Classic Mustangs (Tech) Technical discussions about the Mustangs of yester-year.

engine bay cleanup ideas

Old 12-01-2010, 03:14 PM
  #1  
kalli
6th Gear Member
Thread Starter
 
kalli's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Cork, Ireland
Posts: 6,417
Default engine bay cleanup ideas

Hi all,

I guess during the winter I'll be bored enough to clean up my engine bay. Picture of what it looks like at the moment.

I'll have to get something to seperate the plugwires properly, I'm thinking about getting differnt plug wires anyway. there's a few that tend to fall off the plug after a long drive. i don't know if they squeeze out (rubber pressing) or vibration or heat cycles.

what I'm more concerned is all the wiring that goes along the fuel line and the bunch on the side. How to clean that all up. I'm not going to change any ignition parts so realistically I could cut all the cables to size now. It's been tested and I'm all happy with how it performs. but then what, put one of those plastic wraps around it ?

any ideas welcome

kalli is offline  
Old 12-01-2010, 03:25 PM
  #2  
TexasAxMan
4th Gear Member
 
TexasAxMan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 1,692
Default

You definitely need to tend to that wiring ....

If I were you, I'd cut to lenght and reconnect and make sure everything works out before starting any of the cleaning. After you ensure everything still works, unbolt all of it and lay it over on the engine while you clean/paint the area behind. Then bolt it all back up and you're ready to go.
TexasAxMan is offline  
Old 12-01-2010, 03:38 PM
  #3  
frdnut
2nd Gear Member
 
frdnut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Ontario
Posts: 493
Default

Yes I like the black plastic conduit stuff for the wiring..What is the ballast resistor for?
frdnut is offline  
Old 12-01-2010, 04:13 PM
  #4  
ozarks06
2nd Gear Member
 
ozarks06's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: MO
Posts: 439
Default

This page will help. The OEM wire wrap is excellent - just like, well OEM. Put the wires in the split loom and wrap it. It'll look factory.

http://rjminjectiontech.com/?p=15
ozarks06 is offline  
Old 12-01-2010, 05:55 PM
  #5  
tcrote5516
2nd Gear Member
 
tcrote5516's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: NH
Posts: 476
Default

I ran all of mine under the fenders to take them out of the picture completely. My main harness comes up the drivers side and across the front. The starter selonoid is mounted under the passengers side. Not much work and well worth the effort.
tcrote5516 is offline  
Old 12-01-2010, 07:25 PM
  #6  
JMD
6th Gear Member
 
JMD's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: AR
Posts: 5,469
Default

Jim and I ran the wires around behind the engine and down on the frame rails, out of sight, reasonably short runs, and what you see of them looks good.

I am a big fan of crosslink wire and little or no wrapping, I despise the plastic loom crap for anything visible. I found a roll of Varflex cloth wire tubing on eBay, I kind of dig it and I am ok with putting a bundle of wires in shrink tube also.

JMD is offline  
Old 12-01-2010, 08:18 PM
  #7  
mr_velocity
4th Gear Member
 
mr_velocity's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: NJ
Posts: 1,027
Default

I like this wrap http://www.tiewraps.com/flexo_pet.html we setup a wall with 8 50" flat screens and ran all the wiring through these. Looks awesome.
mr_velocity is offline  
Old 12-01-2010, 09:20 PM
  #8  
JamesW
Moderator
 
JamesW's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Northernish Eastish Central Texas
Posts: 3,302
Default

Same this..hid the wiring under the fenders. Starter solenoid under the battery

JamesW is offline  
Old 12-01-2010, 10:12 PM
  #9  
hightower2011
4th Gear Member
 
hightower2011's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Madison, Georgia
Posts: 1,643
Default

Originally Posted by mr_velocity
I like this wrap http://www.tiewraps.com/flexo_pet.html we setup a wall with 8 50" flat screens and ran all the wiring through these. Looks awesome.

That looks similar to the wrapping on the wiring that runs through the door jambs. Would it too, with age, fall apart like the original stuff? It's gotta be stronger somehow...

It is cool how you could get it to match your color.

Last edited by hightower2011; 12-01-2010 at 10:16 PM.
hightower2011 is offline  
Old 12-02-2010, 11:53 AM
  #10  
kalli
6th Gear Member
Thread Starter
 
kalli's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Cork, Ireland
Posts: 6,417
Default

well that's a great bunch of ideas.
what I'll definetly do is:
- route the plug wires in front and a around valve covers (like James/JMD)
- i will have a look at whay i could possibly hide under the fenders. But I like the boxes being seen in engine bay (fuel pressure reg, MSD, etc etc etc). i just hate the wiring
- i will cut to size and for hiding some of them thanks for sending the links
- i think it was a mistake to use the original fuel line (when i converted from machanical to electrical pump). I should have routed it straight up at firewall, mount the regulator to the firewall and feed the engine from the back.

I absolutely can't stand that stuff:


i like the wiring tape. All the old cars have it. it's more of a cloth than sticky electrical tape.

But I must say that I'm quite smitten with the Flexo-pet


frdnut: the ballast resistor is not used as one. I am using it as 'common connector'. I have all the 12V+ wiring (MSD, fuel pump ....) hooked up there as a common point. The other side of resistor is not connected to anything. Just used it as a replacement for a nice common joint. I have to find several of those.

I once saw a plastic piece in a picture, maybe 4-5 inches wide and it just had 8 ports on it where you could hook wires to. you know hook all the 12V stuff on connector 1, all the switched 12V on 2, all ground on 8 ... etc etc etc. Can't find that anywhere.
On top of all that I'm goijng to get a wiring harness at some stage for headlights, so I'm going to add another 2 relays. I think I should consider a relay/fusebox at some stage :-(

thanks a lot for all the ideas, keep it coming!


Oh and btw: my vintage V50 wheels are finally on their way from UK. will have them before christmas *g*

Last edited by kalli; 12-02-2010 at 11:58 AM.
kalli is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Quick Reply: engine bay cleanup ideas



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:18 PM.