66 C10 American Auto Wire kit install ongoing questions

[msg]

I have been working on installing the AAW Classic Restore kit and there are moments where I cant exactly tell where the wires connect after the illustrations they provide. It does show a diagram but in some cases I cant tell where specifically to make connections. Ive got the engine harness wires out of the firewall and looking at the diagram and saw the blue wire needs to connect to the engine temp sensor, but on my new L31 350 I do not have one (at least I dont think I do) and if I did have one I dont have a gauge for it. So in a case like this what do you guys do? I was thinking it might be wise to keep the length of wire in case one day I get a gauge for oil temp...but what do you end cap it with to be safe, just wrap the end in electrical tape?

Sorry for the goober questions but I have never done electrical before.

[roll_the_dice]

I think the blue wire is oil pressure sending unit and the green is temp sending unit. make sure you run the wires and any looms to hide them as best you can before you cut and terminate the ends. I know the engine harness mates to a plug on the firewall...so I terminated the end of the plug that connects to the firewall and left the wires full length that go to the starter, distributor, etc. I then cut them to length once I had them how I wanted them run. On any wires I didn't use I rolled up and zip tied out of the way. I didn't cut them short until I was 100% sure I wasn't going to use them. You can also fold them up and hide in wire looms if you want. I did put heat shrink on the ends of any unterminated wires for my own peace of mind.

[nsb29]

As R-T-D stated blew for oil green for temp what do you have for a dash you say you don’t have gages do you have idiot lights? Your temperature gage sending unit is in the intake manifold by your thermostat. And your oil sending unit is in the block behind the Distributor also don’t cut wires like R-T-D mentioned. You should have a diagram like these to figure out what you have, I have a different motor so I can’t send you a picture of the sending units if you have a crate motor you will need to buy them it will make wiring easier after looking at your picture I think I see a yellow plug next to the made in USA sticker

[msg]

Thanks guys, I do have the instructions on the instrument panel and I maybe confusing the oil temp thing. The oil pressure gauge is what I thought I had since its got the copper connector coil going to it that goes will connect to the engine like you said nsb29. I dont see an oil temp indicator though in the cluster so that diagram that shows the blue wire is confusing me. The green wire I do get and it goes to the manifold (in my case) temp sending unit I will install. Im definitely not clipping any wires to length yet, I was going tomorrow mock up where the wires all go and see if the routing is right. Ill take some pics and post tomorrow.

[roll_the_dice]

The clusters have mechanical oil pressure gauge. I adapted an electric oil pressure gauge into my cluster...otherwise you won't use the blue wire and you would use a copper tube from your engine to the gauge in the dash for the oil pressure. There is no oil temp just pressure.

[MT65]

Those particular kits from AAW contain every wire for every option that could have been in that particular vehicle, so you mostl likely will have some you are not going to need.
They have a great support team who can walk you through any issues. I am a dealer for them, have wired more cars than I can count, and have only done 2 of the classic update series, honestly didn’t care for them, 90% of the time, more stuff than the average builder is going to use, and being built on factory specs, if you go to something different from factory, you have to modify. My preference is the Hwy 15 and Hwy 22 units, I hide my stuff a lot more than factory, this obviously is my .02, however they make a great product, no mistake about it, I have used a couple others manufacturers over the years, not gonna name any, but the AAW are my preference.......

[Heater63]

I agree with all ^^^
I'm running on AAW and its great. However, you say you have no experience with electrical before ,,,,,it is time to find a buddy or hire someone to come assist and teach you. It can be a long and frustrating process if you are delayed and making mistakes like what you are running into now. my 2C.

[msg]

I appreciate the feedback guys, I am hoping to not make any mistakes so I am going slow. I have called AAW and they are helpful when they can be. The calls Ive made are usually at a time where the tech line is slammed and a sales guy takes the call and then takes my info and says a tech will call back and sometimes they do. There are some things that they wont really know since they dont work on this model as often as the group here does, so I will do my best not to be a pest and post some questions as I go.

