[machgo]

Hard to tell from your description, but it sounds like the "good" wire is in the loom--corrugated plastic tubing designed to protect wire harnesses from becoming entangled or chafed. Feel free to open the loom--it should have a split in it lengthwise.

If it's black tape that you are encountering, remove it to expose the wiring. You can always use electrical or cloth tape--the kind hockey players use--to re-wrap the harness.

Try to take a pic of what you are encountering, and post it...