myronx19
True Classic
Hey 'yall...
(my car is a non AC '82, FI North American version - Canadian market)
I finally got around to installing my version of the Headlight Relay mod (insertable, no cut wires) and I added a Cooling Fan relay mod as well. I have a single fan.
I added an 8AWG wire from the battery to a "pony" fuse panel under the dash, right beside my main fuse/relay panel. It fits perfectly, and I have access to the fuses. I used an M5 Rivnut tool and mounted it using some left over fuel injection bracket screws. I'll add a pic of the fuse box shortly.
From the fuse panel, I ran two 10AWG wires to the relays located in the RH headlight bucket. I moved the ground terminal to another weld stud and have two mounting points for my relay sockets. I had to elongate the holes in the sockets. I used a heavy duty Tyco terminal in these relay sockets for 10AWG and the signal wires.
The headlight mod is like any other, but I feed the High beam first, which through 87A which outputs to the Low Beam - this way flash to pass works and when the low turns on, I have power - this mod does not allow the low and high beam to be on at the same time - as the original style does.
I'd recommend doing this mod rather than relying on the OE fuses and harness.. this mod will yield the best results, as 33 year old wire and crimps aren't the best for the brightest lights.
10AWG is overkill IMHO - but I had some, so in it went. I ran 14AWG to the headlights, and I have a single relay for the high beam and single for the low beam - BTW: I use Tyco relays with Integral Freewheeling diodes, so these are polarized. They will not work with a backwards connection. Why the diode? In short (no pun intended!), it clamps the back EMF from the coil when it's turned off - bottom line, it saves your switches from the arc during an off event.
I used 16AWG for the control wires, and have a male socket plugged into the OE RH headlight socket
Here it is mounted in the car. The yellow wires are the fan relay, the blue is the headlight.
The FAN mod is insertable as well - no wires are cut or spliced. I took a spare SAE style 2 pin connector to plug into the OE FAN output from the harness, this output drives the relay - including the ground. I used 18AWG for that. Same relay as the headlights. Early cars use spades for the fan, even easier. For the relay output, I cut a connector from an old harness and soldered it to the relay output wires.
Unfortunately, there are only two weld studs to mount this, so I had to JB weld the third relay socket so it won't slide.
Here's it mounted - the brown wire is for a C-Tek charger which runs to the front (SAE 2pin connector with a custom mount)
The headlight mod works as it should - I always had one, but not this pretty.
THE FAN MOD IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy crap! I've never had the fan run so fast, and for so short! It really moves air now, and it's super quick!! It's 1000000% noticeable! I ran 12AWG to the fan, this is more than sufficient for the length of wire that I used. 10AWG would be overkill at this point.
One thing I have noticed is these fans don't spin freely.. I have a few, and they all feel quite tight. I will replace it with a SPAL fan eventually, but for now - I am really impressed with this mod.
Although the harness is of a weak design, and yes, the BWM does help a lot - but there's no substitute for certain relay mods. Taking the load off the ignition switch is the goal - oh, and this mod means the fan will not cycle with the engine off. The OE control is still there, so when the key is off, the fan is off.
Heh, I laugh.. it took me years to clean up my electrical to make it as it should. I'm in the business, but like they say - plumbers have leaky faucets at home, right?!?
This Tyco relay has the mounting tab and integral diode (all you need is the socket or use female blade terminals, or worst case.. solder direct)
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/1432793-1/PB1773-ND/1236843
This one requires the mount
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/1432790-1/PB682-ND/807759
Another useful relay mod is the Auxiliary/Radio position for the key - using the white wires from the ignition switch that normally drive the buzzer/bell/chime. You don't require it for some installs, but my Voxson radio isn't high tech (it is for 1982 though!! it's a pull out!) so it requires a relay to switch the high current..
Once these major loads are removed from the harness, your poor ignition switch will have a bit of a breather - also, as noted elsewhere - an insertable relay mod will save your ignition switch as well! After looking at the schematic, the BWM isn't going to add much benefit if you pull these loads off the switch. It can't hurt to have it, but it's still a LOT of current that the poor .250 flat blade connectors need to handle. I've seen so many burned ones. Using diodes on the relays does help with switch life in my opinion. You can do it to any relay - google freewheeling diode and how to install one if you want. It's only active for a brief moment when the switch is turned off.
