3 replies to this topic

[KJM]

I am tidying all the wiring up in my engine bay (getting rid of blue crimp connectors and putting original black type on) but i'm not sure what to use to "finish" the loom.

Should I use a fabric harness tape (any experience with this - gets dirty too quickly?)
a normal black harness tape that looks like insulation tape (black, blue, red?)
or leave them bare but cleaned and neatly cable tied together at even intervals?

What have you guys done to make the wiring neat and tidy? I'm not going to use the Mini everyday and hopefully only dry conditions.

Cheers!

[charliedurrant]

I used plastic harness tape (never used the fabric stuff), the stuff I bought (I stupidly bought yellow as it was going cheap) had a slight tackyness to it that seems to make it stick just enough.

Also, I can't really describe it, but there is a right and wrong way to wrap the tape around the wires. It's the orientation of the tape to the direction of winding - you'll see if you go for loom tape.

See

http://www.theminifo...howtopic=208854

http://www.theminifo...howtopic=134555

and a link to a general engine bay clean up

http://www.theminifo...showtopic=64891

Charlie

Edited by charliedurrant, 01 December 2011 - 10:05 AM.

[mike.]

I did this with mine, PVC loom tape and then conduit over the top to make it neat:

Tape:



Then conduit:





However I then had a bad wiring problem so it all had to some off again. When I took the conduit off, some of the loom was wet/damp in places - I'm guessing it was condensation building up inside the conduit, so i'm not using that stuff again.

I've fixed the wiring now and an planning on wrapping the loom up into a tight bunch with insulation tape - Not all the way along just every 4-6" to hold it tight together, then i've got black spiral wrap to put over the top. I'm going to try and wrap the spiral wrap round in a way where it covers as much of the wire as possible.

This way i'm hoping you won't see the wires themselves, just the spiral wrap.

Then its easy to take off if the loom needs work and condensation won't be a problem.

The lower half of the loom down by the grill i'll wrap in loom tape again before the spiral wrap just to protect it a bit more.

There was a photo of a really nice engine bay posted up not long ago, i'll try and find it.

[KJM]

thanks for the replies so far; i am edging toward the fabric stuff, if it ends up looking messy in the future then i can always redo it I guess! I was thinking of that conduit stuff as we have got some at work I could use but I forgot to put it in the poll! But after you saying about condensation I may avoid it - we also have some of the spiralux stuff but I think I'll give the tape a go first.

Cheers!