Mac's Car Refresh

Wiring is coming out nice!
Thank you. Lots of planning, thought, questions, research, internet and youtube...lol

While I knew how to do simple wiring, this is a first time for me. Definitely learning a lot. I never in my life thought I would be building an engine and computer harness from scratch.
 
  • Like
Reactions: FOG
Didn't get everything done I had planned for today but got side tracked and needed to clean the workspace up a bit.

Mounted the relays and started terminating some of the components. Ran the computer harness to see how it will be routed and where my pull off points will be. Fabbed my new exhaust and blow off tube. Just need to find a TIG guy here in Havasu. Mounted front brake lines.

Tomorrow will be more harness work.

Here is a Pic of what the wiring used to be...🤣 This rat's nest has bugged me since I bought the car. It will finally be gone and have the Mac stamp of approval.
Those crooked ass labels make me want to stab babies and kill kittens!
 
I have tags on the engine and trans for a reason! :ROFLMAO:
What about the ignition switch…? :ROFLMAO:

Just finished up the engine harness and will start laying out the computer harness and start terminating tomorrow.
Make sure to affix the butt connections to an adjacent wire as part of a loom to prevent vibration damage at the connector.
 
What about the ignition switch…? :ROFLMAO:


Make sure to affix the butt connections to an adjacent wire as part of a loom to prevent vibration damage at the connector.
Fueltech uses a touchscreen start button. I'm wiring up my Switchpro to be a master on/off and then a button to turn on the Fueltech.

I'm using the solder/heatshrink slices/terminals.
 
Fueltech uses a touchscreen start button. I'm wiring up my Switchpro to be a master on/off and then a button to turn on the Fueltech.

I'm using the solder/heatshrink slices/terminals.
I was joking about putting an oil reminder on the switch. I fail. :ROFLMAO:

Yeah, the part where it goes into the heat shrink is a bend point with a weight next to it. If it’s not connected to an adjacent wire, even in looming, the connector will bounce and fatigue the wire, breaking it inside the insulation. I found this out the hard way with mine and those connectors.
 
I was joking about putting an oil reminder on the switch. I fail. :ROFLMAO:

Yeah, the part where it goes into the heat shrink is a bend point with a weight next to it. If it’s not connected to an adjacent wire, even in looming, the connector will bounce and fatigue the wire, breaking it inside the insulation. I found this out the hard way with mine and those connectors.
I am not tracking 100%. Do you have a pic of what your talking about?
 
I was joking about putting an oil reminder on the switch. I fail. :ROFLMAO:

Yeah, the part where it goes into the heat shrink is a bend point with a weight next to it. If it’s not connected to an adjacent wire, even in looming, the connector will bounce and fatigue the wire, breaking it inside the insulation. I found this out the hard way with mine and those connectors.
I did tape around the bundle about every foot and if more than 2 splices in that foot, I put an extra tape wrap.

The solder heatshrink splices really do a great job. They glue into the insulation on the wire too.
 
I am not tracking 100%. Do you have a pic of what you’re talking about?
No pic. But bend the wire with the splice in it. It will make a sharp bend where the splice ends. Copper isn’t very fatigue resistant, and the constant bouncing and solid engine mount vibration in a buggy means it can fail quickly.

Should amend the above though. Guaranteed? Nope. But in my case, it was a major PITA to chase down if it fails since it only loses connection if the wire bends. Made me think I had an ignition issue, not an ignition wire issue.

I did tape around the bundle about every foot and if more than 2 splices in that foot, I put an extra tape wrap.

The solder heatshrink splices really do a great job. They glue into the insulation on the wire too.
Yeah. They’re great for strain relief since it grabs the insulation so well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mac
Lots of work this weekend. Got the engine harness married with the computer harness. Checked, loomed, heat shrunk and now installed. I did forget one sleeve of heat shrink and ended up unwinding the main connectors to slide a piece on. After all this work, I wasn't going to have one joint with electrical tape....dammit.

Got the harness installed and terminated to the relay panel. Played around with routing to make sure I had slack and nothing touching where it would get hot. I had to drill and tap a couple spots to get clamps where I wanted them. I had to order more clamps to start going over the hoses.

The next steps are to start terminating accessories and the ECU power supply to the SwitchPro.

