Ok I tried to wire the hotrod and i give up.I know my limitations so does anybody know a wire guy in the portland oregon area.Maybe someone who does mobile service. let me know thanks
. Wiring 101, This may be of some help ?...H . Here ya go.."How to Wire your Streetrod from start to Finish.... See on line copy here http://www.americanstreetmasters.com/wiring_101.htm
Wiring is just like plumbing, you run a wire from point A to point B. It's easy. What are you having trouble with? The biggest problem people have is with grounds. Everything needs to be grounded. Get a book like Snapper says. For something to work, you need a hot, a ground, and a switch. Make sure you put everything on a fuse too. Dean (ps) I sent you a pm with a phone #
Great book. It will save you some headache, but there are a few things in the book that were backwards for my last car I wired with a 302. Either way- please, NEVER give up. Go in the house and relax. Come back out with a fresh mindset and finish her up. I can wire practically anything, but when it comes to metalwork.... Gah! Live and learn, thats what we do!
If you're wiring a simple car like the pickup in your avatar, you're only dealing with four systems. Ignition Start Charge Lights Granted, lights are the most complex, but once you've done the preceding ones - and tested them as you went to make sure they work - a few extra wires for lights is no big deal. Electricity is like fluid in a pipe. You were able to plumb the car for fuel and brakes were you not? Your mind is a funny thing, keep telling it you can't do something and it won't be long until you won't be able to do it. Best part about wiring your car yourself is you'll be able to trouble shoot problems on the road.
Good info C9 as always. That book is also helpful. I had a friend draw a schematic and I followed it. If I can do it anyone can, really dumb about electrical stuff. Don't give up. Think how good you will feel when you figure it out!
Just like the guys mentioned above. Don't give up. We love the challenges! We can help you step by step through this. But first tell us what kind of vehcile and whether you are using a harness kit.... Once you get it done you'll be a wiring fool.
Have you looked at the Painless (TM) kits? I used one in my OT 1966 F100. I like the way every wire is labeled and the full instructions help a lot. Not running down any other kit, this is just one that worked for me.
Don't look at the entire job all at once. Do one wire at a time and finish one before moving on to the next. Use bread ties to keep the wires in place temporally as you go. After completion, replace the bread ties with regular nylon ties and cover with a split protector. Test each circuit as you complete it.
Don't go and do that. Post your questions on the forum, everyone can help and Im sure it can get figured out. Wiring isnt that scary. I cant wait to get done with this sheetmetal bullshit on my Merc to get to wiring actually. Pair o' wiring pliers, some connectors, and you dont even have to get dirty or have loud tools going, but Im kinda a girly car guy I guess. Seriously, if it is the thing in your avatar, post your problem areas in a thread, everyone is here to help.
Willys33 probably said it best. One wire at a time. If you think that you have problems, try doing wiring being color blind!!!!! If I look at a wiring job in total 2 things happen. I get perplexed then I get totally pissed!!!!!!! I have wired a lot of turcks and trailers and found that Willys33 is correct. ONE at a time it works the best. Good luck and good rodding!!!!!!!
Forget books or online articles! How bout some hometown heros? Im right across the river from you, if you need a hand this weekend Iv got a buddy that is my wiring goto guy. I can get him to come over there with me.
Hang in there and don't give up! I had never worked on anything electrical in a car before and finished my complete rewire on my SBF/Fairlane a couple of months ago. I got very frustrated a few times along the way, especially after reading how some folks can do the whole job in a day or two. It took me 4 or 5 weekends, but I was determined to finish it myself. Between this forum and the folks at Rebel Wire, I got through the issues and feel pretty damned good about finishing the job. I'm assuming you have a Rebel kit since Glen posted on this thread. Those guys are serious when they say to call or email any time. I had them on the phone with me while I was in the garage working out my turn signal problems. They had me pointed in the right direction in no time. When I start my '54 truck build, I will surely get it done a lot faster having finished this one on my own.
ok here is what i have. 6 volt batt. pos. ground. have key switch that turns starter but will not start car. have to push solenoid to start car.new head lights tail lights. solenoid key switch
Your best bet is to go with a Painless kit. All the wires are labled on the wires. The book will walk you through it real easey to do. It's the only way to go.
Which solenoid is that??? It has been about 30 years ago but my grandfather had a machine (Had a weird name for it and I still have it), that used a solenoid with a button on it. It would not work with a key start, you HAD to push the button. The small terminal was for the charging system. It needed a complete rewire to start with a key. Also yes it was 6 volt at the time and positive ground. We finally switched it to 12 volt and did the rewire. Good luck and good rodding!!!!!!!!
okay i looked at painless wire kit and looks like a basic 8 circuit will cast about 330$. wow is that what i'm looking at as far as cost to wire my hot rod?
No, go back and get more pics of where the wires lead off of the solenoid and post them.Is the problem just with starting it or are there other issues?
yes just starting the truck, turn key and starter turns but slow. turn key to power and push solenoid truck will start
What I would do first is bench test your components.You'll need a multimeter set on ohms.You want to check for continuity through all of the positions of the ignition switch.This is done by finding your ground,hooking up the black lead of the multimeter to it,then hook the red lead up to the acc.,turn the key to acc, and you should have continuity,do this for all positions of the switch.This will verify it is a good switch.Now for your solenoid,remember it is just a big relay,it uses little power to turn on big power, meaning it gets a signal from the ignition switch through the small wires to connect the power internally for the big wires,thus hopefully turning the engine over.While all of this is happening, your distributor has to have constant power.If you have it the wires on the distributor wired up to a circuit that cancels out when the starter is spinning, the truck will never start because there will be no spark from the ignition.I hope this makes sense and helps a little.
I think you may have your distributor wired to a circuit that cancels when the ignition switch is in the start position.Verify you have power at the distibutor when it is cranking.
Or if you want to make it simple get a start button and wire it to the solenoid directly and keep it the way it is, like the old roadsters.
You would need the wire that activates the solenoid(small one).I would run it though your ignition switch, then in series to the solenoid.Hope this helps.To verify that this would work and there isn't anything else going on,Take a jumper cable from the small wire on the solenoid to the negative on the battery, this should turn it over just like pressing the button.I say negative because you said it was a positive ground.
The Jalopy Journal
