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Momma told me there'd be days like this. One thing leads to another. Reinstalled the starter and thought, gee - this wire sure is brittle. Time for a new harness. Does anyone know if the 944 607 029 00 harness at Lindsey Racing will fit. There is no photo on the site. I emailed them but will go ahead and order it if anyone here can confirm.
A few months ago I had to replace the starter and alternator wiring harness on my car. A local independent shop made one up and installed it. Their total charge (labor $400 and parts $70) was around $470.00. Even though their harness looks very good, I think I paid too much and should have attempted to do it myself.
Unfortunately I don't know anything about the Lindsey harness. I enjoy following and learning from your project. Thanks very much for sharing it with us.
A few months ago I had to replace the starter and alternator wiring harness on my car. A local independent shop made one up and installed it. Their total charge (labor $400 and parts $70) was around $470.00. Even though their harness looks very good, I think I paid too much and should have attempted to do it myself.
Unfortunately I don't know anything about the Lindsey harness. I enjoy following and learning from your project. Thanks very much for sharing it with us.
You are welcome. I appreciate having other eyes on this project. It helps a lot.
I didn't hear back from Lindsey this morning so I decided to make one myself. I really didn't want another piece of crap like the original anyway. For the alt-starter cable I used 3 AWG General Cable Polyrad XT multi-conductor 2000V 125C - locomotive cable! I would have used welding cable but I only had some 2 and 6 gauge. The lugs are tin-plated copper Sta-Kon and luckily I have access to very large crimpers, including hydraulic, as I work in an electric prototype lab. The cable wouldn't have needed covering but I put some heat shrink tubing on it anyway since I had plenty.
I couldn't source new connectors for the exciter and solenoid wires but managed to remove them and reuse them. I have the exciter wire ready (soldered connectors - not crimped) and used a wire that is one size larger and of much higher quality than the original - Belden XLPE. I had to order some 10 AWG for the solenoid wire because I only have some with black insulation. It has to be red or it will drive me nuts so I ordered some with silicone insulation tonight. I bead-blasted all the old connectors and will solder the connectors on the solenoid wire as well. Rather than running all the wires in a sheath, I am planning to spiral wrap them. Total cost for the project is about 1/3 what it would cost if I bought it ready to go.
You are welcome. I appreciate having other eyes on this project. It helps a lot.
I didn't hear back from Lindsey this morning so I decided to make one myself. I really didn't want another piece of crap like the original anyway. For the alt-starter cable I used 3 AWG General Cable Polyrad XT multi-conductor 2000V 125C - locomotive cable! I would have used welding cable but I only had some 2 and 6 gauge. The lugs are tin-plated copper Sta-Kon and luckily I have access to very large crimpers, including hydraulic, as I work in an electric prototype lab. The cable wouldn't have needed covering but I put some heat shrink tubing on it anyway since I had plenty.
I couldn't source new connectors for the exciter and solenoid wires but managed to remove them and reuse them. I have the exciter wire ready (soldered connectors - not crimped) and used a wire that is one size larger and of much higher quality than the original - Belden XLPE. I had to order some 10 AWG for the solenoid wire because I only have some with black insulation. It has to be red or it will drive me nuts so I ordered some with silicone insulation tonight. I bead-blasted all the old connectors and will solder the connectors on the solenoid wire as well. Rather than running all the wires in a sheath, I am planning to spiral wrap them. Total cost for the project is about 1/3 what it would cost if I bought it ready to go.
Fantastic work.. Now you just need to start a little production run of those replacement cables so the rest of us can replace our old crumpling cables too..
Fantastic work.. Now you just need to start a little production run of those replacement cables so the rest of us can replace our old crumpling cables too..
Agreed! Any interest in making me one? If rather give you the $$ than worry about mine shorting out.....
My buddy at work who is our calibration technician in the lab just asked me this morning if I thought anyone would buy these if they were available. He was an ET (electronics technician) in the navy and has been working in the lab for close to 30 years, so he's really good at this stuff. He wants me to give him lug dimensions etc so that he can possibly make some sets as a little side biz. I will keep you apprised.
