What are your build electrical problems?

[Steve Van Gent]

I have had issues with sending units vs gauges, ECUs and speedos, etc. I am curious what builders have encountered or are currently battling as issues during upgrades or resto-mods.

[liftlawssuck]

Fuel gauge, water temp, and heater motor right now. I haven't looked into either of them yet as I just got it running and just happy to have it at this point after 20 years.

[Steve Van Gent]

Originally Posted by liftlawssuck

Fuel gauge, water temp, and heater motor right now. I haven't looked into either of them yet as I just got it running and just happy to have it at this point after 20 years.

Are these strictly wiring issues or new LS engine "A" will not work with old school gauge "B" issue?

[skyphix]

My truck has had an interesting life, like a lot of them have, so I have a fairly substantial wiring list to tick off this winter.

Clean up Wiring
-Remove unused wiring in engine bay (there's a lot of open ended wires just danging around, a lot of bad splices, and a lot that like to try to lay on the exhaust manifolds and short out randomly)

-Remove unused wiring in interior (truck was originally radio delete and had a radio added very poorly later on... plus had switches and lights and all sorts of stuff that are now gone but all the wiring is still rats nest under the dash. I spent an hour just taping up wire ends before I road tripped the truck home)

-Replace bad but used wiring in engine bay (These are the bad splices or bad direct power runs - just need to rerun them with appropriate colors/fuses/soldier)

-Replace bad but used wiring in interior (I have two non-functional 12v power plugs, for example, and my aftermarket water temp gauge goes up 15 degrees when I turn the headlights on and 5 degrees when I turn the heater on, so I am guessing I've got some grounding issues.)

-Wire up Horns (aftermarket steering wheel was installed with the wrong horn ring, so one of the previous owners just cut the wires to the horn. I am half way through wiring in a dedicated horn circuit.)

-Fix gauges and gauge lights (speedometer bounces all over, which might not be wiring, but the fuel gauge is intermittent and shows E when it isnt working which I think is related to some engine compartment wiring that shorts against the engine sometimes, and I have ZERO in terms of gauge lights so I wrap a headlamp around the base of the steering column, set it to a red light, and those are my gauge lights for right now)

-Replace all grounds (see aforementioned grounding issues)

-Replace battery cables (just because they're cheap and easy and with an LS Swap I need good quality connections)

-Add relays to headlights with HD Wiring kit from LMC (headlights are awesome with the Hella housings and H4 bulbs but they really need a relay to perform to potential)

On top of that, I want to wire in some PAC connectors for easy removal of my rear bumper/the bed/etc, upgrade the lighting situation all around (brighter tail lights and reverse lights, 3600k LED Interior lights, etc.) I'm keeping my TH350 for now even after the swap but eventually I'll rebuild my entire gauge cluster most likely with tablet-based dashboard for all gauges reading via bluetooth and the OBDII port from the LS. I realize this will only fully work with an electronic VSS but I can use GPS for the speed in the interim.

[liftlawssuck]

Originally Posted by Steve Van Gent

Are these strictly wiring issues or new LS engine "A" will not work with old school gauge "B" issue?

Strictly wiring issues. Someday I hope to have new LS engine A will not work with old school gauge B.

[Tarm]

Are the gauges not working or are the issues intermittent?

[franken]

Wiring issues are typically old, corroded wiring, botched repairs, etc. and old crappy and removed connections. Ensure good connections and electrically sound wiring and things work better. EFI/ECUs like good clean power and high voltage. New cars run ~18V vs old ~14V at best...

[Steve Van Gent]

Just did a project for my kid's K5 blazer; He installed a 5.3L LSx motor and needs to make it California smog legal, the gas gauge sending unit in his squarebody K5 is 0-90 ohm sender, his computer from 2001 Tahoe motor is looking for 30-180 ohm reading. I installed a programmable logic device designed for cars with linearizing table to convert resistance from old to new. Worked pretty cool, passing computer smog now. This will be his third trip to referee station. According to referee, this will be the first smog legal engine swap from 90's V8 to 2001 Tahoe LSx motor in Northern California- we will find out tomorrow (think good thoughts)! If he passes, I will do a write up on all steps done to make engine swap happen. There are some key MUSTS from donor vehicle that must be acquired, and 50 state legal motor is by far best option.

Huge jump in horse power and performance, as well as fuel mileage. IN fact, the first thing he did was shatter his 10 bolt rear end with new engine.

