Tools and techniques for auto wiring

[_R_J_K_]

So I thought I'd start this thread to share standard tools, resources, stores, and wiring techniques for auto electrical as a lot of Commodore looms are now at the point where plugs and pins need to be replaced or the loom itself is just degrading or cracking, largely after reading this thread for something that could be a little more difficult: https://forums.justcommodores.com.a...d-dirty-any-repair-ideas.298274/#post-3327852

A lot of electrical repair I see around here/the internet still consists of haphazardly soldering stuff together, and while it largely works and gets the job done, it seems like far more of a bandaid and looks really amateur - it's really easy to get something that looks fairly professional even if you're inexperienced and is much more reliable for not a lot of money if you're willing to spend a little bit to add to your tool collection. Crimping is also far easier and faster to do in a car instead of the non existent third hand you need for soldering and burns you get from soldering at weird angles.

Before I go on, I'll just state that I think using cloth tape on an engine loom is really dumb.

So these are a few of basic tools and general crimps that I own/use and can recommend (and no, you don't need them all). These will cover you for almost all basic install and repair except for any connecter specific stuff you may need.

Iwiss IWS-1442L open barrel ratchet crimper: https://jaydeeautocables.com.au/collections/tools/products/open-barrel-ratchet-crimper-iws-1442l

The IWS-1442L is a cheap version of the Japanese Hozan P-707 crimpers. Has a lot of options and is good for some odd sized and small sized crimps. I bought this on a whim and it's by far one of the ones I've used the most.

Iwiss IWS-16 compact heavy duty indent crimper: https://jaydeeautocables.com.au/col...-duty-open-barrell-terminal-crimper-iws-5100a

I'm not actually sure what these are a standard for, but I've used them extensively for uninsulated butt crimps for larger wires. I just get regular butt crimps and take the plastic sheath off as the bare uninsulated ones are more expensive for some dumb reason. This makes them much smaller and compact.

Iwiss IWS-1424B Metripack crimper: https://jaydeeautocables.com.au/col...pen-barrell-sealed-terminal-crimper-iws-1424b

For GM Metripack crimps and a few other standard crimps. The genuine Delphi equivalent of this tool is the Sergeant 18910.

Irwin Vise-Grip 200mm wire strippers: https://www.bunnings.com.au/irwin-vise-grip-200mm-self-adjusting-wire-stripper_p0224231

Worth every single cent of the $34 they cost and make wire stripping really fast and easy, and you can find them easily at Bunnings to boot. They have basic butt/press crimpers on the handle which are more of an unnecessary afterthought and should never be used.

Generic open barrel splice crimps: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/144680219825

Really good for joining wires end to end and can come up really neat. I mainly use these with the IWS-1442L.

Generic adhesive lined heat shrink: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/275342471466

May also be called "dual wall" heat shrink. I haven't used the one from this seller specifically, but seems to be pretty ubiquitous and largely the same. Really good for both weatherproofing uninsulated crimps and providing extra strain relief because of the adhesive inside. If you really want to seal it, you can also rough up the insulation on whatever wire you're shrinking it to with some sandpaper to make it stick even more.

As for resources, I've found the HPA videos and courses around this to be really good, even their free preview/webinar ones are full of a lot of really good info. Their wiring guy Zack is an electrical engineer who's worked on a number of high level competition cars including cars for Pikes Peak.

This one has a lot of tool and basic pin crimping info.

Really interesting one about solder sleeves. I think these are also used extensively in aerospace.

Haltech also have a few videos, and while I think the HPA ones are much better made with much better information, Haltech do have an excellent depinning video and a couple that deal with the plugs as a whole (HPA do this more in their paid courses).