One thing Ive wanted to see is if there is any best way to arrange and route the engine wires from the firewall? Ive got the wires going where they need to go, the pink and white to the distributor, the green to the temp sending unit on the manifold, and the brown to the alternator. Should the wires be secured to the firewall as I route the them behind the distributor? Maybe just electrical tape wrapping and let it hang? Or mount the wires in a harness on the firewall behind the distributor?

Ive got some cloth covering loom that I would think to use on the green wire to the temp unit, but whats best to do on the wire to the alternator?

[roll_the_dice]

This is a picture of how I did my starter wiring coming out of the firewall...I used just regular wire loom. I just did one plug and loom at a time...You can see I was still running the other wires to the left...

[61K10]

first thing--put a rag into the intake manifold.

[msg]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

This is a picture of how I did my starter wiring coming out of the firewall...I used just regular wire loom. I just did one plug and loom at a time...You can see I was still running the other wires to the left...

Thanks for that RTD, helps to see!

I am a confused though on that port on the firewall for the starter/purple wire, I thought it was for the taillight wiring?

Originally Posted by 61K10

first thing--put a rag into the intake manifold.

Thanks, Ill do that next

[msg]

I took a lot of photos before I tore things down back in 2015 and Ill look at them and try and put things back as they were but the engine had to be replaced, Ive added Vintage Air AC to the mix, and tweaked the gauge cluster to have a tach and vacuum and the ammeter to voltmeter conversion as well as the alternator had to be replaced in order to use the AAW kit. So sometimes it helps to look at the pics and sometimes not so much. I will be reusing the quadrajet so that wire connecting to the electric choke I need to call AAW about and see what I need to do.

[nsb29]

You’re correct that is for your tail light wire that diagram you have should show you where your starter wire comes out of the firewall I welded up most of the holes in my firewall and then drilled the holes where I needed them for the LS motor that I am running

[nsb29]

It has been a while since I did something with an electric choke I see a pink wire coming out of the firewall and I see a pink wire going to your choke that had been added on you should be able to run a wire from the hot side of your coil over to the choke it would be simpler than running it from your ignition switch as long as it’s hot with ignition on
PS make sure you do like someone else mentioned stuff something in that intake manifold before something is accidentally dropped in your brand new motor

[msg]

Originally Posted by nsb29

It has been a while since I did something with an electric choke I see a pink wire coming out of the firewall and I see a pink wire going to your choke that had been added on you should be able to run a wire from the hot side of your coil over to the choke it would be simpler than running it from your ignition switch as long as it’s hot with ignition on
PS make sure you do like someone else mentioned stuff something in that intake manifold before something is accidentally dropped in your brand new motor

From the 2015 pics that was wired on the heater side.

[msg]

Originally Posted by nsb29

..you have should show you where your starter wire comes out of the firewall I welded up most of the holes in my firewall and then drilled the holes where I needed them for the LS motor that I am running

Is it the little hole above the larger hole I have the purple wire that says starter solenoid on it? I looked at the diagrams and it isnt showing a specific port on the firewall to run it, at least not on the instructions I have in the box.

[msg]

Taped up, thanks on that!

[roll_the_dice]

I used a different hole for my brake light harness...lower on the firewall. I didn't do the electric choke since I have EFI, but I am pretty sure the wire for electric choke comes through the headlight harness. There is an empty space in that harness for the electric choke wire...if you need it use if not, don't install it.