[Bloodhound]

I'm currently working through what I need to get my Holley HP computer to read the electric VSS from my 700R4. And I'm still stumped.

[SunSoaked]

Dakota Digital and Vintage Air have made my 85 my dream truck. If it's not a period correct restoration, lose the old, unreliable mess of wires and enjoy modern, reliable components.

[Super_Dave]

New harness professionally installed a couple years ago. Worked fine.

Idiots that replaced the rockers and painted the truck dicked up the wiring in the taillights when they had the bed off.

The right rear taillight works as a taillight. . . not as a brake light or turn signal or flasher.

All other lights work fine.

Wiring is not my strong suit but now I have to try and solve the issue before paying through the arse again for a pro to solve it.

Letting these arseholes work on my truck was the worst decision I have made in decades!

[Steve Van Gent]

Originally Posted by Bloodhound

I'm currently working through what I need to get my Holley HP computer to read the electric VSS from my 700R4. And I'm still stumped.

Can you post more details? Usually this is spelled out fairly well....

ALso link to document you are using to install with?

[Steve Van Gent]

Originally Posted by SunSoaked

Dakota Digital and Vintage Air have made my 85 my dream truck. If it's not a period correct restoration, lose the old, unreliable mess of wires and enjoy modern, reliable components.

DId Dakota supply new wiring harness or just dash?

[Steve Van Gent]

Kid just passed smog for his 90 blazer (squarebody) for a LS motor swap. Referee says the first smog legal LS engine swap done in Northern California through San Francisco on a truck (cars yes, trucks no); Maybe whole state! Talk about wiring; amazing amount of "glue" between old and new that had to be done. Evap was a nightmare, but we figured it out.

We also just installed his new Express window controller with remote entry; Also has long press windows up/down- very cool upgrade.

[1957 Chief]

Chasing a ground issue now. I have the Dakota Dig dash and sometimes when I turn the key on, the gauges flash and the clock resets to 1200. And sometimes when I'm driving, the cluster switches from ODO/TRIP etc. Just annoying.

Im thinkin its the ground buss bar behind the dash thats not gettin a good ground. Thats where the ground is for the DD cluster. I have put grounds all over that truck. Frame to body, body to each panel, motor to frame, motor to body...

Im just too lazy to pull the dash. Other than that all is well.

Truck is an 86 C10 with LS3/TR6060.

Bubba

[SunSoaked]

Chief- You got any pics of that dash? I've spent the last few evenings putting the DD VHX cluster in my 85. I figured since I have it apart I might as well finish the stereo (DIN conversion), dash speakers, new dashpad, etc.

[1957 Chief]

Originally Posted by SunSoaked

Chief- You got any pics of that dash? I've spent the last few evenings putting the DD VHX cluster in my 85. I figured since I have it apart I might as well finish the stereo (DIN conversion), dash speakers, new dashpad, etc.

Absolutely. Ill get some tonight when Im home.

Bubba

[Bloodhound]

Originally Posted by Steve Van Gent

Can you post more details? Usually this is spelled out fairly well....

ALso link to document you are using to install with?

If you can tell me where it's spelled out well please let me know. I have a 1990 Corvette 700R4 behind a 350 Vortec small block with a First Fuel Injection system. The Holley HP computer has the ability to receive a vehicle speed as an input, but from what I can tell the electric speedo in my tranny does not make a signal that is readable by the Holley HP. So I need to convert it somehow. I love the Holley software but there is a steep learning curve.

[1957 Chief]

Originally Posted by SunSoaked

Chief- You got any pics of that dash? I've spent the last few evenings putting the DD VHX cluster in my 85. I figured since I have it apart I might as well finish the stereo (DIN conversion), dash speakers, new dashpad, etc.

Sorry it took so long my friend.

[SunSoaked]

Great! Thanks. How do you like the gauges?
I got sidetracked this weekend and ended up pulling my column out to swap it with my manual version. With all that access to the dash, I went thru the wiring and cleaned things up. With the VHX my 4 inch speakers dropped right in the original dash openings. I added a third 4" in the center hole as a contingency for adding a center channel to my system in the future.

[1957 Chief]

Gauges are tip-top my friend. Love em.
Once you get past how to "learn" em in, its pretty simple to work. I also put bigger speakers in my dash too, even a center one like you did.

Bubba