About the time I joined and posted here I reached out to the GM Archives asking if they had process details surrounding these tape shards.
A generous admin there forwarded my questions to a retired Norwood employee who in turn put the record straight. The water test hypothesis is disputed!
Here's the quote from the Norwood employee:
"The tape at the metal contact point for the subframe bushing was anti-squeak. These subframes were prone to body flex and movement between the body and the frame bushing and the black tape provided a barrier.
The Electrical harness tape with numbers were required to identify the correct harness or pigtail needed as called out on the production manifest for the specific vehicle being assembled. This number will match the manifest block number code on the "Build sheet".
Finally, the tape at the electrical grommet insertion was due to the production sizing variances encountered between the supplier of the rubber grommet and the production hole size. The tape was used to create a tight fit where either the grommet or the hole varied in size to the point where the rubber grommet capture was determined to be 'loose" to the point where the grommet could be prone to falling out under normal vehicle operational conditions"
When I re-installed the grommets for my license plate lamp and fuel level sender they both fit quite loose. I thought it was because they were old. It now seems they probably started life with a loose fit and the tape was used as a shim/gasket.
Interesting manufacturing trivia for me!
Mike
A generous admin there forwarded my questions to a retired Norwood employee who in turn put the record straight. The water test hypothesis is disputed!
Here's the quote from the Norwood employee:
"The tape at the metal contact point for the subframe bushing was anti-squeak. These subframes were prone to body flex and movement between the body and the frame bushing and the black tape provided a barrier.
The Electrical harness tape with numbers were required to identify the correct harness or pigtail needed as called out on the production manifest for the specific vehicle being assembled. This number will match the manifest block number code on the "Build sheet".
Finally, the tape at the electrical grommet insertion was due to the production sizing variances encountered between the supplier of the rubber grommet and the production hole size. The tape was used to create a tight fit where either the grommet or the hole varied in size to the point where the rubber grommet capture was determined to be 'loose" to the point where the grommet could be prone to falling out under normal vehicle operational conditions"
When I re-installed the grommets for my license plate lamp and fuel level sender they both fit quite loose. I thought it was because they were old. It now seems they probably started life with a loose fit and the tape was used as a shim/gasket.
Interesting manufacturing trivia for me!
Mike