| Stop Censorship |
| The Music and Movie industries attempt to disable the internet and truncate your freedom of speech using US legislation nicknamed SOPA, PIPA and as of April 2012, CISPA. |
| ACTA is just as bad (perhaps worse) and and an attempt is in progress to get it approved by governments all over the world. |
| The DMCA law in the US is equally bad and was written by the same industries but I don't document the law or its bad effects on the world's people here. |
| See my censorship web page with its links to more information on how vital it is to stop PIPA, SOPA, and ACTA. |
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David A's Europa |
I tossed out the original wiring and did it all from scratch. Using Enos Custom Components Black Box as the main fuse panel. The wires are mostly from Enos and have baked on labels naming their function. Not all are so labeled though, so I use a label maker for some. The Enos wires have very tough insulation and are much higher current capacity than stock. I guess Colin Chapman would not have approved of the weight of the wires! I have hand written wiring diagrams of it all. I'm still trying to find a good diagramming tool to draw the wiring on the computer.
The wiring by the black box could be tidied up a bit more (as the following picture makes clear!).
The first picture is of the wiring as installed. The Wires are not visible from the seat, you have to assume the Lotus Position to see them, though the panel cover is visible. The white wire dangling is a Molex connector to power a Driftbox GPS sensor/recorder. There is also a standard accessory power plug there (but not really showing).
The dashboard is original (not refinished at this point) and looks pretty stock except instead of a radio there is a black panel with individual switches to turn off the engine water pump and the engine fuel pump. The switches are quite handy when working on the electrics as one can then turn off these power hungry motors while the ignition is on in the shop. The red light next to the "water on" switch is not yet connected, it's intended as a "lost power to electric water pump motor" indicator. The white LED (under that red light) turns on when the knock sensor detects what it thinks is engine-knock.
The ventilation fan switch is not connected and the fan itself is not installed in the front trunk plenum.
The window motor switches are directly wired to the motors, but these are industrial switches and both sides of each switch wired in parallel to reduce current through each switch path. Even though there is considerable resistance in the window movement the stock window motors are so strong the windows move very smartly. It's crucial though that the wires are large enough diameter that the don't limit the current.
The silly rectangular brake balance warning in the plastic panel is not connected. The two holes below that are leftovers from the air-conditioner installed in the 70's and removed long ago. The left hand air-con switch hole I appropriated for the horn button (thus I don't need wires to the middle of the steering wheel). The right hand hole is just left empty (with grommet there just for appearance).
The ashtray is in a plastic parts bag, not on the car :-)
I added an oil temperature gauge, appropriating the dash cubbyhole to do so. The sender is screwed into the Canton oil filter housing (not shown right here).
Wiring the alternator is pretty critical. A Toyota has 3 wires (I,S,L) plus a post. The power post goes to the battery + terminal (in my case I wired it to the starter + as that then goes to the battery). The other 3 can be pretty thin wire. 18 Gauge should suffice, though as usual I used heavier wire.
The L wire is for a light on the dash. I ignored it and you can too. The I wire goes to the ignition. The I should get electricity when the ignition is on (it need not when the starter engaged). The S (sense) wire is critical. This should go directly to the battery plus, or as close as possible. It should not go thru any connectors or junctions. The voltage it sees needs to be the real voltage in the wiring harness, not the voltage after various voltage drops through connectors. It needs that highest voltage, because that is the voltage it uses to decide when to stop charging. If you just connect S to a local + point (such as the alternator power post or a random close + wire) you will not charge the battery correctly. The term used for the S wire is 'remote sensing'. In my case the closest I felt comfortable with was right at the emergency electrical switch (the on/off is at the drivers left shoulder).
To connect the 3 wires get the proper round connector for the alternator. Then once you connect that correctly to your harness you will not get the wires wrong connecting the alternator. Call Northwest Regulator Supply on the phone and order the Repair Harness, Toyota, 3wire (PN 050-012159). In the US it is 1-800-242-6367. In July 2008 it was $8.75 plus shipping.
The post is that nut sticking up and right near the 3wire connector.
