Justwondering
Well-Known Member
Master M -- made me smile this morning!
Remove A/C Compressor - 87 Fifth Avenue
- Thread starter Justwondering
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Justwondering
Well-Known Member
And
A visitor showed up to check out the glue trap
That would be a pack rat not dead yet so he must have showed up last night
Killing wildlife is an uncomfortable way to start your day.
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
Sometimes it's a necessary evil.
Justwondering
Well-Known Member
Red, blue, grey, white and pink wires chewed in half
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
He was supposed to cut the GREEN wire and not, I repeat NOT, the red, blue, grey, pink or white to disarm the bomb, I mean speed control.
I've always wondered what it is about wire insulation that is so appealing to rodents. They always go straight for the wire harness. Usually they find a way to chew through the harness in the most difficult spot to find and the worst possible spot to get at for repair.
Need to invent rodent repelling insulation.
I've always wondered what it is about wire insulation that is so appealing to rodents. They always go straight for the wire harness. Usually they find a way to chew through the harness in the most difficult spot to find and the worst possible spot to get at for repair.
Need to invent rodent repelling insulation.
Justwondering
Well-Known Member
Aspen500 - you are totally bizonkers... I love it.
So do I just use one of those butt-joint-splice thingys or do I solder it and heatshrink it. Does it get a fuseable link or do like the ding dong down the road - wind the wires around each other and put black electrical tape on it-- good to go
So do I just use one of those butt-joint-splice thingys or do I solder it and heatshrink it. Does it get a fuseable link or do like the ding dong down the road - wind the wires around each other and put black electrical tape on it-- good to go
kkritsilas
Well-Known Member
Use an insulated butt splice. Due to vibration, solder joints can crack, causing intermittent type problems.
Solder joints are electrical joints, not mechanical ones. Solder itself is not string, but it also is fairly brittle. In a high vibration environment, solder joints do and will fail.
Crimped connections, like butt splices, are much more tolerant of vibration (if properly crimped). To many people, it would be a surprise to find out that the crimped joint has as low an electrical resistance as a soldered joint. Crimped connections sort of "cold flow" around a wire (again, if properly made).
Solder joints are electrical joints, not mechanical ones. Solder itself is not string, but it also is fairly brittle. In a high vibration environment, solder joints do and will fail.
Crimped connections, like butt splices, are much more tolerant of vibration (if properly crimped). To many people, it would be a surprise to find out that the crimped joint has as low an electrical resistance as a soldered joint. Crimped connections sort of "cold flow" around a wire (again, if properly made).
Aspen500
Well-Known Member
Get the heat shrink butt splice (that sounds wrong somehow....) ones. They're a bit pricey but worth it. The sizes are color coded. Usually small to big goes pink, blue, yellow. Pink is 18-22 gauge and I think that's the size you'll need.
kkritsilas, when I was an Audi tech, that was the only authorized way to splice a wire, using heat shrink butt splices. They absolutely did not allow soldering, for the exact same reasons you mentioned.
Bizonkers? OK, we'll go with that
These are what you need:
kkritsilas, when I was an Audi tech, that was the only authorized way to splice a wire, using heat shrink butt splices. They absolutely did not allow soldering, for the exact same reasons you mentioned.
Bizonkers? OK, we'll go with that
These are what you need:
Justwondering
Well-Known Member
One last uninformed and unknowing question.
If I don't have the original color of electric line, what do you recommend I do for replacement?
Use white and write (pink) on it or use red cause it is closer to the color pink?
I don't want to foul up tracing a line in the future because of a color choice I make today.
If I don't have the original color of electric line, what do you recommend I do for replacement?
Use white and write (pink) on it or use red cause it is closer to the color pink?
I don't want to foul up tracing a line in the future because of a color choice I make today.
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kkritsilas
Well-Known Member
usually, power (+12V) is red, and ground is black (or sometimes green). As long as it is neither 12V or Ground, choice is open. Blue, purple, grey, brown, orange, white, yellow, etc., choice is yours. Do not use solid colored red, black, or green for anything other than the the power and ground, and you shouldn't create a problem going forward, even if somebody else is working on the wiring.
Wires with stripes were used by the factory to either indicate pairs of wires (white wire with a blue stripe pairs with a blue wire and a white stripe) or just when they ran out of colours (high wire count cable harnesses).
Wires with stripes were used by the factory to either indicate pairs of wires (white wire with a blue stripe pairs with a blue wire and a white stripe) or just when they ran out of colours (high wire count cable harnesses).
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Don't forget aircraft wire - where every single wire is "white" (without any tracer or other ID).
I wonder who the genius is who thought that up, is.
Justwondering,
If you have a wire, lets use blue for example, and if you are replacing a small section in the middle. I don’t think it will matter much what color the replacement wire is as long as it is same size wire and you are using it to hook the same original wire (both ends) together with.
Staggering the crimps makes it a bit easier to tape up, afterwards.
