what cable to use

[ex-ctr]

hi all, im new to this and would like to know what cable is best to use with which sensor, like tps, airtemp, cas and so on, would be nice if i could get a part number as well [maplins]

[dnb]

TPS, air temperature etc (basically all the ones that are desguised resistors) can have "normal" unshielded wires.

I used the Thinwall 32/0.20mm stuff from www.vehiclewiringproducts.co.uk.  It's available in nearly every colour under the sun, and I'd encourage you to draw up a colour chart to make debugging the wiring easier in the future...  (Maplin do not sell cable like this)  It's OK to use this for injectors stuff too. 

For the triggers, knock sensor (and possibly a couple of wires in the wideband O2), you should use good quality shielded cable.  I used "shielded microphone cable" from Maplins, but I forget the part no...   

[rob@vems.co.uk]

Sensors are all pretty low voltage and current so you can use thin stuff 0.5mm dia or there abouts.
The higher voltages and currents are on the injectors and coils for these I use 1.0mm dia stuff.
For the earth wires I'd recommend 1.0mm dia wire to the common earth point, then the UserGuide suggests that a cable with an area of 6mm is used, which is about 2mm dia.  For the common earth I'd say the thicker the better TBH.

As a rule I pretty much follow what the stock wiring loom has.

Have you looked at RS online?  They do spools of wire which might end up cheaper than Maplins.

Also its worth looking at ebay, I found this a while ago:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BULK-WORTH-PVC-1-0mm-VEHICLE-WIRE-FLRY-AUTOELECTRICS_W0QQitemZ130073233152QQihZ003QQcategoryZ30928QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item130073233152

[dnb]

I have to confess to using bling 8AWG and 4AWG OFC cable for my earth wires

[rob@vems.co.uk]

For your CAS sensor you are going to want a 4 core sheilded wire, something like this:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=137&doy=26m1&C=SEO&U=strat15

Rob

[ex-ctr]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BLACK-Automotive-Thinwall-Cable-1sq-mm-32-0-20-16-5a_W0QQitemZ280074775520QQihZ018QQcategoryZ100921QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

link to an ebay suplier in 10 mtr lenghts, i was thinking of ordering 10 colours

[rob@vems.co.uk]

That looks like it might be a damn good find!

I usually use:
black for earth.
red for+12V feed.
brown for sensor ground.
blue for sensor signals.
yellow for +5V sensor feed.
Wire for odd injectors and coils.
Grey for even injectors and coils.

To indicate the coil and injector numbers I use a thin bits of heat shrink.

[BenR]

Its Frustrating that all the different colour combinations required for a job end up costing a fortune.

Not cheap stuff wire......

[damo_S13]

For your CAS sensor you are going to want a 4 core sheilded wire, something like this:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=137&doy=26m1&C=SEO&U=strat15

Rob

for this i have just taken out the stock cable from the nissan loom will it be ok?

thanks
damo

[rob@vems.co.uk]

I could think of nothing better to use TBH. Well apart from bling oxygen free super sheilded stuff.

[ex-ctr]

what amp cable should i use for the bosch coilpack

[rob@vems.co.uk]

The Bosch datasheet states that @14V you will draw
5A@2.3ms 6A@2.8ms 8A@3.9ms (ms dwell times)

With the Toyotas I use a dwell time of 2.5ms.  A highly boosted engine may well need a bigger spark, so I'd probably use a 15A rated wire to feed the coil pack's positive supply (pins 3&4) and 7.5A rated wire to for the coil '-' pins.
I think that would give you enough head room for a good spark.
Its not a constant current draw until very high RPM so you have quite good head room.