1102 replies to this topic

[Bigfella237]

I may have been thinking of another model? It could possibly have been the early Commodores that had a common harness with a jumper connector?

 

I've had so many different cars over the years and they all tend to blur together after a while!

[Bigfella237]

So... only the kickdown switch to go then?

 

You can't be too far away from a test fire?

[LJ RB30]

Good stuff mate!
Glad your sticking with it cose it's better to learn as much about it yourself as you go😁👍

[gtrboyy]

Grey illumination light can tap into other grey wire in harness to dash lights?

 

So when turn headlights on dash & selector light all come on together

 

Where you done purple wires can also put relay near it later on if it doesn't push enough voltage to crank or even remote alarm.

 

Check selector rod adjustment for correct position ie P R N D 2 1...hook up a battery & crank sucker over.

 

Or should we show ya how to do hotwire/dodge start to hear it running?

[Bigfella237]

~ as for "hook up battery".. car didn't come with any of that cabling, so have to put some scraps together from an ef falcon battery leads and terminals.. or start from scratch. ~

 

Does your engine have the steel tube that runs down the side of the block to the starter motor?

 

If so then your thick battery positive cable runs from the battery (+) terminal, through that tube and connects to the outside "bolt" terminal on the starter solenoid. The purple starter wire from the engine loom also runs through that tube.

 

You may also need to run a not-quite-so-thick red wire from the "bolt" terminal on the alternator back to the battery (+) terminal, unless that was included in the wiring loom you bought, I can't remember?

 

This wire should have some kind of heavy duty fusible link in it too, rated slightly higher than whatever your alternator is rated at (so 100 amp alternator requires say 120 amp fuse).

 

Then you need a thick earth cable between the battery (-) and the engine block, just make sure to scrape any paint, grease, oil or rust off before attaching to the block so it makes a good contact.

 

Lastly you need an earth from the battery (-) to the body, this one is important because it will earth all the lights, heater. stereo etc., if you don't have this connected all kinds of strange things happen!

 

~ATTEMPT to take ignition barrel apart and put in my new one ~

 

Do you have the key for the old barrel, or are you able to turn it without they key?

 

It makes it much easier to remove if you can turn it from "LOCK" to "OFF", otherwise you have to start smashing things apart and it's highly likely you'll damage the "coffee pot" in the process.

 

You just need to remove the steering wheel, turn to key and depress the little tab on the barrel through a slot in the alloy, then it should just pull straight out.

 

Although if the ignition barrel has never been out before, there is quite often a thin piece of alloy casting still blocking the slot, but it usually takes very little effort to break through that and release the barrel.

[Shiney005]

Purple wire to the male spade fitting. The idea of the metal tube was to protect the wires from exhaust heat, so you will have to watch where you route them.

[Bigfella237]

By the looks of it, that loom you bought may have a big red alternator wire already included (the one with the fusible link)?

 

Can you confirm that the wiring loom has a thick red wire at the alternator already? If so then you don't need to add another, but I would be pulling it out of the tubing and running it direct to the battery rather than the starter, no sense exposing more wires to the exhaust heat if you don't have to.

 

Hard to find a definitive answer on the rating for the fuse wire, but one website I looked at says 1mm² is rated at 160 amps for 30 sec or less, or 270 amps for 5 sec or less, if that's accurate then I'd say it should be okay with an 85A alternator?

 

With that purple starter wire, it connects to the blade terminal on the starter solenoid. I can't remember exactly but I'd guess it's the single terminal at the top (number 1 in your photo)? Doesn't matter if it's wrong anyway, it won't hurt anything, just swap it to the other terminal if the starter doesn't work.

 

EDIT: I forgot to say, make sure those threaded battery hold-down rods don't hit the bonnet when you close it? They look pretty long.

Edited by Bigfella237, 16 May 2017 - 06:39 PM.

[gtrboyy]

Should be fine with that fusible link...most are tiny anyway.....it's main purpose is to blow first to protect wiring harness

 

I'd try position no.1 on that funky old starter ...can test it anyway with wire from battery to each spot..whichever gets it to spin is the winner.

 

Cable from alternator to battery is fine for 85A...only if you go bigger alternator you need beefy cabling.

 

Factory metal that battery cable runs through is simplest/easy way to fit but I have fitted them through engine mount or along sump with p clamps when hiding wires.

Edited by gtrboyy, 16 May 2017 - 07:05 PM.

[gtrboyy]

85a is best value for coin....after see the price tag of a vt v8 120 or converted ls1 140A...unless you're silly like me who run  thermofans,f/pumps,efi + cdi etc save ya money.

 

 

If fusible link blows..saves the car from melting harness...seen a lot of people not replace or even fit them which is silly although I do like expensive circuit breakers that you can reset 'cos can double as a kill switch lol

 

 

You'll want to build another car after this one now you've learnt so much.

[Bigfella237]

no red on my new loom to alternator, only the brown.

 

so i do need the "thinner" red from battery to alternator,

 

and the thin "fusible" (from engine loom) goes to the starter, along with the purple..

 

Yep, looks like you will need to run your "thinner" red between the "bolt" terminal on the alternator and the battery (+) then after all.

 

Note that this wire should have a fusible link near the battery as well (although I've seen people do it without).

 

I know your loom was designed to have that fusible link connected to the starter, but I'd say that's mainly for cars with the battery in the boot, with your battery up front I would definitely be connecting that fusible link to the battery itself.

 

That wire powers EVERYTHING in the car, if it melts from the exhaust then you're stuck where ever it happens!

[Bigfella237]

Whether that red wire/fusible link goes to the starter or the battery doesn't make much difference, it's connected to the positive power either way.

 

I'm just saying it's pointless to risk running it past the exhaust if you don't have to.

[Bigfella237]

Ah okay, now I see what you're saying, I thought it was just that convoluted flex tubing (which is split down the side) but now I see it's a little more substantial.

 

Anyway, six of one, half a dozen of the other. If you can keep it away from the exhaust then I guess it doesn't matter either way?

 

The list left before fire-up must be getting pretty short now? Did you say you were still waiting on an alternator bracket or something?

 

You could probably start it without the alternator or fan belt so long as you don't run it more than a minute or so. You'll still need to fill the radiator though, as well as make sure the engine and trans fluids are topped up.

 

If the engine has sat around for a while you might have trouble getting oil pressure too, this a very common for Holden V8s, most of the time you can prime the oil pump by unscrewing the oil pressure sender/switch and filling the pump with oil that way, just remember to reinstall the sender before you attempt another start or you'll have a big-ass mess to clean up!

[gtrboyy]

According to diagram fusible link is 12v ignition power...instead of at battery terminal like later holdens it's at starter...earlier models are worse they have it at dash switch

 

black fusible link to starter

purple to solenoid     <^ these 2 go up engine to join body harness

 

Thick red from + battery terminal to starter stud

Thinner red follows ^ to head then goes left across engine to alternator stud

Brown wire (alt charge light) goes back across engine

 

Green,blue & brown wires together run along manifold/rocker cover to join body harness.....google image factory engine bays you'll get the idea.

 

Yes still agree 85A is  good value...just hurting for when I buy bigger alternator lol

[gtrboyy]

Try to get genuine bosch item...basically they punch 30-40 amps just above idle where as 'bosch style' crap on ebay do half that unless rev bejesus out of them.

 

Other than that white wire for v8 85A is load-sensing goes to + terminal & brown you already know 

 

 

C'mon man have a crack at dissy!!!!

 

Old points still in there?

If so we can guide you to tdc no.1

Edited by gtrboyy, 17 May 2017 - 06:52 PM.