PLX wide band installation help

[JDEstill]

Recently got a PLX wide band set up (controller only, no gauge) that I need to wire up to my PowerLogger. Had an LM-1 that was one ugly install. I just used it on a temporary basis here and there, so it was no big deal if I ran wires from under the hood up through the window LOL. But now I need a nice neat permanent install since this will be running full time. Advice and experiences please! Esp. you TurboDave, I seem to recall you run one of these.

1. I need to get switched +12V to the thing. Where's a good spot? Do I need to run a wire over to the fuse box? Is there a good wire to tap into over on the passenger side? What have you done that was clean? I seem to recall the instructions recommending a 5 amp fuse, so I guess it doesn't pull a whole lot of power.

2. Ground - again, anything special here? Where have you found a good ground to be? Just ground it to something metal up there under the dash?

3. This controller box is relatively small - where have you found a good place to mount it out of sight?

4. Pretty big connectors on the wiring going to the actual sensor. How did you get the wires from the passenger compartment to the engine compartment? I'm assuming no one is drilling big holes in their floorboards...

If someone could give me a cookbook on how to neatly install this thing I would really appreciate it! And if this has all been covered in a previous thread (I did do a search but didn't turn up much), please post a link.

thanks

John

 

[psycho6cyl]

john i will be doing my install soon. you can look for an empty spot in fuse box that says ign. run a wire over w spade connecter that fits(crimped of course). also i plan on mounting mine where my pl block is,behind glove box. open glove box and press tab/hook on left of box and it will drop down. make sure you clean it out first . i think if you order the tool to take the weatherpak connecters apart you can drill a much smaller hole for the wires and not that huge clip...

 

[earlbrown]

What psyco said^^ On mine I cut the cable and soldered it back together after I ran it through the firewall. Turns out my weatherpack tool was too big to get the PLX plug apart.

It would have been really nice if they sent it without the plug installed but they warrenty issues would have probably went through the roof.

On mounting I took some velcro and mouned mine just inside the glovebox to the left. It's hard to descrive but if you drop the glovebox and squeeze the left edge of the opening, it's right there. That' way it can't be seen, out of the way, close to the PL, and easy to get to.

 

[turbo nasty]

I did what Earl did as well. Cut and soldered

 

[TurboDave]

I didn't have to cut mine. Sent the connector in through that rather large hole under the master cylinder. It just fits through there when the big rubber plug is slid out over the cable it's connected to. I have other wires going through there also, so can't get the rubber plug back in, so I keep a small rag stuffed in the hole to keep any fumes out of the cockpit.

Not everybody has the luxury of a second fuse/power box like I have. I ran a ground wire in from the block/head to this aux. fuse box so important stuff like widebands are grounded to the engine block.

NEVER use a body/dash ground for things as important as widebands or sensors. The car's body is the worst choice for grounds.

Here's a pick of the little aux fuse panel I use for gauges and wideband.

And here's a pic of the controller. See that white box in behind the dash? I slid the controller up in that area so it's out of the way.

 

[psycho6cyl]

I didn't have to cut mine. Sent the connector in through that rather large hole under the master cylinder. It just fits through there when the big rubber plug is slid out over the cable it's connected to. I have other wires going through there also, so can't get the rubber plug back in, so I keep a small rag stuffed in the hole to keep any fumes out of the cockpit.

Not everybody has the luxury of a second fuse/power box like I have. I ran a ground wire in from the block/head to this aux. fuse box so important stuff like widebands are grounded to the engine block.

NEVER use a body/dash ground for things as important as widebands or sensors. The car's body is the worst choice for grounds.

Here's a pick of the little aux fuse panel I use for gauges and wideband.

I didn't have to cut mine. Sent the connector in through that rather large hole under the master cylinder. It just fits through there when the big rubber plug is slid out over the cable it's connected to. I have other wires going through there also, so can't get the rubber plug back in, so I keep a small rag stuffed in the hole to keep any fumes out of the cockpit.

