Wiring my Car

I bought a 21 circuit kit from EZ wire and want to get started on my car. For a change I thought I would FIRST ask if there is anything I should know before I start this. I assume this might be a long post before I'm done:D.

I started by mounting my fuse box and organizing the wires into groups. I bought a bunch of split loom, cable ties (1000), shrink wrap and connectors as well as a new soldering gun, my old one was crap. I've wired my chopper in the past from scratch so I have some idea but not much, I've also read some of the posts like the one IC2 put up.

1. Is it best to solder connectors and then shrink wrap them?
2. I noticed there aren't any ground wires in the kit, should I run a common ground from each section of the car to one of my grounding points?

More to come I'm sure, thanks in advance.

Sean

Well, IMO you can never have too many grounds and ground wires!!! Solder and shrink wrap is still the best connection... Also might want to have some dielctric grease for any wiring that has a screw on or push on connection. Just a drop saves a lot of low or no voltage problems down the road.

Sounds good Dave, thanks.

It took me a couple of days to drill through my firewall but I finally did it. I got a threaded copper plumbing elbow from Home Depot and used it to run the wires through. It has another piece that threads on from the inside holding it in place. I fished the wires through to the front and clamped them in place.

Going to the rear I drilled a hole in the floor behind the door jamb and I had a lot of fuel hose left over so I ran the wire through a piece about 8 inches long and used that as a rubber gromet. I have to figure out where to tap off my brake switch, the tail section has 5 wires:

LT Park
RR Turn
LR Turn
Fuel Pump
Dome Light

Any ideas?? I would think it goes off the LT Park but then I wouldn't have any rear lights.

Sean

the wire for your brake switch should be either in the loom for under the dash or under the hood..... The wires you mention should be for tailights, fuel pump power, and dome light power..

I have used them many times and like what they have and cant beat the price. Only thing that is a little messed up is the wire for the neutral safety switch. I think it is wire 29. You will need to run a jumper wire

Cool steering column mount.

Sean - Since you have read most of my trials and some of my pain, I really have few comments:

Solder and shrink wrap are best - and there are two kinds (or more!) of shrink wrap. The shiny stuff isn't as good as the flat finished. The flat I believe is marine and has some adhesive and will shrink tighter.

Grounds are important even with a steel car which I believe yours is as well. You need a ground from an engine/transmission bolt to the chassis and a second, also from the engine to the body. I used some flat braided ground straps that I bought from AAW at an NSRA meet. I also have more grounds for various pieces on the body and behind the dash. These are mostly wire brushed to clean steel areas that had a .25 brass bolt, a couple of SS star washers and some dielectric grease. Any grounds, best to use star washers.

Tie wraps on wires from the module to the rear of the car and if under the carpet will not easily fit in convoluted tubing - and will upset your upholsterer. I originally tie wrapped mine, but ended up removing those under the carpet area and wrapped with orange 3M Scotch #35 electrical tape. Not necessarily the best way if a repair, a change or more wiring is needed but my upholsterer is happier, tho not much.

Dash - by your photos it appears that you haven't done your dash yet - and with the pre terminated EZ wire assembly, you might want to not get too far before you put it together. If you still can, and it's not welded in place, consider pulling the cowl top cover off or get a standing appointment with a chiropractor:LOL::LOL:

Anything else - well, I can share pain in wiring these cars

Thanks guys,

Dave-that's what I thought. There is a brake switch light that comes off the column but mine doesn't fit that plug. I'll try phoning them.

Iceburgh-I found a diagram for that, thanks.

Falconvan-It had to be a forged rod for all the high speed cornering I'm gonna be doing:D.

IC2- Those kind of tips are great, I'll have to go back and read it again as I go along and I think I'll have a better understanding of some of it. I made my dash removable so I can wire it all up and have the main connectors so all I have to do is plug them in. Sounds easy, but I'm sure there will be more to it than that:LOL:.

