best general and efi harnesses

[bronco italiano]

Got pics? Or a link to another discussion you've shown them in?

Thanks

Paul

Never took pics. There are so many amazing minds here I feel my mod was mediocre at best. I will snap a pic and post.

 

[bronco italiano]

Took a couple pics.

 

[DirtDonk]

Thanks for the pics! I think it’s a great idea. Looks like it works too.
Nice tribute dash.

 

[bronco italiano]

Thanks for the pics! I think it’s a great idea. Looks like it works too.
Nice tribute dash.

Thank you.

 

[4x4man514]

Took a couple pics.

so how are the magnets rated? i mean how did you know what strength would work? that looks like a pretty good solution but my bronco is all undercoated under there and i imagine it would take a pretty stout magnet.

 

[DirtDonk]

Depending on the thickness of the undercoating, you are right. It would make a big difference and so you would generally want stronger magnets.
However the computers and fuse panels aren’t exactly heavy and with four of them used as feet, I think the holding power is enhanced greatly.

Still, a thick and deeply textured liner is going to definitely cause you to think more about it.
Easy enough to test though. You could get some cheap magnets at Harbor freight or wherever and just try one on the liner coated metal.

 

[4x4man514]

Depending on the thickness of the undercoating, you are right. It would make a big difference and so you would generally want stronger magnets.
However the computers and fuse panels aren’t exactly heavy and with four of them used as feet, I think the holding power is enhanced greatly.

Still, a thick and deeply textured liner is going to definitely cause you to think more about it.
Easy enough to test though. You could get some cheap magnets at Harbor freight or wherever and just try one on the liner coated metal.

yea good point. i wonder how expensive the good magnets are?

one more question, i think im gonna get both of these harnesses(painless and the rf efi), which one do yall think would be best to install first? since im not even sure where to put the computer

 

[DirtDonk]

Magnets are still very cheap. Even expensive rare earth magnets, if you buy the cheap ones are not very much money.
You can get a really strong magnet for next to nothing.

Even those little hanging magnets at Home Depot are extremely strong if you get the right ones.

No matter which one you install first you should “think” of them concurrently.
It’s often easier to install the vehicle harness when the engine is out, or at least expedient to do so while you’re waiting for the engine to go in. That makes it a good choice to do the body harness first.
But you can’t do it properly without at least thinking about, and knowing where each of the connections to the EFI harness are going to tie into the body harness.

Really what I’m saying is that even if you’re not physically installing them at the same time, you think you are because you’re thinking about each one at the same time. You may even start with the body harness and lay the engine harness on there while you’re doing it to get an idea of where the cut in the firewall is going to be with the grommet, or where the ground is going to attach, or where you’re going to put the Bank of relays.
All that kind of stuff keeps your brain power on a high-alert level at the same time.

If the engine is already installed then I would put the EFI harness on completely so that you have an actual working knowledge of where each other component is going to go.
The BAP sensor just needs to be out-of-the-way somewhere, and the ignition coil wires are long enough so that you can either mount it to the engine or literally over on one of the wheel wells.
Or even the firewall.

So yes, lots to think about. But once you’re in the middle of it it all starts to make more and more sense each step you take.

 

[4x4man514]

Magnets are still very cheap. Even expensive rare earth magnets, if you buy the cheap ones are not very much money.
You can get a really strong magnet for next to nothing.

Even those little hanging magnets at Home Depot are extremely strong if you get the right ones.

No matter which one you install first you should “think” of them concurrently.
It’s often easier to install the vehicle harness when the engine is out, or at least expedient to do so while you’re waiting for the engine to go in. That makes it a good choice to do the body harness first.
But you can’t do it properly without at least thinking about, and knowing where each of the connections to the EFI harness are going to tie into the body harness.

Really what I’m saying is that even if you’re not physically installing them at the same time, you think you are because you’re thinking about each one at the same time. You may even start with the body harness and lay the engine harness on there while you’re doing it to get an idea of where the cut in the firewall is going to be with the grommet, or where the ground is going to attach, or where you’re going to put the Bank of relays.
All that kind of stuff keeps your brain power on a high-alert level at the same time.

If the engine is already installed then I would put the EFI harness on completely so that you have an actual working knowledge of where each other component is going to go.
The BAP sensor just needs to be out-of-the-way somewhere, and the ignition coil wires are long enough so that you can either mount it to the engine or literally over on one of the wheel wells.
Or even the firewall.

So yes, lots to think about. But once you’re in the middle of it it all starts to make more and more sense each step you take.

thats exactly what i keep going through in my head. unfortunately my lack of knowledge keeps getting in the way. my motor is out right now so ive been weighing the best way to go about it. my problem is ive spent alot on my eb and ive tried to go the extra mile on everything. i really want this to be a clean set up. being unfamiliar i know there are things im gonna miss or screw up and then afterwarsd think man i wish i hadnt done that. i keep thinking if i know where one harness is i can work the other around that but which first. and its been so long since i striopped it down i cant even remember where the wires need to run. that may be in the instructions but if it isnt where is a good source to find the info?

thanks for all the help!

