Rat Disaster. Need Electrical Help.

[N80]

Started to do some mowing this weekend and heard a bang under the hood and noticed my fuel and water temp gauges were not functioning and no dash lights came on. The bang was the HUGE rat getting whacked by the fan. I looked under the hood to find a giant rat's nest on top of the engine and my breather hose chewed in two. See picture below:

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So, no problem here. Easy to fix. Although who knows how much debris got sucked into the air intake from the breather tube. Next I pulled the dash out and here is what I found:

It was putrid in there. Rat poop all over the place and so much rat pee the metal bracketing was rusted. As you can see they chewed clean through the wire harness going into the gauge cluster. Once I removed the hood and all the fairings I cleaned everything and then teased out the wire ends of the cut wire and it looks like this:

I'll replace the breather tube but not sure what to do about the dash. I see three options: #1-replace entire wiring harness. This sounds like a pricey, complicated option but would be the best fix. Also, the wire the comes off the harness that goes to the glow plugs was chewed off and completely gone. #2-take it to a shop that can splice the dash wires back together. This will require hauling the tractor somewhere and probably a little expensive. #3-splicing the wires myself. This might sound like the obvious option but I know nothing about electrical repairs. However, the wires are color coded and it would seem to me all I need to do is buy some wire and connect like colors. I cannot connect the cut ends directly because there is no 'extra' length in the harness.

What I need to know is an idiot proof way to splice these wires together. I'm willing to buy whatever tool or crimper I might need. I just need someone to show me which type of connectors and which tool. I also need to know what gauge wire to buy....I don't know what type is in the tractor. Any practical advice appreciated. Not sure what I'll do about the glow plug wire. They cut it off right where it comes out of the harness. I'll have to cut into the harness to loosen up a free end to splice to.

Again, all help and advice appreciated.....don't underestimate my ignorance in electrical matters.

 

[Inspector507]

According to Messick's website the wire harness is around $300. It is part #TC230-30317. That may help your decision.

 

[TomSeller]

I would check with Kubota on the price of the harness before making a decision. It looks to me that you have enough wire to work with to splice with but it would not be pretty and it would not be my first choice. I would start right away on planning how to get rid of the rat problem or you will have this damage back.

 

[/pine]

I would use solider and heat shrink tubing...strip back and "tin" the chewed ends...slide a section of heat shrink on the wires and then solider them together then shrink the tubing over the connection...
..."tinning" the ends first makes it very easy to solider the ends together with just a little overlap...I use a pair of hemostats as a third hand...

 

[hosspuller]

Since the area is not exposed to weather, I would get a box of name brand butt splices. Stacon or similar. A wire stripper and a crimper.... add a few inches to the harness to ease your working area.... go to town on it.
Remember. you can use a bigger wire size but not a smaller gauge wire in your splicing.

 

[TomSeller]

I would use solider and heat shrink tubing...strip back and "tin" the chewed ends...slide a section of heat shrink on the wires and then solider them together then shrink the tubing over the connection...
..."tinning" the ends first makes it very easy to solider the ends together with just a little overlap...I use a pair of hemostats as a third hand...

I agree, if you are going to splice, this is a good way. N80, have you done electrical soldering before?

 

[JBourquin]

According to Messick's website the wire harness is around $300. It is part #TC230-30317. That may help your decision.

I would check with Kubota on the price of the harness before making a decision. It looks to me that you have enough wire to work with to splice with but it would not be pretty and it would not be my first choice. I would start right away on planning how to get rid of the rat problem or you will have this damage back.

Definitely check with your local dealer first, but for $300 I think I'd like the piece of mind and not have to chase electrical gremlins for the next few years.

 

[timster2]

Time to learn how to solider. Solider and heat shrink tubing as stated by /Pine is the way to go. Butt connectors will work short term but give you gremlins down the road. Back when I was fixing trash trucks we came across this often, those rats can chew a wiring harness overnight. Clean out the whole area and put down some rat repellent or they will be back!

 

[brin]

Definitely check with your local dealer first, but for $300 I think I'd like the piece of mind and not have to chase electrical gremlins for the next few years.

I agree....+1

 

[radioman]

If I were you, I would solder everything and heat shrink tubes on everything. Soldering is not hard. Just practice on a few scrap wires and solder them together.

All you need is :
solder iron (or wood burning iron) ( clean the tip with 220 sandpaper and tin it. tinning means put solder on it after cleaning and there will be a nice shiny coat of solder on it. it heats the best this way)
small spool of rosin core solder wire (best and easiest to work with for electrical wiring)
a bag/box of heat shrink tubes cut into roughly 2-3 inches long . I can do it with 1-2 inches , but for a novice its easier with a longer tube
wire strippers

All you gotta do is strip wires back half inch or so. slip heat shrink tubing on the wires to one side. match the wires and twist the wires together. fold flat. solder. this way no third hand is needed. move to next one until all wires are soldered together and then slip the heat shrink tubes covering the soldered connection and use the same solder iron rubbing it making the tubing shrink. after testing that everything works and verify the fuses didnt blow from the wires being cut, I would wrap the whole thing with electrical tape.