Don't get me wrong everything has it's place. Soldering can make seamless connections between wires, though as has already been mentioned they can become sources of failure. The best application of connective products is their appropriate location. For permanent connections with minimal movement a good solder joint is hard to beat. For locations where movement is expected crimps will be the best bet. Additionally one need be keenly aware that there are different types of solder and they're engineered for specific applications with different flexibility, heat, and electrical conductance.

This is from my Haltech E6X harness. I bought it brand new.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m...f/DSC_0637.jpg

Wait, the harness was brand new? As in you didn't make that mess, a "professional" did?

That's correct.

And people wonder why Halteck harnessi suck and many have reported trigger issues, weak injectors etc etc etc. That's embarassing

That looks like BDC Helltech instal :117:

Believe it or not, his wiring is actually worse than that.

I don't believe my Haltech harness is like that; but then again I'm using a PS1k ecu and harness.

That is pretty embarassing. I use crappy equipment and haven't been taught how to do this stuff and my work is 100x better than that...

I just read through this thread because I'm trying to remove all the connectors from my harness I don't need (emissions mostly) and clean it up a bit and extend or shorten wires. I'm looking at getting the MSD crimper now that was talked about earlier, but what connectors would be good for the stock wiring and what do people here use for heat shrink and do you all cover your wires with expandable mesh sleeving or something else? I want to do it right the first time, If I have to spend the extra money that's fine, I just want to make sure I do it right. Still not exactly sure what I'm looking for.

I also read somewhere about people de-pinning the wires actually from the harness connector to ECU. Has anyone done this?

Yup, I've done it. You'd be surprised at how many wires aren't needed when you run a standalone.

As for the connectors, I've never had a need to source the stock pins, so I can't help you there. I buy all my connectors through Terminal Supply Co or Waytek, depending on the size of the order. Larger orders are cheaper through Waytek. Their min is based on quantity, not dollar amounts.

I use Raychem DR-25 for any engine bay wire covering. Inside the cabin I'll use the expandable sleeving stuff.

I use polyolefin heatshrink in the cabin, and the adhesive lined stuff in the bay

Here's what I've learned:

Crimping is superior, but who says you can't do both? For my off-road car I crimped every end connector and spot-soldered the ends. For butt splices, I typically don't solder.

I buy my connectors from these guys:
http://www.pelec.com/

I use standard PC-type M/F connectors (You can get them as high as 20pin). They're cheap; you can buy new pins for the connector in almost any size for pennies.

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/power/sup...c_drivewye.jpg

Note: Get the LOCKING kind

I use the crimp tool they sell for $15. I strip the ends off the wire, crimp the pin on, spot solder the pin to the wire, slide the pin into the connector and use a syringe to fill the cavity with black silicone. When adequately prepared I can do a wire a minute.

The great thing about these is once you've connected them you can zip-tie them together. I assembled a complete harness for my rail with these that comes apart in three pieces, so the motor comes off with no wiring headaches. The car has been through hell and high-water and it has not failed yet!

TTT thanks a lot for all the help! That'll make things easier for me to know what to look for. How did you de-pin the wiring? I've been trying to search how to do it but I can't seem to find any good information.

Would these butt connectors be good ones to use for the wiring?
http://order.waytekwire.com/productd...T%20CONNECTOR/

Ducktape thanks for the site for the connectors I'll have to check it out!

De-pinning the connector is different for each type of pin. Just need to look at it and figure it out.

I use the uninsulated buttsplice connectors, not the ones with plastic, I hate those.

As opposed to the compouter connectors, why not use a metri-pack, weather pack, deutsch connector? They're designed from the grnd up to be used in an engine bay and they're weather resistant. I use them for bilge pumps where they sit submerged in salt water sometimes and they last just fine. Personally I would rather use a metri pack slathered in dielectric grease than a computer connector with some rtv.... but I've never used them so I can't comment on their durability

De-pinning the connector is different for each type of pin. Just need to look at it and figure it out.

I use the uninsulated buttsplice connectors, not the ones with plastic, I hate those.

As opposed to the compouter connectors, why not use a metri-pack, weather pack, deutsch connector? They're designed from the grnd up to be used in an engine bay and they're weather resistant. I use them for bilge pumps where they sit submerged in salt water sometimes and they last just fine. Personally I would rather use a metri pack slathered in dielectric grease than a computer connector with some rtv.... but I've never used them so I can't comment on their durability

The weather pack connectors are great. I highly recommend for heavy-duty stuff, but on a street car they're overkill for most jobs. They also seem a little pricey when you're doing a complete harness, and I could never seem to find a large enough weather pack block to do a single-disconnect for a 15+ wire harness. On the plus-side, you can buy a weather pack kit with a bunch of terms and pins at nearly any auto parts store.

They make universal de-pinning tools BTW. They look sorta like gaper gauses with tubes sticking out.

/Cheap trick: Coffee-stirs work pretty decent as de-pinning tools on some connectors.

B and I both know that if you want weather resistance you need some Mil Spec 38999-C III plugs with electro-less nickel plating and RFI grounding with self locking plug.

