"Painless" Wiring Harness (1 Viewer)

[Mrpoopypants]

OK got my cruiser back to gather at least up to the main tub. Next is the re-wiring.
I am not an electrician so any advice is good.
I have an FJ-40, W/ early 70s V-8 and HEI Dist.
None of the Relays, Switches, Gauges or Speedo Cluster were connected so I don’t have a reference. The Old harness is torn out and in a box in pieces.
- What item from the old electrical system do I have to incorporate into the new
harness? i.e./ relays, regulators, etc
- How can I tell if my Alt has an internal Reg?
- Where is the best spot to mount the Maxi Fuse that comes with the kit?
- Does the Painless kit have all connections or will I have to customize a few of
them?
- There are a few boxes on the passenger’s side interior fire wall. one looks like a
Voltage Reg. One looks like a little bell or buzzer with a small tube going through
the fire wall and the other is a box with a green, female plug-in on the front.
Can't seem to identify them from any books I have and the lettering on them is
gone.
- My water pump has a small, 1inch hose coming out of the top of it and into the
intake manifold. Is this where i hook my heater hoses and in what direction?

Thnx for the Help

 

[zetasig]

Ive heard from others using the painless kit that it is anything but painless. there is a competitor out there I think called EZ wire.com or something. has the same basic kit and a few hundred less. I am pretty sure you need to KEEP all of your OEM connectors. and solder in the new wires to them. Solder everything and shrink tube it so you only have to do it once.

Good luck. I would consider the glove box for mounting the fuse panel. You have some access to it. and it is a bit higher for water fording situations.

 

[BenLC]

Does anyone know the name of this other company. Or a web page?

 

[Archengine]

I have never heard of EZ wire, though Centech is what I will be using.

 

[kc_chevota]

i used centechwire.com 21 circuit unit and was quite happy overall soldered on my old plugs

 

[tewlman]

www.ezwiring.com
they are about half the price of painless. i will probably go this route when i get to that point

 

[Mrpoopypants]

Question on connecting the wires.
I am splicing the old connecters into the wires so they can plug in like intended. The crimp connections that came with the kit suck. I want to solder them but what’s the best way. I slipped them together end to end and dropped a bead of solder on and melted it into the wire. Will that be ok or will it cause a prob? i.e. create a hot spot in the wire kinda like friction?
I am electrically challenged so plz help me to not burn up my rig
Thnx

 

[ranger]

In order to properly solder wires you must clean with flux, then carefully heat the wire ends with the soldering iron. Touch the sloder to the wires so it will flow to the contour of the wires. The incorrect way is to melt the solder on the iron and then put it on the wire. Too much solder and you will not be able to see the contour, too less and you will have bare spots. Once the joint is cooled, clean flux residue from joint with isopropal alcohol..The completed joint should have a shiney appearance. If dull, you have a poor solder connection with contaminants.
Its important to remove the flux residue, because it contains all of the contaminants from the soldering process. If not removed, later on your joint will fail due to corrosion.

 

[skiakhokie]

I just used regular crimping and electrical tape on my 77 FJ40. It hasn't failed me yet... but that's not saying it won't.

I put the fuse on the right fender well. I also relocated my voltage meter over there too. I used some of the original plugs but most were burned up so I just used standard crimping plugs. I would definetly use the plug for your gauge cluster and look at the chilton's manual for the diagram saying what is what.

As you complete each individual circuit I would go through it and make sure it's grounded properly. I spent 3 days putting in the harness, pulled all the switches and one by one all the fuses poped. I spent another week finding all the improper grounds.

It's defineately not Painless but it's worth it. I had problems connecting my alternator/starter circuits, I had to call painless and the guy walked me through it. If your rig starts and keeps running when you take the key out somethings wrong, and if your starter never stops turning something's wrong too.

I'll have to go look at my rig but I'll get back to you on the pass. side boxes.

 

[G-Cat]

In their defense, it is called "Painless" and not "idiot proof". You see, I am an idiot, so the Painless harness was way above my little monkey brain.

I routed all of the wires, and a buddy and I crimped them into place. (yeah right).

I ended up taking the rig to a real pro who shortened the wires to correct length, soldered all conections and loomed the whole thing up for a very good looking OEM type install.

I have no complaints about the function of the harness.

An idiot's 2 cents.

 

[Mrpoopypants]

OK newest issue with the Painless wiring kit.
There is no wire that goes directly to the rear for the brake lights. There is how ever a 14 gauge wire that is for a third brake light.
What they tell me now is that the painless kit is designed so that the brake lights work off the blinkers with some other device, that I cant remember the name of.
Any advice on this on this?
So, if you are considering the Painless wiring kit be sure to ask about this. The additional cost might change your mind on going with this kit.

Will 14 gauge be able to stand the load of the brake light bulbs?

Thnx

 

[cavsfj40]

yes it will

 

[toycrusher]

I used centech and I soldered every connection and used heat shrink over them. I incorporated some factory plugs into the harness others I eliminated. I installed it in 2 days (full days) and spent the next week fixing problems ie. pushed the brake pedal and the right blinker in the dash would come on :whoops:

Now that it is all fixed it is awesome. I repaced eacha dn everywire.

I mounted my fuse box in the glove box on the drivers side of the box the only problem was trying to get the drill and hole saw in there to cut the big whole for the harness wires to go thru. Alot of the excessively long wires I coiled up under the dash inside the plastic conduit. Along the frame I used 3/8 in stainless brake lines to run all the wires to the rear (with a rubber bushing in each end to prevent wire chafing.

I solder wires on aircraft (USAF) all the time and it is very important to clean and "tin" the wires before soldering together. I soldered all my terminals on.

Good Luck - Just keep thinking (when frustration kicks in) how much better it will be when your all done!

 

[Dirt_is_our_friend]

Garth 1:how much did that run you? i would like to know cause having someone doing my electrical system sounds really really good to me