Mediamab Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 I’ve noticed some wires in my engine bay have been affected by the heat. A few damaged wires and a few where it’s just affected the outer casing. To ensure safety for current wires and future what do you all advise to wrap them in? Hoping will also tidy things up a bit too. Obviously goes without saying keep wires away from manifolds is key as well which I’ve already done. Including 3 wires laying on the exhaust silencer?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightpot Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 I normally use split corrugated conduit with ample cable ties to hold it away from bits that will make it melty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreePointFive Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 I've done the above with some high temp sleeving from Merlin Motorsport for bigger cables or those going over the hot components. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediamab Posted January 18 Author Share Posted January 18 Yeah previously I used the split conduit on my TD5 but just wandered if that’s enough. I’ll look up the high temp sleeping as that sounds good for risky areas. Is the fabric braided sleeping pretty good? Mainly ask as know a lot of modern cars use it… Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 Wire insulation is good to 105C normally, so really it should be fine with mostly just abrasian mitigations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 Split conduit provides protection from rubbing etc. and makes things nice and neat but it will not provide any protection from heat. If you can’t route the wires away from hot stuff then the heat resistant fabric sleeping would be my choice, as used on factory LR engine looms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediamab Posted January 18 Author Share Posted January 18 Yeah to be honest the wires that are damaged I’m assuming were just left is a rather stupid position. Just thinking some protection would be good where things run near the headers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediamab Posted January 18 Author Share Posted January 18 2 minutes ago, Retroanaconda said: Split conduit provides protection from rubbing etc. and makes things nice and neat but it will not provide any protection from heat. If you can’t route the wires away from hot stuff then the heat resistant fabric sleeping would be my choice, as used on factory LR engine looms. I guess something like this product though I assume there’s a split version to make it easier ha https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185294794459?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=GKaFuNVBRSC&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=9FsqrjJWROa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Reflecting heat makes a massive difference, foil-backed glass fibre sleeving is cheap on eBay now, you can get it in various diameters including with a split with velcro down it so you can add it to existing wires. The motorsport / aerospace stuff is very nice but gets expensive quickly and is likely overkill. Just putting something white or silver between the source of heat (usually the exhaust/manifold) and the wires will make a big difference. A piece of aluminium tube or angle around or in front of the wires would work, I also used a short offcut of stainless braided brake hose to protect my starter wire as it drops down past the manifolds, it slipped perfectly over it. As others said, putting black trunking/sleeving over something will only knock it down a bit as the black will absorb heat & soak it up rather than reflect it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediamab Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 That all makes perfect sense and is super useful @FridgeFreezer. Think im just going to go through all the electrics - tidy up the odd rats nests and ensure every wire has some protection as currently just wires loose everywhere. Since the eBay stuffs cheap may as well use everywhere and do the extra for anything near manifolds as think I have the same as you happening re starter and wire isnt looking too happy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 In all honesty on a carbed series v8 you shouldnt really have wires anywhere near an exhaust manifold, should you? Best protection is just to move them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediamab Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 Totally agree there - obviously those who worked on my truck previously had no understand of the temperature they get haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Just found a pic of the starter wire: And the sleeved bundle on the other side: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul C Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 I made my own engine loom so got heat sleeving from vehiclewiringproducts.co.uk when I bought the wire so have used that where I thought it may need it. I fitted it before crimping the terminals so I used tubing just larger than the wire rather than having to slip it over the terminals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediamab Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 Now thats what I need to aim for with all my electrics Im debating actually stripping everything out and starting again to do it right - I love a challenge ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallfry Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 After 20 to 30 years, the PVC insulation will have degraded and become brittle with the heat. When you bend it , it might crack, so doing it all again might be a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 On 1/19/2024 at 2:56 PM, Mediamab said: Im debating actually stripping everything out and starting again to do it right - I love a challenge ha TBH rewiring a standard Defender is one of the easiest rewiring jobs going - and you can incorporate some future-proofing and upgrades at the same time. VWP sell all the right colours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediamab Posted January 21 Author Share Posted January 21 Yeah it’s something I’ve been considering as I also have a massive of earths connected to the bulkhead and also odd ones on the engine like one on the exhaust manifold!? As you say definitely helps setup for the future! Who’s VWP though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul C Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 Www.Vehiclewiringproducts.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 1 hour ago, Mediamab said: exhaust manifold!? They shouldn't be any wires attached to the exhaust manifold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediamab Posted January 21 Author Share Posted January 21 2 hours ago, Bowie69 said: They shouldn't be any wires attached to the exhaust manifold. Ow yes I very much agree there too but someone before me didn’t ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 7 minutes ago, Mediamab said: Ow yes I very much agree there too but someone before me didn’t ha 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul C Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 (edited) Actually I believe from the factory they had an earth connected to a special bolt on the exhaust manifold. #9 in the parts diagram. I have also found it on my early Rangerovers Edited January 21 by Paul C Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mediamab Posted January 21 Author Share Posted January 21 50 minutes ago, Paul C said: Actually I believe from the factory they had an earth connected to a special bolt on the exhaust manifold. #9 in the parts diagram. I have also found it on my early Rangerovers Having a quick google it looks like this bolt is for a heat shield over the starter? Which mine certainly doesn’t ha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 21 Share Posted January 21 6 minutes ago, Mediamab said: Having a quick google it looks like this bolt is for a heat shield over the starter? Which mine certainly doesn’t ha Yep, that's what I thought it was for too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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