Now if you are going to replace the entire wire, from point A to point B, it will make a future technicians job easier if you use the same color wire, or mark it somehow, so “anyone” in the future will not have to second guess what you did today (if that makes sense).
Hopefully the rodent didn’t use one of the fusible links as a chew toy.
I wonder who the genius is who thought that up, is.
Justwondering,
If you have a wire, lets use blue for example, and if you are replacing a small section in the middle. I don’t think it will matter much what color the replacement wire is as long as it is same size wire and you are using it to hook the same original wire (both ends) together with.
Staggering the crimps makes it a bit easier to tape up, afterwards.
Now if you are going to replace the entire wire, from point A to point B, it will make a future technicians job easier if you use the same color wire, or mark it somehow, so “anyone” in the future will not have to second guess what you did today (if that makes sense).
Hopefully the rodent didn’t use one of the fusible links as a chew toy.
Justwondering
Well-Known Member
BudW
That makes sense.
I have a 4 inch section of grey wire that is chewed out.
A small section of a blue wire is missing.
All the rest (red, white, green, brown) are still there so I have plenty of line for the splice.
The only gotcha is the bigger pink one (which you're thinking is a power wire) coming out of the firewall. Its got a big chewed section in it.
I think the packrat got glue on its right leg and pulled hard enough that the glue and the leg became attached to the wire. Then tried to chew the wire to free the leg.
But he's dead now and dead rats carry those stories to their grave.
I do need to know where to reconnect the throttle springs? The smaller spring that fits in the larger one and has a long lead on one end.
I'll take pictures tomorrow.
I have that and the wiring and then it all goes together and down to the mechanic for a/c refrigerant and double checking my work on Tuesday this week.
That makes sense.
I have a 4 inch section of grey wire that is chewed out.
A small section of a blue wire is missing.
All the rest (red, white, green, brown) are still there so I have plenty of line for the splice.
The only gotcha is the bigger pink one (which you're thinking is a power wire) coming out of the firewall. Its got a big chewed section in it.
I think the packrat got glue on its right leg and pulled hard enough that the glue and the leg became attached to the wire. Then tried to chew the wire to free the leg.
But he's dead now and dead rats carry those stories to their grave.
I do need to know where to reconnect the throttle springs? The smaller spring that fits in the larger one and has a long lead on one end.
I'll take pictures tomorrow.
I have that and the wiring and then it all goes together and down to the mechanic for a/c refrigerant and double checking my work on Tuesday this week.
Justwondering
Well-Known Member
PS BudW -- thanks for your help today via text. Gave me the confidence boost I needed to continue to the finish line.
Justwondering
Well-Known Member
Just got back (50 mile round trip) and have the heat shrink butt splices...over 100 outside, this will wait til 7 this evening.
I was told the reason rodents like to chew wires is because peanut oil is used in the process of making the coating for the wires. Wouldn't you think if that were true wire coating could be made out of an oil rodents wouldn't chew ??He was supposed to cut the GREEN wire and not, I repeat NOT, the red, blue, grey, pink or white to disarm the bomb, I mean speed control.
I've always wondered what it is about wire insulation that is so appealing to rodents. They always go straight for the wire harness. Usually they find a way to chew through the harness in the most difficult spot to find and the worst possible spot to get at for repair.
Need to invent rodent repelling insulation.
kkritsilas
Well-Known Member
I have always been told that it is the hardness/texture that the rodents like. We have a lot of problems with rodents (probably squirrels, but could be field mice) chewing up the insualtion on long distance power lines, and they put these metal disks on them to try and prevent that.
Vinyl, or whatever the insulation is on automotive cabling, is a petroleum based product. I don't know if they would use peanut oil in its manufacturating. Even if they did, the insulation that keeps getting chewed off of the long distance cables is very heavy on UV inhibitors, to prevent the insulation from being degraded by the sunlight. Still, they chew up the power cables.
Vinyl, or whatever the insulation is on automotive cabling, is a petroleum based product. I don't know if they would use peanut oil in its manufacturating. Even if they did, the insulation that keeps getting chewed off of the long distance cables is very heavy on UV inhibitors, to prevent the insulation from being degraded by the sunlight. Still, they chew up the power cables.
Justwondering
Well-Known Member
I can officially say that I do not enjoy patching the wiring harness.
I have to go back and get more butt connectors and I need a larger one for the power line near the firewall. Bleh
I have to go back and get more butt connectors and I need a larger one for the power line near the firewall. Bleh
Justwondering
Well-Known Member
Got the car to the mechanic, here's hoping I have a/c this time when it returns.
Justwondering
Well-Known Member
HOUSTON, WE HAVE LIFT OFF!
There be cool, cool air coming from the a/c in the fifth avenue.
There be cool, cool air coming from the a/c in the fifth avenue.
Not ice cold air?
Well, I guess I'll cut you some slack, sense it is at or over 100' there.
Just think, you did most or all of it, yourself!
Well, I guess I'll cut you some slack, sense it is at or over 100' there.
Just think, you did most or all of it, yourself!
