Cleaning factory harness grime?

[fl0w3n]

Stripping down and cleaning / thinning out a 30+ year old engine harness

What’s my best bet for cleaning out sticky gunk and not wrecking an already aged harness? Looks like factory or someone used duct tape in a few spots below the electrical tape / loom and it’s a mess. Plus the regular grime.

Might as well ask for suggestions on brand for new fabric tape and plastic loom? This is a low Buck rebuild but I’m not gonna purposely gunk it back up if I can help it.

 

[CarterKraft]

Good question everything I use seems to remove number markings and or wire colors.

 

[fl0w3n]

That’s what I’m trying to avoid, but figured any chemical option heavy enough to cut the gunk might risk the jacketing.

I’ve seen good ol dish soap and a hose but my question would then be how to i properly dry it out

 

[Bebop]

Dish soap is great
Dry it with compressed air
Loom back with Tesa tape

 

[CarterKraft]

That’s what I’m trying to avoid, but figured any chemical option heavy enough to cut the gunk might risk the jacketing.

I’ve seen good ol dish soap and a hose but my question would then be how to i properly dry it out

Really a soak in dawn might be the best low buck solution.

 

[fl0w3n]

Dish soap is great
Dry it with compressed air
Loom back with Tesa tape

Which part # for engine bay application, 51036? And do you use the split loom when you’re building yours?

 

[Bebop]

Which part # for engine bay application, 51036? And do you use the split loom when you’re building yours?

Sure, that'll do the trick.

I use non-split techflex or DR.
I never use split loom.

 

[Projectjunkie]

Idk about markings, but white creamy hand cleaner is my magic cleaner for just about anything, rub it on and let it sit 10 minutes and wash it off

Found out flipping cars years ago, smear it on black plastic rubber or tires, 10 min later spray nozzle it off

Clean grease and oil out of dirty clothes, before washing
Even use it on the oven hood to get the bacon mist spatter off, your wife will think you're a wizard

 

[fl0w3n]

Wound up hooking the hose up to the washer hot water and using dawn. Got it good enough to handle for what I’m doing.

Tangled the harness up good though lol took a while to get it sorted back out.

 

[thatbus]

Like others said with the dish soap; I'll use that and some nice hot water on old bus harnesses. Works well. Electrical contact cleaner and isopropyl alcohol can also help with sticky shit, without damaging the underlying wiring/connectors.

 

[Weasel]

I've used the tub of towel hand wipes before with decent luck on small section.