Team Chevelle banner

Calling CJLandry

671 views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  O'Man 
#1 ·
When you say ( In another post) that you are running a "Pair" of 8 Guage wires do you mean a pair as in running them parallel? I considered that approach. Just run another 8 guage from point A to point B then from point c to point d. Seemed like a goog idea at the time but I might have been drinking. For whatever reason I concluded that the idea of parallel wires was dumb. Was I wrong?

Another hidden benefit of doubling up the wires would be the resulting ability to leave the old original harness alone. I have had my car since forever and I always garaged it. Matter of fact it was in storage for several years in a very dry very temp stable under house garage. My original wires are in GREAT shape so if doubling up is really an alternative Yeah for me. Please let me know if I am understanding you correctly.

Oman

While we are on the topic...can I hit you with another question? Up by my firewall on my 72 (near the horn relay) there is a resistore wire. It is kinda red and it says "Resistance Don't cut". I think this is (was) for the points. It must be the 12 volt wire that runs the points in the "on" versus the "start" position. There is another factory wire (white) which is spliced into the resistor wire mentioned earlier. Said differently they are joined in a "Y" . After the splice both they continue and then go on and connect to the 12 volt input for the MSD box and the MSD distrib. What gives here? When I look at wiring diagrams I don't see any white wire and the factory wiring diagram does not show the red resistance wire?

Seems to me I just terminate the resistance wire and determine if the white wire is indeed switched by the ignition. If it it let it supply the MSD distrib and the MSD Box /Controller.

Any comments appreciated
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Yes, I have two 8-gauge wires paralleled from my alternator to the main junction (which is where I have my battery connected to the Ford solenoid).

I seldom draw that much current, but sometimes with all four highbeams and the huge Mark VIII fan running, the system is using more current than I like feeding through a single 8-gauge.

Over the years I've seen many high current MCC feeder breakers fed with parallel wires on each phase. The lugs are even designed to be connected this way. So I have no issues with using two wires to increase current capacity.

I'm sorry, but I don't have a clue about your ignition wiring. I'd have to check 'em with a voltmeter to see what's really happening. I don't think your MSD box or distributor needs a reduced voltage input, but I could be wrong. I've never used MSD electronics. Only their plug wires.
 
#3 ·
I think you are right MSD wants full 12 volts and I think it is coming from that white wire. I gotta trace that back and see where it goes then fire up the old Fluke Multimeter. Seems to me that red resistor wire is indeed the one that feeds the ignition at reduced voltage once the car is running. Guess I gotta look harder at the wiring diagram but so far I just dont see any white wire or any red resistance wire. Damned if I know why it is connected the way it is.
 
#5 ·
See why I get so nervious about wiring? Don't know for sure what I have so I gotta be VERY careful. I think the white wire is a 12 volt source that is, as I said switched. Tonight I am going to see where it goes and what fues controlls it. Once that is done then I have a better handle on what is happening in the ignition wiring.

Are we in agreement that that resistor wire is something related to running the points once the ignition is back to the run (as opposed to start) position?

I know the resistor wire is original and it sure appears that the white wire is original also. I am 99% sure the white wire did not run the ignition ...more later.
 
#6 ·
Oman Back

I guess I was gettin ahead of myself or else I was just dumb when I was typing today. The wire I identifed as White is YELLOW!!!!!! There is a white one right next to it and I just goofed.

Restating from earlier the Red (or possibly rusty brown) resistance wire is connected to the YELLOW wire and those two are connected to the "switched" 12 volt input leads into the MSD box and the MSD distrib.

If I now look at my factory wiring dia. it shows a 20 yellow and a 20 w /r /b going to the coil + for a 6 cyl car. This car was originally a 350 4bbl automatic car. The diagram for the V8 cars shows a 20 brown wire going to the coil +. I suspect that 20 Brn is the factory wire to the + side of the coil. I am going forward on that assumption right now. Still have to test the source of that yellow wire (the one that I thought was white) and see what its voltage status is with the key in different positions.

I also took the starter harness that runs down to the starter apart. Pulled all the tired old tape off. 5 wires inside three were connected to the starter. One goes to the large pole on the solenoid and then the other two each go to one the small terms on the starter. The T two remaining unconnected wires...a number 12 black and a number 12 orange go nowhere. They are just clipped off What could they be?????
 
#8 ·
You could be right. It is a original non A/C car that was converted to factory A/C. When I did that conversion I used the stock factory A/C harness that powers the fan. That harness is a stand alone harness not really interconnected (wrapped) inside the factory non air car harnesses. In effect the original non A/C harness stayed in the car and I bet I just clipped that sucker off. That was way over 10 years ago so it could be I just clipped, snipped and taped and then forgot what I had done.

With your help I am bearing down on this. More later.

Thanks
Oman
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top