As for stores, I've bough a looot of genuine Nissan parts from EFI Solutions: www.efisolutions.com.au
They have a massive range of auto electrical and auto plumbing parts too.
As linked before, Jay Dees Auto Cables: https://jaydeeautocables.com.au/
I haven't bought from EFI Hardware, but they're generally pretty well regarded. They also sell an uber expensive 202 EFI kit: www.efisolutions.com.au

I haven't bought much in the way of actual wiring loom grade wire or specialist heat shrink as discussed by HPA. It seems easy enough to get but hasn't been necessary for the work I've done so far. The basic auto parts store PVC wiring (think Narva wiring) and the heat shrink I mentioned before won't cut it for this, particularly if it's close to a heat source or wanted for longevity. It's not as expensive as you think from specialty shops given the markups places like Repco put on the products they sell.

 

[07GTS]

i always try to crimp where i can crimp two wires together, using soldier is ok but it is never as good as a good crimp especially when heat can be involved

 

[Lex]

So I thought I'd start this thread to share standard tools, resources, stores, and wiring techniques for auto electrical as a lot of Commodore looms are now at the point where plugs and pins need to be replaced or the loom itself is just degrading or cracking, largely after reading this thread for something that could be a little more difficult: https://forums.justcommodores.com.a...d-dirty-any-repair-ideas.298274/#post-3327852

A lot of electrical repair I see around here/the internet still consists of haphazardly soldering stuff together, and while it largely works and gets the job done, it seems like far more of a bandaid and looks really amateur - it's really easy to get something that looks fairly professional even if you're inexperienced and is much more reliable for not a lot of money if you're willing to spend a little bit to add to your tool collection. Crimping is also far easier and faster to do in a car instead of the non existent third hand you need for soldering and burns you get from soldering at weird angles.

Before I go on, I'll just state that I think using cloth tape on an engine loom is really dumb.

So these are a few of basic tools and general crimps that I own/use and can recommend (and no, you don't need them all). These will cover you for almost all basic install and repair except for any connecter specific stuff you may need.

Iwiss IWS-1442L open barrel ratchet crimper: https://jaydeeautocables.com.au/collections/tools/products/open-barrel-ratchet-crimper-iws-1442l
View attachment 247749
The IWS-1442L is a cheap version of the Japanese Hozan P-707 crimpers. Has a lot of options and is good for some odd sized and small sized crimps. I bought this on a whim and it's by far one of the ones I've used the most.

Iwiss IWS-16 compact heavy duty indent crimper: https://jaydeeautocables.com.au/col...-duty-open-barrell-terminal-crimper-iws-5100a
View attachment 247748
I'm not actually sure what these are a standard for, but I've used them extensively for uninsulated butt crimps for larger wires. I just get regular butt crimps and take the plastic sheath off as the bare uninsulated ones are more expensive for some dumb reason. This makes them much smaller and compact.

Iwiss IWS-1424B Metripack crimper: https://jaydeeautocables.com.au/col...pen-barrell-sealed-terminal-crimper-iws-1424b
View attachment 247747
For GM Metripack crimps and a few other standard crimps. The genuine Delphi equivalent of this tool is the Sergeant 18910.

Irwin Vise-Grip 200mm wire strippers: https://www.bunnings.com.au/irwin-vise-grip-200mm-self-adjusting-wire-stripper_p0224231
View attachment 247750
Worth every single cent of the $34 they cost and make wire stripping really fast and easy, and you can find them easily at Bunnings to boot. They have basic butt/press crimpers on the handle which are more of an unnecessary afterthought and should never be used.

Generic open barrel splice crimps: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/144680219825
View attachment 247743
Really good for joining wires end to end and can come up really neat. I mainly use these with the IWS-1442L.

Generic adhesive lined heat shrink: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/275342471466
View attachment 247751
May also be called "dual wall" heat shrink. I haven't used the one from this seller specifically, but seems to be pretty ubiquitous and largely the same. Really good for both weatherproofing uninsulated crimps and providing extra strain relief because of the adhesive inside. If you really want to seal it, you can also rough up the insulation on whatever wire you're shrinking it to with some sandpaper to make it stick even more.

As for resources, I've found the HPA videos and courses around this to be really good, even their free preview/webinar ones are full of a lot of really good info. Their wiring guy Zack is an electrical engineer who's worked on a number of high level competition cars including cars for Pikes Peak.

