Cleaning a Wiring Harness

[Coolerman]

OK, this thread is going to be about cleaning up a wiring harness from a DIRT point of view. Post up what you have tried whether it worked or not. We learn from our failures and the sharing of that failure.

I am researching the fastest/ to clean up a harness before I start repairing it. I searched here,and all over the net and was surprised to find little information about this.

The harness has PVC coated wire, nylon connectors with brass pins, and some vinyl covered connectors. These will withstand a lot of chemicals so I'm not too worried about damaging the harness from brief exposures to certain things.

What I tried last night was to put a test section of greasy harness in the dishwasher princess: will never know... she was at work... ) I set the temp at normal with NO heated drying. I did not want the tape adhesive to melt in the dishwasher.

I'm sorry I did not take any pics of it, but believe me, the harness was caked with dirt and grease that was hard as a rock. I let it run full cycle and then removed it and placed it in the clothes dryer to remove any of the water that may have wicked up the wires. I placed the harness on a tennis shoe drying rack in the dryer not the tumbling drum... 40 minutes in the dryer and it was completely dry even under the tape.

Results? Well it took off maybe 80% of the caked on grease and all of just the dirt. It did nothing to clean the connectors but I did not expect it to. Was it worth it? Yes I believe so. Much nicer to handle a harness that is almost clean. Since I will be un taping it anyway the rest of the dirt will go with the tape.

So... MUD wants to know what else has been tried.

 

[antFJ]

what I did

coolerman.. what I ended up doing with my harness was take it apart foot by foot clean and re-tape. I laid it out in the lawn like it would be laid in the truck and went to work.

mine wasn't as dirty as yours sounds but it definitely had some grease on the connectors and between the wires.

I used the CRC electrical cleaner or something equivalent i can't remember and a solid roll of paper towels. I took my time cleaning each connector with a scraper tool/flat head screwdriver. The electrical cleaner worked realllly well in getting the grease off and it dries really fast leaving a good clean surface for the electrical tape to stick to. the grommets were still good so i just left them.

here are some pics

 

[3doghouse]

• What I tried last night was to put a test section of greasy harness in the dishwasher...
• I placed the harness on a tennis shoe drying rack in the dryer...

Clearly, your pimp hand is strong!

I had good luck with simple green and paper towels, but mine wasn't too greasy.

For what it's worth I wouldn't think less of you for deleting this thread now in case has spies watching your moves.

Don't want you in the headlines - "Coolerman found hanging from tree by wiring harness..."

 

[Coolerman]

Well wouldn't be the first time the and I have had a difference of opinion concerning cleaning parts of the Cruiser. I was sand blasting one day a couple of years back and she had just hung some 'delicates' out on the laundry line just around the corner... She still rants about the "Day I destroyed her laundry... "

I know at heart that the only way to really clean a harness is one connector at a time and to wipe each wire with Goo Gone or thinner to cut the adhesive off them. I'm just hoping someone has discovered a more efficient method.

I'm considering the following:

Soda blasting?

Would be gentle and would reach into the nooks and crannies of the connectors. Also EastWood has a kit to convert the pot blaster I have to a soda blaster and soda is cheap and eco friendly...

Dry Ice blasting?

Same thing and would also leave no mess to clean up. A lot more difficult to set up a system.

Small scale pressure washing with water/cleaner?

Would have to be very carful not to inject water under the skin...

All thoughts are welcome...

 

[thecrazygreek]

I have done some Soda blasting on the connectors. Worked great. I used a HF setup and converted to Soda. Did it a while back on my 76 resto.

I first tried sand blasting a switch.... ooops! It was clean, but the sand was impossible to remove... Thats when I went soda... Blasted all switches and connectors. Not much on the actual wires, they didnt seem to need a blast treatment.

When your done soda blasting you will need to rinse with water, then dry completly.

Oh, and go light on the PSI...

 

[Coolerman]

I have done some Soda blasting on the connectors. Worked great. I used a HF setup and converted to Soda. Did it a while back on my 76 resto.

I first tried sand blasting a switch.... ooops! It was clean, but the sand was impossible to remove... That's when I went soda... Blasted all switches and connectors. Not much on the actual wires, they didn't seem to need a blast treatment.

When your done soda blasting you will need to rinse with water, then dry completely.

Oh, and go light on the PSI...

You happen to have a couple of pics of the end result of blasting the nylon connectors? How did it do on the brass pins?

I believe soda will be the best way to clean deep into the connectors with no ill side effects.

So what PSI did you end up with? I also have the HF pot blaster...

 

[Coolerman]

coolerman.. what I ended up doing with my harness was take it apart foot by foot clean and re-tape. I laid it out in the lawn like it would be laid in the truck and went to work.

mine wasn't as dirty as yours sounds but it definitely had some grease on the connectors and between the wires.

