[TheSilverBuick]

Mine has been mounted there since 2009. In my bottom picture, you can barely see my relay board on the right side mounted to the firewall. This works because the Buick's distributor is in the front =P

Oooh, I really like your idea of using the MS to activate the kickdown on the TH400. The pedal switches, etc. are junk after 40 years!

Found another picture with the glove box removed.


It's a bit more permanent, but I ran that spagettii of wires through the firewall I then soldered up the connector so the actual hole was smaller. I'm more of a function over form kinda guy so I simply used spare DIYautotune connectors.


My MS3X harness for the injectors and cam sensor. I will add to it when I go COP ignition. You can see the plug so I can quickly disconnect it from the firewall when I need to pull the intake or engine. Currently the rest of my harness goes to the relay board so I have to undo each one. My Firebird will be two simple connectors like this in the engine bay and all the relays and fuses will probably be in the car.

[krisr]

I wouldn't be too concerned about the SD Card as the newer MS3 firmware has a "File Manager" type interface for the files on the SD card so you don't need to remove it anymore. When I mounted my ECU, in the middle of the dash pad was an A/C vent that was the perfect size for a wideband display but there was enough room beside it to sneak a USB cable down into the ECU when I want to hook the laptop up. On the old MS2 with the serial RS232 interface, I used a stereo headphone bulkhead jack in the dash as my cable interface to the ECU.

The wiring in the engine bay I hid underneath the intake manifold and the hole in the firewall is to the right of the base of the distributor (if looking at the engine). It's very easy to hide EFI wiring if you're willing to invest a bit of time...

[Ollie]

DiyAuto Tune. com offers this 22 position Bulk Head Connector.
http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/w...kit-p-364.html

[TheSilverBuick]

Originally Posted by krisr

^^Work of art!

[Fishin2Deep4U]

I'll get a better look tomorrow at what is going to go where. I have heard that there is a dimple on the firewall near the distributor, to the right on the first gen cars. I guess some manual trans cars had the speedup cable run through there. This is helpful as I can expect this location to clear barriers inside the car as well.

Ollie, I need to get major of and thickness specs of the trigger wheels you have. I hope to begin the process of making room with my 8 bolt cover. And I need to purchase one as well. I'll need the sensor specs, ect to get out up and running. I am hoping to use an off the shelf common car part. But if it needs to be a cherry our the like, I'll just get a spare and use a retrotech connector to make swapping easy.

I have seen those bulkhead connectors before. They just seem so bulky. Now of they were flush fit...

I am finally getting excited to work on this thing.

Dave

[Fishin2Deep4U]

Originally Posted by TheSilverBuick

^^Work of art!

Agreed!

Dave

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by Fishin2Deep4U

Ollie, I need to get major of and thickness specs of the trigger wheels you have. I hope to begin the process of making room with my 8 bolt cover. And I need to purchase one as well. I'll need the sensor specs, ect to get out up and running. I am hoping to use an off the shelf common car part. But if it needs to be a cherry our the like, I'll just get a spare and use a retrotech connector to make swapping easy.


I am finally getting excited to work on this thing.

Dave

Dave
The Trigger Wheel is lazier cut. 7.10 inch diameter to fit the larger Pontiac balancer. 1/8th inch thick. The extra bolt holes are drilled at 12.5 degrees to offer extra adusjibilty. Photo on post 49
The center hole is 4 3/8 inch.
The Ford EDIS Sensor, photo in Post # 49 would be a good choice for an over the counter sensor. the number cast on the part is FOEE-60315-E. Photo on post 56
Photo 1 shows how far the teeth extend past the balancer, about 0.10 inch.
Photo 2 mock up of Ford EDIS sensor.

[Fishin2Deep4U]

Thanks!

Now I have some direction.

Hopefully my other projects allow me to get some work done.

Dave

[Fishin2Deep4U]

Oooh, I really like your idea of using the MS to activate the kickdown on the TH400. The pedal switches, etc. are junk after 40 years!
[/QUOTE]


Yeah, just made sense. I have a Lokar kick down switch that is brand new. I took out out of the package and never even bolted it up. Nice thing about ECU control is that we can set several conditions for engagement. We're not limited to only rpm. I figured map and rpm values would allow for kick down under high load, low throttle settings. Such as a show climb up a steep hill. That is a common thing around here.

I have a few other plans for outputs, but that will be first!

Dave

[krisr]

When I ran an 8 bolt timing cover, this is how I setup my crank trigger/sensor. Now i'm running the R.A.R.E. SBC/Pontiac timing cover conversion and simply welded a bracket to the cover as the cover didn't have a provision for the mech fuel pump. Same arrangement/sensor as when I ran the 8 bolt as pictured below.

I like Ollie's setup though, behind the balancer.

Kris

[Fishin2Deep4U]

Originally Posted by krisr

When I ran an 8 bolt timing cover, this is how I setup my crank trigger/sensor. Now i'm running the R.A.R.E. SBC/Pontiac timing cover conversion and simply welded a bracket to the cover as the cover didn't have a provision for the mech fuel pump. Same arrangement/sensor as when I ran the 8 bolt as pictured below.

I like Ollie's setup though, behind the balancer.

Kris

Can I assume you sandwiched the trigger wheel?

