Track Car wiring help
 

I'm trying to figure out how to wire an FD track car that I've been working on. I'm pulling out all the factory wiring right now and I want to start from scratch. I only want bare bones wiring. Any advice (what to wire and how) or any links to this info would be very helpful.

Thanks in advance

Need more information-

What EMS are you using?
What, if any, are your wiring and electronics skills and experience?


If you have never wired anything before you should seriously consider having the harness done for you by an experienced professional, as it will save a LOT of headaches.

I'm using an Apexi Power FC. I have very little experience in wiring and electronics other than wiring up aftermarket gauges, fans and lights. Nothing special. I have thought about getting a professional shop to do it, but I have done the whole car by myself so far, and I kinda want to keep that trend going.

Not to be an ass at all, but you did not build the Power FC or any of the other electronics in the car, so theres no shame in having a harness built by a professional and then installing it yourself. You have NO IDEA how frustrating it can be to try and chase down wiring issues, even in a stripped down harness. I could give you examples of what I have seen and dealt with, but lets just say the wiring of a car is at least as important as the ECU or any other electrical device in the car, and likely more so, since none of those bits will work without a proper wiring harness, and you can damage very expensive items if its done wrong.

Not long ago I detailed the parts that were used harness in my FC race car, which was completely built from scratch, I will see if I can find the thread when I have time.

^^ Oh dude you're not being an ass. I completely understand that, and I agree that I'm under qualified for the job, but I still want the experience of doing it. Thanks for the warnings though. I hope you can find that link.

Check out Painless Performance http://www.painlesswiring.com

They have different options to start building a harness from, 5 circuit, 8, etc etc. Its not ALMS level wiring but its better than most of the stuff you see hobbyists, tuners using.

^^ There is some seriously good info and products on that site. I really like how the manuals for everything are available via PDF

mmmmm I have a painless wiring "wiring kit" with the flying leads and switchbox, and while it would be very useful if I had to quickly wire up a dune buggy or dirt oval car, I would not put it in something I cared about. My biggest complaints are that it is a heavy, clunky piece that I am sure WILL work, but has no place in a race car.

I think you need to be more specific as to what you need to wire up. My FC turbo race car (road race, hillclimb, and drift) has only the following wiring:

Battery cables to starter, main cutoff switch
ground cables directly to transmission and chassis
8ga (IRRC) wires for fuel pump and power distribution block (fuse block, provides power to ECU, Coils, and injectors)
wires run (but not currently in use) for brake lights
Fuel pump relay (mounted about 8 inches from the fuel pump, triggers to ground allowing a 18ga trigger wire from the ECU)
Engine harness consisting off-

ECU connectors, OEM (using the AEM ECU) NOTE- brand new connectors are available and not expensive, since Honda and Mitsubushi use the exact same connectors on various models
AEM Wideband controller with sensor
4 Bosch injector clips
1 OEM Mazda connector for ballast resistor pack, harness side
1 coolant temp sensor connector
1 AEM 3bar MAP sensor pigtail
1 GM AIT pigtail
1 4-pin DTM male connector (replaces OE Mazda CAS connector)
1 4-pin DTM female connector (Harness side of CAS)
1 OEM Mazda TPS connector
1 OE Mitsubishi Ignition amplifier (ignitor) connector, for V6 DIS systems
1 DTM 6 pin connector, for AEM Wideband
1 2-pin MOLEX male connector and terminals, SPA fan
1 2-pin MOLEX female connector and terminals, harness side SPA fan
2 SPST toggle switches, silver contacts main power on, ignition/ECU on
1 momentary switch, starter

STACK 8100 DASH (currently), complete with its own harness and the following sensors-
coolant temp
oil temp
oil press
fuel press
boost press
beacon

or NORMALLY
AIM Mychron3 Gold MXLOG Dash with the follwing sensors and thier wiring
oil pressure
oil temperature
brake pressure (fnt)
brake pressure (rear)
fuel pressure
beacon
(all other data- TPS, AFR, Coolant temp, etc- comes from the AEM ECU)

Thats pretty much it- an ON switch for the main power, another to turn on the EMS, and the start button Pretty damned simple. There is no need for a dozen switches to control fans (that are controlled by the ECU), fuel pumps (also should be controlled by the ECU) dash (always on when the power is on), a dozen BS gauges when a single dash will do a better job, or switches to trun on and off a million various lights etc. Nothing that isnt needed. I do have a secondary harness to add lights for the front of the car and tail lights for the rear should I need them, but its not a permenant sort of thing. And there is another "auxilary" harness for a drivers cool suit, fresh air system, and that sort of thing, but again, its not permenant.

This is all my opinion of course, but if it looks like it belongs on a tractor it doesnt belong on a race car, and even wiring weighs something, and there is no need to add something that weighs something just because.

^^^ Wow great info. Thats pretty comprehensive. Thanks

I should likely also note that I am using FD ignition coils but using a Mitsubishi 6cyl Ignitor to run them. This is because the FD ignitor is fairly pricey and V6 Mitsubishis are common as ants. I used an ignitor off of a 1991-up 3000GT/Dodge Stealth because I had one laying around, but the same ignitor is used on all DOHC V6's including Monteros, Gaylants, diamante's, etc. They are cheap and they work, which is all we need. If you are wiring it yourself and do not happen to have the FSM laying around, MOTEC and a couple other REAL EMS companies have the wiring schematic on thier sites for download, along with the pinout for the 13B CAS.

^^ I have an HKS twin power that I'm going to be using. Other than the price and availability (I still have all the ignition components in good running order) there is no performance benefit from using mitsubishi equipment?

The twin power us a cdi and you will still need some form of ignitor. Mitsubishi ignitor works perfectly.

I meant I still have the factory ignitor as well as the Twin power. Thats what I meant by having stock parts in running conditon. I would assume I can still use the stock ignitor right?

Yeap! Sorry I was on the Iphone and was not paying as much attention as I should have been. The OE ignitor will work fine. I used the Mitsu piece because I am using FD bits in my FC.