I used the CRC electrical cleaner or something equivalent i can't remember and a solid roll of paper towels. I took my time cleaning each connector with a scraper tool/flat head screwdriver. The electrical cleaner worked really well in getting the grease off and it dries really fast leaving a good clean surface for the electrical tape to stick to. the grommets were still good so i just left them.

here are some pics

Your work paid off. That harness looks great!

I laid mine out on a board as I am adding several circuits to the harness: Headlight relay upgrade, door switches to turn on dome light, gauge wiring including tach, FJ60 ignition upgrade, moving the alt/regulator to the passenger side, under hood light, tool box light, power outlet wiring. Taking a bit longer than I thought to puzzle it all out.

 

[Coolerman]

OK so I'm a post whore on my own thread, but here is an interesting gizmo HF started selling that is cheaper then the retro fit kit that eastwood sells. - Harbor Freight Tools - 15lb Soda blaster Kit

Complete kit for $99 is not bad at all. Add a hand trigger to the end and it's complete.

 

[Blue77FJ40]

I don't know what soda blasting is, but I'd go with the simple green approach. Spray bottle and toothbrush/small paintbrush/chipbrush and work it, spraying with water when done to wash off simple green. Then to speed drying, you could use your air compressor/gun. If housings are particularly greasy, you could give them a few shots of brake cleaner w/brush action before the simple green application.

Ed.: Oh, *baking* soda. That's cool. I'd still go with the above.

 

[Icantdive55]

Some good ideas here I'll try a few when I get that far on my project. I bought a painless but have almost decided to renew the old harness. I was thinking of hanging the harness so that the connectors were inside a vibatory brass polisher and let the media do the work. Either aluminum oxide, walnet shell, soda, or corn cob. Probably start with corn cob and work my way back to the alm. oxide if it's necessary.

After wrapping the harness with QUALITY electrical tape has anyone tried painting the tape with clear PVC cement. I very savy auto wizzard once told me if you do that it will never come loose on the end and start to unravel. I did it on some trailer lights once and it worked well but there isn't much heat under a boat trailer.

Rod

 

[IDave]

I've found lacquer thinner works real well to get gum and old overspray paint off and leaves the wire insulator nice and new looking.

 

[D'Animal]

Have you thought about an ultra sound cleaner?

 

[fj hunter]

no offense ...

but i used carborator cleaner. and the whole harness was dis-assembled prior. i found so many wires that were bad that i replaced the whole thing. every wire.

then i cleaned the old wire harness with a recip saw and sold it for weight.

I do understand the need to know how to clean these up, but the wire is compomised after 35 years and it might as well be a straight open due to high line resistance.

wow. have fun.

 

[71cruiser71]

carb cleaner

anytime i was do work on a harness i just used carb cleaner and a rag. works fantastic. get a little tooth brush for the connectors? i use carb cleaner for a lot of things and stock up on it when its on sale

 

[Coolerman]

I do understand the need to know how to clean these up, but the wire is compomised after 35 years and it might as well be a straight open due to high line resistance.

wow. have fun.

Depends on how the truck was maintained.

My 38 year old cowl/engine harness is in great shape but the rear taillight harness is toast. That whole thing will be replaced with all new wires and connectors.

I was originally concerned about 'high resistance' in the harness but many measurements with my 'zeroed' Fluke meter have shown no degradation of electrical conductivity. Not saying it can't happen but my harness is good to go.

The brass connector terminals of course have some corrosion and need to be cleaned up. That's why I was asking about soda blasting. I was not relishing the thought of cleaning 250 terminals with a Dremel tool.

Ultrasonics might work but I don't know if that process would actually cut through tarnish? Probably would if the proper cleaner was used...HF has a small Ultrasonic cleaner... Anyone have experience with this cleaning method? I know jewelry stores use it to clean stuff.

There are some spray on contact cleaners that will cut through the oxidization on the terminals and not harm the nylon. Best bet might be to clean with soda then spray with contact cleaner.

 

[enyaw]

Ultrasonics might work but I don't know if that process would actually cut through tarnish? Probably would if the proper cleaner was used...HF has a small Ultrasonic cleaner... Anyone have experience with this cleaning method? I know jewelry stores use it to clean stuff. .

I use an ultrasonic cleaner w/a vinegar and water mixture to clean the corrosion off the parts of my SCUBA regulator when I rebuild it. But honestly the Dremal tool might be less of a hassle.

 

[tmarx]

Unwrap, soak it with WD 40 and leave it for a while , wipe/toothbrush with Acetone and re-wrap using high quality Amalgamation tape, insulation tape and "crackly/flexy pipe" to round it off.

 

[KY Longhunter]

subscribed. Reviving old thread.

 

[KY Longhunter]

Coolerman

Your link to Wiring Store doesn't work anymore.

Untitled Document

Are you not doing this anymore?

 

[77TPIFJ]

I think he was out for a while
https://forum.ih8mud.com/merchandise-storefront/501143-coolerman-closing-shop-while.html