Welcome to Just Commodores, a site specifically designed for all people who share the same passion as yourself.

New Posts Contact us

Just Commodores Forum Community

It takes just a moment to join our fantastic community

Register

datsun 180b with a VP 5 speed v6

VT5.7L

New Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2011
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
30
Location
Gawler
Members Ride
VT SS 5.7L
hi guys,

im putting a vp v6 motor into my 180b, motors all in, just need help with the wiring and loom

datto2.jpg

Datto1.jpg

what the **** do i do? haha

just the bare minimum to get the car going, i will take the car to a auto elect when its driveable
wiring diagrams would be good, or anything.

main issue would be, turning accessories on, fuel pump and computer.

Located in Gawler SA if anyone could help for some cash.

all help is muchly apprectiated. thanks
 

Cheap6

New Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2005
Messages
2,498
Reaction score
74
Points
0
Members Ride
VP Exec
They're pretty simple. If you have half a clue - and you got the motor in - you shouldn't have to use the auto electrician. It may be worth buying or trying a local tech. college for one of the Haynes or Gregory's repair manuals. The cost to buy them will be less than anything an electrician will charge. There used to be a few wiring diagrams posted online too. Having a 180B wiring diagram from the same sources will be useful for the alternator and ignition switch wiring.

The engine harness has most of what you need. You might consider using the bus bar - that's the piece in front of the relay box under the bonnet with the bolted connection from the battery in the middle of it - the relay box, and the end sections of the body end of the wiring harness from the donor VP. Then connect the engine harness as per the VP with the two grey connectors that are near the battery. I have cut the relay mounting bracket from the body of the donor (drill the spot welds) and bolted it into the recipient to mount the relay box as that's quite a tidy way to do it.

You will also need the fuel pump relay and to wire an ignition switched source of battery power to the ECM (goes to terminal A6 at the ECM I think) so as to bypass the anti-theft module/switch. The connector for that is near the ECM.

There should also be a connection made from the alternator to the alternator light.

The speed signal to the ECM comes from the VSS on the transmissioon via the instrument cluster. The instrument cluster modifies the signal (divides the frequency by 5) so if you need a speed signal - it's used for idle speed control and a few other things - you can use the Silicon Chip spped pulse adjuster as sold by Jaycar. If it's a paddock basher or racing car it doesn't matter too much if it's not present. Likewise, if it's not a road car then a working speedometer may not be important to you. If it is important, then there are cable drive adaptors for the Commodore trans. around.

One trick that catches some people out is that the 180B may have had (I think did) ignition points and therefore a ballast resistor to drop the voltage to the ignition while running, while allowing full (reduced) battery voltage while cranking. That means there will be two different ignition circuits for cranking and running. You will probably have to run a jumper wire from the "cranking" terminal to the "on" terminal on the ignition switch. (The giveaway if you need the wire and don't have it is the engine not firing while cranking but either starting or at least firing intermittently as you turn the key back to the "on" position with the engine still turning over.)

If you don't have experience with wiring, twist and solder all joins and cover with heat shrink (that's fun to do :) ) and use convoluted tubing to insulate wiring runs. Use cable ties to keep everything neat - they're cheap enough.
 
Top