[singhg5]

Recently I have seen cracks at many places on the insulation of wires.  The one attached to crank position sensor was badly ripped.  The one on starter motor was just beginning to show a few small ones.  There were more spread along the wires on many places.

These rubber / vinyl insulations on the electric wires and tubes may be at the end of their life.  They just went south by the time the 2 year warranty expired - genetically coded in the design  ? I think dry, cold weather might have dried up these parts and they start to fall apart.  Perhaps they also need some protective coating throughout the year to prolong their life.  

[GreenMachine]

yeah i started to notice the rubber boots on a few connections starting to deteriorate to the point that I really should look into replacing them...the battery boots are shot but still in place and the top of the carb has a bit of a crack/ tear at the opening where the throttle cable enters...while i am at it the starter connection could use a update..as u can c the older machines have the same problems..be Nice if cmw had a booty replacement kit...

[Ragmas]

yeah i started to notice the rubber boots on a few connections starting to deteriorate to the point that I really should look into replacing them...the battery boots are shot but still in place and the top of the carb has a bit of a crack/ tear at the opening where the throttle cable enters...while i am at it the starter connection could use a update..as u can c the older machines have the same problems..be Nice if cmw had a booty replacement kit...

You msaid booty.  Heh heh.
 
Sa

[GSS]

Singh,
The quality of the desi wiring and the manner in which it is routed is definitely spotty in a few places on my C5.  The lack of any slack and sharp stuff rubbing against wires makes me nervous as well.

On a positive note, I did my second oil and filter change at 600 miles and the magnets in both of the drain plugs were a joy to look at. No bits, sludge, metal shavings....nothing!  Just shiny clean!  I had switched to synthetic (Amsoil 20-50) at 300 miles and it seems to be breaking in nicely.

GSS

[2bikebill]

How's your bike for rust Singh? I mean apart from the usual suspects, how's the frame holding out? I have paint lifting off mine in a couple of places.
I guess for those of us in damp climates, a good deal of TLC is going to be necessary to keep on top of it. But the bloody wiring ought not to be tiring so soon!

[Philbomoog]

I've had to replace a number of cracked rubber bits and now use a light coat of silicon grease to help preserve them. Other wires have been protected with off cuts of rubber hose where necessary and a bit of rerouting of looms had helped to reduce tension on connectors and the risk of rubbing.

Paint has flaked in the same place as Wills photo, which I noticed is around the battery. This may be as a result of fluid from the battey. (I now use an AGM and have had no further problems).

[2bikebill]

It's below and in front of battery, but not from leaking battery. There are other rusty bits too.

[singhg5]

I've had to replace a number of cracked rubber bits and now use a light coat of silicon grease to help preserve them. Other wires have been protected with off cuts of rubber hose where necessary and a bit of rerouting of looms had helped to reduce tension on connectors and the risk of rubbing.

I am glad to read that you are taking all the right steps to keep your wires and other components protected with silicon grease (Thumb Up  ) This will keep them working and bike running for long time. 

That is the reason to start this thread so that Forum members can take Pro-Active steps before damage is done.  My advice is - do not wait - if your wires look good THAT is the time to coat them, because once cracked it is just going to get worse.

[jartist]

Lead acid batteries off-gas a little bit of oxygen and hydrogen when they charge so anything near a battery is in a slightly more oxygen rich environment- especially if you leave the bike on a trickle charger.

[singhg5]

How's your bike for rust Singh? I mean apart from the usual suspects, how's the frame holding out? I have paint lifting off mine in a couple of places.
I guess for those of us in damp climates, a good deal of TLC is going to be necessary to keep on top of it. But the bloody wiring ought not to be tiring so soon!

I have seen some spots on the frame.  Every week I find some new ones ! Just today, I saw rust on the nuts of the back seat rest.. grrr... I tell you, that the whole bike - I mean literally every nook and cranny needs ACF50 coating, or face rust.  

I did not expect that the rubber or vinyl on wires will start crumbling apart like this. These wires need to be coated from one end to the other and all around completely.

(On a side note - I cant praise ACF50 enough. The parts coated with it have remained intact. It has rejuvinated rims which have been exposed to lot of rain water and damp weather for the last 6 weeks. It stays there for a long time.)

