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Running wires thru firewall 2017 f150

DainBramage said:
I normally use the hot lead on the starter motor stud.
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That is the short track to a dead finals in your radio or a smoked amp! The inductive kick from the starter will exceed the voltage ratings of many components in the radio. The kick back will often be three time the supplied voltage and more in certain circumstances.
The alternator output post is a better location, Granted it needs to be filtered, but it is a lot easier than trying to fight inductive kickback from the starter and the solenoid.
 
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NEVER has been an issue on any rig I have operated

The alternator output post, the Positive battery terminal, and the starter lug are all directly tied together.
 
This is a really good question. I am not very up to date on modern Fords. Some car's and trucks have very few opening in the firewall today. On top of that some of them have such aggressive looms and rubber boots that the last thing you want to do is mess with the umbilical cord and or run power wires through the same loom feeding the ECM/PCM etc....

So sometimes you are better off adding a new hole where you choose. Obviously, you have to make sure nothing is in the area that will be damaged by drilling a whole and you have to think about ground clearance, water, salt, etc....Grommets are your friend as is really good weather resistant connections.

Extra abrasion protection is always good!
 
During my fun installs with Fords' they used "quiet steel" - kinda' like a rubberized undercoating that boils into a foam when heated. Stays, hardens, that way when it cools.

Not a bad way to go, but can be a bear when you're drilling.

Had one that wanted it bolted to the floor under the Passenger seat. Fine - but the problem was with the seat removal and the drilling under that mat/carpet - some cabs have "aluminum alloy" welding mating the body to the frame. Just be ready for those - can be worse than tin foil. Because you don't know what you'll "hit" in-between the cab and members holding it to the frame.

The jagged hole you can make from the "tear" the different types of metal make - can force you to re-brace with pig-stock sheet metal to hold it there bolted thru - but makes for a lousy ground.

Not all seat bolts are tied to frame - so you know - and so you will have to locate a viable ground to frame as needed. You're not guaranteed even a good ground to frame at the battery either - coming across Nissans and Toyotas that have ECM's mounted in the engine compartment now.

SWR issues with many of the newer trucks are not easy to fix - finding the stuff above does hinder your efforts.

Regards!
:+> Andy <+:
 
Tallman said:
That is the short track to a dead finals in your radio or a smoked amp! The inductive kick from the starter will exceed the voltage ratings of many components in the radio. The kick back will often be three time the supplied voltage and more in certain circumstances.
The alternator output post is a better location, Granted it needs to be filtered, but it is a lot easier than trying to fight inductive kickback from the starter and the solenoid.
Click to expand...
Yes most of them are 90-220 amp draw depending on the engine and application. That is why so many companies use gear reduction to lower the amps needed to turn the engine over and to use a cheaper smaller starter motor. It allows them to reduce the amount of copper in the wire etc.

Not only does a relay act to power up the starter but it also shunts power from most of the vechiles electronics to prevent damage. Unlike an aircraft wear you leave electronics off to you have at least one engine running to make sure you have enough juice to turn the engine over in a car it is done to save the electronics. The CPU has some really insane protection against surges and over current. Also most vechiles if the voltage drops bellow 9V it will not let the car start. Guess why? The ABS systems usually need 10V-11V to function minimum so to prevent the car from driving in an unsafe state even if it is enough to turn the engine over and run fuel pump and ignition it will not allow the car to start. Depending on the make of the car they either shut off the fuel supply or they shut off power to the ignition. Some will not even let the car crank.

In my youth I put a Corvette engine in a Toyota and it was high compression so I had duel batteries and an isolator. In 4X4 it would light all the tires up. I built a 700R4 up for it. Air Locker up front Torsen in the back! It had 4.10:1 gears front and rear so it would get up and go. In a short race light to light I could eat up big block Monte Carlo's, Camaros, and the like. In a long race it was very limited by the gearing. I built it for offroading though. It was a sleeper I had it well muffled. I put a 5.0V in one of my uncles Ford Ranger's and a Diesel in one uncles Chevy Luv.

I used to love working on car and doing crazy stuff now I just want them to keep running! LOL
 
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Onelasttime said:
Yes most of them are 90-220 amp draw depending on the engine and application. That is why so many companies use gear reduction to lower the amps needed to turn the engine over and to use a cheaper smaller starter motor. It allows them to reduce the amount of copper in the wire etc.

Not only does a relay act to power up the starter but it also shunts power from most of the vechiles electronics to prevent damage. Unlike an aircraft wear you leave electronics off to you have at least one engine running to make sure you have enough juice to turn the engine over in a car it is done to save the electronics. The CPU has some really insane protection against surges and over current. Also most vechiles if the voltage drops bellow 9V it will not let the car start. Guess why? The ABS systems usually need 10V-11V to function minimum so to prevent the car from driving in an unsafe state even if it is enough to turn the engine over and run fuel pump and ignition it will not allow the car to start. Depending on the make of the car they either shut off the fuel supply or they shut off power to the ignition. Some will not even let the car crank.

In my youth I put a Corvette engine in a Toyota and it was high compression so I had duel batteries and an isolator. In 4X4 it would light all the tires up. I built a 700R4 up for it. Air Locker up front Torsen in the back! It had 4.10:1 gears front and rear so it would get up and go. In a short race light to light I could eat up big block Monte Carlo's, Camaros, and the like. In a long race it was very limited by the gearing. I built it for offroading though. It was a sleeper I had it well muffled. I put a 5.0V in one of my uncles Ford Ranger's and a Diesel in one uncles Chevy Luv.

I used to love working on car and doing crazy stuff now I just want them to keep running! LOL
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I guess it was the aircraft circuits where I got paranoid about inductive kick. The 48 volt systems were pretty stout and lots of stray voltages and the like kicking around.
 
Gosh, I'd better go check the Prestolite Ignion system in mine - next to the Delco/Remy Alternator by the Ford Starter Solenoid...

No wonder the AMC Pacer never made it past the 70's
 
A lot of car's have 30amp fuse back when you had a cigerette lighter in that 12V power port. That said they are not wired for 30amps continuous service in spite of the fuse rating. The wire size was the weak link that said the cigarette lighter was only in use for seconds but your radio will be in use for a while under full load and rag chewing. So make sure your power port can handle the radio's load. Back when they had 2X2166's or 1969's it was a not an issue but I have no clue what they are like today. When you look at some of the power radio's can put out with various configurations today just always double check!
 
See Undertaker , I don't have that problem ... my wife won't let me put a radio in her new Lariat !:ROFLMAO: And Onelasttime too bad we don't have place for threads on here about what we did with cars/trucks , but it is a radio forum .;) I have been featured in National Dragster a few times and once worked for the " Snowman " Gene Snow on his Funny Car .:)73 and God Bless . Leo
 
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357magnum said:
See Undertaker , I don't have that problem ... my wife won't let me put a radio in her new Lariat !:ROFLMAO: And Onelasttime too bad we don't have place for threads on here about what we did with cars/trucks , but it is a radio forum .;) I have been featured in National Dragster a few times and once work for the " Snowman " Gene Snow on his Funny Car .:)73 and God Bless . Leo
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Man do I remember the "Snowman". I out of here ...(y)
 
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