[msg]

Originally Posted by MT65

The wire for the electric choke will be marked , you do NOT pull it from the hot side of the coil
That pink wire should be marked12v ignition to feed the HEI distributor
The purple wire goes to your started , AFTER it goes thru the neutral safety switch
Please read your paperwork thoroughly, it will give you both ends of any wire, that big schematic that is included is color coded as well, just trace the wires there and it will make more sense to you, the tech line may be slammed, they are trying to help people who have not done this before.
I would feel terrible if after all your hard work, this truck burned to the ground because of a mistake made in the wiring and remember, most electrical issues are groundless....meaning your not properly grounded....good luck

MT65 I appreciate the concern, I definitely dont want this to go up in flames either. I can be patient and talk with AAW tomorrow or tues to double check on the starter solenoid wire. I did open the mongo schematic and saw a carburetor and a tan wire and I traced it. It goes to the front lighting terminal that I have in the firewall. I havent gotten everything fully assembled on my truck yet. I was trying to get as much done on the engine and wiring before I put the inner fenders on and the front radiator to make it easier to work around. The only reason I had the driver side inner fender on was to install the fuse panel which used those 2 bolts to mount it. I dont even have the steering column in mainly since that instrument cluster is a pain to install with the column in without scratching up stuff.

[MT65]

Originally Posted by msg

MT65 I appreciate the concern, I definitely dont want this to go up in flames either. I can be patient and talk with AAW tomorrow or tues to double check on the starter solenoid wire. I did open the mongo schematic and saw a carburetor and a tan wire and I traced it. It goes to the front lighting terminal that I have in the firewall. I havent gotten everything fully assembled on my truck yet. I was trying to get as much done on the engine and wiring before I put the inner fenders on and the front radiator to make it easier to work around. The only reason I had the driver side inner fender on was to install the fuse panel which used those 2 bolts to mount it. I dont even have the steering column in mainly since that instrument cluster is a pain to install with the column in without scratching up stuff.

Not sure what your question is about the starting solenoid wire, it will originate at the starter switch, then go through the neutral safety switch, if you’re running an automatic, then on to the starter .
Gonna send you a picture of my firewall factory bulkhead I used, new terminals and wire, had enough positions to wire all front lights and both fans, needed one small grommet adjacent to the bulkhead for 2 18ga trigger wires. You won’t see much, cause thats the way I wanted it to be. I was once accused of bringing a non-running vehicle to a car show, had to start it for the judges to believe it ran, was asked where are the wires, we can’t see them...thats the look I like...clean simple
Picture tomorrow, in other devices

[MT65]

Originally Posted by MT65

Not sure what your question is about the starting solenoid wire, it will originate at the starter switch, then go through the neutral safety switch, if you’re running an automatic, then on to the starter .
Gonna send you a picture of my firewall factory bulkhead I used, new terminals and wire, had enough positions to wire all front lights and both fans, needed one small grommet adjacent to the bulkhead for 2 18ga trigger wires. You won’t see much, cause thats the way I wanted it to be. I was once accused of bringing a non-running vehicle to a car show, had to start it for the judges to believe it ran, was asked where are the wires, we can’t see them...thats the look I like...clean simple
Picture tomorrow, in other devices

This is the look I like in my engine compartment, not all will agree, thats just my deal. I used the factory bulkhead and ran my wiring thru it, the will be 3 more wires to come out thru a grommet behind the engine, water temp, ground and mechanical oil pressure line...

[msg]

That is very nice, thanks for the pics. Concealing all that stuff on the radiator panel looks very clean. I have been wondering where I will be mounting all that mega fuse stuff in the AAW box. That is the AAW kit right?

[msg]

Originally Posted by roll_the_dice

I am pretty sure the wire for electric choke comes through the headlight harness. There is an empty space in that harness for the electric choke wire...if you need it use if not, don't install it.

RTD nailed it!

[nsb29]

I didn’t realize they offered a wire for the electric choke but in any case it is still hot with ignition on so it really doesn’t matter if you pick it up off the Hot side of the coil or ignition switch or the fuse panel it is still hot when ignition on I did a 68 El Camino a couple years ago with factory harness and the choke was wired in with the hot side of the coil AAW has it running through accessory side of the fuse panel which is fused I brought up the coil because it’s the shortest hot lead and how the factory did it on the cars that I have worked on The LS didn’t need it and forgot they had supplied it

[msg]

I did notice that the kit doesnt come with a steering column wire set, I guess its ok to use my original?