Underhood Lights, Take 3

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Jim Burger

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Garden City, MI
Fig. 1--I used my old faithful round license plate lights, a push button switch, 16 gauge wire, and an in line 15 amp fuse(not shown).

fig1.jpg


Fig. 2—there is already a hole in the cowl to fender corner for placement of the switch. I happened to have a door courtesy light switch out of I believe a Mazda RX7 which my son used to race. If you get one, make sure it has 2 wires and not simply a ground connection. You need a single pole, single throw, normally closed switch

fig2.jpg


Fig. 3—I placed my lights in the front corners of the hood where the inner panel comes down towards the radiator. Using a 1-1/4” hole saw very carefully drill a hole in each corner. The picture shows my center point approx. 1” down from the insulation and 1” over from where the radius starts for the portion which runs across the hood. I used this position because when the hood closes the inner hood panel comes very close to the radiator support. There is enough clearance in the corners. Again, be very careful. A good idea is to drill a ¼” pilot hole with a piece of tubing over the drill so you can’t go thru too far and hit the outer panel.

fig3.jpg


Fig. 4—I used as my power source the fuse panel located in the upper right corner facing the front of the truck. Take the cover off and you will notice several exposed tabs (arrow2), these are always hot and a standard female wire connector will fit over them. I used a 15 amp in line fuse to connect the power source to the switch (arrow 3). Using a file, I cut a groove in the side of the cover for the wire to exit (arrow 1). You can see the switch at arrow 4. Leave fuse out until finished.

fig4.jpg


Fig.5—this tool is a must have, cheap and useful for removing pushpins in door panels and in this case, the hood insulation. It can be purchased at any discount auto store. I used it to loosen the driver’s side of the insulation to aid running the wire between the inner and outer hood panels.

fig5.jpg


Fig.6--There is a hole mid way up the side of the hood under the insulation (arrow 5). Using this hole and a piece of stiff wire, you can run 1 end of the wire down and out the hole in the hinge bracket (arrow 6). Run the other end up and out the hole you drilled. It is easy from here to run a second wire across to the other hole.

fig6.jpg


Fig. 7—connect the lights using insulated connectors to the wires and join the 2 wires together at the first light connection. The prongs on the lights will have to be bent out because the hole saw will usually cut oversize. If the light rattles when it is in place, add a 1-1/8” rubber o-ring around the prongs. Put in fuse and enjoy.

fig7.jpg


Fig. 8—you can just barely see the lights in the two top inner corners behind the rubber flap. They don’t shine in your eyes and throw more than enough light for the whole engine compartment.

fig8.jpg


 
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