Cleaning/Tidying OEM Engine Bay Wiring & Hoses

[ed1948]

This question is in regard to my 86 SS with all the OEM hardware. What a mess of hoses and wiring! I was thinking/pondering the idea of possibly cleaning up the layout of wiring and hoses. Tell me if I'm out to lunch with my ideas. I have a little too much time on my hands.
-re route/combine where possible by using metal with rubber flex fittings vacuum lines and extended wiring

lengths reaching the engine from the cowl center point forward.
Obviously the original intent of the engine compartment layout was for quick assembly and easy servicing - not for esthetic purposes.

 

[ck80]

From memory, I'm not sure how much wiring there is that could be cleaned up without adding a ton more elsewhere if keeping all the stock equipment.

However, those vacuum hoses, THAT I'm sure could be cleaned up some at the risk/expense of greatly adding to the length of hose running the perimeter.

I guess my question for you though, is, how invasive do you plan on being? If you are relocating relays and such, basically required if redoing those harness segments, (but this will also hold true for vacuum hose connections) factory diagrams and manuals will be nearly meaningless when trouble shooting comes up.

I'm sure that, so long as similar vacuum source capacity is available, it doesn't matter where things are tied in for say the cruise or air blend actuator door to pull from. But, when going to factory troubleshooting spots for interconnected systems you're going to be on your own when something goes awry.

 

[Texas82GP]

On that car, I would leave it stock. Clean it up. Get all the wiring in convoluted tubing. I know it is cluttered but when all of that stuff is working right and it runs good, that's a beautiful thing.

 

[Bar50]

I deleted all the emission stuff on mine.

 

[Bar50]

I spray canned the firewall back white after cleaning it and scuffing it with a Scotchbrite pad. I degreased the snot out of my engine bay and frame.



I used gloss black on most of it.



I wiped the plastic cover on the steering column down with lacquer thinner and the top of the steering box as well. Along with the over spray on the power steering hoses. Saran wrap and aluminum foil are epic for masking stuff off to spray paint.

I used the super fine Scotchbrite pad on the inner fenders so they would look stock. New corrugated wire loom is available by the foot at the parts stores...its like 0.39 a foot. For my grudge car, I got some really cool braided loom that is split similar to the plastic looms it came with...

TechFlex F6 0.50 inch split sleeving 25ft

It looks really clean, and I put a couple wraps on the ends similar the way it was from the factory. I looked up a kit on Summit or Jeg's and just ordered it from McMaster-Carr now I see amazon carries it too!

 

[ed1948]

Thank everyone..you have given me ideas to consider. This will probably be done or maybe not, once I get the wheel active again(meaning put together)

 

[83hurst#1812]

On my 83 Hurst /Olds ,,i was dumbfounded by the same thing..To keep everything original,i just ,re-routed and used the proper size wireloom ,,and secured everything..It looks way better now than it did from the factory...It's alot easier to do and you can see much more with the carb off