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Thread: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

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    Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Thought I'd share some info on a project I have just completed for a mates AE86 rally car build. I am no a professional or anything but it might be useful or interesting if you are doing a similar project.

    AE86 with a 20 valve engine, atlas axle & tranx 5 speed.
    The owner of the car was let down by the 'pro' who was originally going to wire it. I was eventually talked into doing it, took me 2 months of most of my spare time.

    Initial problems...
    • I didn't take the original toyota loom out, it came in 2 very heavy bags with nothing marked or labelled, the original loom is MASSIVE and weighs a ton. its a very complicated loom. I coud no testing of anything before I started.
    • Owner wanted to retain some of the original switch gear (lights, wipers & stalk). These systems are earth switched on toyota.
    • It has a Omex 600 ECU, It was 'intergrated' (bodged) really badly into the original loom.
    • Never seen so many scotch locs, how it kept going on the stages I'll never know!
    Tasks:
    • wire it for Omex 600 ECU
    • Wired for Stack instruments including fuel gauge
    • Push button start
    • wired for big power lights & spots
    • keep some original switch gear including intermittent wash / wipe & lights etc.
    • I had 'free reign' regarding layout & other options
    The first thing I did was rewire the ECU loom, big job this , took me about 5 days on & off to do this. I took out 10 feet (yes, 10 ft!) out if the length of the mess that was the original ECU loom....never done one from scratch before... will it work?
    It had some unmarked relays wired in at various places, sorted these when I worked out what they were for. One that had me stumped for a while was one for the VVT cam timing triggered by an auxiliary circuit in the Omex 600. I didn't recognise the component on the engine!


    Lots of photos to follow

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Alloy panel for dash binnacle marked out & the holes cut for the instruments



    Primed & them painted in satin black, in my opinion bare aluminium is for 1930's race cars





    Shift light done with a bright white L.E.D.



    Trial fit, & steering wheel on to double check the 'view'



    Start button fitted on an alloy insert where the old heater vent used to be. I wired this up differently to method described in the instructions (was meant to light up when pressed). I wired this so it lights up bright red whenever the ignition is on but the engine is not running, achieved this by wiring the earth to the alternator. Light goes off when engine starts, stall the engine on stage the button lights up again


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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Wiring done on rear of dash binnicle



    Dash connects with a single connector for instruments and warning lights, separate connections for horn & start button






    Horn button added to the other heater vent hole with some more alloy plate painted satin black

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Holes cut in console front panel for relay boxes, fuse boxes, extinguisher pull, FIA cutoff, etc etc





    I try I use the same size & style of relay for everything...thinking being you can keep an important component working if the relay fails on stage (like a fuel pump) by nicking one from something else like the horn or heated screen.

    Also fitted a remote 9 pin serial port for mapping the ECU etc, just make it easier to do on the rolling road.

    All painted black & labelled





    Switched with L.E.D.s in the ends.
    When installed all fuses will be 'glow' type.
    Circuit breakers fitted for critical circuits





    Console sides trial fitted

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    Racer Decade Plus User savvi's Avatar

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Looks nice that mate, people dont realise how long it takes to do this type of stuff, i find it difficult to make a living out of doing this type of work so end up doing it as a long term "backup / fill in" type job if asked and they are not in a big rush.

    What do you do as a normal day job ? Takes a fair bit of patience to acheive a good result !!!
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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Quote Originally Posted by savvi View Post
    Looks nice that mate, people dont realise how long it takes to do this type of stuff, i find it difficult to make a living out of doing this type of work so end up doing it as a long term "backup / fill in" type job if asked and they are not in a big rush.

    What do you do as a normal day job ? Takes a fair bit of patience to acheive a good result !!!
    Too right, it takes bloody ages! I have done few now but people underestimate the time & work involved, also wiring is thought about right at the end of a car build so 'its nearly ready, just the wiring'... car has been off the road for 2 years but they want the wiring done in a week! (have to be fair, no pressure on me during this one)

    cant imagine doing this for a living, too slow to make any money I think.

