Best routing for Coolant Gage Wiring Swap (Page 1/2)
gregr75 JUL 18, 02:21 PM
Hi All,


Just bought a 1987 Fiero GT and lovin' it! Now, sorting thru all the electrical problems. I ran into the coolant gage pegging when starting the car, so I did the wiring swap with success!

https://www.fierofocus.com/...osails/tempgage.html

Now the coolant indicator lights up briefly when it starts instead of the gage pegging, like it should.

To summarize:
I unwrapped the tape around the harnesses, separated the light green and dark green wires feeding the gage and indicator light from their harnesses, and then swapped them to go in their new connectors as shown in pic. Problem is, their isn't enough slack to rejoin the new harnesses, unless I splice in wire to make them longer. So I have the 2 wires sitting as shown.

I'm afraid when I put everything back together, these 2 wires may chafe against something because they are not following the original harness routing. Anyone have any routing recommendations for these 2 wires? Is this "good enough"?

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87 Burgundy GT

theogre JUL 18, 03:22 PM
Get some plastic tube that's big enough to clear the connector. anything a bit heavy should work.

Unless wires go over sharp edge most of the dash wires don't move and don't have pressure/stress on them to "cut thru" the insulation.

If does manage to cut, all they do is short to ground so whatever gauge reads low/0/empty or light says on.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave

gregr75 JUL 21, 11:49 AM
Thanks, that a simple but effective solution!

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87 Burgundy GT

Spadesluck JUL 21, 03:53 PM
Me personally I added spliced more wire to give me the slack I desired. Extra step but for me a better approach.
skywurz JUL 21, 04:37 PM

quote
Originally posted by Spadesluck:

Me personally I added spliced more wire to give me the slack I desired. Extra step but for me a better approach.



Yeah i did this too. I had some jacketed single pair wire on hand.
ArthurPeale JUL 27, 10:36 AM
I've used something similar to this with great results

https://www.amazon.com/XFas...+%2Caps%2C105&sr=8-5

edit: this is the exact listing I used two years ago, took me forever to find it

https://www.amazon.com/gp/p...01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Interestingly, it was shipped from Lithuania and did not come in Amazon packaging

[This message has been edited by ArthurPeale (edited 07-27-2022).]

Rhodesia1977 JUL 28, 11:03 AM
Because of the position that they are in they will not be moving unless you do a lot of off road driving! I think they should be fine the way they are.
theogre JUL 28, 12:06 PM

quote
Originally posted by Rhodesia1977:
Because of the position that they are in they will not be moving unless you do a lot of off road driving! I think they should be fine the way they are.

Correct.
These wires don't move and unless they are too short to reach the plug hole in the dash no reason to make 4 splices.

Images above show plugs hanging and no dash. So doesn't mean wires will have problems

IOW Just check wires aren't pulled tight in the plug or across sharp edges when plug into mounted dash.

I don't bother w/ all gauge/light wiring. Just cut 1 wire to I-switch and splice switch side to coolant bulb.
I had spare "pins" for the I-switch so didn't even cut 1 wire but has to remove/loose bolts holding column to get at I-switch. Still did that during lunch break and still had time to eat.
olejoedad JUL 28, 02:29 PM
The easy way is to unplug the connector on the ignition switch that has two small gage light green wires. That eliminates the gage needle from deflecting full right when starting.

If you want the HOT lamp on with key ON, then run a jumper from the ignition switch post that held the two small gage light green wires to the wire for the HOT lamp. Just tee the jumper into the wire.

Easy method to fix the temp gage pegging/HOT lamp issue....
ArthurPeale JUL 28, 03:17 PM

quote
Originally posted by olejoedad:

The easy way is to unplug the connector on the ignition switch that has two small gage light green wires. That eliminates the gage needle from deflecting full right when starting.

If you want the HOT lamp on with key ON, then run a jumper from the ignition switch post that held the two small gage light green wires to the wire for the HOT lamp. Just tee the jumper into the wire.

Easy method to fix the temp gage pegging/HOT lamp issue....



I found it so much easier to just swap the pins in the harness. I was done in under five minutes.

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Arthur Peale