Proper underhood wiring (BIG 3 INCLUDED!!)

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

Well, this is my first tutorial thread, so i thought i'd make it count. The whole purpose behind this thread is to give you a good idea on the proper techniques to making secure and strong connections while doing your underhood wiring. I got b*tched at by my dad before because i just used to crimp it and use electrical tape. Now i know much better ways to have a good connection. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

Tools used:

Oxy-acetylene torch (a bernz-o-matic will do just fine)

Vise

electrical tape

heat shring tubing

solder

whatever wire you are working on, and the proper ring terminals

Chisel and hammer

1) To start off, get the wire all prepped and ready to be crimped into the terminal. Strip just as much wire as needed to fill in the ring terminal.

2) Insert the wire into the ring terminal and compress the ring terminal onto the wire. I like to do it in a few places to secure it well

3) Next step is to solder. I'm using my good friend, the oxy-acetylene torch //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

4) At this point, slide your heat shrink tubing over the wire and move it down so it will not interfere with your soldering

5) Heat up the ring terminal to the point where the solder starts to melt into it. Don't get stingy with the solder. Use enough to fill the terminal up. Notice how i put the ring terminal into the vise with the hole facing straight up. Much easier to fill this way. Just be careful with your torch and try not to set the sheathing on fire //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

(NOTE: I'm using SOLID ring terminals, so the solder doesn't leak out. Most cheaper ring terminals will just have two little tabs you press down. If so, skip this part)

Click to read more...

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

6) The next step is to cover up your terminal end with some heat shrink tubing. Slide the tubing up over the wire and terminal enough to cover both areas. Use your torch once again and CAREFULLY heat up the tubing until it starts to shrink around the wire. Be careful to not overdo it. For some connections (in tight areas) you will want to use less heat shrink tubing so you can bend the wire more. The key is to plan ahead.

7) Lastly, wrap EVERYTHING in electrical tape. Just another step to ensure a worry-free connection. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

And there you have it, one badass connection for your BIG 3 upgrade. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[BCONNELLY 10+ year member]

Nice tutorial,

thankx alot!!!

 

[cobra65427289 10+ year member]

Man, dats karazy!

Seriously though, nice job.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

I want a torch like that too.

al

 

[JoseMCeee 10+ year member]

pretty good. Thats exactly what I did for my Big 3 connections. The only thing I would say about your method is to use a little less heat shrink tubing and less electrical tape because that would make it pretty dam stiff. But of course for my small *** car this is a problem, maybe if you dont have to get the wires into tight places it should be fine.

Other than that, pretty good tutorial. Let the newbs splurge

 

[Moe Lester 10+ year member]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif what is the reason for the electrical tape

 

[SSS 18734 5,000+ posts]

LOL. I dont know why but that image cracks me up. Nice tutorial, I might have to use it when I re-wire my system (all I have are terminals and electrical tape )

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif what is the reason for the electrical tape

Just another precaution i live to take. I overdo it sometimes. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

And i'll mention the heat shrink part. For that specific wire, it could be straight like that and not bother me.

Also, i've had to do this UNDER the car (literally, not in the engine bay). So it was just another safety precaution to just to ABSOLUTELY make sure nothing would happen.

 

[tommyk90 5,000+ posts]

LOL. I dont know why but that image cracks me up. Nice tutorial, I might have to use it when I re-wire my system (all I have are terminals and electrical tape )

yeah, it's a little beefy, i know //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

That wire could be straight like that, so it didn't bother me one bit. I edited my posts above to accomodate for more cramped areas. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[jujumantb 10+ year member]

And if youre out of terminals and heat shrink, strip off a foot of the jacket and just tie the wire in a knot over any bare metal in your engine bay.

 

[JoseMCeee 10+ year member]

And if youre out of terminals and heat shrink, strip off a foot of the jacket and just tie the wire in a knot over any bare metal in your engine bay.

o shit I never thought of that. That could save me a couple cents //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[Spkrman]

And if youre out of terminals and heat shrink, strip off a foot of the jacket and just tie the wire in a knot over any bare metal in your engine bay.

3 steps ahead of ya