Week 5

So, having got the engine running right the next thing is to modify the engine wiring. The amount of wiring for a modern engine is astonishing when compared to the Sierra engine I used to make my last car! Amfey's engine will be in the back but the fusebox, battery and dashboard will be staying in their existing relative positions. I need to extend the cables from the fusebox to the engine. There are two bundles with a total of 47 individual cables including three twisted pairs.

To do this I shall cut the wires one at a time and solder in a 4.1m length of new cable - so only 94 joints! I don't get on especially well with this modern lead free solder and so I'll be using all in one heat shrink solder sleeves.

Here we are. I think these are great. Its a heat shrink sleeve with a ring of solder in the middle and two rings of melty glue. Just need to strip the end of the cable shove them into the sleeve with the exposed wire in the solder ring then lay into it with a heat gun. About 5 seconds later the solder and glue have melted and the sleeve has shrunk. In another few seconds the solder and glue have set and there you are - a soldered joint in a waterproof sleeve.

Here is a desperately disappointing video of one in action.

 So on with the work.

There are two bundles of cables to be extended. The first is from the ECU to the fusebox

 

And the other is from the the big connector just at the bottom of the picture.

This is what it looks like now.

It was great when having done it all the engine still works.


Engine out next