What’s this yellow/red wire power? (1 Viewer)

[Indiana80]

Anyone know what this wire powers? It’s yellow / red and goes from a connector off the main harness just before distributor plug. The other end runs up into a loom under battery box and then maybe into engine fuse box. My wife’s chaffed up pretty good. It’s a 97 LX450.

 

[Njck22]

Its just the power wire for everything EFI related. ECU, sensors, fuel pump, etc. comes off the 15a EFI fuse in the box and through the EFI main relay.

 

[TomH]

Anyone know what this wire powers? It’s yellow / red and goes from a connector off the main harness just before distributor plug. The other end runs up into a loom under battery box and then maybe into engine fuse box. My wife’s chaffed up pretty good. It’s a 97 LX450.

Just to clarify, that grey 3 pin connector with the single yellow/red stripe wire is EB1. That is the load side of the EFI relay that feeds the rest of the EFI system.

 

[Indiana80]

Its just the power wire for everything EFI related. ECU, sensors, fuel pump, etc. comes off the 15a EFI fuse in the box and through the EFI main relay.

Got it! Thank you. So the fact that the wire is scuffed and bare in one spot and that section of wire no longer has the black plastic wire protector on it, and the bare part of the wire is touching the aluminum coolant elbow off the engine is probably a bad thing? What is the best way to repair the insulation on that wire without taking off the connector and sliding a new piece of adhesive shrink wrap over it? It’s a tight spot. The wire looks OK where the insulation is missing and it’s a small area. When I get it repaired I plan to put a new plastic protector on that whole section of wire. Thanks in advance?

 

[Indiana80]

Got it! Thank you. So the fact that the wire is scuffed and bare in one spot and that section of wire no longer has the black plastic wire protector on it, and the bare part of the wire is touching the aluminum coolant elbow off the engine is probably a bad thing? What is the best way to repair the insulation on that wire without taking off the connector and sliding a new piece of adhesive shrink wrap over it? It’s a tight spot. The wire looks OK where the insulation is missing and it’s a small area. When I get it repaired I plan to put a new plastic protector on that whole section of wire. Thanks in advance?

I should add, after further investigation, it looks like that wire got kinked at some point and that’s where the insulation is missing. The kink is on the back side of where insulation is missing so I can’t tell if any of the strand is broken insideI’m wondering if I should just cut the wire at that spot, reconnect that joint with uninsulated butt connector in adhesive shrink tube.

 

[Malleus]

I'd just rewrap it with silicone tape; it's the next best alternative to the insulation on the wire. If you really want to sleeve it:

The terminal will slip out of the connector, and then you can slide a shrink tube on to it. You need the next to smallest screwdriver in the common "precision" screwdriver set, or something that size, to release the terminal from the housing. The complete instructions are in the Harness Repair Manual, in the Resources section.

I personally avoid butt connectors, unless I have to use them. In this case, you really don't.

FWIW, that connector joins the engine harness and the driver's fender harness.

 

[Indiana80]

I should add, after further investigation, it looks like that wire got kinked at some point and that’s where the insulation is missing. The kink is on the back side of where insulation is missing so I can’t tell if any of the strand is broken insideI’m wondering if I should just cut the wire at that spot, reconnect that joint with uninsulated butt connector in adhesive shrink tube.

 

[Indiana80]

I'd just rewrap it with silicone tape; it's the next best alternative to the insulation on the wire.. If you really want to sleeve it:

The terminal will slip out of the connector, and then you can slide a shrink tube on to it. You need the next to smallest screwdriver in the common "precision" screwdriver set, or something that size, to release the terminal from the housing. The complete instruction are in the Harness repair manual, in the resources section.

Got it. Thank you!

 

[BILT4ME]

Why is your wife chaffed up pretty good?
Did you spend too much money on truck parts again?

 

[Indiana80]

Why is your wife chaffed up pretty good?
Did you spend too much money on truck parts again?

