wiring da thing !
 

advice please.......
Am considering the wiring process and have been looking at wiring kits ezwiring & painless being to 2 as I can get both locally.
I guess the questions are
1) ' is that what most of you do?'
2)Do I get the kit with the largest no. of circuits (21) and maybe have some spare...or is that too many.

I am getting all the under bonnet stuff with the engine & computer as well as the ABS motor etc.
Rog:confused:

There are a few earlier thread on this Rog, e.g., http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/show...ghlight=wiring

Merv

I used the Painless set up and can advise about that but if I was doing it again I would make my own harness. Now I know, course!

Merv

Hi Rog,

I've got an unused American Autowire #51008 Power Plus 20 kit sitting at Warwick's if you're interested.

Cheers

As said on the earlier thread posted by Merv I used a painless harness and was super happy. I did made my own dash harness ... ie for all the gauges.

I guess what needs be said is that the harness is just that ... a basic harness which will get things working but by no means all that is needed for a good install.

I don't worry about the gauge of the wire as I relay almost everything. But I am paranoid about wire quality. Obtain the harness of choice but plan other expenses for relays, terminals, plugs etc.

The Column may take some thinking but a cool head and good test light or multimeter will get you done.

I agree with Merv, although I used a EZ wiring harness, If I did it again I would make my own harness.

Warren

Also as Rebel1 suggests you will need a multimeter. If you are using Warwick's steering column module and wiper motor I have the circuit diagrams and pics.

Merv

thanks Geoff I may take you up on that.

So okay, why would you make your harness ?
To quote a former radical Pollie..........' please explain !'

I have test light & multimeter & basic elect. knowledge

Well by the time you have made a harness for the instruments and worked out the wiring on the Harrison steering column module and then learned how relays work, laid out the body harness you have bought and bugged your fellow cobra builders, you actually start to think, "I could do all this!"

You could of course, get an auto-electrician to do it all but then you wouldn't understand it yourself and easily do improvements and repairs over time.

Warwick can make a harness up but the Painless (or similar from Geoff) is fine if you follow (and understand - this is where the Forum helps) the manual.

Merv

Well that makes sense Merv. I AM one of them blokes that actually reads the manual and can actually follow written instructions !! ( as opposed to the verbal ones given by Spouses :LOL:) well simple ones like .........well I've put IKEA furniture together..........!! LOL

if u have to do improvements to the wiring then u have n ot made it right in the first place hehehe

wiring is prob the only thing u hardly upgrade in my opinion

always add extra wires for future add ons

but at end of day unless u change motor form carby to efi the main section of the wiring will hardly ever get modded

sit down and make a list of things u plan to run
then write down the circuits u need for them
and the relays
u dont need relays for everything
just the engine if its efi the lights, horn, central locking/windows starter maybe
but if its manual straight of the ign key works fine

if u spend afew weeks studying then a month or so doing in with notes all the time so u dont forget cause the longer u take the more u forget

takes me 5 to 7 full days from start to finish
if i do it over afew weeks on and off takes me 7 to 9 days
so best to put afew big days in first and get main section done

I bought an Eziwiring kit but my auto electrician didnt want to use it. By the time he was finished there wasnt much left. I thought the loom was a great idea with all the leads marked on every wire but apparently NOT. Im still not totally clear why not to use the loom but my electrician says the same thing as Merv and the other guys on this thread and start from scratch!
Good luck with which ever way you go.
Someone posted that doing the wiring yourself will allow you to understand whats been done so your able to do repairs in the future. I I reckon if you doing ANYTHING to your wiring after the cars done it hasnt been done properly.


Regards.

Gee, I hate to be the one to say, "run each wire your self" but it inexpensive and it gives you what you want. I ran a size bigger for each wire to eliminate "size " problems. I planned the wiring in stages ( this makes it easier ) and I soldered each connection then covered it with glue imbedded shrink tubing.

If you do the rear first, then the front, then the engine compartment and finally the cockpit, you can have this all done for about $100. That's using good materials - no "el cheapo" brand materials.

If you decide to do this, find out what you need to pass inspection. Neutral safety switches are not manditory here, but I would put on in.

Just my $0.39 worth.

:D

Merv,

I am at this stage at the moment. Similar set up to yours with KE Laser column. Can I take you up on your kind offer of a wiring diagram for the steering column module. My email is bsandow@bigpond.com. Very much appreciated.

Thanks Bob

okay sideshow, I'm sitting down........how much for the kit ?

Thanks yet again Merv, read the site most useful

d.i.y.
 

Rog

I had the engine and ECU harness from the purchase of the engine and only had to connect a few cables to get the motor running. After going through this process, I thought I should be able to wire the rest of the car.

I started with a piece of A3 paper and drew a battery on it. I added the connections I had already included for the engine (fuel pump, HEGO, ECU etc) and the wires joining them. I then added the fuse box, lights, indicators, horn, wipers, washers etc to the diagram and slowly joined them with wires and relays.

Once I had a (albeit rough) diagram, I started at the battery and joined it to a set of fusible links. I joined one of these to the fuse box (with half via the ignition switch for accessories). From there, I attacked one circuit at a time, running wires, checking voltage, installing relays etc until I had that circuit running. Test and check then onto the next circuit. Any issues I identified on the way, I would change the diagram to match.

Once I had run all the wires, I taped up the vehicle loom as a whole. I also made up a loom for the dash using a similar procedure. Connect the dash loom to the vehicle loom with a few plugs and voila!!

The biggest issue I had was testing just about every circuit and scratching my head as to why it wasn't going, then finding that I hadn't installed a fuse!!!

For me, the wiring was one of the most rewarding parts of the build. It took me about 8-10 full days part time over about a month to get it all done.

Cheers

Geof

Thanks Geof, very inspiring as I'm about to tackle the wiring myself. It can be done!

thanks for that Geof, its given me some insight. Just have to make up my mind as to which way to go.
I like to expedancy of the ezy & painless kits but, that being said I going to have to think about which way to go.
Rog

how much for the kit Geof?