[V6-12v] Project Audi- Trunk wiring harness update

[clive young]

Well guys here is what I have 

Too bad I didn't see some of the posts before I started work but here is what I have 

If the europeans use North american wiring standards ( which they don't ) this is what I would have 

The return wire ( brown ) is an 18awg wire that runs through the middle.
The outside 7 wires are 20awg that supply the following as far as I can tell

left fog light
left and right reverse lights
licence plate light bulbs( 4w) 
trunk tilt switch for interior light
electrical connection for locks/alarm

All I could get locally was a 8 conductor 22AWG wire. It didn't seem cost effective to go ordering and paying s&h and customs charges etc.

Anyway I decided to keep the existing wiring harness intact where it passes through to the body. This was a tough descision as I would rather have had the splices inside the body work where it is protected from the elements.
I decided the existing cable plug into the body was going to stay as my cable had a smaller diameter and it would not have looked or sealed as well. I decided to splice where the two plastic guides hold the cable and hide the splice neatly inside the guides. This worked very well and all you see is a grey cable at the bend,from there the cable goes into the cable guides, and the original black cable comes out of both ends. 
The actual splice was tricky and patience is needed. I spliced each wire and heat shrinked indidvidually . I was able to pull the sheath back far enough to allow the heat shrink to be pulled back so my iron would not affect the shrink. I then one at a time after soldering the wires heat shrinked that conductor. After 8 were done I pulled the wires so they were all even , pulled the sheath back up and put heat shrink over the whole cable . on the other side it was a little trickier. I put the cable heat shrink on first ( a crucial mistake if you forget ) . Then I very carefully again soldered the wires one at a time making sure they were packed in tight to each other , the overall length from one body plug to the other remained at 23 inches. after the last wire I slid the cable heat shrink over the whole thing and sealed it good and tight. 
I have no doubt this cable will break again as this is just the nature of copper conductors, but it is a pretty straightforward repair...if you are married..need the wife to hold 2 wires ,solder, iron,..... 

Clive 

PS haven't done Toms current calc yet... oh I have one question. my lower cable guide has a a small plastic tongue at one end to hold the cable , does it go at the top or the bottom ? ie I don't know which way my cable guide goes as it will fit either way. 

all the best 

Clive 
95 90 S