Geoffrey

Well, I've been a little sidetracked lately. I just completed a MoTeC wire harness for a 996GT2 engine and tested it in the car last saturday to ensure everything was working properly including the variable camshaft actuators. I'll be dyno tuning that in a few weeks when the plumbing is complete. I also just returned from Puerto Rico where I was tuning a BMW with MoTeC - those guys are car crazy down there. So, now I can get back to my project. I wired up the steering wheel and I wired the switch panel with Raychem wiring products and Deutsch DTM connectors to make the install easy, waterproof and clean looking. I've also pinned out the engine harness which you can see in the background and with any luck will be installing that in the car this weekend. While working on the tail lights I realized that they have dual fog lights in the center panel. I've decided to make them additional brake lights since they are there which will make the car more visible. The great thing about Raychem wire is the current carrying capacity so the wire is much smaller and lighter. You can see the wiring documentation I created on the back of the car. It is important to know exactly what is going where in a project of this size.

puma1824

Looks awesome as usual...how long until it hits the road?

bhensarl

That's incredible. Very, very professional.
Brian

Geoffrey

I am planning on testing in early May so I can be at our open track event at WGI May 17/18 and not get run over while doing the initial testing of a brand new car. I'm hoping to have a nice relaxing time at that event so I can work on making suspension adjustments to work out the settings rather than do all of the system testing that will be required while running a much slower pace.

Geoffrey

I spent time on Saturday building the chassis side of the ECU wire harness. This section takes the wire from the ECU and splits it into several sections. 1) to the bulkhead milspec connector for the engine, 2) to the front dash for power, and ADL and switches, 3) to the lap beacon, 4) to the barometric pressure sensor.

The first picture shows the ECU connector pinned out with the proper wires and separated into the branches. The second picture shows the wire harness all shrink wrapped, sealed, and labeled with yellow labels.

jimq

You have stock in that cheese company?

Geoffrey

"You have stock in that cheese company?"

No, but a friend who owns a Greek resturant. In those 8 buckets are all of the nuts, bolts, clips, hose clamps, etc. from the 964.

hawk911

Great idea. I've stocked a few empty pill bottles away for small projects where I need to keep bolts/screws/nuts together until reassembled.

Geoffrey

Tonight I installed the milspec bulkhead connector to the engine compartment onto the wire harness. I validated the pinout against the documentation and with a DVOM so I know it is right. I have yet to shrink wrap the connector which I'll do once the engine is in the car and the ECU has tested all of the sensors and actuators. The harness is set in the chassis and I'll begin to work on the other lead which runs to the dash area and will be split to the fuse panel, to the dashboard itself, and to the ADL display.

carreracup21

Looks like a very nice professional installation. I imagine you really have to know what you are doing to take on that kind of project. That's going to be a great looking car too. The 964 RSR has to be one of my all time favs.

Larry Herman

I see a wayward looking butt splice by the connector, or is the picture making it look bad?

Geoffrey

Hi Larry,

The crank and cam reference lines are screened and jacketed twisted wire. This is to keep noise out of the system. The screen, also called a drain is connected to the 0v line (floating ground in the system) at the ECU, and open at the sensor end so noise just goes to 0v. In order to get the screen through the milspec connector, you need to run it through a normal single teflon coated wire. To do that, you use something called a solder sleeve. I mentioned earlier that there is to be no soldering in a wire harness with few exceptions. This is one of those exceptions and is a proper way to transition a drain through a bulkhead connector.

Larry Herman

Ok, I see what you are doing. Kind of tough to make that connection in such little space. We have to make 'shielded wire to connector' splices too, but with a 3 or 4 wire hoookup it is much easier.

macnewma

Geoffrey-

That harness looks great. I plan to assemble a harness with a bulkhead connector. What brand and model number is yours? Also, where did you source it?

Thanks,
Max

Geoffrey

There are many different connectors that can be used. Primarily I use one of two different brands, Autosport and a generic milspec connector. The milspec bulkhead connectors come in different pin configurations with different numbers of pins. I used a 41 pin connector that has two different size pins so I could run larger gauge wire through. One side is MS3470L22-41S which will give you an idea of the family of connector I used. There are a number of places on the web that sell these connectors, do a search to find the best place for you. The connectors are about $70 for each side of the connector, and the crimp tool is $300. Don't forget to order the back shel and moulded boot. All said, you are probably looking at $150-$200 for the connector and parts.