What to wrap wiring conduit with?

[stangman16]

The only wiring conduit my parts store had was red, in the size that I needed, and I want it all to be black. I remember long ago reading that you should not use black electrical tape in the engine bay and with good reason due to the high heat. What can I wrap this conduit with that will be black and help keep water out? This is for the main EFI wires that run along the firewall and for the distributor & coil wiring as well.

I'm sure the conduit will do a good job but I want to wrap it anyhow to be 100% sure of keeping bugs and water out.

Any suggestions?

 

[iskwezm]

i dont know where you read you cant use eclectrical tape, but its find under hood.Just get a good brand so it doesnt get all gummy if you remove it.

 

[danny clemens]

I've saw a lot of the conduit wrapped with black electrical tape underhood. It should be OK unless you let it touch something real hot like an exhaust manifold or header. I would think that the black conduit wouldn't be too hard to find.

 

[stangman16]

Cool beans, thanks - I'll just use electrical tape, it won't be touching any exhaust - but it will be laying between the upper & lower intake and possibly touching the d/s valve cover.

 

[mikethebike]

i dont know where you read you cant use eclectrical tape, but its find under hood.Just get a good brand so it doesnt get all gummy if you remove it.

ALL...and I mean ALL tape with glue on it will go gummy when you put the heat to it. I think you can buy the plastic wire loom wrap from GRAYBAR electric supply. Why not buy the convoluted tubing? It was availiable years ago in a kit with moiunting brackets, couplers and bridge fittings.

 

[66Runt]

Wire wrap tape is very different from electrical tape. I'd suggest picking up the correct stuff. Once you get the wires gummy, it's a pain in the arse to get it clean again.

 

[iskwezm]

ALL...and I mean ALL tape with glue on it will go gummy when you put the heat to it.

not true.I had a roll i got from Eastwood, that after about 6 months, did not leave the adhesive.

 

[GNGREN]

You need the non-sticky electrical tape. It is what is on most newer wire looms that I have seen. I got mine from one of my local electrical supply houses, but I am sure they have it at auto parts stores also.

 

[mikethebike]

not true.I had a roll i got from Eastwood, that after about 6 months, did not leave the adhesive.

Give it time...it will get messy.

If you look in the Aerostitch motorcycle catalog they have wire-wrap that was designed for the military, it adheares to itself with no glue and is good to 500 degrees-F. 10.5 feet cost about $5.

 

[BarnStang]

Oh yea, haven't seen that stuff for years. We used that to wrap antenna connectors on shipboard weatherdecks. It streatches a lot. Wraps great, but we coverd it with two layers of regular electrical tape, then a coat of goop I can't remember what it was called. Dried to a flexible seal. Had to cut the whole mess off with a box cutting knife if it needed service later on. Not sure you would want to wrap a wire harnes with it. It would work though. THe stuff we used had a stripe down the center so you could overlap 50% accuratly.

http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/X-Treme-Tape-p-17064.html

 

[j69302]

Use that stuff all the time at work but we get it from mcmaster car.

I also got some rubber splice tape from home depot which is pretty nice too, doesnt stretch as much or as easily as the silicon stuff but its a lot tougher(strength wise, im sure the silicon stuff will handle chemicals better).

You can't really unpeel either though, you'll have to slice it length wise then peel it away.

 

[mikethebike]

Oh yea, haven't seen that stuff for years. We used that to wrap antenna connectors on shipboard weatherdecks. It streatches a lot. Wraps great, but we coverd it with two layers of regular electrical tape, then a coat of goop I can't remember what it was called. Dried to a flexible seal. Had to cut the whole mess off with a box cutting knife if it needed service later on. Not sure you would want to wrap a wire harnes with it. It would work though. THe stuff we used had a stripe down the center so you could overlap 50% accuratly.

http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/X-Treme-Tape-p-17064.html

I'm assuming from your bio (I can't fix anything) that you were an ICFA at one time. True? BTDT one. Road DE-1068 in '72. Repaired the HD-HE underway at night while following a Russian cruiser. Look for USS Vreeland DE-1068 cat and mouse games 1972. I was on the gig taking pictures of the Commie Cruiser. Fun times.

 

[BarnStang]

No, ET surface. Satcomm tech. I never made the ICFA connection...have to change that Vreeland Wow. I was the last person off the USS Stark FFG-31-transfered 2 weeks prior. Man, gotta love spec ops.
I just finished wrapping one of my harnesses up with electrical tape. I would rather se something else, but the dry wrap is to hard to deal with. I am pretty meticulas. I pul it tight and overlap 50%. Cut with side cutters and wrap the end with no strain on it. Just prsss in place. It will last a 6 months to a year. Long enough. Almost all the eng compt wiring is n place. Just the Alt left.

 

[68converted]

3M products makes a high temp electrical tape called Scotch Super 33, that I have used on many cars and all of my company's trucks. It holds up to the high heat of the engine compartment. I believe it is rated up to 220 degrees. You can pick it up at Home Depot.

 

[Daves1967]

I recently used friction tape when I spliced into the existing engine harness, and was kinda impressed. It's the first time I used it, so I don't know the life span of it, or any long-term issues that might show up. It has a cotton base to it so it looks like the old cloth-wrap wires from long-long ago.