Steber's Cantankerous Wiring Conundrum

It's about that time in my build where its time to focus on a totally custom wiring harness. I'm choosing to start a separate thread, similar to Saftie, just to document my progress and more than likely pick all your brains. I'm hoping for no redundant information; I promise I'll be searching things before said, and following several schematics and doing things by the book.

I also know theirs a point where I'll be going well beyond a 'minimal harness' to include some safety features and if it was as easy to place a harness back on my bike i might consider it. Ultimately, Nearly all controls will be replaced, and I'm hoping to retain most safety features of the bike, such as the side switch, neutral, turns, clutch, oil. Which means most likely a new cluster.

That being said, if space is limited, sacrifices will be mean in the "best deemed" order. I'll stop this tangent here and say non-electical updates will be posted in my build thread found here, along with that, I politely ask that any comments about the bike NOT pertaining to electrical please be deferred to that thread. Thanks in advance to any and everyone who helps get this bike back up and running and to the finish.



So let's just start basic, I've been doing a lot of looking around, but before i really pull the trigger on wire spools, anyone have a good source? I'd like to choose my own colors (and some varying gauges) to keep things as close to stock colors as possible, stringing and splicing connections I'm comfortable with, i know this is a test of patience, but i also wanna buy right before I do it right. and leads would be appreciated.

 

if you would use wire tags rather than colors, you could save a lot of money. colored wires are way over rated. test each circuit, component as you go, one thing at a time.
use a trickle charger in place of your battery, that way any sparks will be little. don't plug in the TCI until everything else works and you double check it's wires.
they make wrapping tape without sticky to wrap wire bundles, good stuff.

 

That was my idea, makes sense. Easier to find wire that way as well. Is 16 guage overkill for the general circuitry? Want to find a happy median for general wiring. I'm sure some charging circuits will take more.. can easily source small runs, but most auto stores around here don't carry the length or color variation I need. Unless of course I wanna do the whole bike in red and black.

 

go to xj4evers electrical section D in it you will find listings for wires and info on current capacity of wires and insight on what size wires are required for certian circuits.
has a section on wire size id by strand count or insulation diameter

http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/index.php?threads/xj-parts-catalog-section-d-electrical-system.44641/

 

I'd say no. Go with 16 gauge for all. Hit up some online stores. They you can get any color you want. Or, colored shrink wrap tubing. You can buy almost any color in spoils of any length. I did that for a custom 30 channel snake I built for my recording studio and the color coding helped. For my bike, I installed a motogadget munit and bought the wiring package so I can an assortment for colored cables already.

 

Awesome. I've def read over that a few times, just comes down to do I need to run both 18 guage and 16 guage or if I can just do anything that's 16 and higher in 16? Obviously, 14 guage will have to be 14 guage wire.

 

You mean like this?

 

16 can be used for 18, 20 wire, .

smaller the number the bigger the wire

 

Okay found a decent deal on 11 colors 100feet each, they seem to have a variety of colors with stripes to choose from. The lower gauges I'll get locally as the colors are easily obtainable for that circuit. I know saftie had a nice kit from somewhere with connectors. Waiting on that, and I'll start ordering.

 

most important is temp range of the wire insulation

 

https://www.amazon.com/TapeCase-TC7...r=1-1&keywords=non+adhesive+wire+harness+tape
like this stuff, it won't leave a sticky mess on the wire if you need to take it off

 

about all those colored wires. if you put on one wire at a time, number it and make sure it's right, you should never have to bother with it again. it won't move itself and anywhere else you put it is wrong.
just be sure to make your own diagram of your work, whether you use numbers or colors

 

Very sound advice from all, I know a bit about wiring from everything I've done over the years. A lot of good advice that I've heard and possibly forgot about. Looking forward to this intimidating adventure for sure. Patience is a virtue for sure

 

I wouldn't worry about sticking to factory colors if it is a custom harness. Tags work like polock mentioned but I prefer colors. I used to make harnesses for Jeeps many years ago, I always used SXL wire for it's high temp and resistance to oil etc. I personally like weather pack connectors and still use them whenever I can. The proper crimp tool is expensive though. My source back then was Waytek but I'm sure there are many more companies out there today. I still have a lot of wire, connectors, etc. left, shoot me a PM if interested in something.

 

Use wateproof plastic tags if you go that route.
Having worked on industrial machinery, I much prefer colored wires. They are much easier to keep rack of than having to read and re-read tags and tug on wires to find the right one in a bundle.

 

so.. heres the thing i dont really want minimal.. I really don't. This bike is just so chopped up, that the stock harness is not utlized correctly. I've been picking at it a bit and it looks to be in great shape, a lot lines up, a lot needs to be routed up to under the tank like the tci and fuse box, while the rear turns and brakelights need to go down the frame and along the swing arm, and also broken up and put into the seat.

