Exactly, which is why I say it is better than nothing. But depending on the wire gauge, the loss for even a short length of small gauge wire can be more than the difference over a longer length of larger gauge wire...if that made any sense. I guess my point being the whole lead isn't that long to begin with, so the gauge seems more important than the length...if that that was any better stated? But regardless it would be ideal to completely eliminate all of the undersized stuff. Also you might end up with a bit of a "hot spot" at the remaining piece of old wire.Resistance of a wire is a function of resistance per unit length and the overall length.
I totally agree. Adding a bigger wire to the key switch is just a bandaid in my opinion. Reducing the load to the switch is definitely the answer. In my case I had to add a second power wire to the ignition switch because that white plastic 4-lead connector a few inches from it had melted and lost contact for the brown lead. So I replaced the entire connector with a 6-lead one and used two 'brown' (power) wires, each passing half the current through the respective contacts (of that connector). But that only fixed the failed connector, not the real problem. Actually, adding a heavier feed to the key switch may create a bigger problem by allowing more current to be carried by those tiny internal contacts you noted.What I plan on doing is installing 3 relays
I'm liking your re-routing of the speedo cable. It was kinda clumsy having to share with the three hydraulic hoses--it's practically impossible to pass that big cable connector thru without screwing something up!
I don't mean to carry this too far off topic, but in regard to the speedo cable routing. I also find it a bit odd how the cable snakes from the rear under the car, then into the tunnel, back out of the tunnel into the interior, back out of the interior into the bulkhead scuttle, back into the car under the dash...whatever it is (don't the recall exact path). But it sure seems like a lot of unnecessary in's and out's. I'll have to look at it again closer, but I hope to be able to carry it all the way from the rear to the frunk, either completely under the pan or in the tunnel - and not back and forth in and out. I'm also using the longer one-piece cable and eliminating the extra junction and mile counter box.
I replace mine with a one piece. It ran from the back outside, only a grommet in the engine bay, all the way under the car to the entry by the Gas pedal and up to the firewall through my new hole, then back through my new hole to the speedo. Honestly the new cable through the new holes took 1/4 the time of pulling the old cable. I agree it is an odd way to run a speedo. It amazes me how well this little car is designed then you get to the speedo cable.
So true. Things like having to lift the engine up several inches just to change spark plugs, or drop the entire exhaust and lower the trans in order to service it, and soooo many more examples. Although I've avoided American vehicles as much as possible, in the limited exposure I've had they seem to be among the worst for such things.LOTS of cars were designed to be assembled in the factory with little priority assigned to ease-of-repair later in the field.
Which of these (your original pictures) would be your preferred terminal? I need to add a fourth connection to my positive post, and figured it was time to clean up and improve what was there when I got the car, which Carl says was a "sad assemblage". Excellent verbiage I thought. Here's what Autozone had this morning:Regan, you bring up a good point about the various BWM's.
Ideally the new larger gauge, heavier capacity power lead coming directly from the battery would connect directly to the main power terminal on the fuse box itself. However as you have found there isn't a convenient way to make that final connection on many of these wire harnesses/boxes. The fuse box does not have a big threaded terminal that the power lead connects to or something similar (as some other older vehicles have). So where/how do you splice into the fuse box? By making a splice into the existing wire (like the prior owner did to your car), it is only as good as that final few inches of original wire into the box. That will be the weakest link. Granted it is still better than no additional wire, but the current must still pass through the smaller gauge wire for that final short stretch. Sort of like increasing the water pipe diameter throughout your house but not the increasing the size of the main shutoff valve (that may be a bad analogy, I'm not a plumber, but hopefully you get the idea).
The same is true for the wire upgrade at the ignition switch. Adding a new larger gauge power feed to the switch, but not being able to connect it to the actual terminal in the switch. Instead having to splice into the existing smaller wire somewhere near the switch. Better than nothing, but not ideal.
I suppose the only true solution might be to replace the entire fuse box with a better design, and same for the ignition switch. And some have done that. But most of us do not want to go that far. I guess the best we can do is make our best effort to improve the power feeds to the critical components in the best possibly way. And that may mean splicing into the original wire as close as possible to the final component. For such a wire splice, a soldered connection might be good (although some prefer crimp connections for everything). Personally I remove the existing original wire and splice my new large gauge wire to the little pigtail I've left at the fuse box. But some prefer to leave the original wire and add the new lead as a second feed to that point. It might depend on what gauge of new wire you choose.
If you wish to connect multiple main power feeds - i.e. a large gauge wire from the battery, a large wire to the ignition switch, and a large wire to power an auxiliary fuse box (for additional circuits and relays), then maybe consider using some sort of buss bar or power terminal. Here are a couple examples:
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And at the battery post you have a few options:
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One method I like to use for the battery is installing a side post battery (with the threaded holes rather than large posts) so I can bolt several battery cables onto the same point (using cables with a eye ring lug on the end instead of a clamp). But the "marine" type of top post clamp with the threaded stud and wing nut (bottom left image) will do the same.
I would not use the one on the left, it is designed for a different purpose than adding cables. The one on the right may work but I'm not sure what gauge of cables it is made to add. I think for a top post battery the simplest one to use might be the original "marine" style like this:Which of these (your original pictures) would be your preferred terminal? I need to add a fourth connection to my positive post, and figured it was time to clean up and improve what was there when I got the car, which Carl says was a "sad assemblage". Excellent verbiage I thought. Here's what Autozone had this morning:
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So your battery's main "positive" cable is already one with a ring terminal on the end? If so, that does make it very easy.That’s what I’ve got now, but older and beat-up. Simple is good, eh?
The ring terminal is very poorly done.So your battery's main "positive" cable is already one with a ring terminal on the end? If so, that does make it very easy.
I haven't gone back to view the entire thread so did not see what was there. In that case it needs to be redone. But not difficult with the right tools.The ring terminal is very poorly done.
It looks like hell, but surprisingly, all the cables are very snug in their post rings, and securely attached to the post. Still looks like hell though…I haven't gone back to view the entire thread so did not see what was there. In that case it needs to be redone. But not difficult with the right tools.