3 replies to this topic

[Steve8274]

Hi all
All of the wiring loom is currently out of my car. It's a bit dirty and would like to clean it up prior to reinstalling it. Is there anything I can use?
Also, I would like to test the wires if possible then replace anything that is needed. Is there a simple way of doing this. I have a multimeter but not sure what i should be looking for. I know i can check continuity but are there are other checks I could do?
The car is a c plate 998. Currently has pink ballast wire which I will be removing
Thanks

[Stu1961]

I cleaned mine up using IPA but it still looked horrible, I found the easiest option was to remove all the tape the loom was wrapped in and replace with new (See link). In the end I made up a complete new harness for the engine space and a separate harness for lighting circuit which incorporates relays and heavier wires. My reasons for doing this, well firstly all connectors/terminals in the engine space will be corroded to a greater or lesser extent, but they will all be affected secondly many of the wires will also be affected by corrosion in some cases I had to cut cables back by up to 12" this was how far water had tracked back up the cable. I also replaced each wire going to the fuse box back to its source.

 

I'm no sparky but taking a methodical approach and taking pictures got me through, I used the the relevant wiring diagram in the Haynes Manual, personally I would not have been able to do it with this. Got all my bits from either AES Supplies or Autosparks, the later have all the correct colour wires.

 

https://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/product/348/category/68            

Edited by Stu1961, 08 September 2017 - 01:53 PM.

[Spider]

When I used to bother to clean them, I'd put them in the bath tub, first with dishwashing liquid and hot water, about a 30 min soaking, and it would clean up about as clean as it's going to get, then a rinse, then through a small handfull of salt in to the rising water and submerge the loom, except for the very wire ends and all the earth wires,

 

Then I could test the insulation with a ex-PMG 50 Volt Megger, one wire at a time.

 

Then a final rinse.

 

I no longer bother with this as it does take a long while to do and at the end of it, I still had an old harness with old connectors. I'd often find after fitting up, they'd go OK for a while, but then one issue, fix that, a few days later another. It would just never end.

 

You'll also find the wires that ran on to the engine, that had gotten oily, will be stiff or hard, sometimes the insulation cracks.

 

For the price and piece of mind, I just fit a new loom these days.

[KernowCooper]

As pointed out by Moke above Insulation hardening and cracking is a major issue, due to the vehicles age its common and if yours is out then a new loom is what I'd refit.