What is the best cleaning solution for wires and rubber?
 

I am about to start cleaning some of the gunk and other general crap off the wires and rubber parts inside the engine compartment. There is years of oil and dirt and grit and more dirt caked up on everything.
I want to use a cleaner that has some UMPH to it but I don't want to use something that might attack the plastic or rubber.

What do y'all use for clean-up on these items?

I was wondering about Simple Green..... IS that something that would work and maybe help the rubber parts?

Thanks!
Mike

I was thinking anything with citrus may work very well. Orange cleaners. Cut grease very well. Dont know about plastic safety for sure

Good suggestion.... Thanks!
I have never really tried to do any clean-up on wires and rubber during a restoration. I have always just bought the new stuff and replaced it.
On this resto... I want to keep as much original as I can. From what I see right now..... Bubba hasn't been working on this truck except for one place and I can deal with that.

Mike

I use a rag dampened with Go-Jo hand cleaner. I supposed Simple Green would work too but it leaves the wires very dry. Go-Jo contains lanolin which feeds/lubricates the insulating wire jacket and a leaves a nice sheen... smells good too.

This may sound funny but it works. WD40 cuts through all kinds of grease and grime. Just make sure not to use it where sparking may occur and to clean off WD40 once the job is done.

AH-HAAAAA.... Yep, that was my concern. I don't want to dry out any wire or rubber.
Thanks so much!

Mike
:-X22

Thanks so much.... another great suggestion!
Mike
:-X22

WD40 or it's generic equivalent. Spray the wires down good then use a piece of fine scotchbrite soaked with either, wipe off excess with a clean cloth.

Be warned the wrong chemicals will pull all the elastomer out of the plastics. Avoid anything petroleum based, anything citrus based ( they contain methanol) and for sure do not use lye based cleansers such as purple power or super clean. The safest is actually dawn soap or simple green HD3 purple ( it's the same as simple green aircraft cleaner) and available at home depot. Then protect the plastic and rubber with 303 aerospace protectant available locally at parts stores or online.

Here are some more opinions. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-old-mess.html

You might want to check out how this man cleaned an entire wire harness: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...storation.html

Thanks so much guys.... This is some great guidance and it tells me exactly what I was wondering about.

I did NOT want to hurt my wires and rubber parts. I hope to keep as much of the original wiring as I can.

Thanks a LOAD!
Mike
:-X22

I always used a bit of kerosene on a rag.

10-4... I bet that would work good. Isn't there oil in Kerosene? (Or maybe it IS oil?)

Mike