I'm building a mil-spec engine/headlight harness for my VW, I wondered away from vwvortex becuase this seems more common here! I've got all the connectors, heat shrink, and crimpers all figured out and purchased, my question comes with stuff you can't learn from a catalog!

In this .pdf from Raychem and the image below from SME, you can see there is a little curl of wire right before the connector. What is the purpose of this?

http://raychem.tycoelectronics.com/d...883&docId=5606

pic from SME building a Ka24 harness:
http://image.importtuner.com/f/27141..._side_view.jpg

In the picture from SME, they're using tape around the bundle under the heat shrink boot. I'm 90% sure this is 3M 1205 polyimide film, you can see the roll in the background and I've used it before in other applicatoins.
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...be870G8G819Fgl

What is the purpose of this tape? Just to keep the loops neat under the shrink boot?

Also, I see people using clear heat shrink over top of the printed labels. Is this just for abrasion resistance?



Here are some progress pictures for anyone interested:


I re-used stock wire on the wiper motor harness, the rest will be all new type EE wire:

 

Anybody?

 

the wire is coiled just so that the lengths are all just right. it leaves you a little play when you cut the wire.

the tape just keeps things tidy and makes it easier to fit the shrink over the bundle

 

Simple enough, thank you!