So recently Ive swapped my 7. (sbc w/ t5, yea i know i know.) Anyway im looking for help with the bare minimum wiring i need. I plan on tracking the car and only driving it on nice days. I dont have heat, ac, or a defroster. No radio or windshield fluid. Ill have a gauge cluster but now connected to anything (for inspection). I have all new gauges the are already in.
what im looking to do is clean up the wiring behind the dash. Ive done a wire tuck in the bay so most of the wiring is in the car.

Im going to need

ignition system
charging
lights, head and tail. turn signals, side markers (only front) and reverse.

there's no headlight motors, so I plan to wire the head lights to a switch.

Ugh this is going to be a lot of work.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

Ive attached some pics, what are they? im guessing the DSM logo has to do with the charging.

 

I'm currently doing a complete rewire of my 7 using a kit. Thread is on page one here. I used an american autowire kit. They have kits for "t-buckets" that are really minimal. Might wanna look into that.

 

If you want to cut down the factory harness, it could be a fairly simple operation. Heres how I would go about it.

Start at the multi-function switch, which completely controls the lights and wipers. Start at the connectors and pull any wire on those circuits. Trace power back to the fuse block. That gets you lights and wipers. I am not sure if the factory gauge light circuit or dimmer will work with a bunch of aftermarket gauges. It did not work for me 8 some years ago when I first put my Tii swap together. I had 10 sport comp gauges, but it may have been a bad dimmer switch Trace reverse lights from lamps.

Ignition and fuel (if electric), I would recommend new circuits and 40amp relays. Maybe run a new circuit for gauge power and lights if your running electric gauges. It gives a better resolution and accuracy.

Cut and remove everything else

Charging is simple, big cable from Battery+ to big nut on starter. Little tab and wire gets traced back to start switch. another slightly smaller cable from the starter nut to the alternator nut.
Run a small wire from the nut to the connector on the alternator, the lower vertical slot of the "T" shaped connector. The other terminal gets ignition voltage, which turns on the alternator when you start the engine.

Blower motor is a simple circuit, internally grounded if you want to keep that.

Probably 10-15hrs of solid work if you know what your doing with electrical.

 

pic 1 is the ECU.... can be ditched
pic 2 is the fuseable link unit (fuses for head lights, head light motors and main power supply)
pic 3 is the CPU, controls the turn signals and warning lights on the dash

 

The harness is out of the car, still attached to the rear cause I see no need to remove any of that. Ive chopped out the ECU and the wiring for the gauge cluster. Ive been focusing on the wiring for the 'tree' (steering column). Can I cut out the Fusible link and re do it so its new and neater?

Can any of these be cut out?






Also if someone needs the ECU, just let me know. Im sure someone out there needs one.

 

You cab replace the fusable link or even the fuse block with a smaller one. Just chase what you need to a fusable link or fuse. Some basic advise I can giv e is use zip ties to group things together. And label wires

 

I have VERY few wires left in my Rx2. Starts with about the same amount of wires as a 1st gen. What i did took more work, but the end result is great.

I took all the black tape/covering off the entire harness so i could see every wire. I then wired all of my basic needs separately from the harness.Things like ignition, fuel pump, starter, ect. Then I follwed each wire to its beginning/ending and determined if i needed it. If i didnt need it, it got cut. The more you cut the easier i gets since it isnt so cluttered.

But i have a 12a with carb and distributor. Probly a lot easier.

 

I think im going the same route. The more and more I get into it, the more I want to just rewire. Theres very little I need, and I think the end result will look and function better. Im not very experienced with wiring but theres only one way to learn.

 

Ive re wired the car and its almost complete. I just cant seem to get the multifunction switch to work. The only thing that works on it, is the "flash to pass." I have power going to it, but nothings working (blinkers, lights, nothing). Any help on this? Im sure it cant be broken.