Gen 2 Coyote harness questions

[JohnK]

I finally finished spraying Lizard Skin, so it's time to shift gears and start digging into some wiring!

I pulled out the coyote harness the other day and laid it out on the kitchen floor to check it out. I spent some time going over the Ford control pack instruction sheet, the FFR coyote engine install instructions, and several forum threads on the subject. I also downloaded and studied Paul's (Edwardb) wiring details spreadsheet. I felt like I had a decent handle on things conceptually.

So today I decided to put the harness in the chassis to see how it looked at first pass. I was expecting to have to do some harness stripping/rewrapping on the cockpit side of the harness based on posts I've read, and I can now see why others have gone down that path. It's not horrible, but can be so much better if some things get moved around.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148373&d=1621828439

What I wasn't prepared for was just how bad the engine compartment side of the harness is. This is a late-Gen2 harness and there are some differences compared to other builders' Gen 2 harnesses (more on that in a moment). I'm not sure if the layout of the harness has also changed, but at first glance it looks to me like I'm going to have to strip this thing down almost entirely in order to get things where I want them. Is this typical?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148372&d=1621828439

A few small details that look different to me from what I've read in other builder's threads:

The MIL is now an actual light which is mounted on a bracket along with the ODB2 port. From what I understand the MIL used to just be a blunt lead that people had to wire to their own light. Is it safe to assume that I can just reroute these leads a different LED in the dash as my MIL?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148370&d=1621828439

The "16 way I/P pigtail connection" has now apparently been dieted down to five wires. At first I thought it was just the pigtail that was missing the other nine wires, but the harness end of the connector also only has five wires, so I take it there's no longer any way to take advantage of the "AUX" connections?

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148371&d=1621828439

I'm sure I'll have more questions as I dig in, but I guess I'm mostly curious at this point about how much harness re-wrapping other folks have had to do? I never got the impression from other build threads that this was significant, but after looking at the harness for a bit I can't see how I can get it even close to where I need it the way it's wrapped right now. Not the end of the world though.

[michael everson]

I haven't had to do any real movement of anything in the GEN 2 except maybe the O2 sensor wires. I mount the really block on the driver side fire wall as far left as possible to eat up som of the wiring. Then mount the computer on the passenger side where ever the engine harness will allow. No need to separate the MIL from the port. I just mount it on the 2 inch tube under the steering column. Its where everyone knows to look for it. I cut the big plug off the harness for the 5 wires. Either install a smaller one or just hard wire the 5 wires.
Mike

[edwardb]

X2 on everything Mike said. The PDB fits nicely on the firewall on the driver's side. The PCM on the bracket I see you already have installed. The harness layout for that portion isn't changed from early Gen 2's (or the Gen 3 for that matter). That leaves you with just one large harness leg across the bottom of the firewall and around the top of the PS footbox. Once the engine is in will pretty much disappear. Personally, I don't think it's worth the hassle to take the harness apart to do something different. But that's just an opinion. Yes, you can remove the MIL from that plastic piece and mount wherever if you want. Either using the supplied LED or one that matches other LED's if you have them. Just be prepared. It "glows" all the time but turns on bright when signaled. Like others, I've played with different LED's, resistors, etc. and haven't been able to change how it works. Barely visible in daylight but shows more clearly at night. The ODB2 port, once removed, can be mounted wherever. Gen 3's have even fewer wires in the pigtail connector. Seems a little silly. I've not used the connector for either.

Nice job on the Lizard Skin. You found out it's a kind of big job and messy. But worth the effort.

[JohnK]

Thank you both. That's encouraging. At first glance I couldn't see how to get what I have to look like what you both describe, and what Paul shows here (https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?18591-EdwardBs-Mk4-8674-20th-Anniversary-Build&p=231149&viewfull=1#post231149). I'll go back out to the garage and stare at it some more once I have some coffee in me. :-)

[JohnK]

OK, after a little more coffee and a little more staring and a little manipulating I was able to mount the PDB as you guys suggest, and as shown in other build threads:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=148467&d=1621948516

Couple more things I'd like to confirm:

1) the single black wire hanging down is the battery ground (needs to be run forward to the grounding point that the battery negative will be attached to).

2) the wire coming out of the harness just past the split and currently attached to the front post of the PDB (this is how it came from Ford) is the second power wire. Paul, I believe on your harness this wire originally had a connector on it? OK to move this down to the output side of the 250A fuse that I'll mount right under the PDB?

3) (Not really a coyote question)- the piece of blue masking tape in the right side of the photo is where I plan to drill the hole for the rear harness to enter the driver footbox. That harness already fills a 3/4" split loom because I've added some circuits to the rear harness. I need to upsize that split loom but I want to confirm what else besides the rear harness needs to pass through that hole. I think I need to add: 1) 8 ga. power feed from the 250A fuse to the RF harness, 2) AN-4 hose for Tilton hydraulic TOB. Anything else I'm missing that would typically get routed through that hole? I'm thinking a 1" split loom should be able to handle these added items, but I want to make sure I drill that hole to the correct size and don't have to come back later to enlarge it or drill a second hole because I missed something.

Thanks!

[edwardb]

1. In theory could go to a good clean and tight location on the chassis assuming you have a good ground at the battery. Many do it that way and it's fine. I did choose to run both of mine all the way to the battery ground connection. Just to be extra careful. Certainly doesn't hurt anything.

2. No, leave that connector there. The 250A fuse should have your battery input +12V on one side and then the other side a short run to the PDB. Then tighten with both in place.

3. Looks OK. Whatever works. No one way to do these things.

Hope that helps!