Advice on cleaning wiring sytem

WillP · Full Member Joined: Dec 22, 2008 Posts: 46

I just started working onmy 71 xs650. there is quite a lot of crud and some rust on anything covered including wiring harnesses, wiring and fuse holders. What do you recommend for cleaning pieces? Any particular products? what is the threshold for replacement given budget is not unlimited.

650skull · Support Staff Joined: Jul 19, 2007 Posts: 1186

A good wet start/penetrate like WD40 or CRC556 and a rag will clean things and some fine wet and dry sand paper to polish up the connectors.

Check all soldered joints and any green crud clean up. If wires are black (rusty) where they go onto connectors cut off and solder new connectors. Continuity test the circuits for broken down wires....

As for your thresh hold if you get it working within the specs then why replace.

5twins · Full Member Joined: Aug 05, 2006 Posts: 1616

deleted

pumps · Posted: July 21, 2009, 8:23 pm Post subject: Re: Advice on cleaning wiring sytem

To clean the inside of female connector a member said he put a small cotter pin , open ends out , in a dremel tool and wound it with steel wool. Insert into the connector and wind it up.

WillP · Full Member Joined: Dec 22, 2008 Posts: 46

Thanks you very much 650skulls.5twins and pumps. I sincerely appreciate it.

steelburner · Posted: July 21, 2009, 9:57 pm Post subject: Re: Advice on cleaning wiring sytem

I had a similar problem of corroded connectors (all of 'em!) on my '82 SJ which had been sitting up for a minimum of 12 years. I'm too lazy to clean each connector by hand, so I bought some stuff at the grocery store which is designed to clean copper, brass, and silver by dipping.

It worked! Connections came out bright & clean. I rinsed the bejabbers out of each connection with hot water and then dried with my wife's hair dryer afterward. Then I coated them with dielectric grease on a Q-tip.

Ta-daa!! Fast, simple, and it worked. After a bit more than a year, all connections are still clean and bright.

uwould · New Member Joined: Oct 04, 2008 Posts: 8

deoxit

pumps

Deoxit is a wonderful thing. Keep a can in my service van.

estewart · Full Member Joined: Dec 10, 2008 Posts: 28

i rebuilt my bike because the wiring was starting to go like yours, i took it all off and tossed it. i figured what the heck, i'm up for a challenge and made a wire harness. took me a few tries but overall about $50 for the wire and connectors. just take your time and make a plan by looking at the original wiring diagram and take it one step at a time.

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Yamaha xs650