 

[DirtDonk]

Generally the best instructions are those written by Eric for the Painless harness.
They describe, sometimes specifically and sometimes in generalities, where each of the harness branches should go. And most of them are correctly zip tied together so that they are already bundled.
But being zip tied instead of taped means you can easily cut some zip ties and run a wire somewhere else if you find it to be better that way for yours.

Since the engine harness is smaller, has fewer wires, fewer things that you actually have to create a connection for, and most of them only go one way, then if I had to choose a place to start I would start with the engine like I mentioned before.
Things like injectors and throttlebody connections really only go within a narrow range in one direction. There are only a few things that you can vary with regard to the engine harness.
Since with the engine compartment nothing is hardwired to the body that can’t be altered slightly, you can usually make the body harness work around the fuel injection harness. Especially with all the extra wires left over.

The best advice is that given in the instructions, which says don’t throw the old harness away. Was it you that earlier in this thread mentioned you had already tossed out the old harness? Well, don’t sweat it. It’s done.
There was nothing on the harness that you can’t live without. Just a few things that would’ve made it a lot easier had you kept them.
Live, learn, and MoveOn.

Best not to overthink all the details.
One area that you can overthink though, and as a benefit to this process, would be learning more about cutting, splicing, soldering and otherwise terminating wires in an appropriate manner.
If you already know that stuff then you’re 75% done.

 

[bronco italiano]

Go to K & J magnetics web site and they have the ratings of the neo magnets. They are surprisingly stronger than you would think.

 

[4x4man514]

thanks paul. i guess that is what i was looking for and kinda what i was thinking . not alot of options with the engine harness.. the pic in the instructionbs show a mustang though. where is everyone going through the firewall on a bronco? i have wired plenty before just not something this complex. and yes i think it was me about my old harness. i had enough sense not to throw it away but ive moved 3 times since i started this and for the life of me i cant find it.

 

[4x4man514]

Go to K & J magnetics web site and they have the ratings of the neo magnets. They are surprisingly stronger than you would think.

thanks a bunch italiano, ill check them out

 

[bronco italiano]

They have some magnets with "retard strength" so don't go too big.

 

[DirtDonk]

I keep forgetting that you were asking about the location of the grommet/pass through.
The instructions used to show the bronco specifically but I guess they changed it awhile back.

I’ll check for pictures I might have, but there are probably quite a few around the forums too.
For this harness and a non-Explorer setup the original location was to the passenger side of the firewall behind the glovebox.
Since then I think more and more are moving the location closer to the center, in the “indent” behind the engine. Putting the ECM over the heater controls.
Or anywhere nearby that is convenient.

A member just posted yesterday I think where his is on the driver’s panel of the indent. Was looking for suggestions on where to mount the ECM that didn’t interfere with the defroster ducts.
The explorer mount has proven to be very popular, but I don’t know how that would work with the older computers.
Maybe 904Bronco or one of the others has a comment on that.

 

[904Bronco]

A member just posted yesterday I think where his is on the driver’s panel of the indent. Was looking for suggestions on where to mount the ECM that didn’t interfere with the defroster ducts.
The explorer mount has proven to be very popular, but I don’t know how that would work with the older computers.
Maybe 904Bronco or one of the others has a comment on that.

The mount has to be pretty high up to give you max duct space. (Explorer harness, with Windstar mount)(Explorer box is too big IMHO) Even then you need to squeeze them a little bit (square). The new replacement ducts that WH's sells are way to long. I spoke with them... we came to the concussion that it is me, as no one else has said that to them. 87-93 Mustang ECU's will fit in the mount, it is more of a how much Harness tail do you have to play with thing...

 

[4x4man514]

So if I'm understanding correctly.

If I have the ron Frances harness. Wherever I go through the firewall will directly affect how much "tail" i have and ultimately how i can avoid the defrost ducts?

I don't have ducts now so I guess I need to get them b4 I start. I already had someone do my paint and body and when they put it back together they got left out. I don't know if it was because my aftermarket gauges are in the way. ? I refigured my whole dash . I hate to buy ducts if I can use them. How much are they in the way?

 

[4x4man514]

Heres my layout

 

[DirtDonk]

Is the dash at least still out of the truck? Or is it fully mounted?
Can’t say about the clearance for the ductwork though. There’s not much back there usually.
Got a couple of pictures of the back of your dash?

 

[4x4man514]

Is the dash at least still out of the truck? Or is it fully mounted?
Can’t say about the clearance for the ductwork though. There’s not much back there usually.
Got a couple of pictures of the back of your dash?

no mine is fully mounted now, though i think im gonna have to pull it to do this wiring job. im nowhere near that flexible.lol. is there anything i shoud take note of or measure before i pull it out?

and after looking at italianos pics it got me to thinking. if i dont put ducts in there , is under my dash more vulnerable to rain? concerning the computer and fusebox anyways. i dont have any kind of box for my computer to mount in. yet anyways

thanks!