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Drag Race Car Wiring

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Old 12-18-03, 08:13 AM
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Drag Race Car Wiring

Ok race car wiring gurus…

A friend of mine has purchased a 3/4 chassis 85 Rx-7. It came straight from the chassis shop in South Florida and I am going to be helping him build it from the there up.

One of my first tasks is to wire up the car for fuel pump, ignition, starter, gauges, ECU, etc. I ordered a Painless Fused Switch Panel from Jegs. This panel doesnt include relays but includes fuses. In my opinion it seems that everything should be run off a relay. If this is the case then why would painless sell a switch panel that has fuses but no relays. All the current will go through the switch ? does that make sense????

I called Painless wiring and they said, ‘just follow the colors on the directions’.


The battery is located in the trunk area. Correct me if I am wrong here..... I need to run the thick the a$$ wire red wire that came with a battery relocation kit straight to the starter. Another wire from the alternator all the way back to the battery. Another wire to the painless switch panel straight from the battery (fused at the battery). Another thick wire (gauge?) to a separate fuse box up front that will be used for the relay powered fan, ecu, injectors, etc.

I realize there is more than one way to do things but I want to do it the best way.

Any input, suggestions or links that would help is appreciated.

Danny
Old 12-19-03, 12:16 PM
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Danny,

Check your rules on Battery kill switches, as a drag car I'm 100% sure you have to run a kill switch with a relocated battery, and that means your wiring changes.

Never setup a Painless panel, but it sounds like it was designed to go through the switch.. Maybe that's why it's called Painless

If it were me, I'd run a heavy guage wire from the battery to a fuse box in the middle of the car, and fuse in all your various power needs into that wire, rather than run all your leads back to the battery. Run the alternator wire all the way back (you'll have to run it to the kill switch) so make sure that's a heavy guage wire as well.

Good luck!

PaulC
Old 12-19-03, 06:14 PM
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Or you connect the altenator to the same point on the starter. Surely that would do the same job, but with less wire? (as long as it's a sonolid controlled starter anyway)
Old 12-19-03, 09:55 PM
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hey i rewired my drag car you have to have the postive cable run o the switch then use a high amp relay to shut down the alt
Old 12-20-03, 09:08 AM
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yeah i think I am going to run one 2ga wire from the battery through the disco switch and up to the starter. from the starter it will go to the alternator & fuse panel. That should make for a neat job.

I will use relays on the fuel pump and anything that would exceed the switches amperage capability.

Now all I have to do is figure out how the hell to crimp a 2 ga wire!

Thanks guys
Danny
Old 12-25-03, 07:58 AM
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I used 00 ga with ends form mcmaster. the cable end i used was J. theres no criping tool needed it clamps down on the wire when u crank in on the nut. Heres the link

http://www.mcmaster.com/asp/DisplCtl...D=ToolPageFlip

Last edited by yallgotboost; 12-25-03 at 08:01 AM.
Old 12-25-03, 10:50 AM
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Originally posted by dcee
Now all I have to do is figure out how the hell to crimp a 2 ga wire!
Carefully, using dull BOLT Cutters.
Old 12-29-03, 06:57 AM
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Originally posted by yallgotboost
I used 00 ga with ends form mcmaster. the cable end i used was J. theres no criping tool needed it clamps down on the wire when u crank in on the nut. Heres the link

http://www.mcmaster.com/asp/DisplCtl...D=ToolPageFlip

Sweeeet. I love Mcmaster.

Thanks for the tips guys.
Old 12-30-03, 07:43 PM
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Now all I have to do is figure out how the hell to crimp a 2 ga wire!
Or you could simply solder it into the crimp connector
Old 12-31-03, 11:33 AM
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IIRC, we took solder, used a propane torch to heat up the connector, stuck the wire down there, with solder, and let the heat of the connector melt the solder..

Then we 'crimped' it with a hammer

PaulC
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