Battery/engine bay wiring relocation?

1. Ben_SaxoForte Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Stoke-on-trent Posts: 2640 Mk5 Golf GTTDI Mk2 VTR Project

   #1 19th January 2017, 16:44

   As I have the engine and everything out of the car I'd like to give the bay a clean look with less wires etc if possible, I know some of you on here have managed it but is it a big job to move the battery and possibly the fuse box aswell? and what about the ecu?
   
   got a long way to go before I get to this point but would be good to know in advance.
   
   Any help appreciated, cheers
2. Bedford126 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jul 2010 Morley, Leeds Posts: 8469 Civic ep3 type r powered by TDI NORTH

   #2 19th January 2017, 17:45

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by Ben_SaxoForte As I have the engine and everything out of the car I'd like to give the bay a clean look with less wires etc if possible, I know some of you on here have managed it but is it a big job to move the battery and possibly the fuse box aswell? and what about the ecu? got a long way to go before I get to this point but would be good to know in advance. Any help appreciated, cheers

   Fuse box is easy but need to make your life easier by numbering every wire so you can join 1-1 2-2 etc, you can use individual colour wires or I used a single colour solder and heat shrink to extend them. It takes a good few hours on the saxo but can be made neat behind/ in the glove box.
   
   Battery in reality you only need to make your posi lead long enough to go to your new location. I used one of the 12mm battery leads from eBay just got 12ft of it to the boot of the civic. Then a earth strap/lead to a good clean freshly tapped bolt hole on the chassis. Then put a ring terminal on the old earth lead and bolt that to the chassis too.
   
   Also if you get yourself some 1mtr mwlding filler rods and loom tape the sites to the filler rod it makes the wire so you can bend it in nice neat curves/ follow body lines and use p clips to keep it in place. Tessa tape is also a must both internal/external.
3. Ben_SaxoForte Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Stoke-on-trent Posts: 2640 Mk5 Golf GTTDI Mk2 VTR Project

   #3 19th January 2017, 21:01

   So for the fuse box I just chop it and pull the wires through and resolder? Will I need the dash out?
4. Bedford126 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jul 2010 Morley, Leeds Posts: 8469 Civic ep3 type r powered by TDI NORTH

   #4 19th January 2017, 21:11

   Depends on where you are planning to put the fuse box?
   
   When we did mine I had to add something like 20cm of wire to each to get it in a neater place. Then we got one of those dynamo sticker makers and made 2 of each number then cut and joined them . It's a boring job.
5. Ben_SaxoForte Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Stoke-on-trent Posts: 2640 Mk5 Golf GTTDI Mk2 VTR Project

   #5 19th January 2017, 21:55

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by Bedford126 Depends on where you are planning to put the fuse box? When we did mine I had to add something like 20cm of wire to each to get it in a neater place. Then we got one of those dynamo sticker makers and made 2 of each number then cut and joined them . It's a boring job.

   I'm not too bothered where it goes as long as its not going to be seen really. does sound pretty boring but its gotta be better than what i'm doing at the moment removing all the old underseal and crap and finding more bits that need welding lol, hopefully it will be worth it in the end!
6. Bedford126 Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jul 2010 Morley, Leeds Posts: 8469 Civic ep3 type r powered by TDI NORTH

   #6 20th January 2017, 00:05

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by Ben_SaxoForte I'm not too bothered where it goes as long as its not going to be seen really. does sound pretty boring but its gotta be better than what i'm doing at the moment removing all the old underseal and crap and finding more bits that need welding lol, hopefully it will be worth it in the end!

   I did everything you're doing to mine, got bored and sold it. Just takes time and they're over 10 year old it's only going to get harder.
7. Ben_SaxoForte Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Stoke-on-trent Posts: 2640 Mk5 Golf GTTDI Mk2 VTR Project

   #7 20th January 2017, 17:07

   It's my first real "project" car that I've actually got the time to do because it doesn't need to be on the road, it's not really about the car as much as testing my skills and its a saxo so if something does go wrong with it it's not really the end of the world lol, but hopefully I will end up with a clean car that I can either keep or sell and get something else to mess with afterwards.