Pictures of the original trim
 

As I said earlier I took some pictures of the original trim today

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1545232948

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1545232948

This stuff looks to me like stuff that was originally put on the vehicle by Volvo - the cutting isn't very DIY. I'm certain it has been on the vehicle since it was painted red in the 1980s - I'm guessing they reused the original factory trim

OK, so maybe I was being overly cautious...I just hate rust...anything I can do to prevent/delay it, I like, and anything that remotely promotes it, I'm against...its as simple as that!

Cheers

I don't think you're being overly cautious - just wait and see what I'll be doing to try and add in some level of water tightness to this system

The wiring begins...
 

...this might bring a bit of Christmas cheer - it might not.

I've never re-wired a whole car before so there's been a whole lot of procrastination going on.

For the reasons stated earlier in the thread I'm starting from scratch. I've decided to take things slow and start trial fitting wires where I think they need to go.

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1545302946

I'm planning to use the same colour coding that Volvo used but there will be additional wires in the loom for some modern extras. To help me along I've found a heat shrink labelling system that I hope is going to allow me to keep meaningful tabs on the slowly developing rats' nest...

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1545302947

...with any luck a label with "LH FRONT HL" on it will help jog my memory a bit more than a piece of 2.5mm^2 red wire (!)

Army

Am I to take from this that you are using Heat-Shrink tubing to "add in some level of water tightness to this system"?

Ahem...I don't mean to rain on your good intent, but the sleeving used for harness doesn't need (and doesn't even want) to be, HS, because 1. HS shrinks (obviously!) when exposed to heat, but it gets unnecessarily hard (I suggest you get and use standard PVC electrical sleeving in various IDs, rated to UL 94V-0 [105Deg C], same as used in SW-EM Kits), and 2. along the length of harness is not where excluding moisture is important (wire insulation, if undamaged already does a good job at that...moisture exclusion is important at the ends and terminals, and crimps, where copper conductor is exposed and crimped into connectors, and if you have taken a look at any of my writings on electrical subjects on the SW-EM page, you will see that I highly recommend ACZP for this.

Combined with proper stripping, and use of that pro crimping tool to crimp quality connectors (see also: http://www.sw-em.com/Wiring%20Notes.htm#Wire_Strippers ), that will result in a quality, reliable harness, which will give troublefree service for a loooong time.

The label maker is a nice touch, but if you are going to keep the standard color code (very good practice!) I'd be happy with just a Wiring Diagram (modified to show any changes or additions), because this gives me a complete overlook...

Cheers!

Nope not at all - the anti-water ingress steps are for the different previous subject - the silly vinyl trim between body and wings.

Thanks for the tips about wiring - I'll look into getting some Anti Corrosive Zinc Paste for the connections - I take it you think I should also use it before crimping on terminals as well as using it for screw / slide connectors?

The labelling system (different system!) is to help me and my short term and long term memory loss because I'm not at all accustomed to using wiring diagrams - in fact more often than not for modern cars in particular my head goes into overload panic mode when I see wiring diagrams for the first time - it takes a bit of time for me to calm the f down...

Test piece for the labelling shrink tube =>

https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...1&d=1545317939

^^^That's gonna be nice and neat and can be hidden under external wrap if I decide it looks too custom^^^

The labelling is 100% for my benefit because I am not at one with electrickery and I need the equivalent of a comfort blanket (!)

Army;

OK on anti-water ingress measures for body...

Use ACZP when crimping terminals onto wires! See: http://www.sw-em.com/Wiring%20Notes....a_Proper_Crimp

My "comfort blanket" is the fact that the entire wiring diagram for these cars fits on a single piece of paper!

Cheers

Oh I know the wiring on a PV can hardly be considered to be complicated these days but small steps - small steps (!)

As for finding that zinc oxide assembly paste - seems at the moment to be pretty much impossible on this side of the water. I have found a Permatex dielectric grease and more promisingly a carbon enriched MG chemicals assembly paste

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MG-Chemical...assembly+paste

Would either be of use?

Army;

Although often recommended, dielectric grease is most definitely not the preferred material as specifically explained here: http://www.sw-em.com/anti_corrosive_paste.htm

Eurosource for Penetrox A which Derek found and publicized a while back: http://www.bicon-uk.com/BICON-Compounds-and-Resins/ see BX1. I believe this is repackaged Burndy product with zinc (not zinc oxide!...that's what surfers put on their noses...so lets not mix these things up!). With some research, a Burndy OEM source can surely be found. Else contact me through e-mail directly, and I'll send you some!

As far as "carbon enriched MG chemicals assembly paste" I am not familiar with that product in elec service, but it sounds like an assembly lube...again, not what I'm calling for.

Cheers

Thanks Ron,

I've just banged out an email to Bicon - I'll see what they can do for me