Cleaning up / moving wiring, anyone done it before?

[buickspec6231]

Great thread. Will be following along.

 

[85Dan85TType]

Today's progress

Got a little bit more done today, nothing huge, but it should give an idea of how this thing comes along step by step.

Also, I figured out where to put my air/fuel meter:

Anyone know a decent way to secure that, so it doesn't look like hell?

Thanks for watching, it's time for me to mow the yard!

 

[85Dan85TType]

As another aside. With the gauges, I have quite a few, and they all need to be lit, since I'm blind as all hell at night. I know to run them off of the lamps fuse, but I was curious if the little bulbs would draw enough current to blow the fuse out, since I have quite a few.
Lit: Boost
Oil Pressure
Tach
Fuel Pressure
Water Temp
Volts

Unlit: Knock
A/F ratio

Also, I am a little interested in making a pass key of sorts. If anyone knows anything about doing that, and would let me run their idea by them, let me know and I'll PM you.

 

[85Dan85TType]

Did yet a few more wires. Trying to keep this a nightly thing until I'm done.

Progress, it is delicious.

 

[85Dan85TType]

Even more wiring. I skipped a night last night to put my hood mounted fuel pressure gauge on.

Here's tonight, and again, I apologize for the cell phone quality. Shaky hands and low light are not a good combination:

Partially wired in the speed sensor, both ignition plugs, the C437 connectors, and something else that eludes me right now. Just a few more days now!

The fuel pressure gauge is not secured yet, I want to figure out where I like it best first. And in case you want to see it:

I know it's not directly wiring related, but I figure that's okay.

 

[85Dan85TType]

Alternator / Battery question

Alternator:
Last I remember, there was one that goes on the stud on the back, and that goes to the + battery cable, another red one on the plug, and a brown one on the plug.

Plug -Brown goes to dash light
Plug -Red goes to nothing?

Stud - Red goes to battery?

Am I just making this too complicated, or is there something I'm missing? Thanks in advance guys! Tonight there will be lots of beer and soldering, not necessarily in that order. I may also invest in a fan, so the solder smoke quits hitting me right in the face. I have had a sore throat for the past 2 days, and I think it's because of that! Other than the dain bramage from inhaling it, I'm feeling fine!

 

[85Dan85TType]

Well, I did some of my last few solders last night (noticed I forgot one near the fuseblock later in the evening). And I started putting it back in the car. It fits great, if anything, it's a little too long. I scared the crap out of myself thinking I had confused the Dir/Haz connector with the body connector that used to be located on the fuse block. Any rate, I took one picture of it, and tonight I'll try to finish up my positive battery cable stuff and my grounds tonight, and hopefully get to do some testing.

I know the picture doesn't do much justice to it all, but most everything is plugged in when I took this picture. I obviously need to wrap and stuff, but I just wanted to check and see if I made everything long enough.

 

[85Dan85TType]

So with the harness hooked together like that. I hooked up my positive battery cable (in an equally awful looking way), along with everything else.

SES light, fuel pump, starter all seem to work just fine. Not sure if I'm getting fuel or spark (fuel pressure doesn't seem to be dropping with some cranking, and I haven't pulled off a boot yet to check). But, it seems like good news so far!

Also, proof of fuel pressure!

 

[85Dan85TType]

It's been a couple of days, just thought I'd check in and let you know that I've started wrapping the harness (used harness type tape instead of electrical, hopefully it turns out better). While I was out of town, Tibbett stopped by and killed off 2 rolls of the tape because he was bored, so most all of it is wrapped already! I think I may have messed up the pink/black splice that goes to the SES light, but should have that fixed in short order. I also swapped out the ignition module, as I had only 1 known good one, and I think I put the other untested one on for the first go.

I was debating getting the PowerLogger setup, but found a copy of WinALDL (which appears to work with Windows 7 just fine); and ordered the ALDL -> USB cable. It was a lot cheaper, and lacks some (okay, a lot) of the features, but hopefully it's enough for me just starting out. Depending on how bored I am, and how ambitious I'm feeling, I may look into re-writing some similar software in Java; but I wouldn't count on it until at least after I graduate this semester. Now I'll just need a battery that lasts more than 5 minutes for this damn laptop!

