86 Fox wiring.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: OKC
86 Fox wiring. Hey guys I’ve got an 86 mustang that is starting to overwhelm me.
I’m in the process of getting my engine put in, but I was wanting to clean up the wiring under the hood first.
The issue is I have no idea what I’m doing or where to start. I’m essentially wanting to get rid of anything that doesn’t NEED to be there. I guess what I’m trying to ask is how do I identify the essentials like head lights, turn signals, etc…
Probably a dumb question but this is my first endeavor into the car building world.
I’ve searched for something like a wiring diagram but can’t seem to find what I’m looking for…literally any help would be greatly appreciated.
I’m in the process of getting my engine put in, but I was wanting to clean up the wiring under the hood first.
The issue is I have no idea what I’m doing or where to start. I’m essentially wanting to get rid of anything that doesn’t NEED to be there. I guess what I’m trying to ask is how do I identify the essentials like head lights, turn signals, etc…
Probably a dumb question but this is my first endeavor into the car building world.
I’ve searched for something like a wiring diagram but can’t seem to find what I’m looking for…literally any help would be greatly appreciated.
TECH Addict
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,513
Likes: 480
From: PDX-OR-USA
You will have to find a field service manual with diagrams,, to strip the harness.
Even with that you'll have to trace every wire and confirm. Wiring diagrams are
usually taken from original data and sometimes don't get updates..
Or
Buy a fox body Painless wiring harness if they are still available, they only have what you need.. nothing extra,, Disclaimer,, I have not done one of these in years.. LOL
I bought some mesh sleeve off Amazon that comes in 3/8 to 2" diameter, goes on easy and makes the wiring pretty.. and best of all its freeking CHEAP! search for "wire harness sleeve"
Even with that you'll have to trace every wire and confirm. Wiring diagrams are
usually taken from original data and sometimes don't get updates..
Or
Buy a fox body Painless wiring harness if they are still available, they only have what you need.. nothing extra,, Disclaimer,, I have not done one of these in years.. LOL
I bought some mesh sleeve off Amazon that comes in 3/8 to 2" diameter, goes on easy and makes the wiring pretty.. and best of all its freeking CHEAP! search for "wire harness sleeve"
TECH Resident
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 867
Likes: 218
From: Montgomery (Lake Conroe,) TX north of Houston
K9LTW, I just did a quick "1986 Mustang wiring diagram" search using DuckDuckGo and found tons of wiring diagrams.
I don't have experience with a 1986 but I've owned a 1991 GT since brand new and I've currently got a 1991 LS3 swapped coupe. It's still a work in progress but a lot of the hard work is done. If your 1986 is similar to my 1991 (I'm pretty sure it is similar) there will be two wiring harnesses in the engine compartment. One is the engine harness and the other is the "main" harness. The engine harness, of course, is for the OEM Ford engine. The only wires in that harness that I found that I'd need with my LS swap were an air conditioner wire or two. I removed the entire engine harness and pulled the needed wires out of it.
The main harness is going to include all of the stuff that you're going to want to keep. This harness enters the engine compartment from the driver's side of the firewall, underneath the power brake booster. Among other things included in the main harness are: headlights, alternator and ignition.
You haven't been back into this thread since you started it. Come back in and let us know if you still need the information.
I don't have experience with a 1986 but I've owned a 1991 GT since brand new and I've currently got a 1991 LS3 swapped coupe. It's still a work in progress but a lot of the hard work is done. If your 1986 is similar to my 1991 (I'm pretty sure it is similar) there will be two wiring harnesses in the engine compartment. One is the engine harness and the other is the "main" harness. The engine harness, of course, is for the OEM Ford engine. The only wires in that harness that I found that I'd need with my LS swap were an air conditioner wire or two. I removed the entire engine harness and pulled the needed wires out of it.
The main harness is going to include all of the stuff that you're going to want to keep. This harness enters the engine compartment from the driver's side of the firewall, underneath the power brake booster. Among other things included in the main harness are: headlights, alternator and ignition.
You haven't been back into this thread since you started it. Come back in and let us know if you still need the information.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: OKC
Danny that’s the kinda info I was hoping to find. I haven’t had a chance to get out there and mess with it much the last few days. The heat here is wild and I’m a sissy.
I’ll go out there after work and see if I can make sense of everything. I may be posting some pictures with silly questions about the wires I’m seeing.
Appreciate you taking the time to break that stuff down for me.
I’ll go out there after work and see if I can make sense of everything. I may be posting some pictures with silly questions about the wires I’m seeing.
Appreciate you taking the time to break that stuff down for me.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 75
Likes: 5
From: South Carolina
Here ya go. This website should have everything you need…
jsut cranked my 88 5.3 swap up last week. This website should have everything you need.
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/
jsut cranked my 88 5.3 swap up last week. This website should have everything you need.
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/
