Yes. American Autowire provides instructions for kits in our modified restoration and street rod divisions: Classic Update, Highway, Builder, and Power Plus Series. These instructions and schematics will be included in the box with your kit. Should you lose your copy, or need an extra, instructions are available online. You can view, download, and print instructions any time, from your computer or mobile device! Click here to find instructions for your kit.
American Autowire does not provide instructions for Factory Fit® OEM wiring online or in print because Factory Fit® products are a direct replacement to a vehicle’s original wiring. As you remove the old wiring, you can literally plug the corresponding section of the Factory Fit® harness in behind it. However, if you would like a guide to help install your OEM wiring, you can purchase an original factory assembly manual from our webstore here.
Tags: builder, classic, diagram, directions, factory, fit, highway, instructions, kit, OEM, plus, power, update
The instruction sheets that are included with all of our wiring kits* (Classic Update, Highway, Builder, and Power Plus Series) are now online! You can view, download, and print instructions any time, from your computer or mobile device!
Click here to find instructions for your kit.
*American Autowire only provides instructions for kits in our modified restoration and street rod divisions. Instructions for Factory Fit® OEM wiring are not provided online or in print because Factory Fit® products are a direct replacement to a vehicle’s original wiring. As you remove the old wiring, you can literally plug the corresponding section of the Factory Fit harness in behind it. However, if you would like a guide to help install your OEM wiring, you can purchase an original factory assembly manual from our webstore here.
Tags: builder, classic, diagram, directions, highway, instruction, instructions, kit, kits, plus, power, schematic, update
HEI stands for “High Energy Ignition” or, Electronic Ignition. It can replace “points type” ignitions.
This covers a broad range of automotive manufactures and companies that make this type of distributor system. When American Autowire refers to HEI, we are referring to GM 1974 – 1980 Large Distributor Cap design*. This design has the ignition coil mounted internally on the top of the distributor cap, below the spark plug wires. This design is also commonly supplied by most of the more popular aftermarket performance ignition companies. AAW supplies the power connector to plug directly in this style cap. Other electronic distributor versions can be used by replacing the supplied power connector with the appropriate terminal and connector.
* Customers with an ECU, Small cap computerized distributor, or MSD system can still use the harness, but will have to splice our pink lead into their system.
It is important to understand that the Classic Update kits are NOT intended as an alternative to factory OE replacement harnesses. The intention of these kits is for them to be installed in a modified application or vehicle. The Classic Update kits are marketed as complete kits, yes.
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Tags: a/c, air, classic, complete, conditioning, kit, OEM, update
Even a 4-headlight system that is utilizing standard type halogen lamps should be OK with any of our kits providing that you have utilized our dimmer and lamp switches. The current draw on a standard set of 4 halogen bulbs is about 13 amps. With our dual power feeds to the headlight switch, the main circuit breaker is only carrying the load of the headlights themselves, and that breaker and circuit will carry 13 or 14 amps with no problem whatsoever. If you are talking about some other type of hi output lamps, simply calculate the amperage output. If the total current draw is more than about 15-18 amps, an enhancement system may be in order.
Tags: classic, halogen, head, headlight, kit, light, update
Electron: The basic unit of electricity. Think of electrons as “bullets”, moving through the wire. It is the movement of electrons which runs the devices.
Voltage: This is the force (or pressure) of electricity in the wire. Imagine your garden hose as the wire; the water pressure would be equivalent to the voltage. Older cars run on six volt systems and newer (most 1955 and later) utilize twelve volt systems.
Current: This is the movement of electrons in the wire, also known as Amps. The greater the movement through the wire, the greater the number of amps. Think of this as the speed of the water coming out of the garden hose. When you tighten the nozzle the water shoots out further and faster.
Resistance: This is a restriction to the movement of electrons through the wire or circuit. The unit of resistance is called the OHM and you can think of it as a kink in that garden hose. The higher the resistance, the more current must flow to overcome it. The more current flow through an area of high resistance, the hotter the wire will become, ultimately failing. Corrosion, loose terminals and too-small diameter wires are three very common causes of resistance.
Tags: current, electron, resistance, volt, voltage
As you don’t mention which kit you have, I will address this situation in broad based form. There are actually 2 different ways of making this connection depending on what you are trying to accomplish. Both are very easy to complete. Generally speaking, there are two connections on a push button ignition switch, “power in” and “power out”, and it doesn’t usually matter which is which. On any of our kits at the ignition switch connection, you will find the following wires: Red; Pink; Brown; and Purple.
The first connection possibility involves the push button starter only working when the ignition is turned to the “On” position. To accomplish this, splice or double a 12-gauge jumper wire off of the pink wire at the ignition switch connection and take that jumper wire over to one side of the push button switch. Next, take the red, brown, and pink wires and connect them to our supplied ignition switch just as the instructions dictate. Lastly, take the purple wire and connect it to the opposite side of the push button switch where you connected the pink wire earlier. The push button will remain “dead” until the ignition switch is activated to the “On” position. Once the ignition switch is turned on, there will be power at the push button. When the button is depressed, that power will transfer down the purple wire to the starter solenoid activating the starter and allowing the engine to start.
The second way to make the connection involves the push button starter being hot and able to be activated anytime the battery is connected. To accomplish this, splice or double a 12-gauge jumper wire off of the red wire at the ignition switch connection and take that jumper wire over to one side of the push button switch. Next, take the red, brown, and pink wires and connect them to our supplied ignition switch just as the instructions dictate. Lastly, take the purple wire and connect it to the opposite side of the push button switch where you connected the pink wire earlier. The push button will remain “hot” all of the time, and the push button will be able to be activated and crank the engine all the time. However, that car will not start until the ignition switch is activated to the “On” position. Once the ignition switch is turned on, there will be power at the coil and the car will fire upon the button being depressed.
Either way is acceptable. If you have a racecar or one that needs to have the valves adjusted quite frequently, the second scenario would be advantageous to you as the engine could be rotated without fear of it starting.
Tags: button, ignition, push, splice, starter, switch
Actually, you’re in luck. If you look at the engine connection instructions on any of our AAW kits, we actually address an “optional” points type connection in that section of the instructions. All that is required additional on your end is to purchase a ballast resistor, as we do not include that in our kits. The pink “12v Ign” wire that is the primary ignition feed gets wired to the “12v In” side of the resistor instead of being connected directly to the HEI. Next, take the cut off portion of that wire and connect one end of it to the “12v Out” side of the resistor and the other end to the positive side of the coil. Ring terminals are also provided in our kits to complete this connection. You will also need to make one other connection from the “12v Out” side of the resistor (or the positive side of the coil, either is OK) down to the “R” terminal on the starter to supply your ignition system with the 12 volts needed to start the car in the crank position. If you are running a later type starter that does not have an “R” terminal, you will need to contact our Sales group to purchase a special wire and diode assembly (P/N 500997) to complete
Tags: classic, distributor, HEI, ignition, points, update
The most likely cause is a back feed from the alternator or electronic ignition,. This can be diagnosed by disconnecting the alternator while the run on occurs. If the engine shuts off, the installation of a diode is required in line with the exciter wire on the alternator.
Tags: alternator, engine, off, on
This is a frequently submitted question with a very simple solution. We have found that some of our switches need a slight pressure applied to the middle of the switch to get the headlight shaft to seat. If you can hold the switch with the metal side down, support the ends of the switch and giving the whole assembly a slight upward pressure in the middle the shaft should slide right in.
Tags: headlight, switch