::Project 0G::

Updating your Fusible Links

 
This abomination you see to the right is the mess we call the fusible links.  The wires at the top are supposed to burn out "safely" if too much current is applied to them.  It will probably prevent a fire from your harness wires overheating and catching fire, but it sucks for reliability. 

The links have a tendency to corrode and become loose or even broken.  They are even harder to track down and replace.

A more reliable setup can be done many ways; some cheaper than others.  I hear the FC RX7s had a fusible link box with 5 fuses.  This would be more flexible of a location than my setup. 

I stole dad's 4-Runner battery.  It is narrow enough to clear my IC pipe and has the stock battery height.  It also places the positive terminal on the left instead of the right.

This extra space let me fit 2 DSM fuse blocks.  Each one has 2 thick wires and 1 thin wire.  I used the thin one for "ECI", and the thick ones for "Fuse B" and "IGN SW".  I moved the "Head/Tail" lights, and Hella rally lights to the second fuse block.  I don't know what I'll use the other thin wire for.

Those 2 big white (yellow) wires in the top right photo are no longer needed.  The metal part that bolts to the screw on the battery now does that job.  The white with a black stripe is the "IGN SW" wire, so use the White wire for this one.  Use the little black one for the "ECI" and you already have the cap labeled for you!  "Fuse B" can get the thick red wire.  One the second block I used the 2 thick wires for the lights.  That's all.  Now solder that shit up and shrink wrap it.  I had to use a propane torch on the big wires.  Went really quickly.  Looks great.

You can try using lower rating fuses so they'll blow out quicker in the event of a problem.  If they do and there is no wiring fault then move up a few amps.  I'm running 20A fuses in all of them right now with no problems running accessories and lights.

The final result is a much cleaner and reliable corner of the engine bay.  It solved some strange intermittent gremlins I hardly knew I had.


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