Update! My wiring nightmare... where do I go with it?

[calw]

Interesting numbers, Marty's son.  thanks.   My collection of scrounged fuses includes 250's also- they are the same dimensions as the 200's.  Also from E39's, but I didn't pay attention to exact models and years when getting them.  I haven't bothered to look up specs on these style fuses, but the current spec for a fuse is always a simplification of the total story- some have a "slow blow" characteristic at the rated current, some are instantaneous, some are sorta in between.  Comparing the E39 with a 30 year newer 6 cylinder engine design using much thinner oil and a different starter to our old technology on paper seems like guesswork, so I won't bother. 

 

Net result- If a 200 fails, I'll feel OK installing a 250 to replace it.  If that fails, replacing the fuse with a slab of copper will duplicate what BMW built in 1968 - no fuse at all.

[Rob Zaeos]

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions! I love seeing all of the photos of your different solutions. For now I've ordered a waterproof 6 fuse/6 relay block and a simple bus bar for anything else. I also ordered loom wrap, cloth tape, connectors etc....

 

I'll look into the trunk at the battery relocation. I do know there is a cut off switch which has been handy for working on the electrical. I'm not sure about a fuse in the trunk but there is a breaker in the engine bay and most of the power wires have been fused in line. I would say a little over fused but i rather that than have it burn down. And yes! I have an extinguisher... this is my second 2002 actually, my first had leaks at the exhaust studs, which i solved, but i learned to always keep an extinguisher in my 02'....

 

I have seen that the heavy gauge cable connected to the battery looks to be Stereo Amp cable, is this sufficient or should I replace it?

( there are also 2 distro blocks which go to amps under the seats )

 

On a side note here is a pic of my first 76'... which unfortunately, while being test driven by a potential buyer, was rear ended by an ahole in a tacoma who promptly fled the scene. I did not have full coverage on this one... so for the most part a loss. It wasn't perfect but a solid runner after a lot of work, and i loved it.

 

Edited October 21, 2021 by All Day

[calw]

nice car, before the whack, sigh.  Speaker cable is not required to meet any standards that I'm aware of, and is mostly made over there by the lowest cost bidder.  I'd inspect it carefully and think about how well it will handle kinks and sharp points along it's path if it's the wire going to the engine compartment.  I can't tell very much from the photo. 

 

The black item on the driver's side of the battery holder is one of the ubiquitous 90's Ford fuel pump cutoff switches which is meant to kill power to the pump in an accident.  I recall harvesting a few of those at the junk yard and think they were all mounted fore-aft rather than left-right as in your car.  It is right-side up, that much I can confirm.  Not sure that this matters, but something to check on also - collisions generally involve abrupt longitudinal motion, not lateral.  If the switch won't cutoff in the situation experienced by your previous car......

 

What are the black things above the battery with wires running in and out?  maybe distribution blocks?  If yes, check the quality of the work inside.  Any unnecessary resistance in the main battery-to-alternator path is a bad thing.

[Son of Marty]

Now that Calw brought it up, I can't remember a Ford cutoff switch that wasn't mounted fore and aft, I don't know if it responds to lateral loads like the newer ones, it might but now that you can get them off flea bay for under 20 bucks you might want to upgrade.

[Rob Zaeos]

1 hour ago, calw said:

nice car, before the whack, sigh.  Speaker cable is not required to meet any standards that I'm aware of, and is mostly made over there by the lowest cost bidder.  I'd inspect it carefully and think about how well it will handle kinks and sharp points along it's path if it's the wire going to the engine compartment.  I can't tell very much from the photo. 

 

The black item on the driver's side of the battery holder is one of the ubiquitous 90's Ford fuel pump cutoff switches which is meant to kill power to the pump in an accident.  I recall harvesting a few of those at the junk yard and think they were all mounted fore-aft rather than left-right as in your car.  It is right-side up, that much I can confirm.  Not sure that this matters, but something to check on also - collisions generally involve abrupt longitudinal motion, not lateral.  If the switch won't cutoff in the situation experienced by your previous car......

 

What are the black things above the battery with wires running in and out?  maybe distribution blocks?  If yes, check the quality of the work inside.  Any unnecessary resistance in the main battery-to-alternator path is a bad thing.

 

53 minutes ago, Son of Marty said:

Now that Calw brought it up, I can't remember a Ford cutoff switch that wasn't mounted fore and aft, I don't know if it responds to lateral loads like the newer ones, it might but now that you can get them off flea bay for under 20 bucks you might want to upgrade.

Awesome! Thanks! I was wondering what that little black thing was... I'll look into an upgrade.

 

[mgben]

Is there a Relay in the trunk for your Fuel Pump? 
I would put a fused relay like @tech71 showed in the trunk, get an ignition turn on signal from the previous owner wiring and get the nice close battery power to the fused higher current feed to pump. 

No sense running all that current through your ignition switch or however he did it. OR from the front of the car.

Are you using all the amps and such? 

Also you definitely need a good 4 or 6 ga wire off your alternator to keep up with the stereo consumption. 

Your battery cable front to back I would hope is not the see through Stereo style unless a good brand.

https://ceautoelectricsupply.com/battery-relocation-kits/standard-single-battery-relocation-kits-10-awg-and-2-awg/

 

[tech71]

6 hours ago, All Day said:

I have seen that the heavy gauge cable connected to the battery looks to be Stereo Amp cable, is this sufficient or should I replace it?

( there are also 2 distro blocks which go to amps under the seats )

P.O was a bit of an auto audiophile was he?

Does\did the sound system  sound any good?

At least your battery is not going anywhere with that pointless, space gobbling, so called "rear strut brace" (they really aren't ) installed? 

Is there writing on the battery cable? maybe you can determine the gauge/size.

With all the stuff going on load wise I would hope its at least 1 gauge or better.

Edited October 22, 2021 by tech71

[Rob Zaeos]

Finally have an update on this mess! I spent the last week re-wiring, rerouting and covering the engine bay wiring. It’s not as polished as I’d like and I need to deep clean / paint the engine bay, but at least it has solid connections, labels, and hopefully decent reliability. 
 

Thanks again to everyone for the great advice, encouragement, and help!
Next up the under side of the dash!

Edited October 14, 2023 by Rob Zaeos