It seems doable, and i have the wire to extend, not to mention shorten, a lot of these connections to make the 'line up'.. this would help me keep my idiot lights.. This all comes down to how much i can shove under the tank, and it looks to be a lot with the virago tunnel. I know its also a nightmare and much easier maybe to do a minimal harness, but should i pursue this route or just start scratch? a few pics from today.. the homebrew got me thinking funny!



I'm assuming this a common ground and not some sort of switched ground? this looks to be the only one i truly need to alter, and lets face it if its a common ground thats easy, i'll just gut that part.

 

I would stick with amber beer and the proper color-coded wires (with or w/o tracer stripes) to match what is on the main harness.....this will make your and/or the next owner's life so much easier in the future.

My Generac generator control panel (old style, analog gauges, etc.) uses the same dark blue wiring for every circuit, every run, every thing. I've invented many new curse words and personal slurs on the designer/engineer (who obviously thought that this was an acceptable idea) in order to deal with it over the years, and the longest run of wire is only about 18".........

 

It sure is a lot to tango with.. I think it's possible, even with black IPA. I'm going to try and match the colors as best as possible. Atleast use several color coded bands of shrink wrap to make it easy to decipher. (If I try to jam all this in)

 

Also their will never be another other owner, besides maybe one of my children.

 

You want some wiring mess? Anyone ever own an older electromechanical pinball machine? When I was in high school I used to pick these things up for $50 all day long. Miserable to work on though but very reliable once you fixed all the burnt/dirty contacts.

 

So it's tangible.. seems like my only concern is fitting all the sensors and such. I'm going to take a stab at this, hopefully it'll work out, if not my original plan was Minimal harness, but I already feel more knowledgeable by depining and moving wires, so if it comes to minimal I think my confidence will be up.

 

To much Homebrew to figure out how to delete a double post

 

It's truly the build where every inch counts. Been straightening more wires, getting things in their relative place. I might split the whole harness to re do the turns, I'm going to switch to a two pin relay for leds and such, and deleting the self canceling will make more room under the tank.

Need to see where I can mount starter solenoid, hopefully as close to battery as possible. Hoping I can get rectifier on outside of battery box.

Dizzy from tracing all this, impressed with the condition the harness is in. And depining the connectors has saved me from cutting any wires yet.

 

What am i missing here? This is the kickstand switch, and what i think to be the right wires for it, yet the connectors dont line up? first of "what did i mess up' connectors. Nothings been cut yet, so I'm trying to figure what i'm missing.

 

there is a short harness about 2 feet long that goes from sidestand switch to the connector in your hand
bullet con one end square end on the other.

 

ah.. makes sense, can't really see that in the schematic.. well i already need to trim down this line, so i'll go with the bullet connectors to save space. Thanks.

 

One more.. seems to be close to the last one I need to sort out besides lighting. Coming from the oil pan, can't find where it hooks in.



Speaking of lighting, also a blue bullet connector by the tci, taped in with it, any idea? Can get pictures, my head's dizzy from sorting everything, but I'm feeling I can keep nearly all safety features.

 

wire white ?not sure yet is it from oil level switch in oil pan? shoud hook into a red/blue wire leading to diode block

dark blue in the pick up harness goes to a light blue in main harness about 4 inches long.

short 4 inch light blue is located in main harness under the tool tray aside of tci

 

removed incorrect wires
info

 

Theirs no red/blue their is black with red, which does lead to diode block.

Found a light blue, my harness is stripped so lengths are really a thing, it ties in the main harness, where it junctions and goes into the bars and the safety relay.

I assume both these are correct? Thanks for the help.

 

Also no available Brown except for horn (with pink)

 

let me check again I will look on bike and spare harness

it may be a black/red wire near heavy red wire for solinoid

it is the black red wire i think your index finger is pointing to it

 

I think i need to step back for a minute than, black/red to the white to the oil pan makes sense, as the black/red enters the diode block. Also, the light blue to the dark blue near tci makese sense for a neutral switch wire. (why its dark blue coming up from the bottom i have no idea)

so really, i have a chocolate, blue, and green bullet connector free, which are all part of the taillight/turn signal respectively. I could be reading everything completly wrong... its been a lot of tracing wires. This bike is an 82 XJ550 maxim, so I'm not sure if some harnesses are different than others.

As stated, its about dinner time, so im going to walk away from the bike for now. I think its right currently, but Im still not sure on that white wire to black/red. any other information is appreciated..

 

white to black red is correct varified on bike and spare harness

this is also correct an have varified on bike and spare harness.

