How have people routed the cables for the up-front battery relocation? After trying several options I ran mine down beside the gas tank. It seems like a bad idea to put the cable right next to the gas. Anyone do it differently? I was afraid that any other location would have the insulation stripped off first time I hit something in the road.

I also ran mine alongside the fuel tank. But I used a 5-foot long piece of PVC pipe as a conduit.

I have also heard of people putting it inside a piece of garden hose to protect it. Sounds like a good measure of protection. I think I am going to run mine inside the cabin.

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Along the tank but I pulled the wire thru that clear plastic hose found at the hardware store for extra protection. Pulled it thru with liq soap

------------------Red 1988 GT 5 speed
Poly all around, Koni's & Lowered
LQ1 powered

[This message has been edited by CC Rider (edited 03-03-2009).]

Mine goes from outside the battery box and along the heater core piping and up to my alternator. I used welding cable and slid it through ABS piping for protection from rocks and road debri.

I think Liquid-Tight Flexible Metal Conduit (LFMC) would give the best protection no matter how the cable is routed.

[This message has been edited by spark1 (edited 01-09-2009).]

I was thinking about running it through the cabin, however seems like most people are putting a sleeve over it and running it under the car. Hmm, this is my project for today so I'll post back with what I end up doing. I am using Welding Cable. I was also thinking about running it through a heater pipe pulled from a parts Fiero. However a bit worried that running the wire through a metal pipe might be a bad idea if the pipe got crushed enough to cause an intermittent short to the housing, it would act like an arc welder to the chassis.

Things that make you Hmmm.

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85GT Soon to be 87GT,93 Eldorado 4.9, 5spd Dual O2 Custom Chip, Custom Exhaust. MSD Everything Capt Fiero --- My Over View Cadero Pics Yellow 88GT 5spd Full Poly Suspension, Lowered 1/2" in front, Corner Carver.

Last one I did I had a load of heater hose (5/8 ID I think). I slit it lengthwise then slipped it over the #2 welding cable and held it in place with cable ties. I ended up routing it along the side of the tank as usual, tying it to the AC lines.
I did try to route it through the rockers under the door but it seems like there are baffles welded inside that block them off so not really possible without a LOT of additional work. Wasn't really working out so went for tried and tested.

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Dave

www.ltlfrari.com

I laid on my back under my 1988 trying to see where people are routing their cables beside the fuel tank. There is no room on mine. Maybe the tank is different on later cars, maybe it's because I have air conditioning, but I couldn't see where I could route the #1 cables, let alone in PVC pipe. I wouldn't install them there if any of the run hangs below the floorpan.

So, I routed through the cabin. Two holes above the accelerator pedal and two in the firewall below the the driver side wiring pass-through. I used four of these to seal and insulate them:



The cables lay under the carpet between the driver's seat and the console hump.

[This message has been edited by sspeedstreet (edited 03-03-2009).]

I ran mine along the tank to a quick disconnect junction box in the back to I can disconnect it without walking around the car. I hadn't thought of the conduit idea, but I like it.

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Jay Brintnell
Southern Ontario Fiero Association
Yellow 85 Notchback(A.K.A. GodFearN)

I ran the (+) cable through the center console. I drilled a hole in the plastic flange from the HVAC bulkhead (by the front pass through connector) and ran it down the center console area. At the rear firewall, I added a bulkhead pass through connector and then go from it to the starter. This terminal is also a handy place for all the +12 Batt connections (my 500 and +12 batt terminal are also in the center console).

Master shut off on the Driver side:


Firewall pass through:



The (-) cable runs along the fuel tank and terminates at the bellhousing area

I ran mine through the passenger compartment as well. I went from a manual trans to an auto, so I had the clutch master cylinder hole in the front wall... I used it.
The rest is similar to fieroguru's setup. Did it about 10+ years ago and have no problems.

[This message has been edited by IFLYR22 (edited 03-03-2009).]

Well I never got to installing the cable yesterday, However I did make my decision on how. My parts car has a perfect heater pipe running from the front tub exiting in the rear firewall just below the starter. The heater pipe has a foam like coating along the entire pipe and I'll add rubber gaskets to any mounting positions, so if I do manage to bottom out hard enough to damage the pipe and tear the insulation on the cable, the pipe won't short dead to ground. I have pics over in my 87GT build thread, I'll cross post the pics here when I am done with the install.

