Project Dolomega, the next level

[Carledo]

Recently, I am mostly been doing wiring! And more wiring! And yet more wiring! And just for a change, some wiring! I am dreaming about wiring!
My neighbour Les has been helping a bit, he's a retired Sparky, but of the house variety, he keeps looking at what i'm doing and muttering about "neutral" under his breath! But he's keeping my spirits up. The engine and trans loom is now in a more or less useable state, though I have lost a few wires somewhere, namely the wires for reverse lights, speedo sense and management warning light otherwise it all seems to make sense, to me at least. With a birthday coming up this week, I have been playing fast and loose with the "Car Builder Solutions" catalogue and my birthday money. Amongst other bits I am now in possession of 2 lovely fuseboxes, one holding 16 blade fuses (15 and a spare) that will go on the bulkhead in roughly the same place as the original and cover 9 ignition controlled functions, 2 permanent live, 2 auxilliary controlled and 2 sidelight controlled. The second box will go on the n/s flitch behind the ECU/relay box and have 4 headlight fuses and 1 each for spotlights and horns (all backed up by relays)
So as a change I have spent the last 2 days on more familiar territory with Joe Lucas' colour codes, reshaping the car's original loom to suit the upgrades going on. It's almost restful working on wires when you know what everything does just from the colour codes! I'm also adding push button starting (one of my "trademarks") and I will be using the now redundant choke light as a transmission "sport mode"/fault warning light, any ideas on how to get the little picture right gratefully recieved!
I've got a separate management light (when I find the wire for it!) and i'm losing the "fasten belts" light and related circuitry (I hate nanny state) and putting a genuine rear foglight switch in it's place. I was intending to put the spotlight switch on the dash too but was foiled by the lack of a suitable green illuminated push pull switch to match the rear fog switch. Current thinking is a Stag light switch which has a Fog/spot setting. Then all I need is a small green warning LED.

Enough for now, i'll get some progress pics up soon!

Steve

[soe8m]

Recently, I am mostly been doing wiring! And more wiring! And yet more wiring! And just for a change, some wiring! I am dreaming about wiring!


Steve

And?

Jeroen

[Carledo]

Recently, I am mostly been doing wiring! And more wiring! And yet more wiring! And just for a change, some wiring! I am dreaming about wiring!


Steve

And?

Jeroen

For you mate, it's a job! For me it's a necessary evil! I've had tremendous enjoyment the last 3 days, doing the main car loom, unpicking it, re-routing stuff, adding stuff to the point where I have almost completely made a new loom (just put ISO plugs and 4 speaker stereo wiring into the mix before I came in tonight) I had to gut an entire Toledo main loom for green wire to separate out all the ignition controlled circuits, some of the routings are less than obvious and the sidelight wiring was really tricky getting front, rear and dash to ALL be AFTER the fuse. At this stage I'm still debating the merits of a panel light dimmer (easy enough to do ATM) but not sure if I can be bothered, when I do have one, it's always on max anyway! The ECU wiring OTOH is vastly more complex and difficult to understand. It's mainly this that is giving me headaches when awake and nightmares when asleep!

Steve

[new to this]

Steve

For the switch,how about mk6 transit or fiesta mk6 you have a pull on the switch for extra toy connections

Dave

[DutchDolly]

I must say I really enjoy how you did the wiring. I still have plans to fit my V6 Omega engine in my Dolomite, but it is on pause right now. Are you also considering an amp for the music ?

As for my v6 conversion, it is on pause because i am currently in Los Angeles for half a year, and I will be back in september.

for the conversion:

First i have to fix my chassisrails (parts of it at least)
Then I can start with try fitting my V6 (I have a little more space for moving it back and fort but less room in the width sense.)
Then fixing gearbox mount, prop etc

When its all fitted, I will have a wiring challenge. Luckily enough my engine is not a fly-by-wire for the throttle, but an oldskool throttle cable).

And then somewhere in the future upgrade my shocks, brakes and maybe bigger wheels and tires.

[Carledo]

TBH, i'm not much of a music man, people who have heard me "singing" will confirm this! 4 decent speakers will do me, along with a multipurpose head unit (MP3/I-pod/flashdrive) and possibly a CD stacker in the boot (I have 3 nice Kenwood ones) Really, even Stereo is wasted in a car, since you need to be 4 feet from the speakers to get the full effect - which is rather difficult in a Dolomite! So long as I can listen to Pink Floyd at high volume and without distortion , i'll be happy!

I'm still getting stuck into the wiring, but the more I do now, the easier it seems to be getting. As with anything else, practice makes perfect.

The annoying thing is, that more I do the more I keep thinking "maybe I could just add........" so it's never ending! I'm already having doubts about the ability of the original Triumph main leads (the big brown ones) to carry the extra load AND the unfused ignition lives (white wires) I guess I may find out the hard way!

I'm pleased to hear you have not abandoned the V6 project, it sounds like a winner to me (biased as I am) The fly-by-wire throttle turned out to be very simple, 6 wires from ECU to potentiometer with no sidetracks. I wish the trans wiring was as easy! But I guess you will be going for manual trans which will make your life easier. With that much grunt on tap, I suspect some bigger brakes will quickly become a priority!

Steve

[soe8m]

The fly-by-wire throttle turned out to be very simple, 6 wires from ECU to potentiometer with no sidetracks. I wish the trans wiring was as easy!

Steve

Make sure you use the original wire or when replacing a shielded cable. During prototyping the Vencer Sarthe's wiring loom I experienced some serious EMC. When switching the heater valve on, a solenoid, sometimes the lift system was operated. These signal wires of the lift system developed a tiny signal current because of the shock current through the wire of the solenoid water valve. These wires were no way connected and were lying only next to eachother in the same harness part. You do not need an automatic throttle pedal when switching the lights on.

