Stripping interior loom

[jesse888]

i want to strip the unused wires out of my interior loom(speakers, radio, window motors, wing mirror motors, heaters and anything else I don't need)

Now I'm abit of a noob when it comes to stripping looms down and cleaning them up etc so I'm thinking get a spare loom and destroy that first lol
So 1st question - whose got a prefacelift interior loom for sale?
How much are they worth?

Anyone got any useful tips/info on stripping a loom down in an ek?

 

[B16Swt]

i want to strip the unused wires out of my interior loom(speakers, radio, window motors, wing mirror motors, heaters and anything else I don't need)

Now I'm abit of a noob when it comes to stripping looms down and cleaning them up etc so I'm thinking get a spare loom and destroy that first lol
So 1st question - whose got a prefacelift interior loom for sale?
How much are they worth?

Anyone got any useful tips/info on stripping a loom down in an ek?

To be fair mate you could do it all in place on your car if you wanted too, it would be a lot easier and less confusing as you have all the components there in front of you, and not just a mass of wires on the floor with no thing going to them.
I've got a lot of experience with auto electrics and wiring and the key is too....
Do one circuit at a time, and take you're time.

Cost wise a loom is really just a big roll off copper so you could be looking at £2-300?

But if I were you just do it in place

 

[jesse888]

I'll give it a crack in the car then.
I tried this before one my last ek9, ended up with the fuel pump not priming lol

 

[pdapaul]

Defo do it in the car. And get yourself a roll of masking tape. If in doubt mark the end of the wires with colours/power/what the hell you think it does before chopping away. My honest opinion is that once you get rid of the obvious (speakers, power windows etc) then the hassle involved in removing the rest isn't worth it. If you're removing the fuse box from under the bonnet then possible gains, but otherwise keep it simple and don't get giddy.
I've done it....and I know what I'm doing(allegedly) ...and it can become a ballache.

 

[jesse888]

That makes sense, I want to tidy it up more than weight saving anyway.
Thinking if I get a plug I'm not using(for example radio plugs) then follow its wires back to the fuse box and chop it there?
Having all the unused plugs and wires stashed behind the dash along with the excess cabling for gauges and boost controllers etc has made it a jumbled up mess.
I could shorten all the gauge/controller wiring whilst I'm at it but I'll concentrate on the actual loom itself for now

 

[Leej8]

That makes sense, I want to tidy it up more than weight saving anyway.
Thinking if I get a plug I'm not using(for example radio plugs) then follow its wires back to the fuse box and chop it there?
Having all the unused plugs and wires stashed behind the dash along with the excess cabling for gauges and boost controllers etc has made it a jumbled up mess.
I could shorten all the gauge/controller wiring whilst I'm at it but I'll concentrate on the actual loom itself for now

Rather you than me mate , had dash out last summer and got dizzy with all the wires , never mind opening them up ,
Think it will be safe to say after this is done ,you will have had your hands on EVERY SINGLE BIT of your 9 lol ,
Your 9 back with you now jesse?

 

[jesse888]

Nah not yet. We've had trouble mounting the turbo to the the new housing, I was hoping the clamps from my old turbo would work but they didn't fit quite right.
Then I've had trouble finding the clamps because the more common suppliers over here don't even know that the housing I have exists! They're the experts believe it or not...
Hoping to have found what I need though so should be all go again next week.
Cage is done just exhaust and radiator I believe.

 

[Leej8]

Some times I think the so called experts must be having a laff , but no , I went into a motor factors and asks for motul oil and they all just looked at me as if I was feckin stupid,
They said they NEVER heard of motul oil ? I was like ,
Haha stop taken the piss , but they were dead serious !
Ah mate you must be buzzing to have her back in you care,
Are you going to remap your 9 yourself when back?

 

[jesse888]

Yeah I've got a set of standard ball bearing housing clamps on the way so let's hope the turbo and housing don't need sending off for custom clamps. This was mentioned by Owen developments and you'd hope they know what they are talking about.
Soon as he cars back I'll remove the excess wiring and fit the dash.
I'll be tuning it when it comes back.

 

[Leej8]

You've bigger dingley bits then me so ,
But you could be a tuning god by next your !
It just pains me to think that all the work you
Have done to your 9, could be blowing by a pc key error.

 

[B16Swt]

What do you use to power you gauge's @jesse888 ? I use the radio loom cause it's got everything you need for them to work easily. Might help you tidy up your wiring using it?

These aren't my current gauges but, you can use an old radio loom to make up an nice little loom to run as many gauges as you want.
And it all comes out as one....

 

[B16Swt]

Just a thought before you take it all out.
You could keep the live, ignition and the earth and just cut out the speaker wiring...

 

[jesse888]

You've bigger dingley bits then me so ,
But you could be a tuning god by next your !
It just pains me to think that all the work you
Have done to your 9, could be blowing by a pc key error.

I believe bravery and stupidity are the same thing minus success (in most cases like this)
Get it right your brave, get it wrong your stupid...
It's all learning though which is great for me, the whole car has been a constant learning experience that just gets more involved/complex at each stage. Quietly confident everything will be fine, eventually lol

 

[jesse888]

Just a thought before you take it all out.
You could keep the live, ignition and the earth and just cut out the speaker wiring...

You can tell I haven't fully thought this through cant you lol
Iirc the speaker wiring has its own plug? So I could remove everything connected to that plug and then just snip the end off the power plug for use with gauges etc?
I have got power from the radio loom ATM so it's something I didn't think about for sure.

 

[Leej8]

I believe bravery and stupidity are the same thing minus success (in most cases like this)
Get it right your brave, get it wrong your stupid...
It's all learning though which is great for me, the whole car has been a constant learning experience that just gets more involved/complex at each stage. Quietly confident everything will be fine, eventually lol

Brilliant answer! I'd say you will do great ,in the end ,
Just a feeling I have !

 

[jesse888]

I have an update about this that I've yet to post on the build thread, just parts whoring really but I'll get something posted up soon

 

[B16Swt]

You can tell I haven't fully thought this through cant you lol
Iirc the speaker wiring has its own plug? So I could remove everything connected to that plug and then just snip the end off the power plug for use with gauges etc?
I have got power from the radio loom ATM so it's something I didn't think about for sure.

On mine the speaker wiring is on the same plug as the ignition live etc etc.
You could cut the speaker wires off for sure and leave the plug for gauges.
It would be sensible I think.
I'm a neat freak with wiring lol.
Just take your time and think twice cut once.

 

[B16Swt]

I'll get a picture of the plug on the weekend if I remember, but I'm pretty sure it's one plug

 

[jesse888]

Yeah just a case of working through it isn't it.
I'll probably start with the heater as that's pretty simple not having any wires that I need to keep for it. The doors are the same again so hopefully by that time I'll be ready to tackle the rest.

 

[elchunk]

handiest way would be to mark the wires that you are disconnecting from things, ie speakers, heaters etc.. and just trace them back. most of the interior wiring runs along the drivers side too.