Fix It

The LT1 is a popular small-block engine made by General Motors. First appearing in 1992, it was the powerplant of choice for various Chevrolets, Buicks and Pontiacs throughout the 1990s. The LT1s wiring uses a single harness, consisting mainly of simple push-on connectors. If you stay organized and plan correctly, a complete LT1 rewire is not a difficult project.

Instructions

1

Shut off the engine and raise the hood of the car. Reach inside the engine bay and locate part of the wiring harness. It is one long length of heavy cable insulation that branches off to many different parts of the car. It doesnt matter where you start; just locate one of the electrical sensor plugs.

2

Identify the component to which the plug is connected -- for instance, the air conditioner, the injector or the oxygen sensor. It can help to have your user manual handy for this. Write the name of the component on a piece of masking tape and wrap it around the connector. Continue and label all of the connectors.

3

Use the erence diagram for the new wiring harness to label all the connections on it. Familiarize yourself with all the locations of the connections, and start looking at the routing of the cables. Some sections of the harness are secured using plastic hooks to bundle the cables to the wall of the engine bay.

4

Enter the car and slide all the control knobs off of the switches and sliders on the dash. Store them in a safe place. Remove the screws holding the dash to the firewall and lift it out. The tension of the existing wires will only allow a few inches movement so you can lean the whole assembly against the steering column.

5

Label all the connections on the back of the dash, just as you did in the engine bay.

6

Place the replacement harness into the engine and position all the connectors in their appropriate places. Do not connect anything yet, just move the cable into position and make sure everything is routed correctly, and that the cable can reach all of the relevant connectors.

7

Reposition the cables from the new harness so they are underneath the old one. This will make it easier to remove the old harness without accidentally yanking out the new one.

8

Remove the old harness by squeezing the small sprung clip on each connector, then wiggling it out. Work through each connector one at a time, removing the old connector, and replacing it with the new one. Swap over each connector in the engine bay, then on the back of the dash.

9

Lift the old harness out of the car, taking care not to snag it on the new one. Work around the connections again, making sure all the plugs are firmly seated.

The Jetta has been manufactured by Volkswagen since 1979. Since its introduction, Volkswagen has equipped the Jetta with a stereo system. The Jetta stereo requires a switched power source and a constant power source to function properly. A switched power source is off when the vehicle is off, which prevents the stereo from draining the battery. A constant power source provides continuous power to the stereo, enabling it to retain station presets and the time.

Instructions

Constant Power

1

Open the hood. Disconnect the black negative wire connected to the battery, using a small crescent wrench.

2

Slide the factory radio from the dash of the Jetta, exposing the wires. This procedure will vary by model year. Consult the owners manual for specific directions.

3

Connect a power wire with in-line fuse to the positive terminal on the Jettas battery, using a small crescent wrench. The in-line fuse should be as close to the battery as possible.

4

Route the power wire from the battery through an existing hole in the rear wall of the engine compartment that separates the engine from the seating area. You may need to drill a hole to do this.

5

Route the power wire through the Jettas dashboard to the rear of the radio and trim the excess length with wire cutters.

6

Locate the yellow constant-power wire coming from the back of the factory stereo.

7

Remove the plastic wire coating from the ends of both the yellow wire from the radio and the power wire with in-line fuse. Connect them by twisting the bare wire ends together and wrapping with electrical tape.

Switched power

8

Locate the red switched-power wire coming from the back of the factory stereo.

9

Remove the plastic wire coating from the ends of the switched power wire and a 5-foot section of stereo wire. Twist the bare ends of both wires together and wrap in electrical tape.

10

Route the stereo wire through the Jettas dashboard to the fuse box.

11

Remove the radio fuse from the fuse box by erring to the diagram in the owners manual.

12

Remove the plastic coating from the end of the stereo wire that is closest to the fuse box and attach the bare wire to a fuse tap.

13

Reinsert the radio fuse and the fuse tap together in the fuse box.

14

Reinstall the radio and connect the negative battery cable. Close the hood.

