S22 stock ballast wiring?

[blindside]

So I remember reading somewhere that the s22 is prewired for ballast pumps.  This week I was relocating the second battery that was in the starboard side v-drive storage and behind the back seat (behind and above the stock battery) was the factory stereo amplifier and a cluster of unused wires that I'm guessing is the stock ballast wires. 

Can anyone tell me if that is what they are before I break out the multimeter and start testing?  I'm getting ready to install the auto ballast system and if it saves me some wiring time than sweet.

[blindside]

Oh and one other thing.  When I went to open the rear hatch today, it was very tight and hard to open and even harder to close.  Anyone ever had this problem?  I checked the hinge, screws, and compared both sides and they are even but both sqeezing very tight to the sides.

[toyotafreak]

Not sure about the wiring, brent. I did grab wiring diagrams for S22 and they're on this website.

I'm kinda pissed about my hatch because it takes an advanced degree (which I now officially have) to open the hatch. I'm not sure I'd like the electric hatch, but I wish that pulling the handle was enough to pop it loose. Some sort of short-throw spring close to the latch would be cool to provide some motivation.

Mine's never been more than slightly snug to drop down and lock. If you've looked over everything for signs of stress, then there's just no telling if it's a problem or not unless you fly me out there :-)

[blindside]

The main hatch (engine cover) opens fine.  It's the small trunk lid that is very hard to open and close.

[toyotafreak]

Duh, my bad. Nope, no problems ever with the trunk lid. Love my trunk and all its junk. Just might rig up a nice cigarette lighter back there, too. Man, lots of stuff to do.

[festivus]

Just think, when you get a new boat you don't have to worry about that rear storage, BECAUSE NONE OF THEM HAVE IT.  I can't believe that handy little spot isn't better utilized by the new boats.  I can literally only fit 2-3 boards in the transom area of my Malibu.  Bru-tall

[toyotafreak]

Fest, you had me going there for a minute, I thought you we're going to say two to three KIDS in the transom storage...

[Rambling Wreck]

TF, he meant 2-3 Broads.

[festivus]

kids, broads, boards, it's all good.  Just nothing else out there with the storage of the Epic.  BS- did you get the problem fixed?

[blindside]

Nope.  I may end up having to remove the hatch, have the upholstry removed and remove 1/8- 1/4 inch off each side and put the padding/uphostly back on.  Only thing I could think would cause the issue is for the 1st time is I've had it out of the storage shed for more than 1 day (so I can ride daily   Would the heat (under the cover) be that bad?  I don't know.

[toyotafreak]

On a potentially-related note, the guys I bought mine from in Dallas said that the hatch had been replaced with the 'newer style' one. Does anybody know how to distinguish the old from new? Mine came off the line in March 2000, and it was replaced somewhere between then and June 2003. Not sure why, but I bet undesireable thermal expansion might be one reason to change hatch material. Just shooting blind here, but your thread recovered this missing fragment.

[blindside]

undesireable thermal expansion sounds like the issue I am having with the hatch.  It has become wider than it should be.

[festivus]

Has it been really hot?

[blindside]

It's been in the mid to upper 90's for the last week.

[Windy2]

Ok - like I've only owned my 01 SX a few weeks and know nothing - but you mentioned a bunch of wire tacked to the wall behind the battery.  Obviously I have the ballast in place - and I also have about 20 feet of wire in corrgated casing all scrunched up in a ball and quick-tied to the back of the wall under what I presumed was the MDC (?) computer thingy - which you've indicated is a factory amp in your case.  I was wondering the same thing - what could this wire be for?  Perhaps it is an amp and perhaps its the speaker wire for the tower speakers not installed on my SX?  Would the wire colours on my/someone else's balast pumps be useful to you - or did the harness change colours regularly?