firemn131

Howdy all,
Engine is mostly completely back together. I will start remaking the wiring harness next week.
Does anyone have a gouge of the wire types and sizes used?

Or, any other BTDT helpful tips?

thnx

John

Speedtoys

You have the old harness, size it up. ?

Mrmerlin

the WSM also has wire size callouts

Rob Edwards

What year starter harness?

Chris Lockhart

I'm attempting a rebuild of the harness as well. It's amazing how supple and clean the portion inside the orange fire sleeve is, compared to the black non sleeved portion. The underhood heat really did a number on it, that's for sure. I plan to use a newer technology fire sleeve on the entire harness. Getting it from here:

http://www.siliconetechnologies.com/...ve-jacket.html

hacker-pschorr

I use the stuff from DEI since I'm not a fan of the orange:

https://www.designengineering.com/ca...eeve-tape-kits

dr bob

The original front-of-engine harness has relatively small (mechanically) signal conductors for sensors and such. After some experience in industrial applications, I'm a fan of using nothing smaller than 16ga for those (oil pressure, oil pressure switch), no smaller than 14ga for switched power (alternator excitation, starter solenoid, AC clutch), and no less than 6ga for primary power from the alternator to the jump post. Alternator to starter primary power would get 4ga. The factory harness has the primary power and the starter solenoid (50) trigger inside the harness with the other conductors. Those need to be separated from each other. There re just enough reports of harness failures that are caused by or end up with the solenoid trigger and the primary power conductor shorted together within that harness.

The factory harness was designed to facilitate car assembly in the factory. Were we starting from a clean sheet, the CE panel would be connected more directly to primary power, likely at the starter. The CE panel sits above and immediately to the right of the starter and the primary power connection there, yet the factory primary wiring loops all the way around the engine compartment through small conductors and connections to feed the CE panel loads. I'd eliminate the primary power feed from the front-of-engine harness. FWIW.

And a reminder that insulation --slows-- the migration of heat but does not stop it. Plus insulation is not direction-specific. Insulated wire wraps limit the amount of heat the harness can dissipate as much as they limit how much a local section must absorb. Bottom line: the insulation on the conductors you choose must be rated to survive in the somewhat hostile engine bay environment.

hacker-pschorr

Hans had a cousin who was an industrial copper wire supplier

Dictys

when I did my 90, the this is what I used:

Wires (thinwall high quatity automotive wire)

16mm2 x 6m (Red) Alternator - Starter - Jump Point Passenger Side (Two wires)
10mm2 x 3m (Red) Start - ABS connector Point Driver side
1mm2 x 3m (Blue) Pin 1 14 Pin Connector - Alternator
1mm2 x 3m (Blue/Black) Pin 2 14 Pin Connector - Oil Pressure Sender (NLA Connector use old one)
1mm2 x 3m (Blue/Yellow) Pin 3 14 Pin Connector - Coolant Temp Sender (Junior Power Timer Connector)
1mm2 x 3m (Blue/White) Pin 5 14 Pin Connector - Coolant Temp Sender (Junior Power Timer Connector)
1mm2 x 3m (Blue/Green) Pin 4 14 Pin Connector - Oil Pressure Sender (NLA Connector use old one)
1mm2 x 3m (Green/Blue) Pin 6 14 Pin Connector - Oil Level Switch (Female pin from Blower relay with flag cover)
1mm2 x 3m (Brown/Green)Pin 7 14 Pin Connector - Oil Pressure Sender (NLA Connector use old one)
1mm2 x 3m (Black) Pin 9 14 Pin Connector - A/C Compressor (In Line male/female socket )
2mm2 x 3m (Green) Pin 10 14 Pin Connector - Air Temp Sensor Intake ( Flag connector)
2mm2 x 3m (Brown) Pin 13 14 Pin Connector - Air Temp Sensor Intake ( Flag connector)
4mm2 x 3m (Yellow) Pin 14 14 Pin Connector - Starter

Sleeving

Heat Resistance Sleeving (I used a coated fiberglass/ kelvar braid)

25mm x 0.5m
16mm x 6m
6mm x 3m
4mm x 4m

Heavy Duty Lugs

50/8 x 1
35/8 x 1
16/6 x 1
10/6 x 1

Additional Items

14 pin connector, heat shrink.

Tools

Large Hex Crimper for lugs
Barrel Crimper for terminals in the Junior Power Timer Connector.
Flag Crimper for the flags
Soldering Iron for Pins in Connector
Cable puller
Wire Cutter
Third Hand (handy for the soldering of the pins)
Heat Gun
Multimeter

hacker-pschorr

This is an area we should be discussing.

IMO going "cheap" in this area will compromise the quality of any harness, and these crimpers are not cheap. It would be cool to see some suggestions on crimpers to buy.

I know many will say just solder them, which I do not agree with. I've never seen a factory harness (from any manufacturer) where these connectors are soldiered.

Dictys

The ones I used was the large crimper on the left, it is an american make.

ltoolio

Anyone try this?

hacker-pschorr

Nice, not a bad price either:



I've used hammer crimpers before and I'm not a big fan. The type posted by Dictys is preferred.

Speedtoys

They work...ok, but only last about 3mo in the shop...the issue is controling the cable as you crimp it, and hoping none of the cheap chinese "metal" comes your way as you hold the cable.

Chris Lockhart

DEI has some nice stuff. AB Technology does have the sleeving in both black and orange.

In my case the crimpers are the easy part. At work I have access to virtually any and every crimper ever made. (it seems. LOL) Got a nice unit that I just bought (for the company) that crimps at 10,000 PSI. It scares me whenever I use it. LOL.