So I have recently pulled the 331 out of my 91 GT for some new bearings and to replace a freeze plug.I have also removed every wiring harness that is related to the engine management system,sensors,o2 sensor harness,etc.Some of the wiring has years of grease and road grime on them.I plan on removing all tape and plastic sheathing that still exists on the wiring.Is there a specific chemical that I can use which will remove all the grease,etc from the wiring that won't damage the insulation?Something that also is easy to use and leaves no sticky residue?After I get everything clean and dry I would also like to to clean and put dielectric grease down inside of the female connecters on every harness.Is there some special tool I can use to get down inside of those holes to scrape away any corrosion which might exist?Finally,will normal black electrical tape work fine for rewrapping all of these wiring harnesses or is there a better thing to use?I thought about using liquid tape too instead of electrical tape because it leaves a sticky residue.It might leave a sticky residue too but I don't know because I've never used it.Thanks for any help guys
Opinions On The Best Way To Clean Up And Protect Wiring
wbrockstar
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So I have recently pulled the 331 out of my 91 GT for some new bearings and to replace a freeze plug.I have also removed every wiring harness that is related to the engine management system,sensors,o2 sensor harness,etc.Some of the wiring has years of grease and road grime on them.I plan on removing all tape and plastic sheathing that still exists on the wiring.Is there a specific chemical that I can use which will remove all the grease,etc from the wiring that won't damage the insulation?Something that also is easy to use and leaves no sticky residue?After I get everything clean and dry I would also like to to clean and put dielectric grease down inside of the female connecters on every harness.Is there some special tool I can use to get down inside of those holes to scrape away any corrosion which might exist?Finally,will normal black electrical tape work fine for rewrapping all of these wiring harnesses or is there a better thing to use?I thought about using liquid tape too instead of electrical tape because it leaves a sticky residue.It might leave a sticky residue too but I don't know because I've never used it.Thanks for any help guys
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I'd like to know what others use for this also.
I use HOT water with simple green, let it sit, then rinse and let dry. Then Put tire foam on.
I just remove old black tape and apply new. I only use it on the ends of the plastic conduit. I use 3M which just so happens to be what I use at work.
I also replace the old plastic conduit with new. I get it at the harbor freight here.
I use HOT water with simple green, let it sit, then rinse and let dry. Then Put tire foam on.
I just remove old black tape and apply new. I only use it on the ends of the plastic conduit. I use 3M which just so happens to be what I use at work.
I also replace the old plastic conduit with new. I get it at the harbor freight here.
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I spray brake clean or carb cleaner on a rag, then wipe it off. Use electrical contact cleaner on the plugs, then grease them up and plug them back in.
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Alright fellas that sounds like what Il do then.Is any harm done to the insulation or the copper wire strands when grease cakes on to a wire and remains there for awhile???My o2 sensor harness and a few wires that run under the engine are the main ones that need attention but I'm gonna do them all while I've got the motor out
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191 Posts
No harm. Probably protects them a bit
I also use brake cleaner to clean the sticky crap off but instead of electrical tape I switched to F4 tape. If you're not familiar it's a tape that will only stick to itself. In the aircraft maintenance world we call it 10,000mph tape because it will even stay on during flight if its exposed yet it's very easy to remove if need be. It's really cool stuff and you don't get sticky residue. It comes in different colors too so if you want to match your engine bay color you can.
Harbor Products F4 Black Self-Fusing Silicone Tape - 1" Wide x .020" Thick x 36' Long Roll at SkyGeek.com
Harbor Products F4 Black Self-Fusing Silicone Tape - 1" Wide x .020" Thick x 36' Long Roll at SkyGeek.com
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That's not cheap! Is it reusable at least?
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And how long is a standard roll of 3m electrical tape for $3?
You can find it for $6 for two rolls but I agree that it is a bit expensive. Its reusable to a point...if its under your hood for a year you won't be able to reuse it but if it's still newish and clean it will work fine two or three times.
To be honest I just take it from work so I never really looked at the cost haha
To be honest I just take it from work so I never really looked at the cost haha
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It does sound good to not have to worry about getting sticky **** all over your hands and the wiring you just spent time cleaning.Where do you buy the stuff?Lowes Home Depot or a specialty store?
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I would just use wiring harness tape. You can get it on Amazon or at any local auto parts store really. It's the same junk they use from the factory and it works fine. It's a non-adhesive vinyl tape but adheres to itself. With it you don't have to worry about the glue getting nasty from the heat of the engine bay and the tape coming undone.
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