Q for those who painted their engine bay + electrical question
 

Okay, so I have pretty much everything stripped on my engine bay, except the one LOOONG around the front of the car and into the body on both sides. I'm just wondering what the best is to get it out? or atleast get it out on one side so i can move it out of the away while I am sanding and getting it painted.

Also, what kind of system do you guys use to keep track of bolts--->bolt holes. I got an idea, but there might be a better way.



Question 2: So I found this HORN in my engine bay, it not attached to anything, I noticed it before, but it wasnt hurting anything so I just left it alone. I noticed while stripping the engine bay that it was never bolted down and the wire goes into the cab through the same grommet that the steering column comes through.

So while I was unbolting the power brake unit I noticed that It was spliced into a heavily taped set of wires which were ziptied and taped to the steering column. I looked around and I found a shock sensor, which was attached to nothing. There was also what looks like a valet switch, and a harness not plugged into anything.

To me this looks like a half ass after market alarm install, can someone confirm or deny this?

Pictures:
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...7/IMG_2647.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...7/IMG_2649.jpg
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h2...7/IMG_2648.jpg

1. To get the loom out first you have to take the dash board out, 2 bolts each side of the dash, 2 bolts each side of the trans, 2 bolts holding the steering column in place and 1 bolt in the centre of the dash you will see your vents and a square looking piece, the bolt is inder there be be carefull removing the cover as it breaks easy. It is easier to take your seats out to remove the dash so do this as you will have more room. start sliding the dash forward and unclip any harnes that is attached to it and there may be a few tricky ones. Dont force the dash out as there is prob some little wire still attached.
Once the dash is out unhook the loom from the middle joiner and pull out one side. I would take pictures along the way to help with reinstallation, more is better! from there you should be able to guide the loom out the hole in the body but take your time and again dont force anything. You can either take it out as a whole or bunch it up to one side of your car for painting but I just pulled it all out (as I changed loom from auto to manual) and lay it somewhere safe and covered.

for keeping track of bolts, I used little containers the like of which you buy screws in, the dont rip like bags, can stack them neatly and you can label them with ease.

2. If it is the reminance of an old alarm system I would rip it out but just be carefull and remove completley and or tape ends so not exposed.

3. Good luck and re-install in the reverse order. Mental pictures help too :)

You will have to remove the internal aircon pipes and heater fan units before you get to the main loom. Sorry I forgot to mention in the first post. Easy as though.

Thanks that helps a lot. I thought I might have to remove the dash, I was just hoping that I wouldn't have to. When you say "If it is part of an old alarm system" does that mean you can't tell, or did you mean that it is? I can't really tell where the wiring goes and if its spliced into factory wires. i'll try to figure it out when I have the dash apart.