Met a mechanic in Nashville who told me to label my wiring harness with a paint pen

I was swapping a used engine into my old Camry and getting frustrated with unmarked connectors. He walked over from his bay and said "take a paint pen and color code each plug, you'll thank me later." Anyone else got a small trick from a stranger that saved you hours of work?

2 comments

2 Comments

mark_carr71mo ago

Kelly638 might want to try a different brand, my paint pen marks have held up for years.

kelly6381mo ago

Paint pens can be a real headache down the road. In my experience, that paint chips off after a couple of heat cycles, then you're left guessing again. Electrical tape and a sharpie is more reliable, just wrap it sticky side down so it doesn't peel off. Plus, if you ever resell the harness or swap parts, that paint can confuse the next guy who doesn't know your color code. Your mileage may vary, but I've seen more than a few rebuilds where the paint made things worse.