Techflex

The 1UZFE EGR Delete Kit is available for sale here.

jen3ss

New Member
Has anyone had any experience with Techflex F6?
I am looking for something to wrap the harness in, that's a bit neater then old school conduit.
 
I have used a similar product and it can look really neat if done correctly. I have a non split braided product I use which is slow to use but when used with a little heatshrink on the exposed ends looks awesome. I use my split stuff where I need the loom to be flexible like between the firewall and the ECU. Cheers
 
I was thinking of using the F6 so I don't have to unpin all the connectors, they feel brittle enough as it is.
Do you have any pics of it installed? I am having a hard time finding anything done other then PC wiring and audio cables.
 
Has anyone had any experience with Techflex F6?
I am looking for something to wrap the harness in, that's a bit neater then old school conduit.

I tried the F6 on my Ferrari engine, and found it melts well below the rated melting temperature. (I had some 400 degree rated wires inside the sleeving that were fine, but the sleeve itself melted) I also tried the hook & loop version and it melted also. See pic below.

The only stuff that has held up to the Ferrari's heat has been their 1200 degree rated fiberglass sleeving called Insultherm. Unfortunately, this version isn't split, so you have to slide it over the conductors. See other pics below of the gray sleeving - this is what the Insultherm looks like.

As Gloverman said, to make any of this sleeving look tidy, you should consider using heat shrink tubing on the ends, and that too has to be good for the heat, otherwise it'll turn brittle, crack & fall off.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2559 (Custom).JPG
    IMG_2559 (Custom).JPG
    119.2 KB · Views: 11
  • IMG_2623 (Custom).JPG
    IMG_2623 (Custom).JPG
    154.4 KB · Views: 7
  • IMG_2624 (Custom).JPG
    IMG_2624 (Custom).JPG
    123.9 KB · Views: 9
That's not quite the reply I was expecting.
Do you think the proximity to the exhaust had anything to do with it? Or does the Ferrari run unusually high under bonnet temps?

The Insultherm doesn't look like it expands very much, so I would have to use a size big enough to pull the entire injector harness through, that would look a bit loose when it's on.

I might have to track down some injector plugs and replace them.
 
That's not quite the reply I was expecting.
Do you think the proximity to the exhaust had anything to do with it? Or does the Ferrari run unusually high under bonnet temps?

The Insultherm doesn't look like it expands very much, so I would have to use a size big enough to pull the entire injector harness through, that would look a bit loose when it's on.

I might have to track down some injector plugs and replace them.

Both - parts of the loom are run fairly close to the exhaust, and yes, the Ferrari under bonnet temps "seem" hotter than most cars. The F6 wanted to melt nearly anywhere it was in constant contact with the engine. Your experience may be different, however. Plus, I just wasn't that pleased with the way the split loom looked once it was on. The main runs didn't look that bad, and you can usually turn it so the split isn't visible, but when you "break out" of the main run, for individual sensors, injectors, etc. it just doesn't look that tidy. I think you'd have to plan on having the breakouts stuck back up into the main run at least 5cm or so, and then the area before & after the breakout needs to be held closed by ty-raps, or similar.

Perhaps with a few more tries at it, I could have cleaned it up better, but I found the outcome on my engine was looking nothing like the stuff in their catalog ;)

I will say, however, the stuff you asked about does look better than the hook & loop (velcro) version once it's on.
 
I don't think I want to take the risk of it melting, and the look of the Insultherm is starting to grow on me.

I think the only way to do it properly is to remove the connectors, and tape the harness first, looking at their catalog pics I think they may have used it over the top of conduit, because the finish and shape is too consistent.
 
You're probably right about the F6 being put over something like conduit. It certainly looks much nicer in the catalog than in real life.

Here's some more pics of the Insultherm. All these, along with the ones in the earlier pics were built by a mate of mine who does custom pigtails and harnesses. The first one is a custom harness for the HKS Twinpower DLI, and he builds it to any length required, and will install any type of mating connector on the end, or leave it free, the 2nd one is a little harness for 9006 type HID's (I'm not sure this is the same type Insultherm - it might be another type of high temp sleeve), and the last one is a Bosch injector harness, showing a good method of breaking out from the main run.

He slices into the main run with an X-acto knife, fishes the breakout conductors through the slice, cuts them to required length, gets the crimps on, then seals the breakout area with a bit of silicone, and puts heat shrink over it. There's also an internal ty-rap that can't be seen to keep the breakout from pulling out.