I actually have seriously considered doing it this way as it its less work. I can make shims for the pulleys pretty quick at work.

I prefer to get the sensor as far away from the belts as possible. But, your setup is clearly an easier proposition. I'll check clearance behind the balancer and go from there. This balancer seems thicker than others I have seen in the past. I'll try to get my act together tomorrow before I get pulled away for a holiday dinner.

Dave

[krisr]

Yep I just sandwiched the trigger wheel. The wheel only has 4 bolts so orientating the missing tooth is easy - just mark everything accordingly. I didn't have an issue with belts and found it easy to machine up the correct spacers for the pulleys, power steer and alternator. With the current RARE cover, I had to run an alluminum 6.25" crank pulley and simply machined it to the correct spacing. My setup doesn't use any factory bracketry though and is all made to fit so i'm not sure how you would go with using the factory steer/alternator brackets unfortunately.

[Fishin2Deep4U]

I appreciate the comments and pics Kris.

Still a faster way to go for me, but I can't hardly resist making it tough. LOL

Dave

[krisr]

Yeah to be honest with you, if I had to go through it all again I would just use a distributor that can provide both crank & cam signals - ala; http://www.jegs.com/i/Mallory/650/77580M/10002/-1

[Fishin2Deep4U]

The distributor does make easier. But theres a bit of timing walk possible there, so I do prefer a crank trigger. Not at all saying out would ever be enough for a street car to notice. Its just the thought of it I guess.

Dave

[HWYSTR455]

My understanding is the trigger wheel will give better resolution than the dual-sync distributors, as previously mentioned. Would make more of a difference in a SEFI setup, batch/bank fire the dual syncs are fine.

The problem with the weatherpack connector is that there's no shielding, and you're stuck using one size wire across the board. The MIL-SPEC connectors are a much better choice, but it takes considerable homework to order the correct one. They are waterproof ones too. You need to know the codes to order, total pin capacity, wire sizes, shielded or not, etc, etc. Also, they are not cheap, as well as some require particular crimpers, again, not cheap. Here's some sources, and a thread on pro-tour, worth a look:

http://www.pro-touring.com/showthrea...=efi+connector

http://www.isiconnectors.com/circular.html

http://www.digikey.com/product-searc...1441934/page/7

http://www.laddinc.com/images/storie...orselector.pdf

http://www.casperselectronics.com/store2/

http://www.jrhelec.com/

http://www.amphenol-aerospace.com/default.asp

.

[TheSilverBuick]

Originally Posted by Fishin2Deep4U

Yeah, just made sense. I have a Lokar kick down switch that is brand new. I took out out of the package and never even bolted it up. Nice thing about ECU control is that we can set several conditions for engagement. We're not limited to only rpm. I figured map and rpm values would allow for kick down under high load, low throttle settings. Such as a show climb up a steep hill. That is a common thing around here.

I have a few other plans for outputs, but that will be first!

Dave

Keep in mind the TH400 still has a vacuum modulator that should control the low rpm higher load down shifts. I would get the modulator dialed in and then simply use the TPS to set the conditions for the kick down (like 75%) unless you really keep finding the car in a position that it should down shift below a certain rpm and load.

[Ollie]

Originally Posted by Fishin2Deep4U

I prefer to get the sensor as far away from the belts as possible. But, your setup is clearly an easier proposition. I'll check clearance behind the balancer and go from there. This balancer seems thicker than others I have seen in the past. I'll try to get my act together tomorrow before I get pulled away for a holiday dinner.

Dave

There will be plenty of clearance for the trigger wheel bolted behind the harmonic balancer. The only clearance issue will be at the inside of the two bolt horns. That require filing a flat on the lower inside edge about 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide.

[Fishin2Deep4U]

Originally Posted by TheSilverBuick

Keep in mind the TH400 still has a vacuum modulator that should control the low rpm higher load down shifts. I would get the modulator dialed in and then simply use the TPS to set the conditions for the kick down (like 75%) unless you really keep finding the car in a position that it should down shift below a certain rpm and load.

The way mine is put together, the modulator really only controls light throttle upshifts. But you are correct, a simple tps value is by far the easiest. We just have the ability to use other parameters to use as a condition. I know some turbo guys would love to bee able to shut off the kick down when at full boost and at a certain mph. Heck, you could even use coolant temp our virtually any other input as a condition. I know you know that, thats just for the benefits of others reading along.

Cool stuff!

Dave

[Fishin2Deep4U]

Originally Posted by Ollie

There will be plenty of clearance for the trigger wheel bolted behind the harmonic balancer. The only clearance issue will be at the inside of the two bolt horns. That require filing a flat on the lower inside edge about 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide.

I could tel that was going to be tight. The rear edge of my balancer is approximately .275" begging the front of that tab. And its close now. It'll be easy to clearance that. My biggest concern was to the rear of the balancer on the lower pan bolts. As the engine is in the car and I have not pulled the balancer, it looks close from the top.

Are you simply bolting the wheel to the rear of the balancer? Or using through bolts with nuts on the front to hold the drive pulleys in place? I have a pic that you sent me with it bolted up but off the car.

Let me know how to arrange payment. I am going to be ready to at least mount up the trigger real soon.

Dave