Coyote battery power routing

[rcotner]

I am wiring my car using the Ron Francis harness info in the manual and the Coyote wiring in the coyote addendum to the manual. Everything makes sense so far except I can't see from the instruction how to make sure the alternator output gets to the battery. If anyone out there who has installed Coyote and can help me out I would really appreciate it. Basically the alternator feeds the Ron Francis harness and therefor the dash and the front and rear harnesses. The battery connects directly to the solenoid on the starter and then jumpers back to the engine harness. I can't see where the two systems (Ron Francis and Ford supplied engine harness) intersect to connect the alternator to the battery. The instructions are very unclear on this. I could simply run a jumper between the battery and the connections on the Ron Francis harness but I hate to do something that is not in the book. Any ideas?

[britpit]

I have #369 (with a small block Ford) and things may have changed since over three years, but I doubt it for this. On my car the battery cable connects to the remote starter solenoid and the alternator connects back to that same post on the solenoid. I've not seen the Coyote addendum, perhaps it doesn't use a separate starter solenoid (that is, remote from the starter) but the alternator has to have a route directly to the battery and maybe it is there on the starter.

[bansheekev]

PM me your email address. I have schematics for the Ron Francis / Coyote Controls Pack / Alternator / Battery combination you are looking for... Will make it easy.

Kevin


I am wiring my car using the Ron Francis harness info in the manual and the Coyote wiring in the coyote addendum to the manual. Everything makes sense so far except I can't see from the instruction how to make sure the alternator output gets to the battery. If anyone out there who has installed Coyote and can help me out I would really appreciate it. Basically the alternator feeds the Ron Francis harness and therefor the dash and the front and rear harnesses. The battery connects directly to the solenoid on the starter and then jumpers back to the engine harness. I can't see where the two systems (Ron Francis and Ford supplied engine harness) intersect to connect the alternator to the battery. The instructions are very unclear on this. I could simply run a jumper between the battery and the connections on the Ron Francis harness but I hate to do something that is not in the book. Any ideas?

[Hot Rod Happe]

PM me your email address. I have schematics for the Ron Francis / Coyote Controls Pack / Alternator / Battery combination you are looking for... Will make it easy.

Kevin

Do you still have these schematics? Sorting through 4 different manuals is very confusing. Thanks.

[edwardb]

Old thread and may/may not get responses from previous posters. But to be honest, not sure about the confusion. The power connection to the alternator for the Coyote is no different than for any other engine. Follow the Ron Francis installation instructions and the fuse panel will be powered, and the battery, starter, and alternator will be correctly connected. The Coyote PDB (Power Distribution Box) also requires a battery connection to power the Coyote harness and system. So add that and you're good to go. But doesn't directly affect the alternator.

Having said that, one source of confusion IMO regarding the Ron Francis harness that I regularly point out. The Ron Francis schematic shows a "starter solenoid" and wires attached to it. I believe that's a firewall solenoid, which was a standard setup for a long time. But 99% of builds for a number of years have used a starter with an integral solenoid directly on the starter. So a firewall starter isn't required. Some assume the schematic is showing the solenoid on the starter, so try to drag the wires down to the starter area. Often they don't reach, and even if they do, it's a little clunky IMO. A simpler solution is use a large binding post or bus bar on the firewall, or a master disconnect. Gather the wires there. I personally prefer a master disconnect, so for the Coyote builds I've done (Roadster and Coupe) have wired them like this. Should be applicable to the '33 Hot Rod as well.

One side of master disconnect: (1) Main power cable from battery and (2) cable to the front post of the Coyote PDB through the supplied 250 amp megafuse. Nothing more.

Other side of master disconnect: (1) Power cable to the large post on the starter solenoid and (2) three wires from the RF harness: RED-BATTERY FEED, RED-ALTERNATOR FD, RED-IGN SW -> SOL. Nothing more.

Starter solenoid: (1) Power cable on the large post from the master disconnect mentioned previously and (2) starter wire from the Coyote harness on the small post. Nothing more.

This approach takes care of the alternator -> battery connection as first mentioned. Leaves the Coyote system (PDB) always powered per the Ford Performance instructions. Switches the Ron Francis harness on/off via the master disconnect.

Hope that makes sense and helps.