    I am a medical engineer, Anaesthetic machines, ventilators & patient monitors etc

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Hi mike :-P this must be Dales wiring loom your doing? Looking good fair play! John

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Wires all new thin-wall type, new connectors used where possible but some of the Toyota specific ones had to be re-used

    ECU loom - engine bay connections


    All wires in heatshrink


    rear lights, pump & fuel sender loom





    Navigator & driver horn push and light switch connector

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Quote Originally Posted by freddy686868 View Post
    Hi mike :-P this must be Dales wiring loom your doing? Looking good fair play! John
    All finished now, only need to wire in the anderson plug when the final position for the battery is decided.

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Wires all new thin-wall type, new connectors used where possible but some of the Toyota specific ones had to be re-used

    ECU loom - engine bay connections


    All wires in heatshrink


    rear lights, pump & fuel sender loom





    Navigator & driver horn push and light switch connector

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Looking good Mike. I like the yellow heat shrink labels, have you invested in a new Dymo tape machine?

    You certainly need a lot of patience with the wiring looms, mine took me ages and weeks. Not sure if i would want to do it again!

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    separate assemblies starting to be wired into the console.
    ECU cradle in ally, sits on inner side of console










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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul C View Post
    Looking good Mike. I like the yellow heat shrink labels, have you invested in a new Dymo tape machine?

    You certainly need a lot of patience with the wiring looms, mine took me ages and weeks. Not sure if i would want to do it again!
    Thanks Paul.
    Yep, Dymo machine..much nicer than writing on the heatshrink

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    It certainly finishes off your looms, very pro.

    Is this car having a sequential in it?

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul C View Post
    It certainly finishes off your looms, very pro.

    Is this car having a sequential in it?
    Not yet anyway, I have wired it for the gear indicator ready though. This thing revs to 9000 rpm, has to be a good box for that?

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    double post
    Last edited by para144; 02-12-2012 at 21:02.

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Console sides painted, final connections being made.
    Just about ready to fit in the car








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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Just about to fit these, non-ECU/EFI engine bay wires attached but front loom still to be made up properly. Doing it in the car to get the lengths & routing perfect. much easier working on the bench but as some point its got to go in the car!




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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Loom & console in the car, engine bay wiring still to be completed but still able to start testing circuits...
    No sparks or melted wires








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    Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Excellent read, i have done a couple of bits on my car etc so it is good to see how other people do things.

    It's the little things like the labels and heat shrink that seem, to make all the difference to a good looking install.

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Rear loom fitted & clipped in place






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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Front loom going in, on the home straight now

    Front N/S lights & spots connector



    N/S lights earth point


    Fan thermostat


    starter motor & oil switch


    ECU loom, not clipped in yet

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Every wire that goes into the engine bay goes through this grommit





    Horn connection



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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Washer bottle in passenger footwell



    Lightweight heater


    Glow fuses in.. mostly


    Under the dash, blue wire is ready for heated screen



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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Connected the battery, filled the tank & calibrated the fuel gauge.

    It started first time

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Great stuff. Is the engine new in the car as well? Looks at home in there Mike. Is this ChipAE86 from BRF?

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Brilliant work!. I wish I could do this sort of stuff. Very difficult to get people to carry out a re-wire, I should know, been looking for someone to do this sort of thing for about 5 years now!!
    You don't fancy doing my mk1 do you, no hurry, I've waited 5 already!!

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul C View Post
    Great stuff. Is the engine new in the car as well? Looks at home in there Mike. Is this ChipAE86 from BRF?
    Yep, thats him, he was rallying the car with this engine before. It goes very well.
    Hi & his dad have been great, no pressure & they just let me use my judgement for how to lay it out etc.. could have gone badly

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Quote Originally Posted by mk1yb View Post
    Brilliant work!. I wish I could do this sort of stuff. Very difficult to get people to carry out a re-wire, I should know, been looking for someone to do this sort of thing for about 5 years now!!
    You don't fancy doing my mk1 do you, no hurry, I've waited 5 already!!
    Need some time off from it to be honest, try me in a month or two

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Quote Originally Posted by para144 View Post
    Need some time off from it to be honest, try me in a month or two
    If you are serious Mike then pm me your number?
    Cheers Stevie.

