wiring recommendations

[cameron02]

Hi Guys,

Time to get the wiring done.

I live in Melbourne. Any recommendations for an auto elec to do my wiring? I think they would need to have a pretty good knowledge of modern ford motors. The motor and trans are from a AU falcon XR8.

Thanks in advance

[PCC]

Cameron,

What series AU is it, 1 or 2?

Hopefully you have a smartlock and not a smartshield imobiliser.

I know you can run into trouble with the smartshield type from a wiring point of view.

[Adrian S]

Hi Cameron,

John Cini (club member) did my wiring. He did an excellent job with hiding wires, mounting door switches, speaker wires etc. I put in an Autronic but he's done plenty of Fords EEC4s. But do watch out for the SmartShield - just ask Theo Miritis who ended chucking his away in the end - just couldn't beat it no matter which 'expert' or tricky device was used.

Let me know if you want Johns details.

Cheers,
Adrian.

[Flip]

Cameron, try Peter Sortwell @ Petewell engineering 9723 9933 he made my loom and may be able to help.

Phil

[cameron02]

Thanks for the help,

Its is an AU2 so seems like I am going to have that smartshiled problem. Although I do have the body computer as well. Do you guys know what triggers this smart shiled off?

I will contact Peter Sortwell and I would also like to contact John Cini if you could give me his number please Adrian.

Thanks

[Lynmac]

Hi Cameron

Nice to see that you are so far advanced now.
With the wiring question, don't dispare!

We have a EL XR8 with Smartlock and had no problems!!
I think I have posted this before, but if yours has a smartlock EEC you will need to buy yourself one of the magic black boxes from the place in QLD.
Our auto electrician normally works on Hot 4's, but had no problem working out the Ford wiring system. Any auto electrician worth his money would know how to wire up any car!

I have a number of web sites in my favourites that have detailed code explanations along with the computer model that belongs to that particular engine that will tell you what sort of EEC you have and what you can use as a replacement EEC to the one you have.
It all revolves around pin number 4 on a 64 pin EEC. The computer that we used came out of a ED Sprint/GT manual. The existing computer purchased with this motor was an auto - NO GOOD. Hence we used a 5 speed computer to avoid problems down the track.

Let me know if you need any more help! Been there and just done what you are about to get into.

Kind Regards
Lyn & Peter McArthur

[PCC]

Lyn,

Its not the Smartlock, which causes too many problems (fitted in AU I etc). It is the Smartshield system (as fitted in the AUII), which presents many problems.

Cameron,

As I understand it from having my own electrical issues is that the Smartshield can play havoc with your wiring system if it is'nt hooked in exactly how Ford intended it to be used.

Essentially, you cannot deviate away from the "standard schematics".

I'm sure your Auto Electrician would be well of the issues involved.

Wirings a pet hate of mine having had to fix quite a few issues concerning the electricals.

Few pointers I would recommend:

Good earth points on chassis not paint - sounds obvious I know.

Labelling everything - future problems, no worries!

If EFI, keep the diagnostics plug on - again obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people cut them off!

Keep the wiring colour code the same from point of origin to destination - tracing a wire that changes colour is a nightmare.

If you can, keep a set of schematics i.e. AUII XR8 with modification shown.

The above tips are not necessarily just for you. If and when you sell the car, it would cetainly assist a potential buyer.

Priority No. 1 for me if and when I purchase another such vehicle would be the wiring.

Good luck

[Rebel1]

Cameron.. I did my own wiring.

Mainly for the reasons Pete has pointed out. I've seen some pro wiring jobs that were shockers so elected to do the main wiring myself using one of the available looms.

I used a Painless 12 circuit harness kit which uses the GM colour codes but Ron Francis has a kit which uses ford colour codes.

http://www.painlessperformance.com/catalogframe.htm

http://www.parts123.com/PartFrame.as...FRANCIS_WIRING

It took me one weekend and a few nights during the week to install and dress up the wiring.

Now I have electrics which I know backwards....are totally hidden and better than a pro job.

I know it's better than a pro job because a neighbour who is an auto elec. ( He offered to do mine for just cost of parts) looked at my install and said there was no way could he invest the time in achieving the results I did.

When I say wiring...I mean all the lights, switches, indicators etc. I do not mean anything to do EFI....that I will leave to the experts.

For what it's work....Painless start at the supplied fuse box ( all wires attached ) then you work out to the lights etc...whereas the Ron Francis loom you start at the ends and work back to the fuse box.

I bought all the switches etc prior to getting the kit so was ready to go when the loom kit arrived.

Ohh..and I soldered all the termainals instead of using crimps.

Really was quite easy, just follow the colours...The total cost of the wiring ( loom, switches etc) was about $700.00 to $750.00

Just something to consider.

Ohh.....and surprise surprise...it all worked first time.

Cheers

[cameron02]

Thanks for all the help people.

