I'm making some progress identifying the wiring in the engine bay. I am bringing all the ground wires to buss bars mounted on each side and discovering just how under-gauged the grounding is. Anyway, as those of you who have done an engine conversion (lump) know, there are quite a few wires/connectors from the stock system that are of no use anymore. What have you done with these wires? I would be thankful hearing about any and all experiences and opinions. The stuff in the boot is ok to stay as is.

Very short affirmation concerning grounds; hooked up spare ATV battery for testing and first twist of the key produced one dash light and the tail lights (which I had just overhauled, so I knew they worked). Cleaned up the four engine bay grounds and the lower frame ground. Turn the key and that buzzer worked along with the only headlight still installed and the park lights. Finished bringing all the ground wire to well established busses and now I get more dash lights, panel lights that dim, gauges that move when sender wires with temp +12v, and heater/AC fans that won't shut off. They increase/decrease appropriately, but are still running when switch is in OFF. Grounds are very important!!
Dave

 

My Gen 1 conversion was handed over to me looking like this.




I consulted the wiring diagram for the car and identified what wires i was going to use, cut back the rest of the wires to the bulkhead connectors.

I did an EFI conversion on this old engine and made my own wiring harness for the engine bay.



And this is what my engine bay looks like currently with the EFI conversion, custom wiring harness, on a GEN 1 block.
There is still a ton of stuff i plan on doing to clean the engine bay up more.

Ultimately, I advocate for making your own wiring harnesses if you have the capability to do so. The old wiring in my car was failing at many different points and was woefully undergauged in many spots. I had many different points where the wiring had come apart and grounded on the interior of the car and you could see that the carpet had scorched and luckily not caught on fire. It put the fire under my *** to just cut all of the wires out of the car and start over.



Down at the bottom of this picture you can see my current shame. I have a big surplus of wiring connectors that are supposed to be hidden under the plastic covers. However, I added a lot of electronic functionality to this car and now have too much wiring to fit under that little plastic cover. I am going to be upgrading to CAN bus electronics soon to eliminate this problem and tidy up the wiring of the car even more.

 

I was really feeling sorry for you as I looked at the first picture, but then the second and third picture changed that to being impressed. You have cleaned up the engine compartment very nicely. I appreciate seeing your "shame" because my plan is to use Weather-Pak connectors as well. I'm not sure, but I don't think the S1's had fuel injection which creates a large wad of wires/connectors coming out of the bulk head under the battery on my car. I can't see a good way of making them go away, except to cut them off, but that is scary. Thanks for you pic's.
Dave

 

Considering what you started with, I wouldn't call that an eyesore. And a cover would be easy to fab out of modeler's plastic sheeting. I applaud your taking on that rat's nest of a conversion; I would imagine it was more hours than one would wish to admit.

 

I was referring to a Gen 1 SBC, as opposed to a later model engine. I don't think my S2 originally had fuel injection, but there was a large amount of wires near that section you are referring to. Remove your battery and take a look at the firewall in that corner of the engine bay, in my car there are two bulkhead connectors that had the vast majority of the wiring that i had to hack away. They can be unplugged as well.

The Weather Pack connectors are wonderful. I had some troubles at first getting some good crimps, I largely attribute this to me being a little cheap and not using the right tools and connectors for the job.
I also am probably a bit rough with the connectors when they are installed.
Otherwise, they have been fantastic. I created my wiring harness for the engine bay so it would be able to be unplugged in a couple minutes and there would be no wiring left on or around the engine except for the spark plug wires. Theoretically I could do an engine swap on this car in probably an hour to an hour and a half, if i have access to an engine hoist.



An absolute immense amount of hours learning, not nearly as many doing. I definitely have hundreds of hours put into it.
If I were to tackle the same job again it would probably be achievable in 1% of the time haha.
The only large ticket item left is the rear suspension.

 

All my "extra wires" now live behind the glove box or on the passenger tray underneath. They are "hidden" but still around for future use.