Not trying to be a salesman for this guy, but he really does nice work and is VERY reasonable. Plus, all the dealings I've had with him have been by email, and it's worked out perfectly. I send him a wiring diagram, or schematic how the harness needs to be wired, plus a mechanical diagram, showing the lengths and where the breakouts need to fall, etc. and he builds it.

He also installs sleeves on existing harnesses, so if you don't want to mess with removing your connectors, and run the risk of damaging them, he can do that for you. He has good sources for the different connectors also, so if some of yours are already brittle and broken, he can replace them.

If you want to contact him, PM me and I'll give you his details. Harnesses aren't heavy at all, so it might be very reasonable for you from Oz, especially with your strong $$$ now ;)
 

Attachments

  • Techflex1 (Custom).jpg
    Techflex1 (Custom).jpg
    111.5 KB · Views: 5
  • Techflex2 (Custom).jpg
    Techflex2 (Custom).jpg
    63.4 KB · Views: 5
  • Techflex3 (Custom).jpg
    Techflex3 (Custom).jpg
    63.5 KB · Views: 5
That is some neat work :cool:
I like how he has used heat shrink over the connectors, I am guessing he uses 4:1 for that.

Most of the fun for me is in doing the job, and at the price of this stuff I can afford to have a few goes at it. I'm not worried about replacing the connectors, new ones are going to look better and be more reliable anyway.
 
I use a 4:1 Polyolefin version from McMaster Carr, and it's outrageously expensive - nearly $75 for a 4' piece that is 1.5" before shrinking. But it's the only stuff I've found that will withstand the Ferrari's heat without turning brittle, cracking & falling off. I've tried at least half a dozen different varieties, including Raychem's and none of it worked as well as McMaster's 4:1.

But I don't think my harness guy uses 4:1 because his heat shrink remains more flexible than my 4:1. I can still actuate the plastic latches on the connectors with the stuff I use; they're not as easy to release as without the shrink, but you can do it. But on his harnesses, the latches are very easy to actuate.

Whatever you do, don't use the adhesive lined stuff. It'll gum up your connector latches and ruin them. It's like injecting glue from one of those hot glue guns into them; AMHIK ;)
 
i use it sometimes
i dont really like using it on a neat std looking conversion
it is a big pain in the ass to fit if the loom is already done
and if the loom isnt made up yet it takes 3 to 4 times as long to fit it
just remember with stuff like this if its done nice and neat it takes ages and u have to think how u fit it all with heatshrink
but if u use it and u do an average job it will look crap
and remember if u need to strip the loom again its a pain if u have used this mesh stuff

anyway its not to dear unless theres good and bad quality
 
i like to use my proper harness electrical tape
all other electrical tapes u buy here is crap
so i use harness tape and buy a big box of it with 300 rolls
 
i also sometimes use material tape
once u get the wires nice and long and neat u use this and it looks like the old cars of the 60s wiring harness
 
I use a 4:1 Polyolefin version from McMaster Carr, and it's outrageously expensive - nearly $75 for a 4' piece

Wow, thats a series price tag. Are you paying for the 4:1 ratio or the durability? I found some RF shielded shrink that ran about $5 a foot but with standard shrink. I really like how you can smoothly shrink the cable + connectors. Very professional, especially with braided line.
 
I came across this site last nite.
http://www.wirecare.com/Braided-sleeving.asp

They have all of the Techflex products at a reasonable price. Insultherm sells in Australia for $50 per meter, you can get it from the states for $13.00 for 10ft :mad:

i also sometimes use material tape
once u get the wires nice and long and neat u use this and it looks like the old cars of the 60s wiring harness

They also have this fabric heatshrink. It would go pretty well with the material tape.

H2F0.79BK.jpg



Sideshow, can you source injector plugs locally, for a reasonable price? I have found them in the states for $5.00us a connector.

I think these are the right ones.
http://www.bmotorsports.com/shop/pr...ucts_id/571?osCsid=putpoicun8kfu7kqghd62525m1
 
sorry but ive stopped selling parts until i move to qld
ive just been so pissed off with alot of amatures taking work off me
then me having to fix things
i will not sell anything these days
im only buying things for my jobs
and as u have read on previous posts im basically over it all hehehe
i used to get big orders from usa but ive toned it down
and only stock i have left is for my jobs
 


Back
Top