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Infidel Edition
05-31-2013, 10:04 PM
So I pulled 2 gauge neg bat cable out of a early 00's Bourbon and a pos from a mid 90's
Swapped the stock 8 gauge neg and ghetto 4 gauge pos cables
**gonna keep looking for a side mount match for the pos side and will use the top mount for the second battery down the road if I go that route.
2425

2426

So the 8 gauge lead off the positive ~ to the power strip ~ was a clust F
2427

Is that stock?
There's 6 "O" butts connected to the power stud!
NOT COOL!

I'm gonna hit Radio Smack and get an inline fuse and make a power rail to clean the crap up.

Infidel Edition
06-01-2013, 01:46 AM
So I'm digging through the Chilton wiring guide.
From the battery the (now 2 AWG) goes to the starter. And the (now 8 AWG) goes to a junction with 4 red lines off the pos. on the starter relay.
I see the green from the starter relay... to the solenoid
And a green/black to the ignition switch
And a black to ??
NOW I GOTTA FIGURE OUT WHERE THE OTHERS GO!
As well, there's supposed to be disable links on each of those lines... but I didn't notice any.

But it appears there is no junction (power rail) in the diagram.
Gonna try searching Google tomorrow :stars:

There has to be more diagrams... neither of the 2 for the '87 -'90 have lights shown.
There's door locks, but no lights?

Infidel Edition
06-01-2013, 01:57 AM
Looking at 'Starter Relay - Removal / Installation' section...
'84 - '90
1. Disc on battery neg.
2. ID tag and discon relay wires
3. Reverse of 2
4. Recon neg.

'91+ has 2 steps
1. Remove the relay from the power distribution center
2. Install in reverse of removal

So I'm guessing I need to raid a '91+ for the distribution center to clean this mess up!

4.3LXJ
06-01-2013, 09:16 AM
Yes, the Chiltons is not complete. Go to the library to the reference section and use the Motors Manuals

Infidel Edition
06-01-2013, 09:20 AM
Yes, the Chiltons is not complete. Go to the library to the reference section and use the Motors Manuals

Hadn't thought of even looking there...
Gonna hit them up today
Thanks

Infidel Edition
06-01-2013, 08:06 PM
Found this while reading:

Under normal circumstances even with a good alternator in your XJ, you can expect to see a voltage drop when you use the "high draw" accessories like the A/C or heater fan, high output H4s etc. This is because the factory wiring from the alternator's output to the Main junction of the battery and electrical system, is only a 10 gauge (AWG) wire (8 AWG on later models, ...still too small). The Main junction of the electrical system (for pre '91s) is the large stud on the "Start Relay", which is located directly behind the battery under the black plastic cover that protects the Relay Center ยน(see notes below for later models). This is the main distribution point for all your vehicle's electrical circuits (except the starter), every electrical component, every accessory, even engine management, all get their power through this connection. The battery feeds this junction also with a short length of wire that is the same size (too small). This is the weak link in the charging/electrical system. It is unrealistic to expect a 100~120 amp alternator (or a battery), to efficiently run that much current through a 10 AWG wire.

From: http://www.olypen.com/craigh/charge.htm

Infidel Edition
07-08-2013, 04:36 PM
OK...
So, a friend of mine picked up a new 4.0 for his '89 ~ that came from a '98.
And the seller included the engine harness.
... He used all his '89 parts on the '98 block (don't ask)...

He was going to toss the wiring harness (from bat. to power block to starter relay etc.)

'89 wiring on the left / '98 on the right

2899

I'm thinking about splicing it into my wiring system to
A) clean things up
B) add power lines for upgrade headlights
C) other upgrades down the road

The smaller 8 gauge + bat. line would run to the new power block.
Then, from the power block
-Orange line - to the starter relay
-Blue line - Haz/Stop switch
-Green line - Ignition switch (** not the actual green line from starter switch / rather the GRN FUS LINK line to the ignition switch from the relay)
-PURPLE line- from the Alternator

Currently, these are all bolted to the same stud on the starter relay...

** that leaves me 4 40amp lines to play with for things like electric radiator fans and such

Infidel Edition
08-15-2013, 02:34 PM
Finally got the alternator swapped and the AC switched to the pulley
Lots of new room.
3373

So high output alternator...√
0/1 gauge battery cables... √
New Duralast Platinum... √

Next is to clean up this rats nest
3374

...and then run a better gauge power wire (with cut off switch under dash) to the fuel pump...

NW99XJ
08-15-2013, 02:39 PM
Lookin good!

bluedragon436
08-17-2013, 04:48 PM
If you upgrade the portion of the wiring from the 89 to the 98 to get rid of that fuseable link that usually always dies and the crappiest times!! IIRC there are two or three fuseable links that are on the driver's side fender in the engine bay...

One of my next planned upgrades is the higher output alt, and upgrade the battery cables and charge cables.... One day I'll get there...

Infidel Edition
08-18-2013, 10:11 AM
If you upgrade the portion of the wiring from the 89 to the 98 to get rid of that fuseable link that usually always dies and the crappiest times!! IIRC there are two or three fuseable links that are on the driver's side fender in the engine bay...

One of my next planned upgrades is the higher output alt, and upgrade the battery cables and charge cables.... One day I'll get there...

I was thinking about that too. I may mod the block with self resetting breakers like 4.3LXJ had mentioned in this thread
http://www.xjtalk.com/showthread.php?t=15215
When I was working it through my brain.

I'm thinking about system vital lines with breakers... And other stuff (radio, lights, CIG lighter) off the '98 block. Maybe even work the breakers into the block