Where'd you guys ground your re-wired fuel pump?

[xlMcMlx DsM]

Ive been having trouble with my fuel pump after i re-wired it because the ground is crappy. It causes the car to not start sometimes, and its annoying. I have it pushed up over the bolt to the gas tank strap, because I couldnt get the bolt off due to rust. I dont want the ground wire to be too long, but just curious of some good spots to ground.

 

[DSMunknown]

I see you're a 1G, but you can still follow this thread for some helpful info.

 

[eclipsh]

Or alternatively, you can follow my tech article for a clean install under the dash and using a factory fuse location. It looks like they haven't moved the photos over yet but I'm sure they'll show up.

 

[lookin4dsm]

I used the bolt that secures the bottom of the seat belt on the passenger side. This is for a 2G. I'm not sure if a 1G is set up the same way.

 

[thekellbeast]

I ran 10 gauge wire from the battery to the relay, and the ground is 10 gauge going to the bolt that holds one of the rear seat hinges to the body. I'm getting really good voltage.

 

[kmoore]

I just drilled a hole right by the fuel pump assembly and just sanded off all the paint... length wise, was maybe 4-5 inches.

 

[SOADweskey]

The location for the ground isn't as critical as the condition of the surface. If you ground it to a painted surface the paint will insulate the connection. Just make sure that wherever you place it you sand/file/chip away all the paint there and ground to bare metal.

 

[xlMcMlx DsM]

I just drilled a hole right by the fuel pump assembly and just sanded off all the paint... length wise, was maybe 4-5 inches.

thats what i was thinking of doing, but if like SOADweskey said the location doesnt matter, i might just run it up in the trunk. Thanks guys.

 

[always_broken]

How much voltage are you getting at the pump now?

 

[kmoore]

thats what i was thinking of doing, but if like SOADweskey said the location doesnt matter, i might just run it up in the trunk. Thanks guys.

Been working fine for me...

 

[xlMcMlx DsM]

How much voltage are you getting at the pump now?

truthfully, i wouldnt know how to check. I can use a voltmeter, but i dont know what to hook it up to to check the voltage.

 

[Splitpi]

truthfully, i wouldnt know how to check. I can use a voltmeter, but i dont know what to hook it up to to check the voltage.

Measure the + terminal (which is the wire you ran from the battery) to the grounding point. Not the actual wire, but a point next to the chassis where you attached the ground wire.

Remember paint is not a conductor of electricity. Grind, sand, whatever it takes to get to the nice shiney metal to connect your ground wire.

Oh please tell me you soldered all your connectors. And I mean ALL of them.

 

[DSMunknown]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=268188

 

[always_broken]

Measure the + terminal (which is the wire you ran from the battery) to the grounding point. Not the actual wire, but a point next to the chassis where you attached the ground wire.

Remember paint is not a conductor of electricity. Grind, sand, whatever it takes to get to the nice shiney metal to connect your ground wire.

Oh please tell me you soldered all your connectors. And I mean ALL of them.

Good tips. Paint is not a conductor, that must explain why I haven't been getting a good ground.

Anwyay, I didn't solder, but I did crimp into those connectors that slip on to the relay posts.

Everytime I attempt to solder the soder (tin) just slips off the wire.

 

[DSMunknown]

Anwyay, I didn't solder, but I did crimp into those connectors that slip on to the relay posts.

Everytime I attempt to solder the soder (tin) just slips off the wire.

Then learn how to properly solder. It's really not that hard.

 

[always_broken]

Then learn how to properly solder. It's really not that hard.

It's something I have to practice.

 

[Splitpi]

It's something I have to practice.

Wire is very cheap and so are connectors. I would highly recommend you keep trying till you get it right. Just remember you won't get good at soldering unless you practice.

Here is what I recommend.
1) Purchase 36 piece Heat Shrink tubing thick enough to slide easily over the 10 gauge wires for $3.
2) Go to Radio Shack and purchase 10 gauge wire for $20 and 81 piece connector set for $10.
3) Purchase a decent crimping/stripping tool for $7. Or if you want a better stripper (and strippers in more ways than one) then get this tool for $14 as well.
4) Purchase a decent soldering iron (this one has 30 watts to heat the wires faster) for $8
5) Purchase solder for $5

Now to making your connections:
1) Cut your wire lengths longer than needed.
2) Choose a connector that fits correctly to the 10 gauge wire. It should be just larger in diameter than the 10 gauge wire. If you go larger it requires more crimping... and if you go smaller you'll never get it over the wire.
3) On each end strip plastic from the wire about 1/4 inch. It really should be just a bit longer the than the metal part of the connector.
4) Take the heat shrink and slip it over the wire and away from where you will solder
5) Most connectors have a plastic cover which comes off when crimped (I think they are crap) if it does, just let it slide down the wire. Crimp the connection good and snug.
6) Solder the crap out of it. Fill every crevice of the crimp around the wire.
7) Slide the plastic cover back in place
8) Slide the heat shrink up and over the plastic cover
9) heat the heat shrink with a butane lighter till tight.
10) If you don't have heat shrink, then use electrical tape.

