Help with wiring in '66 - calling Coolerman (1 Viewer)

[workingdog]

So, this poor '66 has been through two V8 conversions. It's interesting to look back at the '64 wiring diagram that @Coolerman was kind enough to send me. My rig originally had a generator, a voltage regulator and a real ammeter. Now I have an alternator with built in regulator and a voltmeter. In addition, all of the engine and most of the ignition wiring has been replaced as part of the conversions.

Over the years, the wiring behind the dash has become a disaster and rehabilitating my cowl top vent has motivated me to finally attack it. Now I have a bunch of wires I'm not sure what I need and what I can abandon. I have wiring diagrams from '64 and '71. The '71 has color codes but is very different from my rig, the '64 is closer to rig, but has no color codes and no indicated what what wires were in what part of the harness where.

So, here's what I got.

This is the sub-harness coming off the main harness almost dead center running along the dash under the cowl top vent. Any help identifying these would be appreciated. They are mostly wires that had been attached to the down stream side of the original fuse block on the hump above the gas pedal.

In addition, I'm not sure what to do with the large wires that used to go to the ammeter. I hooked them together just for continuity, but can I abandon them?

I know that originally, they ran to the alternator, but the alternator is now hooked directly to the power stud next to the battery.

And then, there are these two connectors, in the same general location.

I'm assuming I'll just zip tie these up to the main wiring harness trunk.

I now have a painless fuse block that I've run a new large +12 wire to. One of the things I'm doing to clean things up and make things more accessible is moving it from the upper left corner of the firewall to the center hump where the heater used to be.

Under the hood, I have a bussman resetable breaker acting as a fusible link. Right now, I have a blue white wire from the old harness still connected to the stud. But I think I can abandon that too.

 

[Coolerman]

You're kidding right?


The 71 schematic is worthless for your truck.
The 63-67 schematic is closer but due to all the mods will just be confusing to you.
You didn't mention the Dakota Digital gauge cluster...

In your first pic:
The white/red wire went from the original fuse panel to the regulator IG terminal
The Yellow wire went from the original fuse panel to the gauge cluster and was the power for the gauges
The Green/Yellow wire went from the original fuse panel to the Horn Relay B+
The Blue/Red wire went from the original fuse panel to the Heater B+
The Blue wire went from the original fuse panel to the Wiper B+
The Red wire went from the original fuse panel to the Head Light Switch B+
The Green/Red wire went from the original fuse panel to the Turn Signal Flasher

In your second pic those two 4 pin connectors originally went to the OEM gauge cluster. I bet who ever installed the Dakota Digital gauge cluster used those wires to pick up some signals.

You cannot abandon the Amp meter wires as they appear to provide the new fuse panel with power. If they don't then you can get rid of them. The OEM system was White/Blue from the generator to one side of the amp meter then White from the other side of the amp meter to the starter B+ stud where the positive battery terminal connected. In between was a splice in the White/Blue wire that fed the always on power side of the original fuse panel and a feed to the Key switch AM terminal.

Personally I would rip out every foot of existing wire and re-wire it with a Painless wiring kit. It has too many mods to be anywhere close to OEM wiring. Whats left of the OEM wiring is just a fire waiting to happen!

 

[Splangy]

That’s a mess. You need to start from scratch.

 

[workingdog]

Thanks Coolerman. That's a lot of help. And, sadly, I'm not kidding.

I was going to ask you to build me a harness, but I see I already missed the cut off for this year. So I'm going to try to make it at least workable. It's not a dakota digital gauge cluster, it's just Autometer gauges. I was assuming that it would take a huge amount of work to modify a Painless harness and that in the end I'd have to make a huge number of changes to it. I think, from what you said, I can eliminate a great deal of the old wiring that's been preserved as no longer needed. The I've run a new wire to the new fuse panel, so I'm hoping the white, white-red, white blue can all go away as well.

 

[SSTigerMerc]

I just pulled a painless through my rig and it wasn't easy but it was worth it. If you want to go that route I am more than happy to take photos and help any way I can , mine is a 68 by the way

 

[workingdog]

SSTigerMerc - how did you handle changes that you made to the rig? Is your's a V8? How did you handle the existing engine harness?

 

[Coolerman]

So that control box on the firewall is for AutoMeter gauges? Looks very much like a Dakota Digital interface box.
If the new fuse panel has it's own feed from the battery, then you can eliminate the Amp Meter wires IF the key switch AM terminal is fed from your new fuse panel? That may be why the White/Blue wire is still connected to the circuit breaker to feed the keyswitch power.

