This statement makes me very happy I went with a PSI harness and PCM. Sorry for your experience with Howell.
Builds Shipwreck (21 Viewers)
- Thread starter SuperBuickGuy
- Start date
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- Thread starter
- #1,762
I had a harness to cut up, but chose not to because I wanted a pro to do it. Silly me.
- Thread starter
- #1,763
A company spends all that money, in marketing, research, product support ... and throws it all away with poor quality products
I wasn't going to call out Howell EFI, but this is ridiculous.
To remind. The '40 died at a stop light and wouldn't restart. It was blowing the main fuse for the computer. After 4 hours of diagnosis, I thought I found the issue and fixed it - no, I just spent needless money. I presumed that Howell had done a good job - that was a mistake on my part.
Electrical tape is a wonderful, TEMPORARY wire cover. While it was covered by the loom, the problem was when they soldered the joints, they didn't trim the flash (the pointy ends of the wires) nor did they crimp them flat.... best practice is heat-shrink tubing... which it has now.
Mind you, I wouldn't be so irritated if I'd not already bought a harness at UPullIt that I simply needed to do what I did today to the Howell harness - that is, trim, solder and cover with heat shrink. Secondary to the above issues is they didn't trim the ends of the plastic so it could rub its way through the wire.... oh yeah, the irritation... $400 I spent on their crappy work.
notice the nice, sharp edges and the forced 90 degree bends that bent against the loom cover?
that ball in the middle, had nice ends sticking out - that's what shorted and why when I originally loosened the harness, everything worked again
why not heat shrink? because everyone loves to look at electrical tape falling off?
I feel better about my soldering too
What's really special is the short wires that are soldered on both ends.... black wire must be hard to come by?
5 solder joints, one wire.... no heat shrink....
note the electrical tape coming off a main power wire? this was the short
if only it had looked this good before I re-did it
I re-ran the wires a bit
and finally got around to the 2nd defrost hose
drilling hole
believe it or not, I think I'm going to leave it like this.... no pinch or rub possible
I still need to loom the rest of the wires and find out why the gauge isn't working (again)
my table will get cleaner this week...
my advice on harnesses - do it yourself now, or fix it yourself later. That said, I know good LS harness makers, so when I do my truck.... I'll ignore my own advice
I wasn't going to call out Howell EFI, but this is ridiculous.
To remind. The '40 died at a stop light and wouldn't restart. It was blowing the main fuse for the computer. After 4 hours of diagnosis, I thought I found the issue and fixed it - no, I just spent needless money. I presumed that Howell had done a good job - that was a mistake on my part.
Electrical tape is a wonderful, TEMPORARY wire cover. While it was covered by the loom, the problem was when they soldered the joints, they didn't trim the flash (the pointy ends of the wires) nor did they crimp them flat.... best practice is heat-shrink tubing... which it has now.
Mind you, I wouldn't be so irritated if I'd not already bought a harness at UPullIt that I simply needed to do what I did today to the Howell harness - that is, trim, solder and cover with heat shrink. Secondary to the above issues is they didn't trim the ends of the plastic so it could rub its way through the wire.... oh yeah, the irritation... $400 I spent on their crappy work.
notice the nice, sharp edges and the forced 90 degree bends that bent against the loom cover?
that ball in the middle, had nice ends sticking out - that's what shorted and why when I originally loosened the harness, everything worked again
why not heat shrink? because everyone loves to look at electrical tape falling off?
I feel better about my soldering too
What's really special is the short wires that are soldered on both ends.... black wire must be hard to come by?
5 solder joints, one wire.... no heat shrink....
note the electrical tape coming off a main power wire? this was the short
if only it had looked this good before I re-did it
I re-ran the wires a bit
and finally got around to the 2nd defrost hose
drilling hole
believe it or not, I think I'm going to leave it like this.... no pinch or rub possible
I still need to loom the rest of the wires and find out why the gauge isn't working (again)
my table will get cleaner this week...
my advice on harnesses - do it yourself now, or fix it yourself later. That said, I know good LS harness makers, so when I do my truck.... I'll ignore my own advice
- Thread starter
- #1,764
Dang, 25 posts to 100k views.... not bad for the stupidest build ever
I found the last and final short (remember, 2 shorts - one through the fuel pump and one somewhere else) - the wires to the injectors weren't protected well enough. I don't like the design, but silicone fixes everything - and this time I think it was the best solution... we'll see
other work
those belts I had before wouldn't hold you in place - I like racing harnesses so that's what I went with, yeah, not DOT legal, but so what? I've no problem going and arguing it in front of a judge... heck, that's what I do for a day job.
the plan is a belt bar across behind the seats then feed the harnesses through... tomorrow, at this point these are 100% better then what I had before.
antenna mount for my HAM radio. I still don't know where I'm going to mount it - probably remote-face mount but in any case I need an antenna, so that is what's next
I may bedline it... dunno, don't have tonight so this is where I stopped
I found the last and final short (remember, 2 shorts - one through the fuel pump and one somewhere else) - the wires to the injectors weren't protected well enough. I don't like the design, but silicone fixes everything - and this time I think it was the best solution... we'll see
other work
those belts I had before wouldn't hold you in place - I like racing harnesses so that's what I went with, yeah, not DOT legal, but so what? I've no problem going and arguing it in front of a judge... heck, that's what I do for a day job.
the plan is a belt bar across behind the seats then feed the harnesses through... tomorrow, at this point these are 100% better then what I had before.
antenna mount for my HAM radio. I still don't know where I'm going to mount it - probably remote-face mount but in any case I need an antenna, so that is what's next
I may bedline it... dunno, don't have tonight so this is where I stopped
- Thread starter
- #1,766
Time for another radio
I don't love at all the smell of fresh paint being drilled through
but I did it anyway
hard part done
radio works. controller goes on the dash, the rest in the locked, glove box.