 

[Indiana80]

Why is your wife chaffed up pretty good?
Did you spend too much money on truck parts again?

Well, fat fingers. She’s not chaffed up yet…that’s why I’m fixing it myself. I should proof read before clicking to post!

 

[Malleus]

I used Garner Bender HTP-1010 when I rewrapped my engine harness. I recommend it.

Any high temperature, self fusing silicone tape is good. One thing to remember, this tape sticks only to itself, and only after it has been stretched, and bonds completely, anaerobically, after serveral hours.

Do not use rubber electrical tape.

The sleeve over the wiring is PVC tubing. Again, do not use rubber here. Heat shrink tubing really isn't necessary, and if you don't get a really small size, won't shrink down on these wires; they're pretty small.

 

[TomH]

I personally avoid butt connectors, unless I have to use them. In this case, you really don't.

What do you have against butt splices, or parallel splices for that matter? They are commonly used for wire repair. When used correctly they will last the life of the harness.

Here is my repair of the same wire.

 

[Indiana80]

I used Garner Bender HTP-1010 when I rewrapped my engine harness. I recommend it.
View attachment 3067729

Any high temperature, self fusing silicone tape is good. One thing to remember, this tape sticks only to itself, and only after it has been stretched, and bonds completely, anaerobically, after serveral hours.

Do not use rubber electrical tape.

Thank you. I’m going to go for adhesive shrink tube first. Looking for connector disassembly instructions now.

What do you have against butt splices, or parallel splices for that matter? They are commonly used for wire repair. When used correctly they will last the life of the harness.

Here is my repair of the same wire.

View attachment 3067742

View attachment 3067743

Do any of you happen to know what gauge wire the yellow / red is?

 

[TomH]

Do any of you happen to know what gauge wire the yellow / red is?

I used a blue splice which is for 14-16 AWG.

 

[Njck22]

What do you have against butt splices, or parallel splices for that matter? They are commonly used for wire repair. When used correctly they will last the life of the harness.

The key is “when used correctly”. The common cheap crimpers and butt splices is not doing it correctly in my book. Looks like you have the correct tools and good splices, I’m sure yours will last.

Soldering and adhesive lined tubing is forgiving and cheaper. And the whole “vibration with crack your solder joint” applies more to pcb mounted components that are rigidly affixed to a vibrating surface. A free hanging wire has plenty of dampening. Never had a solder joint fail in 40 years of customizing my vehicles. I have had cheap butt connectors fail.

 

[Indiana80]

The key is “when used correctly”. The common cheap crimpers and butt splices is not doing it correctly in my book. Looks like you have the correct tools and good splices, I’m sure yours will last.

Soldering and adhesive lined tubing is forgiving and cheaper. And the whole “vibration with crack your solder joint” applies more to pcb mounted components that are rigidly affixed to a vibrating surface. A free hanging wire has plenty of dampening. Never had a solder joint fail in 40 years of customizing my vehicles. I have had cheap butt connectors fail.

I ended up cutting and butt splicing using uninsulated barrel connectors and adhesive shrink. I’ve done some trial butt connector splices on scrap wire and I’ve not been able to pull the joint apart. Not sissy strength either. Pretty confident this repair will last. When I was done I put the wire in a plastic split loom. It’s running good now. Thanks for all the tips. I couldn’t leave it like it was, plus it’s now part of the main harness, so I didn’t sweat as much. Main harness is only a year old.

 

[Indiana80]

View attachment 3068202
I ended up cutting and butt splicing using uninsulated barrel connectors and adhesive shrink. I’ve done some trial butt connector splices on scrap wire and I’ve not been able to pull the joint apart. Not sissy strength either. Pretty confident this repair will last. When I was done I put the wire in a plastic split loom. It’s running good now. Thanks for all the tips. I couldn’t leave it like it was, plus it’s now part of the main harness, so I didn’t sweat as much. Main harness is only a year old.

Edit- where I did my repair is NOT part of the main harness. Which takes a little pressure off in my book.