I also flipped the fuse box so the wires are coming out the top.

Sean

I've been searching around for direction so I thought I would verify this. I'm wiring up my engine now and I have a 100 amp. one wire alt. and a mini Powermax starter.

First off the solenoid has two large lugs and one small one. One of the large lugs has a wire connected to the starter so does this mean the other goes to the battery? Also the ign. switch start must go to the small lug, am I right? Now where does the solenoid power go to?? I also assume the starter and alt. are both grounded through the engine. I'm getting more confused**).

The one wire alt. says to use a jumper cable from it to the battery side of the solenoid, is that it, do I not need the alternator power and exciter then.

My HEI has three wires, black, red and yellow and I have no idea what to do here. I think the coil pos. and the tach go here as well as a ground but I'm not sure either............HELP!

Sean

Speedway and a number of other companies sell a book titled "How to wire your Hot Rod".... It's a really great reference, I keep it handy whenever I'm doing any wiring. Lots of good information in there!!!!!

I make the dash easily removable. I use several connectors for all the gages and other items attached to the dash. Packard and Molex are my favorite. You can get these from Waytek
http://order.waytekwire.com/CGI-BIN/...7D3012+M37+ENG

You also can get terminals wires and all the accessories you will need. They ship fast too.

Otherwise it looks like you are on the right track. I usually coil up the unused wires and tuck them in somewhere for future use.

I crimp and heat shrink. I do have a couple of pro crimpers however.

Sean your pulling ahead! My engine's not even in yet!:LOL:
Looks like your making great progress! Call EZ wiring about the alternator, they seemed pretty friendly when I called them last year. Steve

Sean - are you using a Ford style solenoid as well as the big solenoid on the starter? If so, that takes a "special" wiring arrangement. If that is your setup, then I'll draw up a diagram - I need one for my records as well.

As far as a one wire alternator, that needs to be wired directly back to the positive terminal of the battery (or at least a post that is connected directly to that terminal). The always hot starter terminal will work and is the way I'm doing it as it is a fairly short run of #8 to a heavier wire run ( #0) to the battery.

The HEI - no idea as I'm running a full MSD ignition

Okay so I figured out I need a jumper wire from the alt to the hot lug on the starter (thanks IC2 for verifying) and that goes to the battery.

So I got IGN Switch and Tach to the HEI and ALT power and the ALT Bypass to the starter with the bypass going to the Alternator. As Dave told me the plug causing the confusion just plugs into the cap.

Does this sound right?? This is the MSD HEI Streetfire:

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

Thanks again guys, it's getting closer!

Sean

Doing a bunch of more wiring and ran into another question. My ignition power wire from the battery has a jumper wire spliced into it any idea where this goes???

Sean

Sean, are you talking the wire that goes to the ignition switch???? If so, I would say the extra jumper could be for an accessory that you would want to have powered with the ignition switch in the off position.... If you do use the jumper, make sure you install an inline fuse in the wire for the accessory you wire into it... Personally, I don't like anything except the lights that isn't "powered up" by the ignition switch.

That's probably what it is, I just capped it off for now cause the headlights already have a power wire to the switch.

Thanks,
Sean

Sean that's the Harmon Kardon wire! I believe it powers the rediculously expensive subwoofer, make you go deaf and everyone in a mile of you, stereo system!:cool:

That'll come later!

I ran into another confusing step that deals with my fan. I have an aftermarket Spal fan that comes with all it's own wiring, it's pretty straight forward and has good directions. The problem is with the wiring kit, it has one wire that goes to the engine labeled "fan", under the dash is one "fan power" and another "fan fan". I would think the fan power goes to the kit on the ignition wire but I'm not sure, what do the other two do? I assume the one out to the engine is the power to the fan but I won't need that one as the kit has a heavier gauge power wire.

I could just cut all the fan wires out but I didn't want to start stacking a whole bunch of wires on the ignition switch.

I always run into these problems after EZ Wire is closed:CRY:.