Cheers!
(my car is a non AC '82, FI North American version - Canadian market)
I finally got around to installing my version of the Headlight Relay mod (insertable, no cut wires) and I added a Cooling Fan relay mod as well. I have a single fan.
I added an 8AWG wire from the battery to a "pony" fuse panel under the dash, right beside my main fuse/relay panel. It fits perfectly, and I have access to the fuses. I used an M5 Rivnut tool and mounted it using some left over fuel injection bracket screws. I'll add a pic of the fuse box shortly.
From the fuse panel, I ran two 10AWG wires to the relays located in the RH headlight bucket. I moved the ground terminal to another weld stud and have two mounting points for my relay sockets. I had to elongate the holes in the sockets. I used a heavy duty Tyco terminal in these relay sockets for 10AWG and the signal wires.
The headlight mod is like any other, but I feed the High beam first, which through 87A which outputs to the Low Beam - this way flash to pass works and when the low turns on, I have power - this mod does not allow the low and high beam to be on at the same time - as the original style does.
I'd recommend doing this mod rather than relying on the OE fuses and harness.. this mod will yield the best results, as 33 year old wire and crimps aren't the best for the brightest lights.
10AWG is overkill IMHO - but I had some, so in it went. I ran 14AWG to the headlights, and I have a single relay for the high beam and single for the low beam - BTW: I use Tyco relays with Integral Freewheeling diodes, so these are polarized. They will not work with a backwards connection. Why the diode? In short (no pun intended!), it clamps the back EMF from the coil when it's turned off - bottom line, it saves your switches from the arc during an off event.
I used 16AWG for the control wires, and have a male socket plugged into the OE RH headlight socket
Here it is mounted in the car. The yellow wires are the fan relay, the blue is the headlight.
The FAN mod is insertable as well - no wires are cut or spliced. I took a spare SAE style 2 pin connector to plug into the OE FAN output from the harness, this output drives the relay - including the ground. I used 18AWG for that. Same relay as the headlights. Early cars use spades for the fan, even easier. For the relay output, I cut a connector from an old harness and soldered it to the relay output wires.
Unfortunately, there are only two weld studs to mount this, so I had to JB weld the third relay socket so it won't slide.
Here's it mounted - the brown wire is for a C-Tek charger which runs to the front (SAE 2pin connector with a custom mount)
The headlight mod works as it should - I always had one, but not this pretty.
THE FAN MOD IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy crap! I've never had the fan run so fast, and for so short! It really moves air now, and it's super quick!! It's 1000000% noticeable! I ran 12AWG to the fan, this is more than sufficient for the length of wire that I used. 10AWG would be overkill at this point.
One thing I have noticed is these fans don't spin freely.. I have a few, and they all feel quite tight. I will replace it with a SPAL fan eventually, but for now - I am really impressed with this mod.
Although the harness is of a weak design, and yes, the BWM does help a lot - but there's no substitute for certain relay mods. Taking the load off the ignition switch is the goal - oh, and this mod means the fan will not cycle with the engine off. The OE control is still there, so when the key is off, the fan is off.
Heh, I laugh.. it took me years to clean up my electrical to make it as it should. I'm in the business, but like they say - plumbers have leaky faucets at home, right?!?
This Tyco relay has the mounting tab and integral diode (all you need is the socket or use female blade terminals, or worst case.. solder direct)
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/1432793-1/PB1773-ND/1236843
This one requires the mount
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/1432790-1/PB682-ND/807759
Another useful relay mod is the Auxiliary/Radio position for the key - using the white wires from the ignition switch that normally drive the buzzer/bell/chime. You don't require it for some installs, but my Voxson radio isn't high tech (it is for 1982 though!! it's a pull out!) so it requires a relay to switch the high current..
Once these major loads are removed from the harness, your poor ignition switch will have a bit of a breather - also, as noted elsewhere - an insertable relay mod will save your ignition switch as well! After looking at the schematic, the BWM isn't going to add much benefit if you pull these loads off the switch. It can't hurt to have it, but it's still a LOT of current that the poor .250 flat blade connectors need to handle. I've seen so many burned ones. Using diodes on the relays does help with switch life in my opinion. You can do it to any relay - google freewheeling diode and how to install one if you want. It's only active for a brief moment when the switch is turned off.
Cheers!
