Help---i have a confession...

[cammerfe]

Bump---AND---

I am in process of finding a possible alternative source for the terminations. Damaging the loom parts by attempting to switch the wires is a non-starter and paying close to $100 for the small handful of stuff from Weapon-X doesn't make sense either if there's an alternative.

Here in Detroit it's below zero precluding simply going out and messing with my car, BUT:

If there's someone in more temperate weather who could take a picture looking into the connection point on a coil and measure the center-to-center between the pins I can get a cross-reference. This will result in a possibility of a better price from an original supplier.

Can someone work with me?

KS

 

[FDR]

It's too cold to get old coils out of the garage, but here's a female plug from eBay. Looks like 7/16" or 5mm (5.2?) center to center with 1/8" 1.5mm wide prongs.





Link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Igniti...Parts_Accessories&hash=item418eff77d4&vxp=mtr

$27 for 8. Unfortunately, two of the locking tabs snapped when I tried replacing some of my connectors, so I can't recommend them. I'm sure the 20 degree air had an affect, but all I did was press the tab down as far as it would go by hand, nothing outrageous. I'll just leave my opinion as N/A

 

[cammerfe]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!

I'll forward this info to the source I'm dealing with and report back.

KS

 

[Telco]

One you might try:

http://www.waytekwire.com/products/11/Multi-Pin-Connectors/

 

[cammerfe]

UPDATE---

Instead of paying exorbitant sums for the small fifteen-cent plastic gizmos necessary to make the polarity-switching pigtails, it finally dawned on me that if I dug in just the right part of my electrical stash I'd find an alternative. I've now ascertained that I have 'Stak-ons', the crimp-on wire terminations, in the proper size to fit both the male and female contacts on the looms and coils. Sometime in the next several days I'll use the Stak-ons, some shrink tube and some 18 gauge wire to make the pigtails from scratch. And I'll probably have a total of about three bux in the whole deal.

KS

 

[1LoudLS]

crimp on terminals? I for sure would use solder for such an important connection.

 

[cammerfe]

I have little doubt that the factory terminations are crimp-ons. When I do the engine replacement I may change this whole arrangement.

KS

 

[joegr]

I have little doubt that the factory terminations are crimp-ons. When I do the engine replacement I may change this whole arrangement.

KS

Yes, but they are all crimped with high precision automated equipment. This is why we have our cable harnesses built out of house, because we can't justify the cost of the equipment for just our cables. Even for the prototypes that we build in house, the hand crimp tools average a thousand or so dollars for each different pin. The $1000 tools do a much better job than the $100 or less ones.

 

[FDR]

.. This is why we have our cable harnesses built out of house, because we can't justify the cost of the equipment for just our cables. ...

So are you an electrical engineer? Because I've been getting that vibe

 

[cammerfe]

I'm talking about crimping a Stak-on to each end of a short piece of 18 gauge wire. I have a pair of pliers made specifically for crimping Stak-ons. This isn't brain surgery. I've done it ,surely, more than a thousand times in my life. After you crimp it, it makes sense to tug on the termination to make sure it's snug.

I'll bet it works just fine.

KS

 

[joegr]

So are you an electrical engineer? Because I've been getting that vibe

Yes.

 

[joegr]

I'm talking about crimping a Stak-on to each end of a short piece of 18 gauge wire. I have a pair of pliers made specifically for crimping Stak-ons. This isn't brain surgery. I've done it ,surely, more than a thousand times in my life. After you crimp it, it makes sense to tug on the termination to make sure it's snug.

I'll bet it works just fine.

KS

Perhaps so. However, you'd be surprised how complicated things that seem simple can be...

 

[FDR]

Yes.

Interesting. I know you posted the Dilbert video, but I was thinking this before that. What do you do, if you don't mind me asking? I'm a student in mechanical engineering technology. It's probably the reason I still love my LS... I like taking things apart and seeing how it works.

 

[joegr]

Lately, I mostly design ARM based SBCs, and related hardware. There's a decent chance that you've used one of our products. We have a couple of mechanical engineers, and a whole bunch of software engineers.
I used to design inmate phone systems. Hopefully, you haven't used one of those.

 

[cammerfe]

I've found that I didn't have enough of either the male or female ends and have had to go to the store for a few more of both kinds. If I had NONE I'd be spending something approaching $10 to equip myself for this job. I'll test each of the jumpers I construct with an ohmmeter to be sure that I've not screwed-up somehow.

KS

 

[FDR]

By "stak-on" do you mean just standard crimp-on spade terminals?

 

[cammerfe]

Actually, I've discovered that the brand name is properly spelled 'Sta-Kon'. And the local electronics store carries 'Philmore' brand. Testing with my small VOM I find that with the probes touched together I have one ohm of resistance and the same one ohm through the male crimp-on end, the two-plus inches of 18 gauge wire and the other crimp-on end. So I suppose I'll be OK.

After I do the engine switch I'll go to aftermarket coils that instead of being direct COPs, use a short piece of plug wire and mount the individual coils on a rail attached to the cam cover. Several of the aftermarket ignition suppliers have plug terminals intended for hemi Mopar engines that'll seal the plug tubes.

KS