Thanks,

Sean

I always use a relay on a fan.... does either your harness or the new fan have a fan relay with it???? Also, is the Spal a manual control, or does it have a thermostat with it?

It has the temp sender that says it can go in the cylinder head or a water jacket. This is what I got (singal fan):

http://www.spalusa.com/fans/automate...85FH-195FH.pdf


Battery, power to fan (both heavy gauge), sender, and ignition. I figured I might as well use the heavy gauge to the battery and fan and also the sender wire but I didn't know if the ignition wire hooks to the "fan power" wire in the EZ wire kit. I might call tomorrow if I can get them during business hours.

Thanks again for all your help Dave, you better hope I don't find your number:LOL:!

Sean

Quote:

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Originally Posted by sgo70

It has the temp sender that says it can go in the cylinder head or a water jacket. This is what I got (singal fan):

http://www.spalusa.com/fans/automate...85FH-195FH.pdf


Battery, power to fan (both heavy gauge), sender, and ignition. I figured I might as well use the heavy gauge to the battery and fan and also the sender wire but I didn't know if the ignition wire hooks to the "fan power" wire in the EZ wire kit. I might call tomorrow if I can get them during business hours.

Thanks again for all your help Dave, you better hope I don't find your number:LOL:!

Sean

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Sean looking good, just keep hacking at it. I know what you mean about all the wires. I think I made about forty phone calls with questions related to my projectr before I even bought the wiring kit. I imagine it will be alot more by time it gets wired. Thank god for repair lines at those places!

Thanks,

It's taking a lot longer to wire than I thought, I keep getting side tracked with our house build and work. I'm starting to really hate banks and people that work for the city. I'm working on getting a developement permit so I can then send in a permit to build:CRY:. Then I need a permit to tear the old house down and another permit to get electricity and then............

Just a few wires left on the dash and I just ordered some braided wires from Speedway for my headlights.

Sean

Hey Sean, if it was too easy then everybody would do it and guys like me would have to get a real job!!!!!!:eek::eek::eek:

Hi, I just found this thread and it is very useful. I am on hold due to an unheated garage and average mid-20s F temps. I thought the argument over crimp vs. solder favored crimping and so far the soldering gun I have for electronics (gun type) won't melt solder on long wires. It looks like the heat just goes into the wire and you can't get enough local heat to make the solder flow. Dave's comment about the conducting paste sounds like a good idea. I have the "Its a SNAP" wiring kit and it came with a pretty good circuit diagram which I am learning to appreciate. I am using several long lengths of the corregated split plastic tube for the various groups of wires but my main problem is how/where to route the wires to the front. I brought the wires to the front through a hole in the floor board and then to the outside of the left frame rail to avoid engine heat and the left header but so far I am stuck on how to get the wires to the headlight bucket on the right. It is either along the very crowded space at the bottom of the radiator where there is already a brake line and two lines to the trans cooler very close to the bottm edge of the fan swing or to run the wires to the right headlight bucket under the frame but so far have not found a way under the front apron that won't be at risk for a "hang-low snag". I have thought of running the wires through the frame but that does not solve the problem of how to get the wires across to the right headlight bucket. I will watch what you do here and try to learn until the weather gets a bit warmer.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Hey Don,

I'm not sure if this is good practice for soldering but it's what I found works in that type of situation. I hold the iron on the connector (non-insulated) and have the solder wire touching both the wire and the connector on the side away from the wire until it transfers enough heat to melt, sometimes I'll just give a quick tap on the iron to get a drip to the wire. This gives it a direct conduction and seems to heat up faster thus not heating the wire behind the connector too much. Then I add the shrink wrap over it. Somebody let me know if this is a bad thing but it seems to work fine.

Also I find if I pre-heat the solder gun tip before I use it it starts out hotter and works faster.

