Wiring S4 Elan

["Paul Lane, Jr."]

I think I up to the point where I will begin wiring my stripped Elan.
Before I put in the dash, however, I am considering putting pig tail
wiring on hook ups behind the dash to ease the pain of having to work
back there.(God, what a rat's nest it is.) Has anybody tried this
approach or have any comments on its making sense? BTW- I will be using
and OEM (ha!) harness. Are there any other comments on making wiring a
delight?

Let me add my thanks to Jeff. The site comes in the nick of time,
prodding me into finishing my decade long rebuild.

Paul

[paul_adamson]

My feeling is - cos I havn't seen your harness - that you will struggle for cable length if you do this.

I like "pig tail wiring" - main loom bundled/taped together with twisted leads comming off to each appliance - but it does take more cable.. So the OEM loom may not reach.
So the last car I did I made up new wires and extended the existing loom where it was good.

The main dash board wiring was actually attached to the back of the dash board, with some slack and a connector set to join the dash board on to the rest of the loom located on the steering wheel side.

The final job looked great and has no reported problems so far (only 6months old though!)

Brian

---------------------o0o------------------
Brian Scally - Philips Semiconductors Systems Lab. Southampton UK
tel : +44 2380 312654 fax : +44 2380 316303
mailto:[email protected] seri : bscally@ukpsshp1





"Paul Lane, Jr." <[email protected]> on 02/07/99 03:59:00
Please respond to lotuselan <[email protected]> @ SMTP
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> @ SMTP
cc:
Subject: [lotuselan] Wiring S4 Elan
Classification: Restricted
From: "Paul Lane, Jr." <[email protected]>

I think I up to the point where I will begin wiring my stripped Elan.
Before I put in the dash, however, I am considering putting pig tail
wiring on hook ups behind the dash to ease the pain of having to work
back there.(God, what a rat's nest it is.) Has anybody tried this
approach or have any comments on its making sense? BTW- I will be using
and OEM (ha!) harness. Are there any other comments on making wiring a
delight?

Let me add my thanks to Jeff. The site comes in the nick of time,
prodding me into finishing my decade long rebuild.

Paul



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[abstamaria]

Paul,

I installed multiwire snap-on connectors the first time I took down the
Elan's dash (in 1981!). This eased removal in subsequent restorations, with
the added bonus that you can assemble and wire the dash without having to
lie flat on your back (there is a very uncomfortable ridge on the Elan
floor). However, there are connections leading to the engine harness where
you will have to use the original bullet connector system, since the bulkier
snap-on connectors will not go through the holes in the bulkhead.

I would suggest that you use the multi-wire snap-on connectors where you
can. One cane be installed between the dash loom and the loom leading to
the trunk, for example. There are some good looking black ones now
available in racing catalogs.

I have since gotten a crimp-on bullet connector set (which includes the
pliers), so I can go back to "original" where previously I used more single
modern bullet or spade connectors.

I will be installing a new dash shortly (the old one cracked in last year's
"off"), but confess to approaching the task with some dread nonetheless.

Good luck.

Andres
Manila
Lotus 45 DHC

[Citromike]

Paul

There isn't enough room to stuff the wires up under the dash if you make them
long enough to wire up while sitting comfortably in your lawn chair! In fact,
there is not enough room for a rat's nest back there either.

You just have to pull the dash loose, shift it back a few inches, and work
around it. Then push the whole thing back in with your feet while some
helpers start the mounting screws on either side. Tighten then very tight so
they won't fall out on your feet 10 miles later.

Don't forget the middle bolts - if they are loose then that dash will squeak
irritatingly (like mine does) and you will be too lazy to take the console
cover off and tighten them up (like me)

When tightening, if you are not careful you can crack the dash in half (or
the Elan, whichever comes first) or you will cut the new wires on the dash
brackets or heater box. Then you will get to do it again!

Mike Roeder
[email protected]