This one has a lot of tool and basic pin crimping info.

Really interesting one about solder sleeves. I think these are also used extensively in aerospace.

Haltech also have a few videos, and while I think the HPA ones are much better made with much better information, Haltech do have an excellent depinning video and a couple that deal with the plugs as a whole (HPA do this more in their paid courses).

As for stores, I've bough a looot of genuine Nissan parts from EFI Solutions: www.efisolutions.com.au
They have a massive range of auto electrical and auto plumbing parts too.
As linked before, Jay Dees Auto Cables: https://jaydeeautocables.com.au/
I haven't bought from EFI Hardware, but they're generally pretty well regarded. They also sell an uber expensive 202 EFI kit: www.efisolutions.com.au

I haven't bought much in the way of actual wiring loom grade wire or specialist heat shrink as discussed by HPA. It seems easy enough to get but hasn't been necessary for the work I've done so far. The basic auto parts store PVC wiring (think Narva wiring) and the heat shrink I mentioned before won't cut it for this, particularly if it's close to a heat source or wanted for longevity. It's not as expensive as you think from specialty shops given the markups places like Repco put on the products they sell.

Thanks @_R_J_K_ thats some good info.

@07GTS Again thanks. You too give some good info.

I've bookmarked the page for future reading.
I think with the right tools, it makes a job a lot easier.

I lose resources (info like this as the years go by). So its good to renew.

 

[mpower]

crimping a joiner is always just the quick lazy way of doing it, i prefer to solder and use heatshrink for anything i want to last.

 

[Immortality]

But seriously. I have a set of ratcheting crimp pliers with exchangeable jaws, wire strippers similar to above. I do need to get the specialist crimpers to suit Deutsch connectors and I also have a cheap ebay hydraulic crimper to do heavy cables as I no longer have access to all the equipment from work.

 

[Immortality]

I'm gonna sticky this at the top of the section

 

[Hole Denn]

Very good write up _R_J_K_
There are cheaper options than the links you posted up and many jobs can be done budget friendly with just one crimper as many people would not do electrical daily or need fulltime trade tools which most sites want you to buy just to join a few wires together.

Would add both crimping/soldering have their uses rather than one only is the best option. Most ecu boards are soldered and most electrical connections are crimped.

I look at it as soldering basically a glue technique with solder a soft allow that doesn’t really penetrate objects like welding does and thus is prone to release its glue/sticking connection, where crimping is a mechanical force one and longer lasting and much easier construction.

The downsize with soldering is as said previously that the wire is heated up and can change the conductivity of the wire and the joint is not as strong, where crimping changes nothing and creates a strong/conductivity property like the wire had before being cut.

I use soldering for audio and small electrical load connections but for the majority of other high voltage/motor/loom connections crimping is a far better option.

 

[Immortality]

It's a debate for the ages with automotive wiring and whether you should crimp or solder a joint together. I've have used both. For terminating into a connector crimping is generally the option mostly used. Sometimes I have soldered wires together where the you join one wire into the middle of another wire.

 

[Hole Denn]

I have had paid work experience with metals and soldering products

theres is nothing wrong with soldering,
just that you can't be certain it's chemically bonded fully and clean from impurities and alloy/welds are affected by the elements more so than a good tight clean simple easy crimp.

 

[_R_J_K_]

crimping a joiner is always just the quick lazy way of doing it

Quick, lazy, and much much more repeatable when you're doing dozens of them. I also don't burn myself because I'm unco.

I'm not sure which specific crimp you're talking about (the cheapo butt crimps that people squeeze together with pliers?), but you can't really solder and heat shrink pins and have them lock into their shell correctly if you're replacing a plug from scratch. Crimps done correctly (i.e. right sized components, correct tools, all for the right sized wire) should cold weld it and have it be stronger than the parent wire. A lot of the open barrel crimps also have a strain relief component that digs into the insulation too. It's one reason OEMs use it (apart from being quicker/lazier/cheaper to manufacture for them) as well as competition teams.