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Cracking job


    How many hours do you reckon you have spent on this one ?
    Autoelectrical & Diagnostics in Oxfordshire www.savvi.co.uk

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Quote Originally Posted by savvi View Post
    Cracking job


    How many hours do you reckon you have spent on this one ?

    Thanks, re hours taken I stopped counting but it adds up to 2 months of long long weekends, evenings & I even used 3 days leave. I even did some early in the mornings before work, in-fact any time I could get on it.

    Its good to get the garage back!

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Wow great dedication!
    Looks awesome though. Dreamt of having a loom like this but haven't got the patience.
    Where did you get all the connectors and components etc?
    Hope you charged accordingly.

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Quote Originally Posted by doughman View Post
    Wow great dedication!
    Looks awesome though. Dreamt of having a loom like this but haven't got the patience.
    Where did you get all the connectors and components etc?
    Hope you charged accordingly.
    Thanks.

    Components came from many sources either because of cost or because just cant get it all from one place.

    www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu
    www.rapidonline.com/
    www.autosparks.co.uk/
    www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/
    www.electricalcarservices.com

    Fan thermostat came from a motor factors, 9 pin serial lead & pack of 12v L.E.D.'s came from eBay

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    Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    On the multi plug for the dash what crimps did you use for the pins. As i used the same one but soldered them in which was tedious and probably not the best way.

    Cheers

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Quote Originally Posted by wildo105e View Post
    On the multi plug for the dash what crimps did you use for the pins. As i used the same one but soldered them in which was tedious and probably not the best way.

    Cheers
    Two schools of thought on soldered connections (or three if you include my thoughts).

    Crimped connectors (the proper ones & not the usual pre insulated type) are used in aircraft looms & plenty of other hi-spec applications. The thinking is that solder wicks up the wires & makes them brittle near or at the connector. You do need a good quality crimp tool to do these properly or wires can come loose or have a bad connection.

    Soldered connectors done properly have very good electrical continuity & and are unlikely to come loose, some people swear this is the only method to use. Like I said above, crimped connectors are good enough for planes!

    I use proper crimped connectors with separate insulating covers where neccesary. I also solder the tip of the wires in the connector my thinking being that you get the best of both worlds

    Think about how many hundreds of individual connections there might be in a full loom...takes ages!

    To answer your question, crimped & soldered


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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    fantastic job, i wish factory cars were done like this, would make life alot easier. where are you getting the un insulated crimp on connecters from, and where can you buy the correct crimper and the insultated bit to go on after if you want?
    its not dead till it's buried!


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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Snapon do an excellent pair of crimpers for these and he's put the links above where you can get the terminals

    I think he's done a superb job on this, the only thing i'd be slightly weary of is having so many connectors for each seperate loom, although it's a great idea for building and repairs if stripping it out, you cant beat having a cable run without joins to heat up and wobble about to cause bad connections.

    Definatly derserves a big pat on the back for an excellent job done.
    Autoelectrical & Diagnostics in Oxfordshire www.savvi.co.uk

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Thanks for the positive feedback guys, very kind.

    savvi - re the loom plugs, its only the instument panel on a big connector to make it easy to remove. The front and rear looms have contuous wires all the way back to the fuzes and relays, your reasoning is dead right in my opinion.

    To remove those from the car you would have to lift out the console too

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    Re: Corolla AE86 RWD Rally Car loom, ECU, dash & console install

    Spot on then

    Just seen so many people putting in connectors for various areas, it's hard to see unless in the flesh and it looked like you had fallen into that trap
    Autoelectrical & Diagnostics in Oxfordshire www.savvi.co.uk

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