Installing CAN Wideband and IAT Position

[Blakeo]

Installing Link Can Lambda in my R33 Skyline, it wants the power to the wideband to be its own seperate source from a relay. Issue is my battery in my r33 is in the boot, would I need to run one separate wire from the battery, then run it thru the fuse box to a 10 amp (as per diagram supplied by Link) and then to a new relay I'll have to setup in the engine bay? Is running a fuse inline not really the done thing, I was going to do this but a mate suggested against it. 

Also the intake air temperature sensor, is that best to be in the cooler piping before the throttle body? I'd assume you wouldn't want it on the intake side of the turbo. 

[GTSBoy]

Power doesn't have to come on a separate wire all the way from the battery. There is a large power distribution device in the form of the fusebox itself, and the main cable from the battery (to the fusebox, starter, etc) HAS to also be in the engine bay....

But yes, put a proper fuse into the fuse box if you can.

IAT should be just before throttle. Yes.

[Blakeo]

On 7/5/2019 at 6:34 AM, GTSBoy said:

Power doesn't have to come on a separate wire all the way from the battery. There is a large power distribution device in the form of the fusebox itself, and the main cable from the battery (to the fusebox, starter, etc) HAS to also be in the engine bay....

But yes, put a proper fuse into the fuse box if you can.

IAT should be just before throttle. Yes.

Thanks gts, in the fuse box on my vehicle they have relays in the engine bay. 

I have found a narva relay which is similar would need slight modification to fit. 

So I'd need to fit the relay into the fusebox, would I piggy back the power off another relay as they all seem to have a separate wire for 12v positive. 

And then after powering the relay use a 10 amp fuse inline as the wideband will use 8.1amp max. Should I use the ignition as signal for the relay to turn on? 

[GTSBoy]

There should be a big fat feed wire to the fusebox. That's what provides power to all the relays and fuses. Find a way to tap that.

Use decent heavy wire to run the power to the wideband and put a 15A fuse on it. The fuse it to protect the wire - not anything else. If the wire can handle 25A, and you have a 15A fuse on it, it is well protected. If you have a 10A fuse on a circuit that pulls 8+A, then you may be running the fuse quite hot - which is not always a good idea.

[Blakeo]

1 hour ago, GTSBoy said:

There should be a big fat feed wire to the fusebox. That's what provides power to all the relays and fuses. Find a way to tap that.

Use decent heavy wire to run the power to the wideband and put a 15A fuse on it. The fuse it to protect the wire - not anything else. If the wire can handle 25A, and you have a 15A fuse on it, it is well protected. If you have a 10A fuse on a circuit that pulls 8+A, then you may be running the fuse quite hot - which is not always a good idea.

Good point, I wouldn't of thought about that. 

This wiring stuff is confusing, if I buy a 15 amp fused relay and run decent gauge wiring that should be ok?

Is putting a new relay in the right way to do it, and would running the power wire along the existing loom be ok? 

Thank you mate. 

Edited September 9, 2019 by Blakeo

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Just tap it off the ignition barrel (which is generally butchered up by an alarm immobilization point). Then run it to a nice fuse bus (future proofing for a dash, logger, etc.). Narva make fuse buses that hold 5x blade fuses with a clear lid with 2x legs so you're able to neatly surface mount it.

[iruvyouskyrine]

Link Can lambda pulls about 5A on the hit for the heater and ~1A steady state. 10A fuse is plenty. 18ga wire is plenty.

[Blakeo]

On 9/10/2019 at 4:07 AM, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

Just tap it off the ignition barrel (which is generally butchered up by an alarm immobilization point). Then run it to a nice fuse bus (future proofing for a dash, logger, etc.). Narva make fuse buses that hold 5x blade fuses with a clear lid with 2x legs so you're able to neatly surface mount it.

Sounds a bit sketchy, is there no way to add a new relay to fusebox and run the can lambda off that? 

Has anyone done that before? 

[GTSBoy]

Of course you can add to the main fusebox. But it really wants to be the sort of relay that actually fits in there, not some Autocheap/Superbarn Narva box. Same with fuse holders. You just have to get the stuff you need and put the effort in. Props for wanting to be neat and tidy about it. 99% of Skyline owners would just hang the new relay on 15' of wire and let it drag behind the car.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

1 hour ago, Blakeo said:

Sounds a bit sketchy, is there no way to add a new relay to fusebox and run the can lambda off that? 

Has anyone done that before? 

I've done it to all the cars I've installed it to... how do you think gauges and race dashes, etc. are installed? (unless you go ham tits out with a PDM).

[Blakeo]

7 hours ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

I've done it to all the cars I've installed it to... how do you think gauges and race dashes, etc. are installed? (unless you go ham tits out with a PDM).

Wouldn't it be better to run a seperate relay though?

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

You're over thinking it, considering there's such a low current draw in the scheme of things. But if you're committed then sure, why not.

 

[Blakeo]

On 9/12/2019 at 3:46 AM, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

You're over thinking it, considering there's such a low current draw in the scheme of things. But if you're committed then sure, why not.

 

Hi Dose, I started setting up the wiring today bought one of those fuse bus. I took power from the ignition as recommended, I used multi-meter to find the switchable power. Everything seemed to be fine, sensor came on and warmed up started to give ecu reading of lambda. Went for a 5 minute drive to datalog, and smoke started to come out of the ignition turned car off straight away. I used 16 AWG TXL wire which should handle 8amps of power.

I'm thinking maybe wire wasn't good enough and I should run 14 AWG but I'm not confident that's the cause. Fuse didn't blow either and it was a 5amp fuse. 

[Rusty Nuts]

On 9/9/2019 at 10:48 PM, GTSBoy said:

There should be a big fat feed wire to the fusebox. That's what provides power to all the relays and fuses

Maybe should have paid attention to this suggestion. WTF so many people think ignition switches are good power distributors has me F**ked. Its a bloody SWITCH not a power distribution point. But you just learned that the hard way eh eh.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it THINK.

Edited September 14, 2019 by Rusty Nuts

[Rusty Nuts]

2 hours ago, Blakeo said:

I took power from the ignition as recommended, I used multi-meter to find the switchable power.

Any power taken from the ignition switch should only be used to energize a relay this minimizes current draw on the switch.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

It's not a modern car, the ignition switch actually carries a fair amount of current through it.

[Rusty Nuts]

20 hours ago, Blakeo said:

and smoke started to come out of the ignition

Modern car or not, this result proves the point

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

More so he used thin wiring, that was the cause of the smoke, not the ignition barrel not being able to support the draw from a wideband o2.

[Blakeo]

19 hours ago, Rusty Nuts said:

Maybe should have paid attention to this suggestion. WTF so many people think ignition switches are good power distributors has me F**ked. Its a bloody SWITCH not a power distribution point. But you just learned that the hard way eh eh.

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it THINK.

Yes I do see the logic in doing this, it's just that I found my old boost controller was hooked up to the ignition and it was less work to wire it up like this. 

1 hour ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

More so he used thin wiring, that was the cause of the smoke, not the ignition barrel not being able to support the draw from a wideband o2.

I've stepped it up to 14 awg which is rated to 20amps on the package no issue yet. 

[Rusty Nuts]

On 9/11/2019 at 3:38 PM, GTSBoy said:

99% of Skyline owners would just hang the new relay on 15' of wire and let it drag behind the car.

This says it all, the easy way not the best way. Anyone heard of Best Practice. Anyone!!