Wiring Harnesses

[delatbabel]

I've had a persistent starting and engine stalling problem over the last few months and this time I've tracked it down to some corroded wiring in the engine wiring harness. The corrosion around the joints inside the relay box in particular is causing a few things to happen, in particular cutting the power to the fuel stop solenoid (which shuts the engine down) and also to the starter motor solenoid (which makes it impossible to start).

After replacing a few tens of cm of corroded untinned copper wire inside the harness last night with heavier gauge tinned wire, which improved starting no end, I'm going to start replacing large parts of the rest of it. My one concern is that most of the harness wiring runs are inside these yellow metallic heat-proof shields (which I also assume act as somewhat of a faraday cage for the wiring inside them). Has anyone seen anything similar and would know where I'd get replacements?

I can buy the full harness for the engine complete with the heatproof sheath from Peugeot (the engine being a Vetus which is a marinised Pug) but it's the original harness from the P.409 Pug engine which is obviously not the marinised version, and I'd be getting more untinned cable which would just corrode some more inside the marine environment, so I'd rather replace the wiring myself and apply the heatproof sheath later.

[redbopeep]

Someone with more direct experience with your engine may happen along, but you might be happy to re-wire with tinned cable and go to a good (automotive) performance shop to purchase heatproof sheathing. We happened to have a bit of such sheathing from an automotive project and used it nicely on some things in the engine compartment of our boat as well. These folks http://vichubbard.com/auto-parts/heat-sound-insulation/ might have what you want. Further, we've used products from this company for the boat http://www.heatshieldproducts.com/th...ire_jacket.php as well as this company for cars http://cableorganizer.com/thermo-flex/

Best of luck

[MMNETSEA]

Hello Del,

Quote :- "yellow metallic heat-proof shields" when you say metallic - do you mean metal or are these "woven yellow braid heat proof sleeves" ?

No problem finding them in a good electronics shop. Here is an Australian outfit 'Jaycar'who have Vidaflex Fibreglass Sleeving CLICK

When you load the URL you will get an error message - ignore and complete the Browse Product box as follows :-

Suggest running wire that is carrying any high loads separate to the lighter carriers

Richard

[delatbabel]

Originally Posted by MMNETSEA

Hello Del,

Quote :- "yellow metallic heat-proof shields" when you say metallic - do you mean metal or are these "woven yellow braid heat proof sleeves" ?

No, they are definitely metal. They appear to be a 2-3 layer thing with a woven fibre core, perhaps a rubber or silicone sheath inside of that, and a metal braid around the outside. I'm trying to figure out whether the metal braid is aluminium or steel or some other composite or alloy, it's quite difficult to cut and my small electronics-grade sidecutters are getting a serious work-out. The fact that it's yellow is simply because Vetus paint everything on and around their engines the same canary-yellow colour.

(Although I prefer to call it "f**k-off yellow").

The Jaycar ones might do in a pinch, and it might be OK with maybe 2 layers of that. One of the cables runs out of the relay box at the back of the engine (below the salt water pump on the back of the heat exchanger and directly above and forward of the gearbox), and then tucked in tight to the back of the engine block itself, around the block on the port side and from there to the alternator, starter motor solenoid, and the glow plugs -- so it must get reasonably hot on the outside with the engine running. I imagine that loom tube would just burst into flames.

I have found that I can purchase a full wiring harness complete with the sheath from Vetus, but that leaves me with the same untinned copper wiring that is currently corroding away down there. They won't sell me just the braid.

[MMNETSEA]

Del,

Would the metal braid that is in antenna coax be similar ?

Richard

[Coyote]

I don't have a good picture in my head of the hardware, so I am probably speaking nonsense here, but...

Is there a particular reason you can't run new wire inside the old heat shield?

[delatbabel]

Originally Posted by Coyote

I don't have a good picture in my head of the hardware, so I am probably speaking nonsense here, but...

Is there a particular reason you can't run new wire inside the old heat shield?

It's a very tight fit. The entire thing appears to have been manufactured as a single unit with the heatshield pre-applied to the wiring and then the whole lot put into place. That appears to be the case with most automotive wiring harnesses, you buy a whole new harness with the shield already attached.

Originally Posted by MMNETSEA

Del,

Would the metal braid that is in antenna coax be similar ?

Richard

Almost certainly, but much smaller.

[redbopeep]

You're unlikely to find something that is a perfect and tight fit as the automotive wiring harness you have is. You also likely don't need that anyway. Take a look at what is available for high heat applications and go for it.

Did you look at the sites I linked to above? Specifically, the Cable Organizer site has a wide range of products--many of which should do exactly what you're looking for--

http://cableorganizer.com/high-temperature-insulation/

If it's not on the above page???? then...

[delatbabel]

Originally Posted by redbopeep

You're unlikely to find something that is a perfect and tight fit as the automotive wiring harness you have is. You also likely don't need that anyway. Take a look at what is available for high heat applications and go for it.

Did you look at the sites I linked to above? Specifically, the Cable Organizer site has a wide range of products--many of which should do exactly what you're looking for--

http://cableorganizer.com/high-temperature-insulation/

If it's not on the above page???? then...

Yeah, I did and those sites look good. I'm trying to find something closer to home but if not then I'll be mail ordering from the USA. I'm going to hit up some of the specialist automotive shops in my area over the weekend.

[redbopeep]

Originally Posted by delatbabel

Yeah, I did and those sites look good. I'm trying to find something closer to home but if not then I'll be mail ordering from the USA. I'm going to hit up some of the specialist automotive shops in my area over the weekend.

Pick something that you like online from the USA, print it out, go to an auto performance shop--show them the info and they're likely to have it with another brand, etc.

Good luck.

[Yttrill]

Email ordered AIRMAR PB300 from USA on Monday, and Garmin Radar and 5012 plotter in the dealer showroom in Brisbane the same day: unit had to be shipped from Sydney. Package from USA arrived and went thru customs courtesy of the courier and I got it on Thursday. The shipment from Sydney didn't arrive until Friday.. [The BP300 cost me about $A1200, Furuno sells the same unit rebadged here for $A3500] When the Yanks say "Shipped the same day on overnight courier" they really mean it!