Well I can't stand it anymore.. Every time I see my Jaguar's engine compartment,with the 350 V8 I see ways that I could have arranged things better. Some of it - the F.I. wiring and relays. Keep hearing myself saying "what was I thinking when I did this.." . Funny how these things will haunt you until you finally get around to it. Trying to get away from the cluttered look. Amazing how many things you have to accommodate when doing a V8 conversion.
Even with the black plastic sheeting,.. it still looks like an XJ6..

 

I hear ya!

I have a few more things to check off my 'to do' list then I plan to go back into the engine bay and sort out a couple things. Nothing essential....just sanitize and rearrange a few things. When I did the engine conversion I used the entire harness out of the donor car....but it has a lot of wires and connectors I am not using. Just want to go back and tidy-up.

Cheers
DD

 

I agree. I still have to figure out a way to get the ECM and its harness into the car without having to dismantle a lot of stuff under the right side of the dashboard to drill a hole large enough behind the battery for the ECM harness connector to pass through. Alyn, How did you do yours? Presently, I have the ECM in the engine compartment in a home made heat insulated plastic box. I have driven the car for hours on end and so far the ECM does not seem to be affected by the heat generated by the engine. My wiring is as neat as it could be. I now have no extra wires exposed since I eliminated all of the wires from the donor harness that I did not need. I followed Alyn's instructions on de-pinning and re-pinning the ECM connectors. Only one leg of the harness to the AC is still disconnected. Will post some pics of engine bay soon.

 

I used a harness from an 1989 Astro van with TBI and ECM 1227747. The ECM I used was from a 1990 Silverado 350 with ASDU code.
Because the wires needed to be shortened in some cases, I installed them individually. A small eyeglass repair kit,.. has the right size screwdriver which makes it easy to remove the individual wires from the ECM plugs (2 plugs on 1227747).
Sounds simple enough but in some cases, some wires are connected to others and I had to look at them as "combined circuits".
EXAMPLE - Pink/black combined circuit
e.g. Pink/black wires ( switched 12V+ ) from my MAIN relay connect to ECM - A6, ESC, EGR, etc. and so I connected them as a circuit. The wires from the sensors were measured for length, cut and re soldered then passed through the hole and re inserted into the ECM plug. This method,.. while tedious - works - no mistakes to drive you crazy troubleshooting later. All the wires were connected this way.

My MAIN relay (engine compartment) is energized using the WHITE wire from the INERTIA switch - hot in start/run. So MAIN relay gets 12V+ from firewall post (heavy brown) on # 30,...is energized by white wire on #86... grounded on #85,,, and 12V+ switched, on #87
This # 87 pink/black wire goes to the A6 spot on the ECM plug. Still with me?

The ECM was laid on the cabin floor (passenger side) The wires,.. as they were connected to various sensors, were fed through from the engine side into the cabin. I enlarged a small hole in the body (engine compartment - near battery tray) into the cabin - see pic . Hole size is approx 1.25 inch - after all the wires are connected, the bundle of wires going through the hole is about 1 inch thick.

I found I could use a small bracket to hold the ECM up behind the glove compartment - just fits... with plugs horizontal and facing the transmission tunnel - keeping the installation neat with no long wires everywhere. I used a bit of Velcro on the bracket and some on the ECM case. Bracket is about 3/4 inch wide

Once the wires were fed through the hole into the cabin, I carefully re inserted each one back into the ECM plug, then inserted the plugs (2) back into the ECM , then mounted the ECM into the spot behind the glove compartment (directly under the battery tray but inside the cabin) and then installed the holding bracket.

So in the true sense of the word this is a custom installation. All places where the wires were shortened, I re soldered them (now at correct length) and covered with heat shrink tubing over the soldered joints.

At the moment, the issue I have is the bracket on the engine manifold that holds the ESC,EGR solenoid and the MAP sensor is interfering with the bottom of the air cleaner. I have removed the sensor plate bracket ,..removed the sensors from it, modified the bracket (cut off some of it, drilled a few mounting holes) and re attached it to the inner fender well, passenger side. A lot better arrangement. Still have to run A/C hoses - next project.

 

Why move the ECM to the cabin ? GM made it in such a way as to live in a hot engine bay. Mine is in a great looking ribbed alloy "box. I thought it too "pretty" to hide. So, I made alterations to display it!!!!
Off with the triangular air box and it's supports. I made a cradle to support it from the stay rods that emanate at the cowl and terminate at the wings. Connector plugs to the rear. So far,just fine.


