Eliminating Fusible Links, Converting old Fuses, and Rewiring your Datsun.

[captaingamez]

Introduction:

I am starting this thread to go over MODERN wiring practices in an performance automobile, Post my findings, Ideas, Get feedback and opinions from the initiated, and suggest new ideas for wiring cars in the post 2000 Era

If you prefer old wiring, justify the use of old wiring at 50 years old, or like "wire based fusible link" systems "Because they work" This is absolutely the wrong thread for you. We eliminate ALL of that here regardless of "If it works"

If you wish to rewire your Datsun with MODERN components, 280 series relays, PDMs, Breakers, JCase Fuse links and MAXI fuses then you are in the right place.

 

First I am going to start off with the suggestion that old junk in a Datsun/Nissan from the 60s through early 90s isnt good anymore if you like your car to work for the rest of your life and dont want to work on it or diagnose electrical things. The copper itself is fine, the issue is the insulation, the wrapping, the old style crimps that have been bypassed by new stuff, non waterproof connectors, old wire tubing that isnt used now for good reason. Basically almost every aspect of vehicle wiring was dramatically improved upon in the 90s and early 2000s. We now use fully sealed harnesses, Fuse Links that are enclosed in a box and easily swapable and available everywhere, and PDMs for smaller relays as well as Solid State switching.

Everyone has their own way of doing this, This is mine based on years of doing it for clients and my own cars and motorcycles, and working with people MORE professional than  myself.. Suggestions are welcomed, but dont be offended if I have info on why not to do something a certain way that is suggested. I can tell you the number one argument here will be crimp vs solder. We do not solder pins and splices. Period.

I am going to update this as I do some fairly in depth wiring procedures over the next 6 months

Example of components I currently am using :
GEP 96 Pin PDM for 2890 series components
GEP JCase Fusible link housing. Easy to find on the inteweb

Edited August 3, 2023 by captaingamez

[builte]

I agree on fusable link wires but my whole wiring harness is water proof and encased everything except for the crappy new alternators T style connectors 

[epmn]

I saw this last year and was waiting to see if it would expand any.  I am just about about done with a complete rewire on my LS swapped 260Z (turned the key and started motor for the first time in a year over the weekend).  I kept the bulb sockets and the connector for the hazard switch.  Other than that it all went.  The original LS harness was replaced with a Terminator X and the rest of the wiring was replaced with a Racepak Smartwire, two Leash relay blocks, all new wires and an assortment of connectors (sealed and otherwise).  The wiring harness in now a lot simpler with everything being either an input to the Racepak or an output from the Racepak.  Most everything is on it's own individual wire and there are very few splices (front and rear left turn signal for example).  The outputs are triggered by combinations of inputs so I can program how things function and add features that weren't on the original car (interior lights turn off ten seconds after the door closes, DRLs are on if the engine RPM is over 600 and the headlights are off, etc).  Tracking down wiring issues has been easier since the wires go from A to B instead of A to B via C, D and/or E.

[Crashtd420]

I was hoping there was more to all this also..... I do agree with the idea of it all... my 521 wiriing needs to be upgraded....

[epmn]

When everything is removed there are a lot of places to put the stuff other than the kick panels.  I went with placing the brains under the passenger seat where it is pretty centered as far as the overall harness is concerned.  

 

 

 

The back of the dash is a lot cleaner now as well.

 

[epmn]

As I was planning out the wiring and power distribution I was originally going to make all of the control switches ground triggered.  The inputs to the Racepak (pdm) can be set up as either ground or voltage triggers.  I was trying to reduce the number of power wires in the dash and hand controls.  The first part was to figure out how to wire the hand controls on the steering column.  I took all of the switches apart that I could and cleaned them up so that there was good contact.  I kept the original wires and just soldered another set where they were needed.  I had to cut some of the ground circuit on the controls so that each function was completely separate.

 

 

One side of each switch went to ground and the other side went to an input block that reduced the need to carry all of the wires back to the pdm.  I found after I had everything connected for testing in the car that for the most part it worked.   The problem was that I wasn't able to take the ignition switch apart to clean it up.  When I turned the key to the On position I was getting intermittent triggering of the Terminator X ECU and the relays tied to switched power.  Checking the ignition switch ground and ON wires showed 0 ohms that would drift up to a couple of ohms.  I am not sure what the ohm tolerance for the ground trigger is but it appears to be lower than that.  I reversed the setup by attaching a switched power output from the pdm (triggered by the key being in) to the ground lug on the ignition switch and change the ACC and On inputs to voltage trigger.  Problem solved.  There seems to be a much wider tolerance for recognizing a voltage signal.  I have since replaced the ignition switch but I think that I will leave it alone.  

 

I also found that there would was a drop in connection when switching from On to Start on the original ignition switch.  This might not be a big deal when there are no brains in the car but it was problematic when electronics do a restart due to the connection drop.  To remove the problem I put in a start switch that needs the Key in, Key in On position, brake pressed, clutch in and engine under 600 rpm to activate the starter button circuit.  The pdm is looking for a signal from the starter button to then send on output to one of the Leash relay blocks that then goes to the starter.  Some of this might be a bit of overkill but the capability is there and it is kind of fun to play with.