When using plastic covered wire is it necessary to use the crosslinked polyethylene (GXL,SXL,TXL) in the engine compartment like the wire manufacturers recommend, or will the PVC covered wire like is readily available at most parts stores do for a truck that isn't going to be driven that much? It's no doubt stepping things up a notch to use the XL wire, but I'm guessing most folks just use the PVC for whatever they need to repair on a vehicle and don't have any trouble. I don't think I have ever used the XL and I can't recall anything I have repaired in the engine compartment failing.
I'm using it to "repair" one of the replacement wiring harnesses I got from Jim Carter, which was for the birds (wires missing, etc.). I can't imagine them using the high dollar wire to make these with because the plastic covered terminals on them look like the cheapest thing they could find. The thing that concerns me is the length of wires running right next to the exhaust manifold along the inner fender on these old trucks (1941).
On the other hand one can't just go down to Autozone and buy crosslinked wire. You have to order it, and usually in quantity, so I want to know it's necessary before I delve into this endeavor. My personal feeling is it isn't because even if the heat of the exhaust manifold did degrade the PVC wire insulation it would take a very long time for it to degrade it enough to matter on a "hobby" truck.