Not everybody has the luxury of a second fuse/power box like I have. I ran a ground wire in from the block/head to this aux. fuse box so important stuff like widebands are grounded to the engine block.

NEVER use a body/dash ground for things as important as widebands or sensors. The car's body is the worst choice for grounds.

Here's a pick of the little aux fuse panel I use for gauges and wideband.

I hsve been thinking of a 2nd mall fuse box.. How did you do it? something to think about..

 

[aminga]

The cord is long enough to run to the trans tunnel and bring it in under the console where the shifter cable runs in. Grounds, I already had a engine ground for the LC-1 so I used that. And I stuck it to the heater box behind the glovebox with double sided tape

 

[87-WE2]

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[JDEstill]

OK, thanks for the tips everybody, I sure appreciate it! I'm really looking forward to getting this thing installed. The placement ya'll are describing is pretty much what I had in mind, though it is getting crowded back there, since my translator is on the back of the glove box and my powerlogger block is stuck back there too. But I'm sure I can find some room. I'll be sure and run a ground to the engine. And I'll hunt around for an easy power source. I think I can de-pin the connector so it can get through a small hole, but if not, I like your idea Dave. That is a pretty big hole. Mine is missing the rubber piece too...

John

 

[2QUIK6]

I ran mine run the center console like Aminga did, through the shifter cable hole, mounted the wideband module and my Gen2 in the center console after making a small hole for the wires to pass through.....Don't need the center console because I have one of those G-Body armrests/console that sits on top of the factory center console.

 

[earlbrown]

Yep, mine is pretty crowded too. That's why I went with velcro on the dash part instead of the heaterbox.

 

[Boston GN]

Good thread! Need to do this myself

 

[TRICKSIXPA]

There is also a hole on the Passangerside door jam where the antenna wire goes through. It can be a bitch sometimes to get wires through but it works. I did my exhaust cutout harness through there. I would say the shifter grommet would be pretty easy just have to secure the wire so it doesn't hit the exhaust. Ground it to the block!!
The dues box has an ignition terminal you can use a spade connector to plug into to give you 12volt.


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[wb's87]

I just recently installed a PLX SM-AFR.
I ran the probe connecter through the factory hole above the steering column that the speedo cable runs through. I made about a 1/2" slit in the rubber grommet and pushed it right through. I also ran the EGT and other things such as boost gauge and tach through the same hole. It looks nice and neat without adding any new holes to the car anywhere.


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[JDEstill]

Thanks for the additional ideas. I have had a Caspers ground relocation kit on the firewall for a decade or so now, and I think I'll run the ground over to that thing. Still musing over which hole to route the sensor wires through. I found a thread in someone said they got 12V power from the wire that powers the trunk release. Anyone think that is a bad idea? I looked at the wiring diagram and the wire comes from the fuse box and mainly goes to the a/c. It has a 25 amp fuse in it. It is only powered when the key is turned to On. It is conveniently located...

John

 

[psycho6cyl]

Or just move the connector to battery spot and use that one for it.. by spring im.going to add another fuse box..

 

[Fachie Motion]

Good stuff


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[JDEstill]

An update - wiring up my PLX wide band was really easy.
- Ground wire to my Caspers ground relocation kit under the hood.
- Power wire to an empty "IGN" spot in the fuse box. I had forgotten that these exist till I got down there and actually looked at it. Boy did that make things easy!
- I crimped on weatherpak connectors to those two, and to the power and ground wires plugged into the PLX, so those two ends just plug together. I used weatherpak because I have a big kit of those things laying around, would have used a different type of connector if I had one. I like things that plug and unplug easily
- WB sensor wire went through the hole above the brake pedal very easily (as did the ground wire).
- PLX is behind the glovebox, towards the drivers side.
- Very short wire from PLX to the PowerLogger auxiliary input
- Everything is all tucked up under the dash nicely, out of sight, just the way it should be.

I think it all got done within a couple of hours, and it seems to be working well.

I appreciate the help everybody!

John