Jeroen

[Carledo]

The fly-by-wire throttle turned out to be very simple, 6 wires from ECU to potentiometer with no sidetracks. I wish the trans wiring was as easy!

Steve

Make sure you use the original wire or when replacing a shielded cable. During prototyping the Vencer Sarthe's wiring loom I experienced some serious EMC. When switching the heater valve on, a solenoid, sometimes the lift system was operated. These signal wires of the lift system developed a tiny signal current because of the shock current through the wire of the solenoid water valve. These wires were no way connected and were lying only next to eachother in the same harness part. You do not need an automatic throttle pedal when switching the lights on.

Jeroen

I know what you mean and I think Vauxhall had some similar problems! The loom from engine ecu/trans to the trans ECU contains 2 shielded cables, 1 with 4 wires inside and one with 2. Besides this, the ENTIRE main loom was wrapped in a sheet of metal foil where it passed between the heater assembly and the aircon control panel! So I will definitely be making good the shielding! (even though the aircon and it's control panel will no longer be used!)
Whilst I have your attention, I was wondering about the shielded cables, is it OK to shorten them? I can't think of any reason why not, but I don't pretend to know anything much about electronics (as opposed to car electrics) The wires inside the shielding don't look anything special, just smaller and thinner than the general stuff in the rest of the loom.
On the donor Omega, the engine loom joined to the car loom near the L/H/F strut tower which then made it's way through the L/H bulkhead stopping at all points between till it reached the Trans ECU which was situated about where the wiper motor is on a RHD Dolomite high up on the R/H bulkhead above the throttle pedal. It is MY intention to mount the trans ECU high on the L/H bulkhead, behind the glovebox, which will make all the wires going to it (there are lots) about 2 meters too long! Shortening most will not be a problem, all have been cut at least once to disentangle them from the main loom and all will be carefully rejoined with proper soldered joints and shrink wrap insulation, it's just the shielded cables i'm worried about! I'll probably use the tinfoil from the donor to protect the joints as an added precaution, but is it OK to shorten the shielded cables in line with the other normal stuff?

Cheers, Steve

[soe8m]

Shielding is only shielding when one end of the foil or maze is grounded. When not grounded it's not shielding and when grounded both sides you will create a loop where a tiny current can run.

I've seen the solder and heatshrink methode many times but it's easier just to shorten the wire/cable and reconnect the connector at the new end. Aldough it doesn't look like the terminals in "modern" connectors are easy to disconnect from their housing. Most of the time only a very small screwdriver or a paperclip is needed. Buy the terminals needed and crimp on the new cable end and push in the housing again. More reliable, no interferance with extra resistance due to soldering and much neater. No need to hatsiflats the shielding together again etc. etc.

Terminals do cost about 0,10 a piece and this methode takes less time than cut 'n' solder.

Jeroen

[soe8m]

I do re use when undamaged some connectors. Cheaper and original fitment is most of the time better than the chinese repro's.

When ordering terminals watch the suitabel wire size. You can see the original wire is thinner than the new wire so is the size of the terminal.

Popular cars have popular terminals and most of the time the terminals are the same per make of car, just the housings are different.

Easy to remove and to replace.

Jeroen

[DutchDolly]

Thanks Jeroen for the wiring tips. If I run into some troubles, I know who to ask. Where do you live in the Netherlands? By any chance close to Groningen?

af for the wiring. It does make sense to just unplug the plug and reassemble it when its cut to correct length. Makes it also less prone for loose connections.

[soe8m]

Nijverdal

http://www.classickabelboomcompany.com/Contact/

Jeroen

[Carledo]

I do re use when undamaged some connectors. Cheaper and original fitment is most of the time better than the chinese repro's.

When ordering terminals watch the suitabel wire size. You can see the original wire is thinner than the new wire so is the size of the terminal.

Popular cars have popular terminals and most of the time the terminals are the same per make of car, just the housings are different.

Easy to remove and to replace.

Jeroen

I'm not sure this is an option in this case, with the 5-11 wire plugs in the original Lucas Dolly harness, no problem to do as you suggest and just fit new pins on shortened wires. But with the Omega loom both ends of the 2 main things I need to connect are those massive single plugs with about 60 miniscule pins in each. Even if I do get the plugs apart, i'm not sure my eyesight is up to soldering work that fine on components that small!

Steve

[NickMorgan]

Great restoration thread, Steve. For some reason I haven't come across it before. It has kept me occupied all lunch hour!!

[soe8m]

I do re use when undamaged some connectors. Cheaper and original fitment is most of the time better than the chinese repro's.

When ordering terminals watch the suitabel wire size. You can see the original wire is thinner than the new wire so is the size of the terminal.

Popular cars have popular terminals and most of the time the terminals are the same per make of car, just the housings are different.

Easy to remove and to replace.

Jeroen

I'm not sure this is an option in this case, with the 5-11 wire plugs in the original Lucas Dolly harness, no problem to do as you suggest and just fit new pins on shortened wires. But with the Omega loom both ends of the 2 main things I need to connect are those massive single plugs with about 60 miniscule pins in each. Even if I do get the plugs apart, i'm not sure my eyesight is up to soldering work that fine on components that small!

Steve

Soldering causes breach. When soldering wires on terminals the tin crawls in the wire so the first 0,5-1 cm under the insulation will become solid. When you bend the wire behind the terminal about 10 times it's broken while a crimped wire you can bend endless without causing breach. Most of the wiring faults are caused by old soldered joints. For connecting two wire ends there are crimp pieces. The same as crimp terminals but without the spade. It sounds complicated maybe but it's a lot faster than solderingen. Saves time and the result is more reliable.

Jeroen