I'm about to rewire the ENTIRE car and im not looking forward too it. The car has spent long years out in the sun, looks like junkyards and has had 7 previous retarded owners fighting and mutilating it the whole time and im not gunna take it anymore.

I find stupid stupid things like GM light sockets were they must have broken the original put on a GM one and cut open the turn signal housing. I mean.. Common...

ANYWAYZ... I never want to hear, see, smell, touch this wiring again so i would like to do it right the first time. I also hate how brittle and cracked up the original wiring is so im trying to find a better material to wrap my wires in.

http://www.autronic.com/page_files/silicon_tape.htm

Self bonding silicon tape? It has no adhesive so it wouldn't live that sticky crap all over the wires but how hard is it to work with while your doing it?

Can anyone give me some better ideas? I definatly plan on putting heat insulation on all the wires firewall on up but what brand should i go with?

 

looks like that tape would work good...

 

I need to get me some.

Check out some demonstrations here:
http://www.indumar.com/ftslideshow.htm
http://www.indumar.com/fusiontape.htm

You can also get it at McMaster-Carr:

http://www.mcmaster.com - search "self fusing tape"
(sorry, due to the unique setup of the website, I can't directly link)

 

I used some stuff like that in the past I think it was from 3M and I got it at Autozone.
It worked just as advertised, I like it.
Only thing I'd be worried about is the temperature rating, I didn't see it on the page you linked to.
I think the stuff I had was rated up to 105 celsius, not enough for me to consider using it for wrapping the wire harnes.

 

Great stuff, I have not used that brand but the stuff I use is rated to 500F. I'd guess that brand is simular.

 

edit: beat me to it

 

I used Summit Racing's Xtreme Tape. PR stuff: It withstands temperatures from -60 to 500 degrees F, insulates to 8,000 V, and has a tensile strength of 600 psi.

 

i've used something similar in high heat application (under hood) and to date have had a very good result. the tape has been on for about 6-8 months and has not gotten brittle and from what i hear its a great for heat protection. i get it locally at Advanced Auto Parts.

 

I wrapped a bunch of the engine harness with it when I went non-seq. Goes on relatively easy and stays put. Just make sure things are clean first and it sticks better - does not play well with dirt or grease. Only one summer of hard driving on it but no issues (melting/cracking). I got mine at Home Depot, in the electrical section I think, cheap and available.

 

i wrapped most of the engine bay wiring when i did the fd last year.

works well to insulate the intercooler piping too.

 

Another vote for this tape. I got mine from McMaster-Carr. Also works great for insulating things in the car that bump against each other and shouldn't (like random AC tubes, exhaust hangers, etc.)

Dave

 

I could have used this stuff on more than one occasion in the past. I need to get some and just keep it on hand. Good to hear that Home Depot carries a version. Hope the heat rating is as good as the others.

 

i use that tape for all sorts of ****

 

The stuff from Home Depot is rated at 500 degress F. I was going to do a write up on it when I got around to it. We used something very simular in the Millitary on jets. I know it was a little thicker that the stuff I got at HD. I found mine where you'll find the plumbing solder for pipe fitting. I looked in other places in the store and couldn't find it any where else. I know it comes in black or clear. I had to buy some of both, because the black was out. I remember it costing about $5.35 and you get about 12ft. or so not much and it doesn't go far. I know I used 4 rolls. It is a little hard to work with and it works on the princeable of sticking to its self. The clear plastic covering is ment to keep the contact side flesh and clean. It does require the finishing end to be tied, zip tied, etc. for best results. (oil, petrollium fluids will loosen on tied ends) It does stretch, but don't go overboard. Of course because its silicone it doesn't hold up to chaffing or sharp edges, rubbing against smooth surfaces is ok.

 

here's a few suppliers. it's cheap.

http://www.epsi.com/Products/Tape_Ma...c4b861b40dfa8#
just search around for the color and size you want.

and another supplier:
http://www.atomictape.com/atomic_tape_fact_sheet.htm

and what the hell... if you need heat shrink:

http://www.nelcoproducts.com/shoppin...gid+Polyolefin
np-300 is excellent for automotive stuff. it has an adhesive that squirts out when it shrinks. air tight, very durable, resists any chemical that's found in an engine bay. and it's cheap when you buy the 4 foot sections. i usually do ~$80-100 orders once or twice a year.

 

Another positive vote for silicone tape. Just FYI, in order for silicone tape to adhere (and also FYI, it doesn't work on "the principle of sticking to itself"-- it will adhere to most any clean, dry surface, as well as itself), it needs to be stretched during application. It doesn't need much; it's pretty simple to tell when you're going too far (it fails to adhere, then snaps in half). In situations where you cannot tie itself off, it's best to stretch it at the end until it snaps off, then seal that end with a high-temp adhesive tape. I'd be wary of using zip-ties unless they're the black plastic (ABS) type; I've seen the colored and white zip-ties fail after several months of exposure to heat and petroleum-based fluids.

I learned about this stuff back in the 80s when I worked in cable splicing of high voltage lines for the local power utility, where it was part of the process. Excellent stuff.

 

Great stuff. I just finished my main engine harness and am proceeding to do all the other harnesses in the engine bay while its out. Best price I found was for 12 yd length, 0.040 thick, by 1" wide at McMaster Carr. It is shaped with a taper going to each edge to produce an even 50% overlap and has a center stripe that acts as a guide for wrapping. The stuff I found at local stores was crap and very expensive. The quality wrap will form a watertight bond and is good up to 500 degrees.

I wound up going through quite a few rolls and it was getting a little spendy. I decided to check ebay and low and behold there was a deal on a batch of surplused tape - 18 rolls of the 12 yd, 0.040 x 1.0" for $36.00. I snagged that right away. It would have cost almost $300 retail. Gave a few rolls to friends to try out and have enough to probably do the entire car if I choose to. No more sticky electrical tape for me. No more cracked brittle wiring. Couldnt be any easier to use. I wont use anything else now that Ive used silicone wrap.
Chuck