Crimping is the process of connecting a wire to a terminal. Since this is where the wire comes to an end, sometimes crimping is erred to as terminating. A wide variety of crimps are available. They are classified by how they connect to the wire. Selecting a type of crimp will depend greatly on the application. A crimp used in your washing machine will likely not be suitable for your car.

Types of Crimps

There are three basic styles of wire crimps. These include the quick-connect, the ring and the spade. Each of these styles has a number of design variations that affect how the wire is connected to the terminal. In a closed-barrel style, the stripped end of the wire is inserted into a cylindrical end of the crimp. In an open-barrel style, the end of the terminal is shaped like a "U" and allows the wire to pass from the top down. Crimps can be further classified by the shape they make after they have been closed. Shapes include the "O," the "B," and the "U." The "B" crimp is most commonly used in straight wire applications. The "B" can be used in insulated applications as well. However, the "O" is often perred and even required as it does not damage any of the internal insulation.

Types of Crimping Tools

The ratchet style and pliers style are the two basic styles of crimping tools. You can also find combination and specialty tools. Regardless of which type you select, the crimping tool will be classified as either cup to cup or point to cup. This ers to the teeth in the biting edge. Cup-to-cup tools form a small "O" when squeezed together, while point-to-cup tools have teeth that fit into cutouts on the opposite side.

The Four Rules of a Good Crimp

Crimping can be one of the most efficient means of terminating your wires. However, if it is done incorrectly, crimping will cause failure in the whole system. According to Molex, an expert crimping company in Lisle, Ill., the following four rules will prevent crimping problems:

"1.Choose the right connector for your application requirements."

"2. Use the crimp tooling specified by the terminal manufacturer."

"3. Properly adjust and maintain the crimp tooling in good working order."

"4. Periodically replace the parts that displace metal (e.g. conductor and insulation punches, anvils and terminal cutters)."

The Thunderbird was a series of luxury cars that Ford manufactured from 1955 to 2005. The 1995 model belongs to the tenth generation of this series, which was in production from 1989 to 1997. The 1995 Thunderbird was typically equipped with an eight-cylinder 4.6-liter engine with multi-point fuel injection. The procedure for wiring a fuel injector is the same for all Thunderbirds and Cougars with this engine.

Instructions

1

Remove the negative battery cable with a socket wrench. This prevents you from starting the engine and discharging fuel during the fuel injector installation. Remove the cap from the fuel tank to relieve the fuel tank pressure.

2

Remove the cap from the fuel pressure relief valve on the fuel rail. Connect fuel pressure gauge T80L-9974-A to the relief valve, and place the drain tube for the fuel pressure gauge into a container suitable for gasoline. Open the valve on the fuel pressure gauge to drain the fuel system. Disconnect the fuel pressure gauge from the relief valve, and replace the relief valve cap.

3

Detach the vacuum line from the fuel pressure regulator. Remove the fuel lines from the fuel rail, and unplug the electrical connectors from the fuel injectors. Disconnect the retaining bolts for the fuel rail assembly with a socket wrench, and remove the fuel rail from the fuel injectors. Pull the fuel injectors while gently rocking them back and forth to remove them from the intake manifold.

4

Coat a pair of new O-rings with light engine oil, and mount them on each fuel injector. Install the fuel injectors into their sockets on the intake manifold, and twist them back and forth gently to properly seat them.

5

Push the fuel rail down onto the fuel injectors, and ensure that you fully seat the injector O-rings into the caps on the fuel rail. Connect the retaining bolts for the fuel rail as you hold the fuel rail in position. Tighten the retaining bolts to between 71 and 106 inch-pounds with a torque wrench. Attach the fuel lines for the fuel rail, and connect the vacuum line to the fuel pressure regulator.

6

Connect the cable for the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench, and turn the ignition on to pressurize the fuel system. Correct any fuel leaks, and disconnect the negative battery terminal.

7

Attach the electrical connectors for the fuel injectors, and connect the negative battery terminal. Start the engine, and allow it to idle for two minutes. Turn the engine off, and correct any fuel leaks.