When everything else could fail; these types of plugs will keep on trucking though the most hazardous environment imaginable.


:squint::suspect::squint:

Yup yup.... I love them damn things. My FD is going to be riddled with them.... all those silly harnessi routing around the engine bay and under the fenders and shit

I dunno.... OEM's use weatherpack and Metri-pack all over the bay and they're designed to last.

For large pin numbers, weather pack really isn't the way to go, they're too bulky and rated for 20+ amps per pin. Very rarely is there a need for something that heavy. Metri-packs are smaller in size, and smaller in amps... 14A I think. Then there is the Deutch connectors.... for large pin numbers, those are the shit, generally half the size of the weather packs.

I used some OEM style plugs on my Rx8 ignition coil wiring upgrade and http://www.easternbeaver.com/ was the only place I found the mating plugs he has lots of other types and was east to deal with I had my connectors in less than a week shipped from Japan.

THAT is a DAMN GOOD resource to know about!

I'm at work so I'm not clicking on that link ;)

Surprisingly it's actually a safe link. However, it's a terrible name for a company.

or is it?

We sub contract out to a REALLY heavy, really unkempt guy who calls his company
Fiberglass
And
Repair
Technology

So back on topic: When wiring in multiple coil/igniter's for the ignition system what is the standard practice to wire in the ECU 12V lead?

Should one use a Junction or power distribution block to split the lead into 4 or more other coils, or should one use multiple op-amp's and solder them in?

How is an old, fat, unshaven, irregular showerer who calls his company FART not on topic? :lol:

Here's what I do.... I use the B/Y wire from the main fuse block, EGI fuse I BELIEVE as the turn on for the relay thaty powers the ECU.... It's also used as the turn on for the radio, the GPS, Sirius etc etc etc etc... Which ever ciruit you use, it needs to be hot when cranking. Wire the relay directly to the bat through a breaker/fuse.

For the ignition system, injectors, fuel pump etc, I use the Fuel Pump Relay option in the Motec. It's adjustable for time on, delay, whatever. This output triggers the relays that turn on power for the injectors, ignition, solenoids, etc. Each has their own fuse and relay.

lol, you didn't answer the question though. I have 4 coils but only 1 12V wire. Should I use op-amp circuits to ensure each of the 4 wires coming from the op-amp have the same current and voltage to the coils, or should I just use a junction box which ensures equal voltage but current is different? (It's on topic because Op-Amp I would solder in the wires, junction is a 'crimp')

Stepdown buttconnectors... one 12ish gaughe wire goes in, 4 18 ga wires come out. Crimp and you're done homer.

If crimping is acceptable then, I might purchase a weather pack plug. Wire in the ECU lead to the plug and wire in the coils to the other side of the plug giving me a one point disconnect to the coils for both easy inspection and removal.

I'll post my plan in better detail in my ShowOff Thread.

I wouldn't use weatherpack... personal preference is for metripack. In the case of anything fuel or ignition related though, I always use Deutsch connectors though.

Is there a particular reason why one plug is better applied than another?

Weatherpack is bigger and bulkier but they can take more Amps.
Metrpack is smaller, takes less amps buit I like thier pins more.
Deutsch has the best pins, best sealing, and as a bonus you can get them with the extended lip on the back and get some 4:1 heatshrink and have a totally sealed connector.

Amps kinda vary with all of them as you can get a bigger series Metripack to handle more amps.

But, there is nothing on an engine that requires the 25A that the weatherpacks allow.

https://www.wirecare.com/deutschdt.a...&theSeries=DTM

This makes ordering the plugs easy-peasy.

Cool.... I go to Batts Racing... I'll compare prices later..

Where do you guys order your wire from?
I placed a huge order with Polar Wire, which is a machine service/arctic rated wire and crimps. I wanted to try it out after my brother re-wired his motorcycle with it and has been incredibly happy. Its 1/2 the price of TXL rated wire I can find through google, and offers very similar qualities. Same goes for the copper tinned crimps.

I also just bought one of the ebay $70 480 piece 3m heatshrink connector sets. Cant wait to get it in.

I buy my TXL from Terminal Supply Co
I buy my Tefzel from ProWireUSE
I buy my 3 or 4 strand shielded Tefzel from Pacific Coast Avionics

I only use those heatshrink connectors on boats where they're required. Ither than that, they have a tendencyy to break the heatshrink making the connection pretty much useless.

my personal preference is threading back each wire 3/4" and twisting the junction straight into one another, use flux on the joint then heat it with a pencil torch and solder the connection. let it cool off then shrink wrap it with quality shrink wrap.

stock mazda wiring harnesses use sealant tape and crimp connectors, which eventually fail quite regularly in the eastern states causing many very difficult to trace intermittent electrical issues.

Look what I found:

http://www.deutschconnector.com/prod...onnectors.html

Back from the dead... anybody using the Blue Point crimp tool?

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item....re&dir=catalog

Not sure if there's really a difference from one to the other, just curious what people think?

TTT looooooves soldering...