 

[always_broken]

Hey thanks for the instructions! ^

 

[xlMcMlx DsM]

sorry guys, my comupter has been giving me problems. Thanks for all the info Splitpi, thats some good stuff im gona save. I didnt solder, my gun is giving me problems too, i need a new solder tip. But 2 days ago i tried to drive it to work with it grounded in the trunk(drilled a hole and ran the wire) But it died only a couple blocks away from my house. I also noticed that the yellow striped black wire on the pump was exposed(the rubber was scraped away and you could see the wire) so i re-wired it back to stock and drove it home. Then I just re-wired it again, this time grounding it on the fuel pump bracket(the previous owner put in a new pump so the bols were all new, and remember, i have a FWD) and it runs good with that ground. Im gonna check the voltage in a bit, and the connections were all good, all of them were tight, electrical taped and zip-tied out of the way, then electrical taped again. Ill get to oldering them this weekend when i get a new tip for my gun. Thanks though guys, this is some good info

 

[xlMcMlx DsM]

Well it did it again today. I fixed all the wiring, re-grounded the fuel pump, and it started fine, but it died again and I had to get a tow back home before school. Can the length of the ground wire make that big of a difference? It's really true though, you cant spell dissapointment with out DSM

 

[eclipsh]

Ground wire length shouldn't matter a bit. If it is grounded well, it is grounded.

Did you make any other changes? Could your hot wire be shorting out somewhere along the length? How are your connections?

 

[Splitpi]

sorry guys, my comupter has been giving me problems. Thanks for all the info Splitpi, thats some good stuff im gona save. I didnt solder, my gun is giving me problems too, i need a new solder tip. But 2 days ago i tried to drive it to work with it grounded in the trunk(drilled a hole and ran the wire) But it died only a couple blocks away from my house. I also noticed that the yellow striped black wire on the pump was exposed(the rubber was scraped away and you could see the wire) so i re-wired it back to stock and drove it home. Then I just re-wired it again, this time grounding it on the fuel pump bracket(the previous owner put in a new pump so the bols were all new, and remember, i have a FWD) and it runs good with that ground. Im gonna check the voltage in a bit, and the connections were all good, all of them were tight, electrical taped and zip-tied out of the way, then electrical taped again. Ill get to oldering them this weekend when i get a new tip for my gun. Thanks though guys, this is some good info

Sounds like you are having all kinds of electrical problems... computer, fuel pump

Ok, when you said you drilled a hole in the trunk and ran the wire, did you sand/grind and remove the paint around the hole aswell. I would say atleast a 1/2 inch circle larger than the hole. Paint doesn't conduct at all well.

If wire looks suspect (i.e. you can see the braiding) then cut that portion out. And solder (yes you must solder everything) a new peice of wire in the the bad wires place. Or it is only a small portion, then wrap it profusely with electrical tape. But here's the other thing, wires should not rub clean if properly placed. meaning the wire is moving around and rubbing which will mean there will or is a short somewhere. This is not good.

I used this instructions when I rewired my pump. It is straight forward I thought told me everythign I needed to know (other than where exactly to attach my ground wire to the Chassis). I found a hole behind the passanger side speaker panel that I could reach through and get from the back side. I then took my some sand paper and sanded off the paint. I was about done assemblying everythign back together when I realized I still had primer to sand off. So I whipped out my die grinder and ground off the paint and primer. Then I just bolted my ground wire to the hole.

You should see nice shiney metal around your drill hole... if not you didn't get through the paint. Sand, grind whatever it takes to get a metal shine.

http://www.raktron.com/fuel/rewire1.html

 

[xlMcMlx DsM]

the computer is brand new, and the fuel pump was replaced by the previous owner. If i wire it back up to stock, by connecting the two wires back together, it runs fine. So i know its got something to do with the wiring. Im gonna get under there soon and double and triple check everything. By drilling a hole in the trunk, i meant thats where i ran the power wire up through, then along the car and to the battery. Then i filled the hole with RTV so the wire wont rub or anything, but ill check it all to see what the real cause is. Could the relay that i used be bad?

 

[Splitpi]

Why not route it through the inside of the car like the link says? Easy safe, and you won't rub wires. Remember if you run wires outside the car, in my personnel belief they should be in looms for protection.

The relay could be bad... but not likely, they don't tend to go bad (unless you wired it wrong from the start). I suspect a faulty connection or ground. Do you have a multimeter? This may help...
http://akamaipix.crutchfield.com/ca/learningcenter/car/pdfs/000MULTI2.pdf
http://www.commandocaralarms.com/info_using_a_multimeter.asp

 

[xlMcMlx DsM]

Why not route it through the inside of the car like the link says?

Sorry, i was at an Apple store messing around on the new Macs and didnt really go into too much detail. I did run the power wire inside the car, thats what the hole in the trunk is for. To runt the wire up from the relay, into the trunk and then from the trunk to the speedometer cabe on the firewall where i ran it through. Thanks for those links though, Ive never really known how to use one fully until now. , i was actually looking at them today at a Radioshack...shouldve got one. Ill pick one up tomorrow after school.