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85GT Soon to be 87GT,93 Eldorado 4.9, 5spd Dual O2 Custom Chip, Custom Exhaust. MSD Everything Capt Fiero --- My Over View Cadero Pics Yellow 88GT 5spd Full Poly Suspension, Lowered 1/2" in front, Corner Carver.

This is just a copy from my build thread. However this is what I did.

We went to the local Home Depot to scout out some sort of conduit for the battery cable. I looked at different metal pipes, soft rubber / PVC pipes and nothing really seemed like a good fit for under the car, then I found this stuff. I honestly don't remember what it was called. Its extremely hard stuff, and took a floor jack to make it flex enough to get the cross beam back into place. However its also got enough give that you can bend it past a 90 degree ark over an 8" span and with zero signs of damage. It has an outside diameter of 1" and an inside diameter of 3/4" My 3/0 cable is just a tic over 5/8 outside diameter so this 3/4" was almost perfect.







I have not added any clamps at all yet to keep it up, its almost perfect and the only thing holding it up at the moment is the fuel tank belly pan and the front round cross brace. I am going to add a clamp about every 1ft to keep it above the heater line. I have also taped off each end of the housing to keep moisture from getting in. I may even get some large shrink tube and put over the ends.

It's called Liquid-Tight Flexible Metal Conduit (LFMC).

Mine runs along the front passenger wheel well, into the cabin, and out by the ECM.

Bob

quote Originally posted by spark1: It's called Liquid-Tight Flexible Metal Conduit (LFMC).

Well whatever it is, it works Great. It didn't seem to have metal in it when we cut it though. Maybe it did and I just did not notice it when we did. The store cut it with a big pair of cutters that were giant tin snips the size of large bolt cutters. When I cut it at home, I used an angle grinder with a zip disk.

There is a non-metalic version of liquid-tight:



Sold in 1/2" and 3/4" sizes.

[This message has been edited by spark1 (edited 03-11-2009).]

Capt Fiero, we must be kin. I did the same thing. Went to home depot, found that same stuff you did and did the same thing. No issues so far. I had removed my A/C lines a few years back, just ran the cables in that location.

Rob

[This message has been edited by qwikgta (edited 03-11-2009).]

Well great minds may think a like. How long have you had the stuff installed in your car. Is your car lowered or stock height. Any signs of getting brittle over time? My car is coming along pretty well. However had the worst day painting in a long time. I'll be posting more in my build thread shortly.

Spark1 Eugene isn't that south of Salem on I-5. Fiero'severyhwere in from that area. My wife and I will be down in Oregon from the 18th of March till April 5th. I know at some point I am going to meet up with Fieroseveryhwere for a burger and drinks. If you ever make it far enough north drop me a PM or email to myphone - at - captfiero.com remove the dashes and spaces, and change the at to @. I won't be down in the V8 I'll be in my Yellow 88GT 5spd.

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85GT Soon to be 87GT,93 Eldorado 4.9, 5spd Dual O2 Custom Chip, Custom Exhaust. MSD Everything Capt Fiero --- My Over View Cadero Pics Yellow 88GT 5spd Full Poly Suspension, Lowered 1/2" in front, Corner Carver.

quote Originally posted by RCR: Mine runs along the front passenger wheel well, into the cabin, and out by the ECM. Bob

After working on cars all through the 90's installing phones, alarms and stereos, I did this too to mimic what the high end manufacturers were doing. To elaborate; I bought two firewall bulkhead connectors (Summit Racing)

and mounted one in the top outer corner of the front firewall on the passenger side (sorry, no pic handy) and one straight back from that to the rear firewall near where the battery used to be (again, no pic). Most of the wire runs in the passenger compartment under the carpeting. Grounds right to the firewalls front and rear.
I used some rope to figure out how long my leads would have to be and went down to the boating supplies shop where they make battery cables cheap and had a calculator for the length for my battery/alternator setup (I had changed the alternator to a 105 amp unit from an S-10 if I recall; it needed 4 gauge wire.
I had done the Ogre's conversion to the newer charging system in my 85.
Archie's battery box up front with top post battery from a VW with recessed posts in place of the GM side post model - I turned the spare around.
No problems, no exposed cable under the car.

[This message has been edited by USFiero (edited 03-14-2009).]