wire sizes/gauge
 

Looking for wire diagram for '46 V8 that shows wire size, gauge size for engine compartment. Am building an engine stand for running the engine following rebuild so I need size of all wiring. Other then sizing the wire as is in the car now is there a wire diagram anywhere that shows gauge sizes ?

Re: wire sizes/gauge
 

These may help.

Re: wire sizes/gauge
 

Most folks spend more time than they need to on engine test stands. We use test stands in aviation all the time but we have either a test club (like a propeller but mostly just a load device and for cooling) or a water brake system where we can vary the load on the engine. If you don't pull a load with the engine, it won't break in the rings properly. It's OK to check for leaks and do an initial bedding in of bearings but it doesn't take more than 10 to 15 minutes to do a run for that. All you would need is a starter, ignition, and two or three direct reading gauges for coolant temp & oil pressure. It wouldn't run long enough to drain a good fully charged battery.

Knowing that it will hold its mud will be enough info to go ahead with installation into the vehicle for further break in testing.

Re: wire sizes/gauge
 

You can use AWG 14 for everything, except the charging wire from the gen/alternator, make that one AWG 12 or 10. The starter cable should be AWG 4 (good for about 150 amps) minimum as should the ground, bigger is better.

Re: wire sizes/gauge
 

I have no regrets about changing the starter & alternator wires to 2/0 which solved a LOT of wiring, starting and charging problems. Maybe overkill but the 6 v was kind of temperamental.

Re: wire sizes/gauge
 

I agree. The wiring diagrams have to consider the distance the wire travels. On an engine stand, distance is not an issue.

Re: wire sizes/gauge
 

Bigger is better for starters. 2/0 is good and not too hard to get proper connectors.

Incidentally, maintaining low resistance connections for high currents is important. In building electric vehicles, I used a compound called Noalox which is a zinc filled grease that excludes air and reduces corrosion, on all the battery terminals. Noalox is intended for alminum wiring connections, but I found it seemed to help keep battery terminals in good condition.

I don't have any data on this other than personal observations from making hundreds of high current connections.