:question::question::question:

hey everyone... I'm looking to buy an FJ-40 and
I think I'm getting a pretty good deal on it...

A couple of the problems is the cooling
and electrical systems. The cooling should be
no problem as I only have to attach a couple
of tubes and all of the bits 'n pieces are
there... but the electrical system also
has problems... It is very simple under the
hood, but I can't tell what's going on under
the dash...

Can someone advise me here? What problems may
I encounter? What questions should I ask
the seller:question:

thanx
-LCL

EDIT: The seller doesn't know much about the
current state of the electrical system either...
that's why I thought of bringing it to you and
maybe someone can help me find out if this is a
big inpending factor and if I should get it or
not...

LCLvr,

What year Cruiser? Street or Trail rig?


If you are looking at a trail rig with basics (turn signal, stop lights, head lights, fan, radio) then a simple 8 circuit fuse box and a few hundred feet of wiring is all you need.

Take a look at the Painless Wiring Fuse Block Thread (http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30008&highlight=painless+fusebox) to get an idea.

Later ones, with emission control, will take more work.

We all started someplace. I still have some crimpers I bought over 20 years ago. I probably have over $1000 in electrical tools alone (crimpers from simple 18 gauge butt, weatherpack harness, all the way up fo 4/0 cable crimpers: heat shrink gun: etc). It can add up, but no reason you can't build your own harness given enough time and someone to show you the tricks of a good harness.

Tom :usa:

'63 street cruiser... okay, so it doesn't sound too tough, i already
have electrical expierence (sp)... with that, it sounds fin...

btw, wuts a harness? didn't find it and haven't heard of it before
you mentioned it...

thanx
-LCL

The harness is just the amalgamation of all of the wires. :D

I just got done rewireing my 40 I used the E-Z wireing harness. $185 every wire is identifyed every five inches. Up dated fuse box ,the works. I soidered every conection and heat shrink. It wasen't Hard, Just took forever.

I talked to a lot of different people that used different re-wiring sets, I ended up with a Centech wiring fuseblock and kit. Excellent quality set and easy but time consumming to do, As they all are!
http://www.centechwire.com/
Good Luck
Mike :fj: :jeep2:

Originally posted by sixsranch
II soidered every conection and heat shrink. It wasen't Hard, Just took forever.

Cringe! I HATE soldered connections in the wiring harness or at the end of the connector. When possible I like using those 3M or MOLEX double wall heat shrink connectors. Outter wall is heat shrink, inner wall is a meltable sealant. With the proper crimping tool, heat shrink gun, and you have a connection that will outlast the life of most vehicles!

Down side, those "dual wall" connectors run something like $10 for a bag of 10 of them at NAPA. Gets expensive real quick, so I use them on the critical stuff (starter circuit, ignition, etc).

Having said that... in the GM manuals is a few pages on using SOLDER to repair wiring harnesses! I'll defer to the General, but the only comment is to make sure the heat shrink tubing is longer than the soldered portion to help act as a strain relief.

If you solder, just use enough to flow on the wire, and not down the wire (takes practice, but you need to control the amount of heat & ideally use a heat tweezer). This prevents the solder from wicking down the cable. Where the solder stops and wire starts is a break waiting to happen. Given enough time and vibration, the wire will fatigue and break. Frustrating as the wires may touch, but suddenly open at a given point.

If you are just starting out on this wiring stuff... make a few crimps then PULL IT APART! If you can pull the wire out of the crimped connection something is wrong. Lots of different terminals use different crimpers. Check out the Waytek Catalog (http://www.waytekwire.com) to get an idea of what the crimping tools look like. For stuff like the fuel injection harness I have a bunch of the WEATHERPACK terminals and crimpers.

I used to run off road events PRO RALLY cars, and build custom harnesses for some of the competitors. Attention to detail pays off. Yes, very time consuming... but I am a firm believer in "learn by doing". :D

Tom :usa:

Another thing, Don't use acid solder! Use TV & radio solder .

as i do have some know how... i hope it won't be too difficult... is
there a less painful way of goin about it? i don't wish to invest
in equipment like crimpers that i won't be using again... maybe
a way that i only need to use a solderin iron :D? heh, that'd be
great...

-LCL