 

Great, so we're on track. Let's move on a bit too my trimming. To disable the canceling unit just 'unplug'.. well I eliminated the pins on the leads and cut back to the nearest junction on any wires tied together. This is essentially the same, correct?

 

sounds good . a lead to no where is not needed.

 

I think I'm in the clear, this is a much better method to retain all my safety features. What a mess though, def not the easiest route. I've only just begun mapping. All relays and solenoids need to find a home and once they are hard mounted I will begin the final shortening and lengthening of all wires. As of right now I'm confident that everything is going to be a tight fit but will also work very well , the end is almost in sight.

 

building off of removing the self canceling unit, as stated i depinned the connectors,such as the 3 pin connector for the relay (B L C) is now only a two pin (B L), as (c) went to the self cancel unit.Now, I have a two pin flasher relay that only has (B) and (L), the pins line up to compliment the new 2 pin flasher. Is this all that is needed? it appears one side taps into the brown(A powered circuit, i think) and the other pin taps into the turn signal switch itself. If i need to rewire it I can, but it seems this should just work as the C was eliminated.

 

Research the wire you buy and make sure its not just coper coated but all copper stranded. some are copper coated aluminium. Good thread to watch.

 

On the flasher, yes. At least in my experience. I simply unplugged the stock one and plugged an electronic one in. I believe I left the self canceller in there even though it's now disabled but probably because it's hidden under the tank and I forgot about it. I installed a load equalizer in the rear turn signal wires and hid it behind the airbox so my led signals work flawlessly even with the indicator bulb in the cluster

 

check your new relay for hot and load markings load would be to the control

brown wire is the hot wire

 

I sort of lucked out that when I plugged the electronic flasher into the stock plug it really only goes in 2 ways. One works, the other didn't. Actually I did pay attention to the wire colors and installed accordingly I just don't remember what they are off the top of my head

 

Both these grounds get hooked up to the coil bracket bolt, one to each bolt, correct? They were up towards the top of the main harness. Pretty sure I can mount them anywhere to the frame, just for some reason (up top) I only remember one?

I know theirs some they mount to the case/battery but Im confident thats not these.

 

I only have one on my coil have always thought it was from the voltage regulator, but yes any good bolt source to frame shuch as the coil mounts will do.
now I have to go look to see if I have 2 on my 550s.
going to work now .

 

I'll trace them back further later on and see where they all tie into. their are two ground junction areas in the harness, not sure if one leads to each.

Now I'm working on the main ground off the battery, i seem to remember it ran to the engine on engine case bolt 28/29 (i think) at any rate, theirs a smaller gauge ground that breaks off on this as well looks like it attached to a bolt somewhere, since the thicker goes to the engine case, should i just find a spot on the frame to attach it, eliminate it, or what? Its hard to visualize the part of the frame i chopped off, and i knew i'd face a few of these 'that part of the frame isn't there any more', so I didnt bother to take too many picture of this.. hindsight i should have atleast took more than i did.

 

Doesn't have to be exactly like factory as long as it's wired correctly. The heavy wire from the battery should go to the engine, the starter is the highest amp draw from the battery. From there you do need a cable from the engine to the frame. You can run a heavier wire (12ga) up to the same point that you hook those ground wires too, just make sure the frame connection is clean.

 

The larger wires that attach to the eyelet terminals can be thought of as the backbone that provides the ground or return for all the circuits. Those larger wires will have taped areas within the main harness bundle where other grounds are crimped to the backbone and covered with tape. Every circuit ( headlight, tail light, brake light, horn, TCI, flashers, indicator bulbs, regulator, relays, switches, etc) will tie to the backbone in order to find a return to the frame, which is tied to battery negative through both the engine and the alternate single ground from engine to frame on some bikes. If you shorten or lengthen any of the ground wires be sure to pay attention as to what gauge wire was originally used to provide a return for that particular circuit. For example, the regulator typically has a direct path of 14ga wire to chassis ground.

 

Are the engine mounts a good enough source of a connection of the ground? Granted the two eyelets mount to the frame (I'll place one on each coil bolt), so I guess the third eyelet on the bottom should mount to frame too, the smaller 14 gauge that is. I have been very cautious of the wire guage. Going to have to shorten the larger thick gauge on the starter solenoid to starter and also lengthen the other side of the solenoid to the battery for positive. I think the ground circuit was long enough to make the reaches. I don't have any size terminals to crimp so I'll have to make a run for those. I have an old amp power cable I might use as the new line for the battery to starter solenoid.. it's too short and not fond of it being black, and my new wire is red. I'd have to maybe strand count, but it looks heavy duty enough.

 

the small wire goes to a bolt that holds battery box in place bottom front of box.
iirc it is 6 ga wire you can check in chacals catalog he has a wiring section that gives all that info in the electrical section

 

no