01Z28M6

I bought the LS1 fuel pump hotwire kit (717LS1HOTWIRE) for my 01 Z28 a few months ago. I'm just now trying to hook it up. I can't locate the 4 pin weatherpack connector the instructions refer to. I can see the bulkhead connector that comes through the floor pan with wires going up to the top of the tank but no joy finding this connector that the kit taps into. Can anyone here help me on finding this thing? Thanks.

oange ss

iTrader: (50)

on top of the tank....

01Z28M6

Does this mean I have to drop the tank or cut an access hole? So much for the "very simple" installation in the instructions. Thanks for the reply.

1QUIKWS6

iTrader: (61)

YUP! Someone posted a thread here couple days ago asking the same question - and I answered with you either have to drop the tank, or cut the access panel.

You will need to plug the one end of the short wiring harness into the fuel bucket on top of the tank - the other end into the factory harness plug that originally was connected there. The long wiring harness then plugs into the short - also on top of the tank.

It is possible to fish the long wiring harness up behind the tank between the tank and car body with the tank installed - but you will need to use either a electrician's fish tape or coat hanger. The connector will be very close to not fitting between the tank and car at the top bend of the tank - but it will go - just be careful not to rip the connector off the wires.

I then mounted both the relay and ground wire behind the factory brake line bracket on the DS behind the tank. First make sure to grind all paint away from area of car behind bolt/bracket, clean off both sides of bracket and underneath head of bolt to get good contact.

You didn't actually think any mod on an f-body would be easy did you?

-Jay-

01Z28M6

Okay, I found the thread you are referring to. Just to verify - is this it?

https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...69#post6949769

Message #13

Apparently you have recently replaced your fuel pump at the same time so you know what I need to see. Which did you do - cut an access or drop the tank?

I'm more inclined right now to drop the tank as I have the car up in the air doing heads and cam - but which method do YOU recommend?

I'm still going to give FullThrottleSpeed a call. I see they have a help line.

FirstYrLS1Z

iTrader: (4)

I cut the access door and never looked back.I live in Ohio and on a Florida trip,my fuel pump died.Replaced the fuel pump(I carry a spare and tools) in about 20 minutes off I-75 near Tampa.Would not have been able to do that without having the access door.

01Z28M6

How far from the pump is the connector. In other words, how much lead wire is there from where the wires actually go into the tank to the 4 pin weatherpack? I'm looking at some pictures of the access cutout that I have stored but still do not see that connector; is it just beyond the edge of the cutout?

Looked at the hotwire instructions again. First sentence of the instructions "This is a very easy install". I'm tempted to buy another weatherpack, cut some wires and install it in a place that would make for a real easy install so I can get this thing done. Thanks.

1QUIKWS6

iTrader: (61)

Yes, that's one of the threads. And yes, I did replace my fuel pump at the same time. I dropped my tank first and had it cleaned as suggested when replacing pump. While the tank was out, I cut my access door so that in the future all I would have to do is go thru there instead of dropping the tank again.

Here are some pics of the access door with the tank/pump installed:











If you look in the pics, the white connector beside the black connector on top of the fuel bucket is the 4-pin connector in question. The wires with connectors on end are the factory wires that plug into these connectors. The short harness from the upgraded wiring harness needs to have one end plugged into the white connector on top of fuel bucket, the other end plugs into the factory wiring harness at the connector that would have plugged into the white connector - the short harness is simply a jumper - but it is important that it plugs into the white connector directly on top of the fuel bucket. The (4) wires in the factory connector are (2) for the fuel pump & (2) for the sending unit. The short harness bypasses the factory fuel pump wires and utilizes the new heavier fuel pump wires. The sending unit wires pass on thru unmolested. If you were to cut into your wiring harness back by the large bulkhead connector and put your own connectors on at that point - it would defeat the purpose of the new heavier pump wiring harness as you would still be using 3ft of your stock harness. It could be done - but a waste of time as you will not gain benefit of heavier harness - which is why you are installing in the first place.

If you look at the third pic you can see the slight gap between the plastic fuel tank and the car at the rear of the cutout. That is where you will need to fish the long harness with the big connector thru to bring it on top of the tank into the fuel bucket area - as it needs to then plug into the short harness. You have to cut the access hole back that far to be able to fish the harness up thru.

At the very least - you will have to cut the fuel access door to install the harness correctly and have it work as intended. I can tell you from experience that fishing the long harness up thru that gap behind the tank as I explained works - as I got anxious and re-installed my tank prior to doing the harness upgrade. Luckily I had the access door already cut. When the harness came in, I simply opened up the door, fished the long harness up the back, & attached the wiring as indicated.

