LB7 Build / Electrical Questions

Alliance1289

Alliance1289

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Apr 26, 2011
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Hopefully this is being posted in the right section considering it pertains strictly electrical questions...

I am currently digging into a build pretty deep (truck listed in signature) and have decided that during this whole process I wanted to pay extra attention to the electrical system on the truck. For the most part, I am wanting to keep things simple, clean, and direct. Basically ANYTHING under the hood or in the cab that is not 100% necessary for a truck that will some occasional street miles and driven to an event 2-3 times a year (predominate use on the track / dyno) I want it gone. With the stuff that I have removed thus far, I have traced the wiring back to its origin, and removed the circuit entirely.

So far I have removed / relocated:

- Entire AC system (working on removing the wiring in the cab)
- Working on removing the heater
- Removed both batteries from under the hood (plan on one 1000 CCA battery mounted in the bed when finished)
- WIF sensor wiring
- Fuel heater / factory fuel filter head
- Relocated ECM / TCM to drivers side battery location
- Relocating FICM on top of the motor
- Windshield washer fluid tank and low fluid sensor
- Coolant overflow tank / Low coolant sensor (Firewall mounted PPE style coolant tank will be used)
- Intake Air heater / wiring

Here's where my questions start. I am thinking about not running glow plugs on this truck. I understand the adverse effects of doing this ie; making it somewhat a stubborn bitch to start with cooler ambient air temps are present. But I can deal with that if it means simplifying the under hood appearance. I have set the glow plug run times to 0 seconds with EFI Live and it still seems to start fine with air temps in Wyoming currently being around 30-40* in the later evening hours. Anything colder than that and it seems to get a little bit cranky when trying to start it. I would imagine that with the lower compression ratio I have chosen for the new motor would only amplify this problem. I have seen some of Ben's youtube videos of him starting his truck without glow plugs in some pretty ridiculous cold, so this makes me feel slightly better about removing them.

In the cab I plan on removing:

- Power / Heated leather seats
- Rear window heater
- Power / heated mirrors
- XM / Onstar wiring (antennas as well)
- Airbag system
- HVAC Controls
- Trailer brake controller / wiring

What else have you guys removed on your occasionally street driven race rigs? Im sure I'm missing a bunch of stuff, but more than anything I am looking for a discussion / plausible ideas to make this truck as clean and simple (yet still functional) as possible.

Edit: Forgot to mention ABS, has anyone removed the ABS system before with any amounts of success? And I DO PLAN ON KEEPING THE STEREO!

I also plan on a fuel cell in the truck as well, curious to see if I can still keep the fuel gauge somewhat functional.
 
leehype

leehype

Drunk with a Jeep problem
Aug 16, 2012
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The fuel gauge isn't a problem. All you need is a sender. Most fuel cell builders offer this as an option based on what your gauge needs to know. It will wire up and be on the money as long as the in dash gauge works.

I have removed one ABS system before due to it being cheaper to remove than to repair. This was on a much older car though, and I didn't de wire it, I just installed a bare manifold that I made out of alumi. I'm sure there will be more to your's.

As for the colder starts, are you still going to have the block warmer? And is starting fluid out of the question?

Sounds like a great build.
 
Alliance1289

Alliance1289

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Starting fluid isn't out of the question. Basically gonna be a weekend warrior and a friday night cruiser.
 
jraymer

jraymer

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Oct 31, 2008
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To be honest I don't see the point? Other than building some light weight drag truck. what would be the point of removing say the abs?
 
Alliance1289

Alliance1289

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I AM building a (somewhat) light weight drag truck. It will be caged, have a fuel cell, rather large twins, nitrous etc...
 
hondarider552

hondarider552

Getting faster
May 28, 2008
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If its gunna be a thursday night cruiser might wanna keep all that stuff in the truck. Need some Kesha to blair going down the main drag, so need the bose amp and a sub box or 2 for the bumpage
 
Alliance1289

Alliance1289

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Apr 26, 2011
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hondarider552 said:
If its gunna be a thursday night cruiser might wanna keep all that stuff in the truck. Need some Kesha to blair going down the main drag, so need the bose amp and a sub box or 2 for the bumpage
Click to expand...

I have the stereo stuff already figured out Brian. Im re-doing the whole system and just doing a single 10" in the back. Since the back seat will be gone I dont have to get super fancy with the sub box.

Did you get my text earlier this week? I have those bolts and stuff we talked about earlier this week ready to go.
 
jmaz268

jmaz268

Lead from the Front
May 20, 2010
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carpet/padding is a major one.

FYI there is 2 controller boxes for onstar.....one is on top of the driver area, other is on passenger side, both are equally hidden is a maz of plastic nightmare.
 
jmaz268

jmaz268

Lead from the Front
May 20, 2010
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thats the least of your concerns....I'll gladly give you my alldata password/username so you can see what it takes to remove some of those systems.
 
Alliance1289

Alliance1289

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Im not worried at all how hard it is to remove the onstar system. I've got all winter to finish it.

The whole dash is coming out anyways for a color change. The tan is going bye bye.
 
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