Other mentionables....Got the rear suspension powder coated, ordering GearOne super CVs and waiting to finish the engine setup before installing the rear suspension.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20250302_153553_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_153553_Gallery.jpg
    668.5 KB · Views: 38
  • Screenshot_20250302_153546_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_153546_Gallery.jpg
    660.5 KB · Views: 37
  • Screenshot_20250302_153541_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_153541_Gallery.jpg
    605.5 KB · Views: 36
  • Screenshot_20250302_153535_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_153535_Gallery.jpg
    661.6 KB · Views: 36
  • Screenshot_20250302_104917_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_104917_Gallery.jpg
    1 MB · Views: 37
  • Screenshot_20250302_104925_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_104925_Gallery.jpg
    991.5 KB · Views: 40
  • Screenshot_20250302_153506_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_153506_Gallery.jpg
    621 KB · Views: 40
  • Screenshot_20250302_153512_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_153512_Gallery.jpg
    595.7 KB · Views: 39
  • Screenshot_20250302_153519_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_153519_Gallery.jpg
    587.9 KB · Views: 46
  • Screenshot_20250302_153527_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_153527_Gallery.jpg
    1,023.8 KB · Views: 47
  • Screenshot_20250302_104840_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_104840_Gallery.jpg
    755 KB · Views: 49
  • Screenshot_20250302_104846_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_104846_Gallery.jpg
    878.4 KB · Views: 38
  • Screenshot_20250302_104857_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_104857_Gallery.jpg
    983.2 KB · Views: 37
  • Screenshot_20250302_104908_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250302_104908_Gallery.jpg
    915.5 KB · Views: 37
Coming out awesome! I wish I would have depinned my engine harness and used the techflex sleeve and heatshrink like you did. I just used the split loom and TessaTape on mine. I may end up redoing it this summer like yours. It just looks too clean.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mac
Pretty much done with the wiring. Tomorrow I'll program the SwitchPro and test everything out. Definitely happy with how it's turned out. I wanted clean and organized wiring, this now all makes ls sense to me.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20250304_194708_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250304_194708_Gallery.jpg
    587.9 KB · Views: 32
  • Screenshot_20250304_194701_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250304_194701_Gallery.jpg
    595.7 KB · Views: 36
  • Screenshot_20250304_194559_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250304_194559_Gallery.jpg
    635.2 KB · Views: 37
  • Screenshot_20250304_194553_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250304_194553_Gallery.jpg
    647.7 KB · Views: 37
  • Screenshot_20250304_194547_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250304_194547_Gallery.jpg
    675.7 KB · Views: 35
  • Screenshot_20250304_194715_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250304_194715_Gallery.jpg
    1 MB · Views: 33
  • Screenshot_20250304_194723_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250304_194723_Gallery.jpg
    661.6 KB · Views: 33
We have power!

Having a configuration issue. Everything works as advertised with the exception of ECU power. It comes on but when you try and turn it off through the SwitchPro, it cycles the fans and won't turn off. You have to kill the battery.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20250305_085210_Gallery.jpg
    Screenshot_20250305_085210_Gallery.jpg
    688.3 KB · Views: 16
So happy for you and proud of you for sticking with it and doing it yourself. Good job dood!!!
 
Pretty much done with the wiring. Tomorrow I'll program the SwitchPro and test everything out. Definitely happy with how it's turned out. I wanted clean and organized wiring, this now all makes ls sense to me.
Couple of questions. For the main power wires from battery to distribution block it looks like you used 4awg?

Also, it looks like you went from the switch pro outputs to a termination block? What is the reason behind this?

I am going to wire my car over the summer and really dig how yours came out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mac
Couple of questions. For the main power wires from battery to distribution block it looks like you used 4awg?

Also, it looks like you went from the switch pro outputs to a termination block? What is the reason behind this?

I am going to wire my car over the summer and really dig how yours came out.
Yes. 4 gauge for battery and power distribution to bus blocks. Make sure and get the right crimper. I bought a hammer style. worked very well.


I went with a bus block to better organize and distribute the assignment of the buttons. I saw it while researching ideas and I liked it. If anything changes or I want to switch things up, it's just the component's power wire that goes to the bus block. I did the same for a negative grounding block. I didn't want a bunch of ground screwed into the frame. I did do some frame grounds for small draw things like dome and whip light where I sanded the powder coating off at the mounting point but everything else has a purposed ground. I mentioned @wesinls build thread about if you are going down to bare metal on a build/rebuild, weld some bolts at different places for solid frame grounds, even if you don't use them at the time, they will always be there if needed.
 
Last edited:
on post 152 10th pic there is a bolt hole in the side of the block that should be siliconed closed (both sides) or it lets sand in the bellhousing area
 
Back
Top