FYI I love that style circuit breaker. It's available in a wide range of ratings, It's waterproof, and best of all resettable! It can also can act like an On/Off switch. Really handy for working on the circuit without taking battery cables loose. I see it is either tripped or you opened it?

 

[workingdog]

Yes, I love the Bussman resetable breakers. Easy to disconnect all power so I can work on the car. Easy to disable the car so no one can drive off with it. I opened it because I have the wiring in the cab all torn up. That's how I figured out the white amp meter wires still were connected to the battery stud on the starter - finally got that fixed. Now everything is going through the bussman (except the ARB compressor which has it's own twin 50 amp fuses).

That little box is the thing that translates ohms from the fuel sending level unit in the tank (a modern GM one integrated with the fuel pump) to the autometer gas gauge - Fuel-link from Classic Instruments. It's easy to set up while the sending unit is out of the tank. But the gauge still doesn't work for s*** - I'm worried it might be the float doesn't have full range of motion. But I hate taking the fuel pump out - a giant pain in the ass.

I'm going to take your advice and go over to Painless and look for a wiring harness. I really didn't want to invest that much time or money, but I have the time now - even if this was not how I wanted to spend it. I'm going to have to think a lot (if you have any input let me know) on how to integrate the existing Howell engine harness and all the additional power needs over stock/original. But it would be great to finally get the headlight wires off those damn screw terminals in front. It's going to take hours just to draw the thing out.

 

[workingdog]

@SSTigerMerc which harness did you buy?

 

[workingdog]

So, help me think this through.

I don't need a harness that goes to the back, I recently rebulit the harness from the connector near the heater fan back to the rear bumper.
I don't need anything to do with the motor, fuel pump, etc - the Howell harness handles all that. I just need to supply it Bat +12, ignition on, and start (an maybe not start, that might still be part of the original harness).
I don't need anything for the ARB compressor or the winch.
I don't need anything but +12 for the center console (power points, feed to subwoofer amp) and the upper console (radio, power points, dome light).
I don't need anything do with the battery or alternator. The new harness will take its feed from the Bussman.

I do need everything from the headlights, running lights, turn signals back into the cab and then everything for all the usual controls and gauges in there (turn, stop, lights, all gauges, horn, ignition switch, dash lights, etc) - plus enough additional power for line-lock, HAM, GPS speedo, upper console, lower console, fuel-link, power points in dash, ARB switches.

It feels like really just the head light runs and the dash itself.

So, what wiring harness do I need?

--

So, I looked at what painless has to offer
For the part of the harness I need, and the prices they charge for harnesses, why not just lay it out on some plywood myself. I assume I can get the bulk wire somewhere. Not of the connectors on the hardness will be of any use anyway.

 

[SSTigerMerc]

@SSTigerMerc which harness did you buy?

Painless 10204

 

[workingdog]

Okay, thanks. I got the same, except not the truck version. Going to start removing the old harness today. I wonder if I should start a thread.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Take a lot of "before" pictures... You may not use them.... But, if you need only one of them, it's worth the effort.

 

[James Madigan]

Hey i got the painless kit for Fj40's.I'd love it if you'd start a thread.

 

[workingdog]

Apparently, there isn't a kit for the 40 any more. CoolCruisers still lists it, but then says it's no longer being made, and it's $200 more. With all the changes, I don't think the stock 40 harness does me any good.

 

[Solace in Solitude]

Will this work for you?

Complete Wiring Harness IMC Scout II Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40 Ford Bronco Truck | eBay

 

[Coolerman]

There are other companies besides Painful that make universal harnesses.
Kwikwire
AmericanAutoWire

 

[SSTigerMerc]

The painless was pretty easy and straight forward and will be easier since you have the 350. Grafting in the blinker and hazard switches were the most painful parts for me but I am happy to take pictures of which wires went to what

 

[workingdog]

Hey @Coolerman - Is the '66 40 like my '84 FJ60 and the headlights wired 'backwards'? Should I convert to 'normal' headlight wiring when I update the harness? Or, am I going to be forced to convert the headlight wiring?

 

[Coolerman]

Not sure what you mean by "wired backwards"?
The 66 headlight circuit is this: 12ga red wire comes from the fuse block to the head light switch. This is the B+ for the lights. When you pull the head light switch to the second position, the switch connects the 12ga red wire to a 14ga Red/White wire that then goes down to the dimmer switch where it attaches to the B terminal. There are two other connections on the dimmer switch labeled 1 and 2. 1 goes to a 14ga Red/Green wire that goes to BOTH headlights and is the LOW beam. 2 goes to a 14ga Red/Yellow wire that goes to BOTH head lights and is the HIGH beam. There is also a 18ga Red/Yellow wire attached to 2 that goes to the hi beam indicator light in the gauge cluster.