Cracked old wires

[Patvh]

So i came across a complete wiring harness for my d24.  Problem i know many of you have faced is the old cracked wires.   Is there a method to breath life back into the wires so they wont crack?

[JBNeal]

No, they are toast...the original cotton-braided insulation degrades over time and falls apart, exposing the copper stranded conductors to oxidation, which increases impedance significantly... it's almost the same effect as if your wiring harness has caught on fire...modern synthetic rubber insulated copper conductors last much longer under similar conditions, not being as prone to degradation from heat and chemical exposure... but both are seemingly as tasty to rodent invaders ??

[Eneto-55]

10 minutes ago, JBNeal said:

No, they are toast...the original cotton-braided insulation degrades over time and falls apart, exposing the copper stranded conductors to oxidation, which increases impedance significantly... it's almost the same effect as if your wiring harness has caught on fire...modern synthetic rubber insulated copper conductors last much longer under similar conditions, not being as prone to degradation from heat and chemical exposure... but both are seemingly as tasty to rodent invaders ??

Not arguing, but when I cut up our rusted out 93 T&C minivan, I saved all of the wiring harnesses.  The engine harness is hardened and stiff where it was exposed to the heat from the engine, and I also found quite a few places where the coating was broken, or even the wires broken.  (Some of this damage I may have done in the process of removing the hardened wires.)  I have reused some of the connectors, and the wire from inside the vehicle, but the wiring in the engine compartment and below the floor was pretty much all bad.  (The vehicle was 17 years old at the time I scrapped it, and it had spent its whole life here in the "salt belt".)

[Patvh]

I kind of figured the harness was toast.  I was hoping there was a product that would soften the wire coating.  Too bad, guess ill use it as a template for the new harness.  Thanks guys.  Im sure y'all will be seeing me and my ignorance on here with more questions.

One question i have is, what year did they switch from the 2 horn relays?  Ive a 46 and a 48 d24c.  The 46 shows no signs of mounting anywhere.   The 48 has the horn relay inside the engine compartment on the inner fender.  

Edited May 15, 2018 by Patvh