 

Roger, how did you bring them back in from the engine compartment? The bulkhead connector near the wiper motor can stay as I will need most of those wires I think, but the large harness under the battery goes through a grommet that is not big enough for the connectors. Do the bulkhead connectors at each side of the bulkhead remove completely when separated, leaving a large square hole, or does one half stay fixed to the bulkhead? Thanks for sharing.
Dave

 

I can't speak to it, that bulkhead connector is foreign to me.

 

I added a two inch hole to the right of the battery and used a metal rimmed firewall grommet from Summit Racing.

 

That sounds interesting, I hadn't thought of that. Thanks, Roger.
Dave

 

My 83 has a portal just under the battery. A bundle of wires passed through it. All but one unneeded.
The one not known at the time I cut them. Did the cut at the front passenger seat !! Belatedly, I learned that the one I did need was the one for the fuel pump! Restored, and all was well the portal served for the VSS wires from the transmission. An error there, is still in place. Not the best wire for the speedo!!! Fix now known. But, not likely, I am too old to get into it.

 

You are a brave soul, Carl. Cutting that bundle of wire at the bulkhead has always been the obvious solution to making them go away, but I have always subscribed to the old saying "never cut your rope". But I'm not ruling it out completely.

Took off the passenger side cover-panel under the dash yesterday, now I'm afraid to even go back in the shop. What a scary assortment of levers, springs, sliding pivots and vacuum lines. Sure hope it works!
Dave

 

Dave:

I was in troubled waters at that time, Just following my interpretation of the instruction I had from Johns cars and the harness provider.

In some manner, it worked. Imperfectly, yup. But, it runs and I drive it. Dumb luck?? OK, by me...

Carl

 

Carl, I think everyone on this Forum is just trying to get their cars to run and operate to one degree or another and have that smile on their face when that happens. When someone achieves that goal, who's to say they didn't do it right...….not me. I'm looking forward to my "goal".
Dave

 

Dave:

Thanks.

Oh, for sure.

Three milestones.

1. Most everything in place, Twisted the key. One by one the 8 cylinders came to life!! Beautiful music. Only exhaust down pipes in place.. And, shut down and fired again.

2. Ugh, put in gear? No movement... Yikes, a bum trans... Up on jack stands and son and I ready to yank it out. SOG, Recycle joint mated the trans to the engine, sans the converter to flex plate bolts. Errand and got three. Installed. Tried, OK, rear wheels turn!! Off the stands and a celebratory spin around the block...

3. Now, 2006!! Convinced specail SMOG referee that it was in emision compliance..

UGH< DMV issues and SMOG test year.. First seem resolved...

On stand machine. Malware snuck in to my primary. Running Enigma to cleanse it.

Then out for some "D' exposure...

Some chores deferred!!!

Carl..

 

No smog testing here right now, but I am planning to restore the 1995 Caprice pollution controls to stock, or as close as I can.
Dave

 

I went out to take a closer look where that harness goes through the fire wall and noticed that the existing grommet is much bigger than the wire bundle. I pried the grommet out, unfortunately had cut it off the wires, and was able to bring the whole harness back into the passenger compartment. I didn't have to cut anything; FI connectors, relays w/connectors, everything went through the hole with very little coaxing. I have the fuel pump wire and the inertia switch wire pulled out as they need to go back into the engine compartment and then probe the (5) engine ground wires to make sure they only went to the computer stuff in the boot. Making progress. Thanks again for tip.
Dave

 

Are ya havin' fun yet, Dave?!
(';')

 

Unfortunately I don't seem to be a fun kind of guy, however, this project is staying "interesting" for me and that's the important thing.

 

Dave:

Interest for sure. In a measured way. At times, eagerness leads to a "OK for now", to get 'er done..
Been there, doe that.

Thre are times when rope cutting ain't the end of the world. Know the difference between a mere "granny" or a real "square" and know and how to tie the latter.

Carl