Sean

The more I read about this the more confused I'm becoming. I've been looking at maxi fuses and fusible links and the different places people put them all. Just wondering what you guys suggest for this. I know I need something from the alternator to the main power at the starter but I was thinking I should put something from my main power going under the dash. I've also read about putting fusible links to my headlights, is that necessary.

Thanks,
Sean

I'd definitely put a maxi fuse in the main feed to the dash. I use a relay on my headlights, keeps from having to run the feed wire for them through the switch...and I always have a fuse in the high power feed, as well as one on the switch. I don't like fusable links, to tough to tell when they're blown. A fuse is much easier...

I have a maxi fuse feeding my AAW panel, another in the starter control circuit and a third for my always hot sub panel for my stereo brain feed and my electric trunk lift. I also have relays for my fan, my head lights and the heat/ac.

Fusible links have some major drawbacks, the worst being a potential fire source. Ford, after many fires, one of which happened on my son's '85 F150, was the last to get away from them as OEM. What can happen is that they can overheat without blowing apart and often cause significant wire bundle damage or potentially even start a fire in a bundle which will then travel to other combustible areas. Another problem with them is that the failed link is often difficult to find especially on a cold, dark and windy night in West Overshoe, SD:LOL::LOL: when a fuse can be found in a few seconds in your panel or in a line and replaced (after the cause of failure is corrected, of course)

Thanks, I bought some maxi fuses today in 50 amp and a couple of 30 amp. I figure a 30 for my fan since it comes with a 30 inline fuse.

I'm not sure for my alternator if a 50 would be enough, it's 100 amp max but I don't have much for electrical draw. Also would 50 be too much for my main power to under dash???

One other thing for guys like me that want a good diagram I came across this site with a 16 page explanation and diagrams, some very good stuff in there. Just click on the installation guide, I printed up a copy right away.

http://stores.homestead.com/ez2wire/...late=wiringfaq

Sean

Just a little update, I have all my wiring connected and working. It was all pretty straight forward once I found that EZ2wire website that had some good schematics. I hooked it all up to the positive with no draws so I connected the neg and started checking.

First thing I noticed was the fuel pump is on a toggle switch and I had the plugs on reversed, easy fix. The tail lights and park lights were reversed on the headlight switch, another easy fix. I thought the brake lights weren't working but I just wasn't pushing hard enough. All senders recieving power which was good. My fan runs through a relay to the temp sender so I can't figure out how to check that one???

I turned the key and got nothing....I moved the shifter around a bit and it finally turned over:D, I guess I have to adjust my neutral safety switch.

The one PIA that I have is my signal light indicators are reversed, they push through from the front and are wired from the rear so I have to cut and re attatch them in behind.

I also read that you should run a jumper wire from the starter to the distributer to give it full power for light off. Any thoughts on this???

Also my speedo drive on the tranny has two wires coming off it and the diagrams show the wires going through another speed sensor between it and the speedometer....I have no idea what I'm looking for....help!

Pretty happy to get this done, I just need an adapter for my oil pressure sender and a bunch of plugs for my intake and I think I can start it up:D.

Sean

P.S. Just a little update eh. Sorry about all the questions.

All sounds about normal to me:LOL::LOL: Heck, my car is still cold garage bound:mad:

If you are running your fuel pump through a toggle switch, can I assume that you have a relay?? If not, might be worth considering as these pumps, regardless of make, do draw a fair amp load.

The temp sender should be an open circuit until it reaches it's operating temperature, 180,190 etc... If you short the wire on the sensor to ground it should energize the relay and allow the fan/fans to work.
I would not run a jumper from the starter to the dist if you are running points as this will put 12v at the points all the time and will burn them out in short order.
Without seeing the schematic, I would guess the other speed sensor would have something to do with cruise control.

Sounds good Sean. Summit sells a nice pack of aluminum allen head plugs for just a few bucks. My Edelbrock setup was short a few, and the local stores only sold steel. I figured it was worth it to get them all aluminum!
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...G1484N&FROM=MG