Painless wiring harness?

[19GMC63]

Hey all, , and I have a question.

Being my first complete wiring task, I was wondering if anyone else has installed a 12 circuit Painless Wiring Harness in their 6066. I'm puttin it in my 63 GMC.
If so, anything I should look out for? any pointers in general? Tips?

One thing I am doing is using a wire wrap for the engine compartment and frame areas.

I also bought an electric fan from GMCPauls, and I'm not sure on what I need to do to make it work. The Painless manual mentions buying their fan relay kit or something like that.

thanks for your help

[leftcoast66]

I'ev done a painless kit on my 66. Be careful under the dash and take your time to clean it up while attaching stuff, Mine ended up all attached and looked like crap and was a pain to get back cleaned up and all. Use lots of zip ties under there also. There is an electric fan setup that is hooked in with the wiring. I think the whole relay setup is for if you are gonna have it come on and off w/ a certain temp. Mine I just hardwired in w/ a switch so I flip it on and off manually. I'm thinking if memory serves correct it is a white wire, and all of these are labeled so that's very helpful. I would also start under the dash and work your way from the fuse box to the gauges to everywhere else due to the fact of having to lug around less of the wiring loom. Lemme know if you need any more help.

[19GMC63]

Cool, thanks for the help. I think I'll get started on it tommorow, i'm sure I'll run into more problems.

[leftcoast66]

ya, dont expect it to be fast, it took my dad and I 4 days to get it done

[ChiefRocka]

The Painless Wiring company has the industry "wired" up. These kit are awesome.

You should have no problems with the kit...especially on a 63. They are soooo basic. I rewired my 63 using my own wire. Using a painless kit is even easier....as the wires themselves tell you where to go !!

Painless ususally adds extra wires for Electric fans, A/C, PW & L,,etc...So your fans shouldn't be a problem.

A gray wire is a manual fan switch, I beleive.

Anyway....good luck....and like he said, use plenty of tie-straps. The wiring comes out mega-clean that way.

Good Luck...

John

[SIR]

......good system.everything is marked well and is easy to see ,my suggestion is try to stay away from those "crimp-on" style connectors...for me they became loose and undependable,we used soder and shrink wrap..and it took the better part of a week..go slow and take your time test your connection with a meter or a test lite there's nothing worse than getting all of it tucked up and in place and find out something isn't getting power..even with the best of care it WILL happen,so again...TAKE YOUR TIME!!..it isn't a race!

[leftcoast66]

Originally Posted by SIR

go slow and take your time test your connection with a meter or a test lite there's nothing worse than getting all of it tucked up and in place and find out something isn't getting power..even with the best of care it WILL happen,so again...TAKE YOUR TIME!!..it isn't a race!

+1 on that one. I had my truck die in the highschool parking lot a few years ago, turns out my power wire came off the back of the ignition. Make sure their totally tight

[Deryl]

I used the 18 circuit painless kit in my son's 75 280Z(300 hp Chevy 350 with a 700r4 trans) and with the exception on figuring out the damn Japanese steering column combo switches I think it is an awsome kit. Take your time and check you your circuits before you wire tie and finalize things. The instructions suggest crinping rather than sodering because a lot of people burn up the wires trying to soder (that would be me). When you are done hide everything and wire tie every six inches.

[raphyel]

I bougt a 21 circuit universal wiring harness. and I am wondering can I just cut the wires that I am not using such as third brake light of courtesy light or power seats. I just would rather not have all of that coiled up wire under the carpet, especially if its not needed.

[ChiefRocka]

Originally Posted by raphyel

I bougt a 21 circuit universal wiring harness. and I am wondering can I just cut the wires that I am not using such as third brake light of courtesy light or power seats. I just would rather not have all of that coiled up wire under the carpet, especially if its not needed.

Yes you can remove those extra wires...keep in mind you can use those circuits for some else later (ie the power seat circuit) could be used to power ?? If not, cut them out right at the fuse box...just make sure everything is insulated.

John

[19GMC63]

Thanks everyone for the input, its going pretty smooth so far... I've got the cab pretty much done, and i've just started on the front end. I have a few questions though.

It seems the previous owner has the alternator jerryrigged, i'm pretty sure its internal regulated b/c the connections are at the top, and there's no ground post on the back of the alternator, just the positive post.
Even though its an int. regulated alt (I think) , they had a few wires still going from the external regulator to the alt. So my question is, what do I do, just not use the external regulator at all as the instructions say?

That brings up another problem, it seems the alt wires are too short. Am I running them in the right place? (in front of radiator?) One pics shows but never mentions some wires going along the firewall from the grommet beside the master cylinder. Whats that all about?

thanks in advance for the help.

[leftcoast66]

Originally Posted by 19GMC63

Thanks everyone for the input, its going pretty smooth so far... I've got the cab pretty much done, and i've just started on the front end. I have a few questions though.

It seems the previous owner has the alternator jerryrigged, i'm pretty sure its internal regulated b/c the connections are at the top, and there's no ground post on the back of the alternator, just the positive post.
Even though its an int. regulated alt (I think) , they had a few wires still going from the external regulator to the alt. So my question is, what do I do, just not use the external regulator at all as the instructions say?

That brings up another problem, it seems the alt wires are too short. Am I running them in the right place? (in front of radiator?) One pics shows but never mentions some wires going along the firewall from the grommet beside the master cylinder. Whats that all about?

thanks in advance for the help.

I stopped the alternator wires at the alternater rather than having them run through the firewall. We drilled holes in the inner fenders and mounted the wiring setup to that as it ran to the firewall and then we just had the alternater wires break off from as the wiring loom passes the alternater on the inner fender.

[19GMC63]

which loom passes by the alt? Theres the loom with the headlights/horn/parking lights on the drivers side, but nothing on the passengers side.
Wait, I bet your alt is on the drivers side..... darn, thats why the wires are short. I guess I could move it to the drivers side.

[leftcoast66]

Originally Posted by 19GMC63

which loom passes by the alt? Theres the loom with the headlights/horn/parking lights on the drivers side, but nothing on the passengers side.
Wait, I bet your alt is on the drivers side..... darn, thats why the wires are short. I guess I could move it to the drivers side.

Yep, it's all on the drivers side and I ran it with the lights and that loom is the one I was referring to.

[19GMC63]

ok, that explains it then. Guess I'll correct that tommorow.

Thanks again for the help.

[walt 1972]

Use relays on your electric fan, headlights, power windows, seats and other high load usage items,
Takes the load off the switch so it will not fail.

[19GMC63]

Well, i've got all the looms ran, just need to attach terminals and bulb sockets and what not, but I have a problem.

Since the truck has a chevy hood on it, and the PO cut the harness to the hood, I had to buy the parking light assemblies. Well, I had no idea they did not come with the bulb sockets, but they did come with bulbs.

I've looked on a lot of sites including LMC, GMCPauls, Brother's, but no one has them. Anyone know where I can get a pair? Does anyone have any extras, used is fine.

[walt 1972]

check the Help products at local parts house for replacements.
That is strange to come with bulbs and no socket.
I would contact the vendor, maybe they were left out.

Just my Thoughts,
Walt

[19GMC63]

I asked them if they carried them and if the sockets were supposed to be included with the light assemblies, but they said they had no source for them.

[littlee_domn8r]

I put the painless kit in my 63 GMC. My buddy did most of the work, so it was very painless for me! The only real problem I ran into is the steering column connector. The painless kit is color coded Chevrolet, but I was still using my original column. For some dumb reason, GMC had a whole different color code, so it took a while to figure that out.