My Commander is suppose to be here Monday and we are leaving Tuesday towing so I need to get the thing installed right, I already drilled the manifold. I guess I am just stupid as I have read the directions 6 or 7 times and I did a 2 hr search on here and read about the Commander install and I still get confused on the directions.

1. I have an XZT installed with a race box harness, does that mean I don't need the main harness that comes with the Commander? If so do I shortcut the install and not do some steps?
2. Pg 10 #4. What is the cable harness to plug the 2 wire plug into? Does the cable from the Commander plug into a harness and/or does a seperate harness stay under the dash? Directions show 2 in pic and only talks about harness #1.
3. Pg 11, can I assume the blue and orange wire are in the harness#1? How does the wire tap work, do you use pliers to crimp it on or what?
4. Pg. 12 #21. What is "the bolt"? Can I assume the black wire is the ground and you need to find any ground?
5. Pg. 12 #24. Does the fuse tap cradle the entire fuse and snaps back in the same place? Do I need to dremel out a place for the new wire to go into the fuse box?
6. Pg. 12 #27. Where is the 4 pin connector and what is the switch port?
7. Pillar mount. How do you get the wires from the pillar mount to under the dash, drill a hole or is there a place for it to run? I read someone said to use something to slide the pillar mount down over the existing pillar to keep from scratching it???

Thanks for the help, sorry for being stupid and maybe everything will make more sense when I see it layed out but by the time I get home from work and get started on the install tech support will be closed.

 

Ok I think your making it harder than you think... But I will help as much as possible..

#1... Don't know....

#2 there is two harness with seperate plugs.. One is the main harness for the commander and the other is the main harness for the fuel pressure system!! You can't goof them up because they are made to only plug into one another..
#3 The wires are really self explanitory once you lay themout.. The crimp.. Just pinch it on and then take a set of pliers and crimp them down until it snaps..

#4 "the bolt" ??? Not sure unless your looking for a grounding spot.. I used a bolt off of the parking brake foot lever to took it off and put the black wire(ground) on it and put the nut back on!!

#5 The fuse tap cradles the fuse and you will need to dremel out a hole or just use a knife like I did at the bottom of the fuse box!! On a side not the fuse is very hard to get back in so PUSH!!! and it will go..

#6 I don't have the instructions in front of me so I am not sure on that one???

and the pillar mount slides over the existing a-pillar.. Just run your wires behind quad a-pillar mount and over the stock one... You just push the bottom of the stock pillar mount over and it will give you enough room to push the wiring harness down through the dash without drilling!!!

Ok...... Hope that helped...

SHane

 

I just installed the system this morning ittook me just about2 hours to do it. the harnes that comes with the commander has a plug that connects to xzillarator. the old pod, or switch will be removed. everything is straight forward. I used my own splices as I did not like the ones provided. and as for the fuse box the fuse tang goes through a slot in the fuse splice thing. that is not very clear in the instructions. I then trimmed back the plastic conveluted jacket so the wire can exit the fuse box. I did not want to cut my fuse box covr yet.

Hope that helps!

 

Once you get the Commander in your hands it should be very clear to you.

1.) Yes you still need the Commander harness. It really has nothing to do with the Race harness at all. It is totally seperate. On the back of the Commander there is a grey cable coming out. At the bottom it has 3 plugs. One is for the main harness you get, one is for a "leadwire" to the thermocouple and one is for the fuel pressure kit.

2.) The 2 wire connector or plug is for the egt leadwire. It is the only thing that wil fit and in your hands should be obvious.

3.) Yes the colored wires are in the harness so you know what goes where.

6.) on the Race harness you have right now there is a 12 pin connector that you plug into your XZT module. You have seen this is if your XZT is working. COming out of the 12 pin plug is 4 wires that go into a square 4 pin connector. This is your switch port.

7.) First take the pillar mount and you will run te cable through the actual mount where the Commander goes so the cable is coming out the back of it. You need to pull the weatherstripping against the pillar down a little and then pop of the plastic cover on the side of the dash. You need the door open to pop the cover off. Then run the cable down the stock pillar and down into the opening you created when you popped the side cover off. Then you can run the cable under the dash. Pull the cable tight and set the pillar mount up against the stock pillar. You will see a slight hump on the left hand side of the pillar mount. This is where the cable is supposed to run when it goes down the pillar. PUt the bolt in the pillar mount and that part is done.

Once you have it, it should be simple. I think I can stick one in a mount and install that part in about 3 minutes now. If you take your time I would think 10-15 minutes max!

Don't make it tougher than it is. If you have problems call our tech support.

 

My biggest problem was getting all the wire through the rubber plug. You will be surprise how easy it is to connect everything ( really that is the easy part). If you want to save time by preparing ahead then pop the rubber plug in the firewall ( on the 2004.5 I pushed it out from under the dash) then work the plug with your hands by pushing your fingers through to understand what you are up against. I know you have one harness through for the XZT but now you need to push through about three more.

Maybe someone has some tips for going through the firewall.

The fuse connection: push the connection (opening)onto one leg of the fuse and work the connection up that leg and just plug the fuse back in.

Black wire with ring is a ground. I took two screws out to move the wires that go through the firewall ( so that I could get my hands in that area for running the new harness) I used one of those screws for the ground.

The T-tap is just a fancy plastic wire connector. I like it because you can just unplug it.

good luck

 

I am sure I am being **** about this but I will only have Monday night to install it and tech will be closed since they are in that funny time zone.

I think I am ready, I had to re-tap my manifold, I was having trouble getting my plug in past one turn and when I "looked" at the hole with my reading glasses on I could see there were no threads down in the hole!

I popped the side panel and now see how to get the wires under the dash, freaked when I saw 3 plugs on the tranny but came in and the pic shows the middle one, opened the fuse box and now understand that part.

So, mounting the Commander to the mount: says to remove 2 plastic something with a box knife then remove plastic and use velcro to mount Commander, whats that all about?

Last question maybe: were exactly does everyone run the wire to the tranny? Someone said to go over the top so do you go under on the driver side and over what do you attach it to so it doesn't lay on the hot tranny???? Thanks!

 

I ran mine under the tranny it just barely makes it I have read where other's go over the top??

 

Instead of running all the wiring harness though the plug, just run the Cable through it. Much easier and faster!