Agreed! Any interest in making me one? If rather give you the $$ than worry about mine shorting out.....
I will order some heavy Sta-Kon lugs this weekend and see if I can source the proper sized ring and bullet connectors for the solenoid and exciter wires. The rings will be easy. The bullets are proving tricky so far. I thought they would be Delphi but I don't know right now. If anyone knows of a supplier, please enlighten me.
If you just need the heavy cable, that's easier than the smaller wires. I'll get the lugs and put some together without much headache. I will shop the prices for both #3 and #4 wire in welding cable and Polyrad XT. Price would be dependent on both the size and choice of cable type. #4 welding cable would be the normal choice (if I'm not mistaken), and as I mentioned, it's what I'd have used if I had the right size. I will order some cable after I get the price info and maybe some feedback from others who may be interested.
Edit on using spiral wrap - I ordered some 1/2 and 1/4" braided flex sleeve and may only use the plastic spiral wrap at the Y junction of the wires. I'll have to scratch my head a little to figure out exactly how I want to do this part. Any way I do it will be better than the original though since I used higher quality materials!
The wires are finished and installed. I routed them differently than the original as I wasn't very fond of the routing. I did however retain the use of the lower cable clamps using EPDM sheet as clamp-lining material since the old rubbers were junk after 25 years. My alt-starter cable ended up being about 4" longer than I wanted but it will work. I calculated pretty close on the other two wires. My lengths are presently 50" on the 3 AWG alt-start (too long - based on the old one), 43" on the solenoid wire (which could probably be a 12 AWG instead of 10), and 38" on the 18 AWG exciter. I used PET (polyethylene terephthalate) sleeves and double-wrapped the terminations with heat-shrink, both beneath the sleeve and outside of it. All connections were made with a thin wipe of dielectric grease. We use it a lot in the lab and I am fond of it in these applications.
Here's my basement lair where I made up the smaller wires while listening to some Cumbia:
This morning (in my garage with the temperature at 17F) I finally got the last part back on the car besides the air box, skid plates, and upper timing cover. I will leave the upper timing cover off for a bit to check the belts. Skid plates will go back on after I've had a warmer day to go wash the undercarriage at the carwash. Oil is in, coolant is in, and all I have left to do is hook up the negative battery cable in order to turn it over. I will turn it over for a bit before putting the fuel pump fuse back in and (hopefully) starting it. I would be lying if I said I'm not a little nervous after having done so many things to this car all at once. I filled coolant both through the radiator and into the water head until it came back into the reservoir. Hopefully it'll bleed without much trouble. I'm worn out.
For those wheels, $1200 seems quite a bit. If you continue to search, you should be able to find an almost perfect or just refinished set of Cup II wheels for $800.I found a set that were freshly refinished for my 968 that a guy had sitting in boxes for along time for $800 and I bought a set of black powder coated ones for my 951 that were pristine for $700 as I recall. To reduce shipping costs, when you find them, use www.shipnerd.com, it will cost about 60% as compared going direct to UPS or FedEx.
For those wheels, $1200 seems quite a bit. If you continue to search, you should be able to find an almost perfect or just refinished set of Cup II wheels for $800.I found a set that were freshly refinished for my 968 that a guy had sitting in boxes for along time for $800 and I bought a set of black powder coated ones for my 951 that were pristine for $700 as I recall. To reduce shipping costs, when you find them, use www.shipnerd.com, it will cost about 60% as compared going direct to UPS or FedEx.
He offered them to me at $800 free shipping. I wish the pics were better. I going to tell him I'm interested but want to see better photos.
Edited to say thanks for the compliment on the harness!
The little bit of liquid you see here and there is that which came out of the coolant bleeder.
4.3 on the oil pressure gauge at idle. Temp gauge is either reading low or it isn't heating up fully. Engine feels right temp and heat is pretty good but the gauge only approaches first bar idling for five minutes.
01-15-2020, 10:42 PM
