Automotive Wiring Insulation

[David Dunlop]

Talking with another MV enthusiast this evening here in town and he was telling me about an erratic gas tank reading he has been experiencing for the last few weeks in a 2-year old Jeep Cherokee. The dealership thought it was a faulty sending unit but when they went to replace it they discovered a section of the rear wiring harness was completely lacking its insulation. A mouse had eaten it.

Turns out that since about 2000, the Automotive Industry has been moving away from wiring utilizing petroleum product based insulation to Soy-Based insulation and mice and squirrels can smell it, and apparently love eating it.

I wonder if this insulation is going to start showing up in electronics and household wiring next? As if restoration work wasn’t challenging enough!

David