01Z28M6

Thanks for the trouble of posting this reply. I wish I could see things better but I think i have the idea now. That plug is top and center of the tank. I called fullthrottlespeed and was told the connector is just over the edge of the tank and it is possible to access it if I only drop one side of the tank about one quarter inch. Obviously that information is wrong by what I think I see from your pictures. I won't be cutting an access hole but since the car is up and the panhard is already removed I will drop the axle and pull the exhaust apart to get at the plug. Thanks again for your help.

1QUIKWS6

iTrader: (61)

Glad to be of help. I can't see how dropping the tank only 1/4" (even from side closest rear of car) would allow you to access the connector on top of the fuel bucket???? Those connectors have a locking tab on them. You would either need to cut the access panel or drop the tank substantially more to be able to get to the connector to unplug it.

Sounds like you have a plan to 'git er done' though

01Z28M6

Please don't leave this thread yet. You're really helping me with this and I have another question. All I have to do now to drop the tank down is disconnect 4 more bolts. I have the shield off and the panhard stuff out of the way so the tank coming down shouldn't be that much more work. Here's the question:

It looks like from your pictures that the 4 pin plug is facing the rear of the car as it is viewed from the top of the tank. Reading again your reply just to make sure I'm oriented correctly. It looks like you took the pictures from the back and side with your decklid up. Is this correct and do you think I can get my hand on this plug by reaching up from the bottom BACK side of the tank once it is lowered 6 to 10 inches? Again, thanks for your help!

1QUIKWS6

iTrader: (61)

Yes, the 4-pin connector is facing the rear of the car in my pics. I'm pretty sure if you lowered the tank 6-10" that you would be able to get the wires up to that area from the rear edge of the tank. It will be a little difficult as you might not be able to SEE the connector - just feel it. But once you get it off the fuel bucket it will be easier to plug the one end of the short harness into the fuel bucket and the other end into the factory wiring. The factory wires that you see in my pic that connect to the fuel bucket don't have a lot of slack in them to pull much more towards the rear of the car though.

Keep me posted on how you're doing

01Z28M6

Thanks for the info, it has helped me to get going. It is turning out to be a whole lot more work than I had imagined. I have to drop the tank way down because the way the straps work is they are hinged from the back with a bolt up front. Since i need to get to the back I have to drop the front as far down as I can in order to get past the hatch well in the back of the car. The filler neck is secured up in the quarter panel. I either have to cut the clamp that extends from the hose going into the tank and replace it later or try to unbolt the bracket inside the qp. It's quite rusty so things could get worse before they get better. The worst part might be that I can not swing the front of tank past the axle housing which means it too needs to come down to allow the tank to come forward as well as down. Let me see if these pictures help to illustrate the situation:

After removing the panhard, heat shields and exhaust I am able to get to the strap bolts. These bolts only attach at the front of the tank. The other end of these straps are on a pivot.

pivot end - rear of tank

straps released, rotating and swinging tank down

I was then able to put my camera up and snapshot a look. My head couldn't make it.

I rolled the tank more until I could see the connectors, pull the pin and count to 3

I hooked up the harness temporarily. I know I need to come from the back of the tank.

Good thing the filler neck is soft hose

I guess tomorrow I'll start putting it back together.

I'm sure the "this is a very easy install" in the instructions applies to some situation but I am looking at a very dirty all day job just to plug one end of the new harness into the fuel pump. Having 10 gallons of fuel in the tank doesn't make things any better either. The rest of the install to the front of the car is a piece of cake but for certain this a 7.5 on a difficulty scale of 1 to 10.

1QUIKWS6

iTrader: (61)

Makes me even happier that I cut the access door when I did. Hope that filler neck hose makes it - looks pretty kinky

01Z28M6

Again, thank you for your help. You had the right information for me to know what to do next. I'm tempted to cut the hole but because this car will be driven less than 1k per year for the rest of my life I don't want to create a soft spot directly over the pump bucket. I have fear of a significant rear end collision that would fold the car enough that the hatch cannot keep a small geyser of fuel from entering the cabin. I know the prospect is rare but I can't help but consider it. With some luck I'll have the tank back up there tomorrow although I think I want to replace the one rusty strap.

69firemaro

This thread is awesome information. Can one of you identify the wires for me? I am installing into a 69 and am wiring everything up from scratch. I think the purple wire is to the gauge, but what are the rest? Do I have to hook up all the wires in both plugs or are there some that can be deleted? Thanks guys...

Stang's Bane

iTrader: (22)

The very easy portion refers to if you are already putting a pump in your tank. I just did mine today!!

Billiumss

iTrader: (11)

Just the thread I was looking for!