I acquired a car that had a remote oil filter that has apparently had leaking lines for quite a while. This has seemingly caused a vapor of oil to coat and get into the wires on the engine wiring harness. The oil leak has been fixed.
Will the oily wires cause a problem? Can I hose the harness in and out with electrical contact cleaner or something to get it off / out? There is no problem right now but when I think about what some petroleum products do to rubber and plastic...
[This message has been edited by 2.5 (edited 10-18-2016).]
I would wipe off excess. Residual oil will be more of a protection value. Rubber is what oil is good for deteriorating. At best, ensure no oil has pooled anywhere that it might promote fire.
Bad for rubber and tape. The wiring coating should be ok. If you can clean out the oil, use brake cleaner to remove the remaining... IF, you can dry it out. Test a wire first, to make sure the cleaner won't react to coating on wire.
if it isn't hurting anything I would leave it at this point. I had a harness soaked in oil on my Aztek for a decade. The oil filter was right above the wiring harness. The tape came off the harness, but otherwise, it was fine. If there is no chance for a fire....and you don't care how it looks... leaving it is valid.
Originally posted by jaskispyder: if it isn't hurting anything I would leave it at this point. I had a harness soaked in oil on my Aztek for a decade. The oil filter was right above the wiring harness. The tape came off the harness, but otherwise, it was fine. If there is no chance for a fire....and you don't care how it looks... leaving it is valid.
Originally posted by jaskispyder: Bad for rubber and tape. The wiring coating should be ok. If you can clean out the oil, use brake cleaner to remove the remaining... IF, you can dry it out. Test a wire first, to make sure the cleaner won't react to coating on wire.
Engine Oil attacks many types of plastics too. Oil doesn't just lube the engine and has other things in it. Wiring Insulation is often one but most cases, damage done Won't overnight. Insulation can get very hard and brittle and crack or break leaving conductor expose water etc. If a wire doesn't short directly, "Water" can soft short and cause headaches. Soft shorts won't blow fuses/links but can carry current to drain the battery or cause sensor errors etc and make ECM/PCM go nuts.
Clean as well as possible but many plastics will be very hard to clean completely. May feel clean to you but most are oil based and keep a thin film after. Strong solvents can damage plastics too... Carb and many Brake cleaners are a few examples. EFI cleaner is make to protect plastic in many FI systems.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
Clean as well as possible but many plastics will be very hard to clean completely. May feel clean to you but most are oil based and keep a thin film after. Strong solvents can damage plastics too... Carb and many Brake cleaners are a few examples. EFI cleaner is make to protect plastic in many FI systems.
That's what I was thinking , what cleaner would be safe and also clean up excessive oil. I thought maybe CRC electrical contact cleaner. I was hoping for something I could just hose it down with, in and out of the looms and let it drain out and air dry. If there is any risk of doing more damage than good I will not.
That's what I was thinking , what cleaner would be safe and also clean up excessive oil. I thought maybe CRC electrical contact cleaner. I was hoping for something I could just hose it down with, in and out of the looms and let it drain out and air dry. If there is any risk of doing more damage than good I will not.
I would keep water away from actual components and sensors. Especially the alternator. But with the vents our cars have, it's silly to assume it never gets wet anyway. I would use water with dawn, or Purple Power, and then hit it with compressed air to speed up the drying process. Any minimal residual water at that point should evaporate on it's own or with the help of a hot engine compartment later on. I have pressure washed engines (carefully, with a cover over the alternator and distributor) at DIY car washes, without ill effect.
[This message has been edited by viperine (edited 10-19-2016).]
Really it just looks shiny.