 

[85Dan85TType]

Welp, Tibbett came over because he was bored, and I got finished wrapping the dash harness and slapped it into place. Right now it doesn't look pretty, but it's in there.

We tried to start her, but it was cranking and not firing. No spark. Then Tibbett looked over at the ignition module and saw I hadn't plugged it in all the way. Whoops. Plugged it in, checked spark and she fired up (after we got some jumper cables out, there's no belt on there to charge the battery, haha). The oil pressure gauge didn't seem to be turning on (which is weird, it turned on earlier in the day), so we couldn't confirm oil pressure and shut it down. Either way, she starts and runs at least a little. Pictures to follow soon.

 

[85Dan85TType]

Well, I got good news and terrible news.

Good news: All the wiring seems to work flawlessly. The car starts and idles pretty damn well, might need a little adjustment though. I got a belt on there, and the car really seems to be doing pretty decent. I even took it for a drive!

Bad news: The wiring is still really ugly.

Terrible news: While taking it for a quick test drive, the ring the passes through the crank sensor beat the crap out of the sensor, and now the car won't start back up. I feel like an idiot. When I added the belt, I heard some small noise coming from around that area (sounded somewhat like a marble bouncing around in/near the water pump), and assumed it was just something to do with the water pump, and if that died on me; I would only be a couple hundred feet from my house and could push it back, no big deal. The car ran great on my trip around the block, and the noise seemed to go away at least somewhat (the quiet before the storm), so the worries went out of my mind. I decided to take a slightly longer trip around the neighborhood, and about halfway around the loop, I head some small rattling, and the car immediately died. After some investigation, it seems the crank sensor knocked loose from it's housing. Either I effed up big time and never tightened it, or it was beaten loose by the ring. Either way, it seems likely that it will need to be replaced.

Could the removal of the pulley, then the re-addition of the pulley and a belt have caused just enough force to make this happen? Any input here would be greatly appreciated. I have a backup crank sensor, but haven't had the time to put it on yet. When I originally put the sensor on, I turned the engine by hand to make sure everything was okay; but that was without the pulley or belt. I know this was error on my part, but just wanted to make sure it was my adjustment of the sensor, and not something bigger before I proceed.

Thanks guys!

 

[Royal-T-Ltd]

85Dan85TType

Hey Dan if you get a chance can you fix the links to your images. Im really interested in seeing all of the progress and get some ideas.

thanks
aaron

 

[cbar_tx]

yeap I'm doing the same thing right now and was a little disappointed some of the pics weren't showing. So many of the old (and valuable) threads took a toll when the board updated. Anyway. good thread. Thanks for some of your insight...and motivation.

 

[Royal-T-Ltd]

yeap I'm doing the same thing right now and was a little disappointed some of the pics weren't showing. So many of the old (and valuable) threads took a toll when the board updated. Anyway. good thread. Thanks for some of your insight...and motivation.

Can you post a few more pics from different angles... i want to drill a small hole in the fire wall somewhere behind the coil pack area but want to make sure its easily accessible....and not covered by ducts

 

[cbar_tx]

Can you post a few more pics from different angles... i want to drill a small hole in the fire wall somewhere behind the coil pack area but want to make sure its easily accessible....and not covered by ducts

Sure, sorry I didn't reply sooner. My dash including all the AC stuff is out too so I doubt they'll be much help but I'll go out there later this afternoon and snap a few.

 

[cbar_tx]

@Royal-T-Ltd here you go. Also man if you have any pro tips, advice, ect for a n00b cleaning up this situation. I'm waiting on my stereo and alarm in the meantime planning my installations.

Spoiler: pics

 

[cbar_tx]

stumbled across this one today. not mine but it looks like they still got the AC and stuff in there. @Royal-T-Ltd