Custom Wiring Harnesses

[TomoHawk]

Originally posted by ROOPZ

.... The wiring for the wiper switch is retained but the power from the fuse box to the wiper motor is replaced by painless.

I believe what roopZ said was incorrect.

This is the big issue I have about the painless stuff. The power for the wiper motor AND pump (on the 280Z) goes through the 'wiper moter amplifier' which looks like a relay, and probably contains the electronics for the low/high speeds, so you don't just go from the battery to the wiper motor, although that's what I'd like to try.

I believe that there is a direct feed from the fusebox to the wiper motor amp, tho, which is what roopZ suggests, and another wire from the switch to change functions.

BTW, I think the 'wiper motor amplifier' might be all or part of the reason that the wipers are so slow (on the 280Z).

[Zvoiture]

Thanks for al the helpful conversation, but, again, perhaps I should have started a different thread, as I think we are having two different conversations. I am preparing to wire a RACE CAR. There is no stalk controls, no key, only switches in a fabricated dash. Painless claims (although I have never held one in my hands) to have all the wiring and relays and fuse panels for what I need to power necessary controls. I am not looking to replicate any existing wiring--the car has none. The only tie-in to existing Z items that I forsee is the tailights and headlights (if I decide to install them--the headlights, that is). So I BELIEVE the Painless 8 or 12 circuit GENERIC RACE CAR HARNESS (Summit PRF-50001 or 2) will be adequate. All I need is:

Engine power/ignition (switch & starter button)

Brakes

Electric fuel pump (or two)

Gauges (Tach is fed by ignition control box but I assume it has a power lead, H2o temp is mechanical, Oil pressure and temp is mechanical, brake bias is mechanical, perhaps a speedo, voltage, ...um...what am I forgetting?)

Electric fan

Am I forgetting something?

I am assuming I can figure out how to wire in the MSD/HI-6 and

I don't know what the allowances are in this kit are for battery/starter/power supply--but relocating the battery to the rear deck will require modification/tie-in somewhere (and a shut-off ****)anyway.

Then there is just a bunch of optional street-legal stuff that all are provided circuits for in the Painless unit:

Headlights

Tailights

Wipers

Horn

Dome(no)

Emergency flashers(no)

Electric water pump

Trans brake (no)

Radio (no)

See? Painless!!! NOT! The thing is, I am a licensed electrician, but automotive is Greek to me. Someone who knows how to do this need their house wired?

steve

[TomoHawk]

You should include a 20,000 watt radio. Instead, pint the kicker tube out the back so you'll get an extra 5 mph!

No problem with the relocated battery. Just mount that where you want it and run a 1 gauge stranded wire to the battery connection on the painless part.

[ROOPZ]

Geez! I didnt realize I would have my intentions or intellect attacked here! All I am saying is the harness will work for what it is and it is not painless but it is not difficult either. I had never wired a car and I dont care much for wiring but it was pretty damned easy for me.

OK...back to your regularly scheduled argument...

[TomoHawk]

Dude,

YOu happened to hit a very good reason why I don't like the painless wiring stuff. No problem with you. We need as many different points of view to develop the bestest conclusions.

[ZHadMan]

Geez! I didnt realize I would have my intentions or intellect attacked here!

Whoa there! I don't think anyone was trying to attack your intentions or intellect. I apologize if I came across that way. I was more trying to point out why I have chosen not to go with Painless, not berate you for your standpoint. Once again, no harm, nor ill will, intended. :classic:

Keith H

[Bambikiller240]

Keith:

I've been lurking on this thread since the beginning. Haven't bothered to post much in it, but I'm interested.

I'm wondering what harness(es) you are interested in developing? 240Z (any particular year?), 260Z, 280Z? The harnesses and connectors are very different between all of these. My understanding at the beginning was that it for 240Z, but the discussion now seems directed to 280Z and Fuel Injection issues.

If a response isn't deemed appropriate to the thread, you're welcome to PM me.

[ZHadMan]

BambiKiller,

My intent was, and still is, to offer a product for each year of the 240Z. Complexity of the FI harnesses, coupled with limited availability of required components, forces me to concentrate on carb'd vehicles. Many people, however, run the L28 with carbs and I can, where neccessary, adapt a harness to suit. I am in the Research and Development phase right now, trying to sort out all the differences between the various model years.

Perhaps, at some later date, when things are up and running I can work on an FI solution. I just don't have the time or resources to do so now.

I encourage people to post or PM me any questions they may have about what I plan to offer.

Thanks!

Keith H

[gramercyjam]

Race car wiring is a piece of cake. I did mine in a day. After gutting the car it was easier to rip out all the old wiring and rewire it than try and figure all the old stuff out and splice it. Plus the old stuff under the hood was was nasty .....

My setup isn't fancy. Just cheap, simple and reliable.

Starter switch

Ignition switch,

Electric fan switch

alternator switch

fuel pump switch

voltmeter switch

all wired through a $5 6 circuit fuse block.

Bought a few rolls of wire and some spade connectors at the electronics store. Some 8 gauge for the starter to the fuse box run, some thinner stuff for the runs from the fuse box to the coil, etc, fuse box to switches, ground runs. A good 50 amp or so circuit breaker and a relay for the electric fans is a good idea. Then just fuse the circuit that energizes the relay ....

Get you one of those automatic wire strippers at home depot for $12 (doesn't need to be the best one they have), they are worth it. Get a good 45 watt Weller soldering iron and stand and some good rosin core solder, an assortment of long shrink tubing that you can cut to size and some of that slit convoluted tubing for putting the wires in to protect them from chafing, a metal/rubber few wire holders that you can screw down and fasten your harness to the body in strategic areas and a handful of nylon wire ties to neaten things up. A heat gun is best for shinking the heat shink tubing.

Couldn't find any cheap, long battery cables for relocating the battery so I bought a good set of fine stranded jumper cables and used that wire for the battery to starter run and battery to ground run.

I had rewired a some other cars before and have always been real handy with a soldering iron, but it really isn't to hard. Total cost was maybe $120, not including all new gauges.

I'm still using the old alternator/external voltage regulator so figuring out the wiring for that was probably the most difficult part. I tried following the schematic to duplicate that wiring, but it didn't work, so I just unwrapped the old harness and copied the connections that way.

[240 BeachZ]

I'm interested in a '72. Let me know the details when you are done. Thanks for the work.

Ken

[gema]

Any updates on the status of these? Can't wait!!! =D

[Victor Laury]

Well, here's an update on my headlight harness manufacturing ambition - - - - - - F! Bloody F! :sick: :disappoin :mad:

A box with $300 in terminals, housings and relay bases were in my car, when it was stolen! needless to say, The box wasn't there (along with everything else) when I picked her up at the police impound!

Well, I don't know if I have the heart to buy all that stuff again!