then crimp the ends to hold the cable in place. a piece of heat shrink might also work. You may loose a little bit of brightness but its a lot cheaper than getting a whole new cable.

wallifishrmn

How bright are the fiber optic spots on the console supposed to be. Mine are all working but they don't seem very bright--are they easily seen on a bright sunny day. Is there someway to make them brighter? Thanks

Apocolips

If you have to cut the cable to splice it, what is a good way to get a clean 90 degree cut? Every time I try and cut it using dikes it is more of a "crimpping" cut than a straight cut!

Duke94

Remove the tail light lens (if that's the one that is dim)and clean up the small lens that is on the end of the fiber optic cable. You might have to do the same at the console end.

Here's the repair kit.
http://www.zip-products.com/Zip/prod...8F6F55D288337B

wallifishrmn

Any recommendations of what's best to clean the fiber optic ends?

StickShiftCorvette

To get the best splice I make up an aluminum tube that will provide a press fit with the OD of the fiber optic cable. Shrink tube will not hold it rigidly enough to get the best light transmission.

Clearly clean ends are also critical....

7T1vette

Try the website below for inexpensive repair kit for Corvette fiber optics cable system:

http://www.watsons-streetworks.com/fiberoptic.html

ENG40

Thanks again 71vette, thats a great link to the watsons site.

rumblefish

I just used a "fresh" razor blade, you are only cutting the individual cable. It might work to have someone watch the output at the console while you are doing the repair, move the optics around to otain max brightness and then crimp the tubing

68/70Vette

Two of the fiberoptic cables going to my front headlights had been cut. During bodywork, someone probably thought they were electrical wires. I discovered this after I bought the car.

It was really annoying to me to be driving at night and see the two dead fiberoptic light indicators on the shifter console. So, I just stuck some the cut fiberoptic cable into a small section of rubber tubing, and then got a minilight bulb and stuck it in the other opening of the rubber tube. I then wired the minilight bulb in parallel with the headlamp. (I did this for both cut fiberoptic cables.) Now when I turned on the headlights, all my fiberoptic console indicators worked. Happinness. OK, it was a little fakey, but it looked good in the car.

I since replaced the entire front harness, including fiber optic cables. Everything is now factory correct. (Lectric Limited harness.)

rdrunnur

Use De-natured Alcohol to clean the ends and a Lint Free cloth.

Rd