Unfortunately I am running out of time. Otherwise I probably would have done the basic wiring my self (car must be finished this year).

Lyn, could you please tell me the Web address, I'd like to check it out.

Peter, I spoke to supposed experts in wiring fords today. He says there is no difference between AU1 or AU2. Its just smart lock (so he says). He reckons I'm looking at $2,500 to wire the lot.

[Lynmac]

Hi Cameron

I am glad that you have spoken to the so called experts today and got some clarification. As I have said there is NO difference between smartlock and smartsheild its just a fancy way of saying the same thing. If it was a "dark side" engine it would be called something else - each to their own.

Go to this web page: http://www.autoemf.com.au/
and enter the technical info site, most of your questions will be answered there. This is the place that we got our "magic black box" from that bypasses the smartlock/sheild. It comes with a basic wiring diagram for your auto elect guy and tells him what pin number to connect the circuit to within the EEC.

At the end of the day its the EEC that runs the AU1 or AU2. The motors are very similar. As we all know to get through registration it needs to be of a standard type and not the "motec" or other.

The only reason we are using a different EEC is because the second hand motor that we purchased was coupled up to an auto and our car is a five speed. The ED Sprint EEC is a manual computer with smartlock fitted within the brain.
Cameron we still have our EL XR8 EEC auto brain here.

You might want to check the model number of your brain to see if it is an auto or manual brain. From your previous posts I believe you are running an auto? You can even think about buying a secondhand reconditioned EEC without smartlock just so you pass registration - and then drop in another brain like a "motec or wolf" I have a number of telephone numbers of business that specialize in selling EEC's only and these are apart from the normal wrecking yards that often have them. Obviously the older the EEC the rarer it is to find - everyone seems to want them.

I also have a manual here that has every EEC brain from Ford ever made and it tells you exactly what model has what EEC fitted and between certain years these Ford cars used the same EEC's. I dable often with computers and electronics - which has helped me read between the lines of these so called auto electronic gurus!

From my previous post you can see that I have totaly researched this to the max when we where trying to find answers to bypass our smartlock system and after a alot of frustrating telephone calls and emails, and oh just because I am a female I finally got the answers to all my questions.

I think your quote of $2500 is quite high - what does $2500 get you - is that for everything - lights, fuel pump, engine wiring etc etc?

Regards
Lyn McArthur

[cameron02]

Hi Lyn,

$2,500 was for wiring everything, I hope!

As far as the auto / manual side of things I'm hoping it wont be a problem.

The engine and auto are from the same car. The motor and trans were stolen and put into a 4WD. Did about 4000ks before the law caught up with him. It just occured to me, maybe the thief already did all the hard work for me?

I'll soon know

thanks

[PCC]

Beg to differ Lyn

Smartlock and Smartshield are NOT the same thing:

"'Smartshield' is an enhanced version of the Smartlock vehicle immobilisation system it replaces. The most significant upgrade to the system is the addition of a transponder to the ignition key. The transponder 'talks' to the vehicle's electrical system when the ignition is switched on, the management system will not start the car unless the correct signal is received. The signal is an encrypted rolling code that cannot be duplicated."

Taken from Autoweb.com

As I have been told when having my own rewiring overhauled, the smartshield system is reliant upon signals from the key itself, whilst smartlock does not.

I'm no expert, but an auto tech would far prefer working on a smartlock system than a smartshield one.

Check out the Fordmod site for more info

[Lynmac]

Hey thats ok PCC

You are partially right - Smartlock & Smartshield are very similar devices aimed at imobilizing cars.

The smartshield uses the bem ignition imobilization system (chipped keys) whilst the smartlock uses the ECU to imobilize the engine.

However if Cameron isnt using the original ignition barrel from his engine, then he wont have to worry about the smartshield as the black box from "EMF" will bypass computer errors and allow the engine to start. The box completes the sine wave (that is hard to duplicate, but have heard it can be done) to the computer and loops back onto itself telling the ECU that everything checks out ok and the engine starts presto!

We are using a sigma ignition barrel (unfortunately) and keys to start the car and have the black box wired into the ignition system.

Last time I checked on the Fordmod site there was a guy who has worked out how to duplicate a smartshield sine wave.

Regards
Lyn M

[cameron02]

OK

I've spoken to quite a few people now. I spoke to a couple of people at Ford today.

Looks like I will be in the clear because I have the BEM (Body Electronics Module).

Its the BEM that looks after the Smart shield.

The Ford guy says I need the Engine computer, BEM and ignition (the ignition has a mini computer on it). He says I should just hook up the wiring and they will reprogram it just as they would for a person who lost their keys. The BEM will come up with heaps of error codes but wont stop the car running.

If I did not have the BEM, I would have to find another solution (such as Lyn's suggestion).

I'll let you know if The Ford people are right.

[Rebel1]

Thats great news Cameron

Hope it all works out for you.

Cheers