[jartist]

Is the actual insulation on the wires cracking or just the boots?  I've never owned a vehicle where the electrical boots held up and I never experienced any problems on my cars or motorcycles from the cracked or torn connection boots as long as the electrical connections were well greased.  Two years seems like short lived rubber, though.  I've had all sorts of problems on old cars from cracked and awol insulation on wires, however.

[GreenMachine]

just the boots starting to split..

[singhg5]

How's your bike for rust Singh?

The big parts such as gas tank, battery cover, wheel rims, silencer, fenders get most of the attention when cleaning or polishing and small parts or difficult to reach areas are neglected. They are the ones that eventually get rust. A few examples are rusted nuts / bolts on my bike - including clutch cable adjusting nut (surprisingly one nut is fine and other got rust !), all the nuts of back seat rest, also bolts on fuel injector and air manifold.

[gashousegorilla]

 Singh, This may be a crazy idea, and I've never heard it used on a Bike before......But, what about using some Cathodic protection to prevent rust?....Installing an Anode on the frame may prevent rust. I would think it would only work while the kick or center stand were down, creating a contact with ground?...They are used on things like Out board motors, Water Heaters, Buried steel pipe, and etc. Might be something interesting to look into?

[oldairplanenut]

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/termnips.php

Aircraft Spruce and Specialty sells these silicone terminal boots. My starter boot cracked within 6 months and I replaced it and the battery boots with these.

[oldairplanenut]

I don't think the above link worked.    Just go to aircraftspruce.com and search for "terminal nipple".

[jartist]

what about using some Cathodic protection to prevent rust?....Installing an Anode on the frame may prevent rust.

Great Idea but cathodic protection works by imparting a small current on the metal you want to protect.  You are in essence making your boat/outboard/whatever into a battery where the anode is the consumable part.  In order to do that you need the system to be immersed in an electrolyte.  In other words it would work great if you store your bike underwater but without the electrolyte there's no current.  I suppose it would theoretically work in localized spots where moisture is involved tho- using galvanized hot dipped washers to protect a rust prone bolt on the bottom of the bike, in locals where they salt the roads for instance.  You might be introducing more problems with galvanic reactions tho.  I think coating rust prone stuff in water-proof grease would be just as effective.  I have seen at one time an induced current system made for cars that ran off the car battery but I don't know if they work.  Maybe we can go into business marketing a micro sized one for motorcycles  

[gashousegorilla]

 Excellent points !  Perhaps a anode , immersed in a sealed container, with  the leads coming out?  Sort of like a sealed relay or other elec. component?
 You also may need to Isolate the battery when the Anode is being used, not sure what effect battery voltage would have on the system, if any?

[GreenMachine]

those are nice boots and in differnt color ...i would still go with black....link came right up......what size did u get?  of course i would measure the ones i have anyway..thanks.

[singhg5]

@Jartist and @GHG:

Most of the damage was done before I had ACF50 which gives a superb protective coating wherever it is applied.  Now it is a matter of finding all the parts which are most susceptible - looking at all the little things, bonding with the bike guys   !  Thanks for your ideas.

I am posting these pictures for the benefit of Forum members whose bike parts have not yet fallen apart, so that they can protect their bikes.  Discussing various issues, small or big, is a learning experience that in itself is interesting.

@Oldairplainenut:

Thanks for the link, that is what I need !

[drbvac]

I guess I can search but what is ACF 50?

In terms of the wires some of the ones on my BRAND new C-5 are VERY stiff already and it is a combination of heating and cooling with the air cooled cylinder close to the wires that causes them to do so. I would wonder where the wire they use when manufacturing the bikes come from>?

Silicone spray or even something like armour all will help the wiring as well.

Thanks for all the help guys

[singhg5]

I guess I can search but what is ACF 50?
Silicone spray or even something like armour all will help the wiring as well.

ACF50 is Anti-Corrosion Formula, a Canadian product widely used in aerospace industry in North America and is well known for its use on motorcycles in UK / Europe.

It can be ordered in US from http://www.corrosion-control.com/ 

All the details of the product are in the other thread at the following link -

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,10169.0.html

[drbvac]

I remember now this is great stuff but this crew ships from Canada and the US and is easier to buy - 1 or 2 spray bottles or whatever.

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/

Thanks again !