In the Cadilac the ECM shared a box with the air cleaner at the left front of the bay. No room in trhe jaguar for that sans more changes.


Now, I wish I had used the fuse and relay box that came with the engine package. Alas, I bought a harness. Not the smartest thing. But, perhaps it was at my stage of understanding. Durn little !!


I created a rack to replace the Jaguar relay rack. Many more to accommodate!!! Two versions. The latest a bit better. The jewel is a ground bus to the right of the relays. All grounds from these relays, but one go there. It in turn is grounded at the wing at the battery's ground point.


I do have some odd wires that have undergone some bundling and taping. Still not altogether pleasing.


Now the two fuse boxes are on the wing brace as well. The OBD connector along side.


I did section the battery hold down to fit the Optima it got at the beginning. Cut, fit, weld and paint.


And a bracket for the Ps resevioir. Cut, fit welded and painted, It took a few effort to get it right. Bolted to existing holes on the right about midway.


It has had it's admirer's. I am extremely proud of the most complex auto project I ever did. Including the Hot rod of the 40's from almost scratch. frame up!!!


From the "old" to the "newer" !!!!


Carl

 

Carl, one of the reasons is; I am running a TBI unit not LT1. This fuel injection type sits higher in the engine compartment = no room . Another reason is my ECM does not come in a special case, it is supposed to be mounted inside the cabin. The only thing hanging from those bars from cowl to fenders are heater return hoses and A/C hoses.

 

Good reason. The GM guys are not dumb.


As I recall, Andrew Weinberg's of Jaguar-Specialties was similar to yours. He found a source for all the ECM wires in the GM color code.
Then cut, spliced and soldered in such a away so as to use the existing hole under the battery box and thence back to a location under the passenger seat.


Lottsa ways to get where one wants to go.


Flopped project. Did a trial on my reinstalled dish washer, My plumbing sound ! No leaks ! Not only did the washer not load and wash, It leaks like a sieve. That section of the kitchen floor got mopped !!!! Let my shoulders rest a few days, and that bunch of !@#^&$#@$%$ junk is ff to the recycle pickup!!!!


I'll not miss it. I don't create that many dirty dishes!!!! So, I'll defer another.
Carl.

 

Carl If you are single use paper plates. lol
If it is leaking under the unit, you should pull it and check the water connections. Use a flex hose - not stiff tubing. With the still tubing it will have to bend when you push the dishwasher into its resting place. Maybe causing a leak. Clean water in / waste water out. Only 2 connections under the unit.

 

Thanks !


I am single.


It is an odd beast. A Frigidaire "portable". It had a gadget to connect water in and waste out at the sink faucet. Tough on them. I devised a "better"way, I cut off the connector ands splice in a supply and a waste line. A couple of Kenmores served well over 40 years. The Frigidaire, OK at first, then issue began.


I think my hose replacement under side was sound. But the mice got it again. It has been in my breezeway for months. Mice out there, almost a certaintity. Cat and goat food to attract them !!!


Carl

 

Thanks ALYN. I have the tool to release the pins. I used the tool to replace the two ECM connectors because the locking tabs were broken. I was able to purchase new ones at the GM dealership even though it took them about 3 months to get them for me.
Even though I installed the ECM in the engine bay, After I connected all of the sensors and brought all the wires to a single bundle, I have 36 inches of main harness to fish through, so I have enough to get the ECM inside the car.
@JagCad: Unlike yours, ECM 1227747 is not a weather proof unit. That is why it has to go into the car.

 

Sanchez .. why wait for the dealership turkeys - go to a wrecking yard and snip a few of those ECM plugs. Most will be in good shape. The average owner/driver probably never even seen the ECM and its connections, so they most likely are like new. 5 bucks ? Just make sure they are from a TBI car preferably a 1227747 ECM - then use the chip you have for the engine you are using. I am using an ASDU chip (broadcast code) is for - 350 TBI / GU3 axle ratio / 4 speed auto /

 

@ Alyn: I did go to the JY in search of the connectors but most of the GM vehicles that had what I wanted were either destroyed or had the incorrect connector. I paid 15 bucks each for the connectors from GM. Oh well!
Like I stated earlier, my car is running fine with the exception of a sticky throttle cable.
I am trying to locate a generic throttle cable to replace the OEM cable which I shortened and adapted to the TBI.