Race Car Tech Discuss anything related to road racing and auto X.

Drag Race Car Wiring

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 18, 2003 | 08:13 AM
  #1  
dcee's Avatar
Thread Starter
Full Member
Tenured Member: 20 Years
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: Jersey
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
Reply
Old Dec 19, 2003 | 12:16 PM
  #2  
Silkworm's Avatar
Has been.. hangin' around
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,618
Likes: 0
From: Milpitas, CA
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
Reply
Old Dec 19, 2003 | 06:14 PM
  #3  
chairchild's Avatar
50mpg - oooooh yeah!
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 527
Likes: 0
From: UK
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)
Reply
Old Dec 19, 2003 | 09:55 PM
  #4  
yallgotboost's Avatar
Senior Member
Tenured Member 15 Years
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 317
Likes: 1
From: Fairless Hills,PA
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
Reply
Old Dec 20, 2003 | 09:08 AM
  #5  
dcee's Avatar
Thread Starter
Full Member
Tenured Member: 20 Years
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: Jersey
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
Reply
Old Dec 25, 2003 | 07:58 AM
  #6  
yallgotboost's Avatar
Senior Member
Tenured Member 15 Years
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 317
Likes: 1
From: Fairless Hills,PA
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; Dec 25, 2003 at 08:01 AM.
Reply
Old Dec 25, 2003 | 10:50 AM
  #7  
Directfreak's Avatar
I am a Jeeper Now.
Tenured Member 20 Years
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 9,371
Likes: 4
From: 3OH5
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.
Reply
Old Dec 29, 2003 | 06:57 AM
  #8  
dcee's Avatar
Thread Starter
Full Member
Tenured Member: 20 Years
 
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
From: Jersey
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.
Reply
Old Dec 30, 2003 | 07:43 PM
  #9  
chairchild's Avatar
50mpg - oooooh yeah!
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 527
Likes: 0
From: UK
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
Reply
Old Dec 31, 2003 | 11:33 AM
  #10  
Silkworm's Avatar
Has been.. hangin' around
Tenured Member 10 Years
 
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,618
Likes: 0
From: Milpitas, CA
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
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
BNR34RB26DETT
Build Threads
42
Feb 28, 2018 11:27 AM
Marty RE
Introduce yourself
3
Aug 29, 2015 07:51 AM
dkwasherexd
Far East Forum
1
Aug 17, 2015 11:26 AM
Marty RE
New Member RX-7 Technical
0
Aug 13, 2015 11:19 AM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:07 AM.