Electrical overhaul

[Jehannum]

Something is wrong with the grounding in my wiring harness - I've got a good connection on pin 16 to the ECU from the ECCS harness trigger side, but it still won't energize the relay to allow the car to start. To get around it, I shorted the ECCS and IGN COIL relays to keep power on all the time (removed the relay and jumpered the switched output). This worked until 2 weeks ago, when the car exploded in a fit of electrical pique on the freeway. I bought a known good replacement ECU, and it's being socketed right now.

 

So, I pulled the wiring harness. Not an easy task on a Z32, but it needed to be done.

 

My tasks:

 

1) fix the control line issue that broke the EFI and ignition coil relay trigger signal

2) move the power transistor unit (the bank of transistors that fire the coils) into the footwell, from the cam belt cover.

3) remove the control lines and power lines I don't need:

• the PRVR solenoid - vacuum source that kicks on at warm start to prevent vapor lock
  
• the AIV solenoid (air source for the cats for cold performance)
  
• the EGR solenoid
  
• the boost cut solenoids (they haven't done anything since the turbo upgrade, since the wategate springs went from 7 to 12 PSI)
  

4) replace all the ground lines

5) replace the broken male/female pairs of connectors with nice new ones (probably GM weatherpaks):

• O2 sensor (3 wire)
  
• variable timing control solenoid (2 wire)
  
• TPS (3 wire)
  

6) replace the broken connectors that are male or female only (plug into a solenoid in the engine bay or somesuch) with good replacements

• IACV
  
• FICD (fast idle for AC)
  

7) re-route the ignition coil and injector lines so that they're less spidery, and easier to route through the middle of the plenum

8) integrate my wideband O2 sensors and boost controller harnesses into the main EFI harness.

[Jehannum]

Day 1: pulled the harness. I call my art project "What the hell is wrong with my 300ZX now?"

 

Day 2: denuded the harness, removed safety boost solenoids, AIV, EGR, PRVR, and rerouted the PTU

naked harness:

 

Removed/rerouted

 

Maybe tomorrow: R&R all power and ground lines

[Jehannum]

All power and ground lines replaced, PTU relocated, WBO2 integrated, boost controller integrated, coil connectors rearranged, sensor connectors rearranged, and weatherpak connectors on VTC solenoids, O2 sensors, and TPS.

 

 

Installed in the bay:

 

 

Fuse block connected, MAF and boost solenoid routed:

 

 

In the footwell (haven't wrapped the PTU yet, since I don't know how long it's going to be:

 

 

Left to do: rejigger the vacuum setup to accommodate the boost controller, seal and refill the cooling system (drained to get the harness out), relocate the PTU itself into the footwell, mount the boost controller brain in the clock hole in the dash, reinstall the plenum and idle air lines, and start it.

[Jehannum]

EVC mounted in the dash

 

 

 

 

I think it looks pretty cool.