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wires in engine bay
eccsmk - 29/9/07 at 11:59 AM

ive just read that all wires in the engine bay should be spiral wrap or conduit and mine aren't doh
will mr s.v.a. man slap my wrist if these are not covered??


ReMan - 29/9/07 at 12:03 PM

Yes
But any secondary protection will suffice.
It has'nt got to be spiral wrap, sleeving, wrapping and other methods can be used as well a s conduiot /convoluted tube


eccsmk - 29/9/07 at 12:08 PM

thank you
any suggestions as to what i should wrap them in?


worX - 29/9/07 at 12:22 PM

Loom tape is fine for SVA - they don't have to be covered with conduit...

Steve


eccsmk - 29/9/07 at 12:32 PM

so in theory they are fine as they are
i wrapped them in loom tape before fitting.
thank you
saved me a day ripping out wires from my loom


BenB - 29/9/07 at 12:48 PM

If the whole engine bay is a mass of unwrapped insulated wires then I think you might be in for a tricky time.
Obviously it'll be impossible to have no unwrapped wires (ie just the insulation showing)- the question is how much is allowable!!!
I had quite a few 20-30cm lengths unwrapped and it didn't cause a problem. Then again, they only had a quick shoofty (presumably to make sure they were P-clipped or cable-tied to the chassis rails)...


Macbeast - 29/9/07 at 01:05 PM

You can add spiral wrap without ripping out the wiring.


RazMan - 29/9/07 at 01:29 PM

Or split conduit


ReMan - 29/9/07 at 01:37 PM

Post a recent pic and we'll all play at being Mr SVA for you
If it's still like the one in your archive already you're fooked

[Edited on 29/9/07 by ReMan]


eccsmk - 29/9/07 at 02:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by ReMan
Post a recent pic and we'll all play at being Mr SVA for you
If it's still like the one in your archive already you're fooked

[Edited on 29/9/07 by ReMan]

ill try upload a pic in a mo
the loom does look somewhat different to the one in my archive

when uploading pictures from your pc remember to click copy and not delete doh!!!!!

[Edited on 29/9/07 by eccsmk]


David Jenkins - 29/9/07 at 02:35 PM

I used spiral wrap on my loom - can look very tidy, and is a very effective protection. However it is a total PITA on long runs, and makes changing the wiring very difficult.

If I was doing my wiring again I'd use split conduit - not as pretty but far, far easier to use and much quicker too.


eccsmk - 29/9/07 at 02:39 PM

ill get something ordered and start the wrapping
anyone got an engine bar piccy??


ReMan - 29/9/07 at 07:40 PM

Here's mine....
(Now smaller and with arrow!)
It was challenging, and as said a pain to change once its in split tube and fixed. Rescued attachment 180_8099s.jpg
Rescued attachment 180_8099s.jpg


eccsmk - 29/9/07 at 07:45 PM

super pic thank you


NS Dev - 1/10/07 at 12:26 PM

the main chunks of mine were taped, but the spurs out to individual bits were not, and no probs at sva.

(some 12" bits without secondary covering)


andrew.carwithen - 3/10/07 at 03:09 PM

I covered the main loom in split convoluted tubing (ends and branches sealed with self-amalgamating tape) and smaller branches in spiralwrap. Mind you, I haven't been through SVA yet, so dunno if my wiring is totally ok from that point of view.
Anyway, here's an earlier pic of my engine bay to show what I mean. Rescued attachment engine bay.JPG
Rescued attachment engine bay.JPG


RazMan - 3/10/07 at 04:12 PM

I used heatshrink tubing wherever possible - but you need to be sure you don't need to add more wires later


eccsmk - 3/10/07 at 05:59 PM

thankyou for your pics and advice i get the idea now so guess what im doing tonight doh!


David Jenkins - 3/10/07 at 06:33 PM

The big thing to remember with the SVA is that a bit of bullsh*t goes a long way! Apart from preventing any chafing or inadvertent damage to the wires, making a really neat and tidy job suggests to the tester that you've tried hard to get it right.

Scruffy wiring, no matter how safe it really is, won't impress the tester and he is likely to look that little bit harder.


gingerpaule - 4/10/07 at 12:08 PM

What kinds of fixings have you guys used to secure the wiring in the engine bay? Is it better to use P clips or are cable ties sufficient? I have put mine in using those sticky pad cable tie things but they dont seem to last very long before falling off. I was considering glueing on some fixings as an alternative but I dont really really want to have to redo them all again if I can avoid it!


RazMan - 4/10/07 at 12:24 PM

If the loom is running along a chassis rail then cable ties are probably the best way to secure it. P clips can be used when cable ties are not possible.
The sticky pads are usually rubbish and fall off in a few weeks unless they are completely dry - I often peel the self adhesive pad off and replace it with a dab of PU adhesive.


eccsmk - 8/10/07 at 11:41 AM

i've p clipped all the wires possible under the top chassis rails the only ones left to do go from the engine to the scuttle panel so ill try get those finished later also it it worth taking some pics of my hidden wiring for the s.v.a. man??


iank - 8/10/07 at 12:47 PM

quote:
Originally posted by eccsmk
...also it it worth taking some pics of my hidden wiring for the s.v.a. man??


Assuming the hidden wiring is sound it can't hurt to take pictures with you. It all adds to the effect David describes. Gives a good impression and puts the tester in a positive frame of mind about you and the car. Might even get you through a couple of 50:50 decisions on the right side.


eccsmk - 8/10/07 at 03:08 PM

charging the camera batteries ready
thank you