I was concerned about hearing the radio - but the dash actually works like a big boom box so locking the chassis in the glove box actually makes it more hearable.
so I think I have enough radios now. This radio transmits/receives on CB band, HAM bands 70cm, 2m, 6m, and 10m, and receives am/fm bands along with 800 mhz (police bands). Of course, I also have a regular CD player AND a CB.... can't have enough radios. lol.... I carry enough radios - I think... I have a couple hand-held HAM radios, FRS radios, and a CB radio.... why? because yelling through your windshield for someone to stop before they drive off a cliff is wildly ineffective....
I don't love at all the smell of fresh paint being drilled through
but I did it anyway
hard part done
radio works. controller goes on the dash, the rest in the locked, glove box.
I was concerned about hearing the radio - but the dash actually works like a big boom box so locking the chassis in the glove box actually makes it more hearable.
so I think I have enough radios now. This radio transmits/receives on CB band, HAM bands 70cm, 2m, 6m, and 10m, and receives am/fm bands along with 800 mhz (police bands). Of course, I also have a regular CD player AND a CB.... can't have enough radios. lol.... I carry enough radios - I think... I have a couple hand-held HAM radios, FRS radios, and a CB radio.... why? because yelling through your windshield for someone to stop before they drive off a cliff is wildly ineffective....
At least that gets the idiots off the trail who should never have been there to begin with. It also lets you practice your mad S&R skills!
- Thread starter
- #1,768
it's true, I'd miss out on those with matching camo outfits....
Fred's jeep got totaled - by a Toyota just like the one in that picture. It may work out for me, he's interested in my H3....
Fred's jeep got totaled - by a Toyota just like the one in that picture. It may work out for me, he's interested in my H3....
Is he OK?
- Thread starter
- #1,770
Yep, as is his grandkid and his wife. Texting California drivers, best of all she's (the toyota driver) blaming him for stopped because the car in front of him stopped.
- Thread starter
- #1,771
3 top options:
1) Best top - $1100 for top n doors
2) Trollhole/Pakistani (similar) top, $2300 or 1100 if I make the frame myself
or
3) I live near Seattle, we have a huge yacht/boat building community so having a top made is not just possible; it's also quite reasonable $1800. That said, I'd have to build the frame.... and I have aluminum....
benefits
1) quick
2) really nice top and fits the level of this build
3) I hate freezing, and I can get an insulated, duckbill canvas top made with removeable panels and webbing to keep my pooch inside when the sides are off....
downside
1) not impressed with its look or quality
2) stuck with their design
3) it could take some time...
Thoughts?
1) Best top - $1100 for top n doors
2) Trollhole/Pakistani (similar) top, $2300 or 1100 if I make the frame myself
or
3) I live near Seattle, we have a huge yacht/boat building community so having a top made is not just possible; it's also quite reasonable $1800. That said, I'd have to build the frame.... and I have aluminum....
benefits
1) quick
2) really nice top and fits the level of this build
3) I hate freezing, and I can get an insulated, duckbill canvas top made with removeable panels and webbing to keep my pooch inside when the sides are off....
downside
1) not impressed with its look or quality
2) stuck with their design
3) it could take some time...
Thoughts?
A Best top came with mine, and I am not impressed with it at all. In fact I took it off and put it in the rafters in my garage and will never install it again. The only thing I like are the removable doors, but those are going to get chopped up for removable half doors. Plus it looks terrible IMO. With the effort you put in your build I personally would go with the classic look of the Trollhole/Pakistani.
Selfishly, I would like you to build the bows so I can see how you do it and attempt myself.
Selfishly, I would like you to build the bows so I can see how you do it and attempt myself.
- Thread starter
- #1,774
Steve - I learned today why you have a green '40. You want your rig to look mint.
I'll throw myself out for that one...
I'll throw myself out for that one...
"Green"... "mint". 
The rattle cans said Forest Green. My wife calls it Northwest camo. If I go off a tail and wreck nobody will see me. She was voting for day-glo orange.
When I get home I quickly spray over the new dings. When she looks I just tell her they were already there...
The rattle cans said Forest Green. My wife calls it Northwest camo. If I go off a tail and wreck nobody will see me. She was voting for day-glo orange.
When I get home I quickly spray over the new dings. When she looks I just tell her they were already there...
Steve - I learned today why you have a green '40. You want your rig to look mint.
I'll throw myself out for that one...
- Thread starter
- #1,776
"Green"... "mint".
The rattle cans said Forest Green. My wife calls it Northwest camo. If I go off a tail and wreck nobody will see me. She was voting for day-glo orange.
When I get home I quickly spray over the new dings. When she looks I just tell her they were already there...
your wife is far more observant then mine - I could drive home in an Abrahms tank and she'd think it was the
40 as long it was desert camo.
I posed for a picture in front of a Russian T34 tank at lunch and sent her the pic (driving around downtown Seattle crushing stuff). It is about the same color as my 40. I wonder if the will realize it's not my 40?
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- #1,778
lol.... are you going to be around this weekend? I have a hall pass for Sunday
Actually no. Not only am I oncall for the holiday weekend, but I have been asked to work Sunday. Family flies in today and tomorrow for a family reunion Sunday so I am kinda P.O.'d.
- Thread starter
- #1,780
maybe if you painted yourself green they wouldn't notice you're gone?