Wire Routing fro Trunk to Engine

[HarryD]

A while back I noticed that my rear license plate lights were out.

I pulled the lamp holders to find that one bulb was missing and one was ok. I checked the fuse panel and found an intact fuse. I checked to see if there was power at the fuse (there was) but none at the connector in the engine compartment. Figuring I had a bad connector, I scraped a bit of insulation from the wire and found no voltage there either, so I figure I have a bad wire I need to replace.

At quick look, it looks like the best approach will be to run a new wire. Has any one ever done this? What is a good routing for a wire from the fuse block in the trunk to the engine compartment?

TIA

[HarryD]

Has anyone done this?

[Randy Webb]

Why not just follow the stock wire runs? Or use the smugglers boot route.

[HarryD]

Originally posted by Randy Webb
Why not just follow the stock wire runs? Or use the smugglers boot route.

The run for the stock wire harness seems to wind it's way around the car. First thru the left fender, then across the dash, it then dives into some type of tunnel to reappear in the right rear of the engine compartment and across the back to the left side and to the CD unit. Without tearing apart most of my car, I am not sure I can find places to pull the wire.

[HarryD]

I can't be the only guy who has ever looked at this job!

[kepperly]

WHEN I FIRST GOT MY 87 CAB SLANT NOSE THE OIL COOLER WAS LOCATED BEHIND THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL, ALONG WITH THE COOLING FAN. I HAD TO RUN A NEW LEAD TO THE FAN FROM THE RELAY . I JUST CUT ALL THE WIRES TO THE CORRECT LENGHT THEN FISHED THE ONTO THE LEFT FOOT WELL BEHIND THE CARPET AND ALONG THE SEAT TO THE LEFTREAR SEATSIDE
AND THEN INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LATER I REMOVED IT ALL WHEN I LOCATED THE NEW MOCAL INTO MY RIGHT REAR
BRAKE DUCT.

KEITH EPPERLY

[cowtown]

I ran new wire from the front fuse area to the rear-mounted fuel pump, O2 sensor, and Crane ignition box in the engine bay on my '75 Turbo project.

I went from the fuse panel, through a hole in the main bulkhead into the passenger compartment down by the pedals/under the dash. Then into the center tunnel, through the tunnel, into the engine bay. Then up against the bulkhead to the slot behind the rear shocks, and then to the CD area. Be sure to use grommets on any holes you drill, and appropriate heat shielding around the engine/exhaust.

Hope this helps.
Colin

[targa80]

Since I don't have a 73 911 T I might be making a statement that could be wrong. I looked at the schematic for a 1973 T with CIS in the workshop manual. It is not an easy schematic to follow but this is what I see.

The two license plate lights get there 12 volts from the same source as the tail lights (parking lights) The license plate wiring # 56 goes to a connector/splice and branches off to #54 (tail lights) #55 (? could not find connection in drawing) #56 (light switch) #57 (? did not see this connection in drawing either).

I believe in the rear engine compartment you will have a connector /splice that branches off to these items from the headlight switch. The license plate lights would come on when parking lights or driving lights are selected. Fuse 7 in the fuse block is for the license plate lights. If you remove the fuse do you still get parking lights?

[Hugh R]

Don't know about your car, but on my 84, I had the same problem and I finally traced it to what appears to be a bad connection between the light switch and the electrical plug on the inside of the firewall under the front hood. I eventually ran a short wire from the lug on the headlight switch to the license plate light fuse and it worked. I suppose you could also run a wire from one of your rear parking lights to the license plate light. having said that, I don't know about your car. Good luck.

[HarryD]

Thanks all for some good ideas.

In my car, the license plate lights are on their own fuse. Power comes thru the switch to the fuse (#7 in the lower box) and then thru the body to the two lamp holders which are grounded. My voltmeter shows power the fuse that comes and goes as I pull the switch so I am confident that the connection to the fuse is ok. (Hugh, still a great place to check. Thanks for the suggestion).

Pat-I was thinking of splicing the license plate lamps onto the tail light circuit but I am concerned that this would put too great of a load on that circuit since, for some reason, the Porsche engineer decided to run a separate circuit. I wonder if anyone has any insight into why they did that, was it an after thought for us 'mericans or some load related thing..

Colin-You pretty much outlined th plan I thinking about. Did you need to cut many holes? I was thinking of using the high temperature/teflon wire to avoid heat issues.