Wiring an EA81 on a hovercraft

[DJ_Kuehn]

Hey guys, I have two questions regarding wiring on a 1980 EA81. I build and race hovercraft, so this is by no means an OEM installation (in other words, I can't simply hook up a wiring harness and be done!). I know there are alot of very knowledgeable people on here, so hopefully someone can help me out.

 

1.

There are a total of 2 wires that go to the distributor. One obviously goes from the center of the coil to the center of the disty (high voltage to rotor). The other wire comes out of the bottom/side of the dist. It is a single, braided wire with a loose vinyl sleeve around it.

 

Now, if power goes from the voltage regulator to the positive side of the coil, it seems that maybe this wire should go to the negative side of the coil. However, this isn't really shown on the wiring diagram i have. To make things more confusing, this wire's construction makes it look like some kind of grounding strap, but I don't see why you would need a grounding wire to something that is physically connected to the block!

 

Since I'm a noob with auto wiring , can anyone tell me how this coil/distriubtor/voltage reg thing is supposed to work?

 

2. I will try to scan in the wiring diagram I'm working from tonight when I get home, but until then, I'll do my best to explain. The diagram is from the Chilton book for early 80's soobs (yes, I know it sucks). I think the root of this problem and possibly the first problem is that the wiring diagram is not correct.

 

Anyway, there is a wire on the voltage regulator that is labeled "starter". On my wiring diagram, there are two wires shown going to the starter; the main positive from the battery, and one going into the regulator. From the voltage regulator, two wires are shown going to the ignition switch. One is for the charge light, the other splits to both the positive side of the coil and the ignition switch. There is NO wire shown going from the ignition switch directly to the starter. My question is, how the the starter get a signal to crank? Am I just missing something, or is my diagram wrong?

 

 

Thanks in advance for the help guys. I'll upload a scan of the wiring diagram I'm using to clarify these questions. Don't have it with me now, so it will be this evening.

[DJ_Kuehn]

Here are the wiring diagrams I'm trying to use. Sorry the res is so low, I made them as high as the forum would allow.

[archemitis]

you might be overthinking it. the wire from the regulator goes to the main fuse box, then back around the long way to the battery. you can put the regulator wire(12+ charging power) right to the battery.

i have heard Garner on this board had trouble when he didnt wire in the charging light on the dash. so might want to do that.

 

the two wires off the coil. one goes to positive, one goes to negative. then the positive side gets 12+ from the battery. so on the coil, you only need the two wires from the disty. one 12+wire from the battery/fuse block, and one wire for the tach(you gotta have a big fat tach =]) goes on the negative side of the coil.

 

the starter. gets power straight off of the ignition switch. so any 12 volts put to the solenoid, will turn the starter over. that and the main 12+ wire going direcly to the positive on the starter. i have a push button and a toggle in one subaru, wroks well.

 

sounds like a fun project

 

 

should be as easy as wiring up a 70s v8

[DJ_Kuehn]

Thanks for the response, I've got it figured out now. I had it running all weekend and had a blast. There were several reasons I had so much trouble, one being the wiring diagram was wrong, and second, I have an external ignition module and everyone kept telling me it was built into the distributor. I guess 1980 is an oddball year where everything is external (volt reg and ign mod).

[archemitis]

i've seen three very inportant wires, in a subaru factory manual, labeled wrong. like completely wrong, so i dont use them if i can get by without one. even on the er27!