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I've got a plug wire that, on the distributor side, keeps popping out of the wire crimp. I'd like to re-crimp it myself but the connector doesn't look like it would work with any of the crimp tools I have come across. What is everyone, who does their own, using?
I have attached a picture of the connector below, you can see how weird a crimp it is.......looks awkward to crimp properly. Not mine, but looks exactly like mine.
I agree, that crimp tool is for a wire that enters straight into the plug terminal. Your terminals are connected at 90º to the wire, so a different crimp tool would be needed.
You may be able to bend that terminal to 90° to fit better. If not you should be able to find 90° ends. Try the Dorman "Help!" rack at a parts store.
Either way the boot has to be slid back to access the cable's end so you can make a good tight crimp. A little WD40 or even dish soap works good as a lubricant to move the boot around.
This ancient crimper will crimp a plug wire end properly.
Specifically this anvil marked W CRIMP:
I have Klein, G-B and NAPA Carlyle crimpers for most terminals but this thing does it on plug wires, so I keep it around.
This is a crappy aftermarket plug wire terminal. The cable is intended to be inserted 90 degrees to the male end of the terminal. That triangular "tooth" is supposed to pierce the insulation and contact the carbon core in the wire. The two tabs then get bend around the cable insulation to retain it. Not the best design. Frankly, toss this cheezy wire set and get a quality set.
This is a crappy aftermarket plug wire terminal. The cable is intended to be inserted 90 degrees to the male end of the terminal. That triangular "tooth" is supposed to pierce the insulation and contact the carbon core in the wire. The two tabs then get bend around the cable insulation to retain it. Not the best design. Frankly, toss this cheezy wire set and get a quality set.
This was the reproduction Packard wires from Fusick. They were not cheap....I thought they were the real deal. Have I been duped?
Last edited by ourkid2000; February 17th, 2023 at 03:43 PM.
I bought a set of reproduction wires from Fusick several years ago for the 54 Olds I had. The car would not start with the plug wires and I had a mechanic really pissed at me. I called Fusick and they took them back. I told them the wires were not any good but they didn't seem to care. What you might do is peel the cover back about an inch from the end to the core. Fold the core back where it makes good contact with the solid side of the terminal when you insert the wire into the termianl. Then crimp the to the point the terminal does not slide off the wire. I hope this makes some sense. Not perfect but it might work. I have done it before.
I’ve played with this a little. Going from the original diagram up top, my favorite #1 plug lead is the ~5:00 position on the diagram. For the record, I’m with Joe on minimizing wire lengths, but at these lengths, at least for my street cars, there’s an aesthetic component too.
For confirmation, I use HEI distributors in my ‘66 big cars. They fit fine, but are not stock. HEI caps are bigger, so you have to think their orientation through.
I locate my vacuum canister somewhere between 1:00 and 2:00 on your original post scale so I can adjust the timing as needed. My 98 with just a heater doesn’t interfere, but my A/C equipped Starfire really needs to have the vacuum canister offset from the A/C box to allow adjustment.
This usually puts the HEI and Tach connectors at the 6:00 on your diagram position so there’s plenty of timing flexibility. If you’re soldering new leads, make ‘em long enough to allow movement. Plenty of movement. If you HEI/Tach leads wind up too long, coil the excess along a screwdriver shaft to have nice coiled leads.
I want my plug wires to work well & look nice. My latest approach is cut-to-fit MSD 8 or 9mm wires. I get 2 sets & have good working, nice looking results. I replace these sets every 5 or more years, so I’m not too fussed about the price. For some reason, I have just never figured out how to get 1 set to route and drape elegantly over the valve covers.
I've repaired those type of wires using a needle nose and pliers. Pull the wire further out of the rubber boot, then strip the wire back more, fold the center conductor and using the needle nose pliers to grip the metal terminal slip the wire into the terminal. Then carefully crimp the terminal around the wire so the conductor and the wire is tightly connected, and then close the strain relief prongs grip the wire insulation.
There are literally hundreds of spark plug manufacturers. Please, please, please start threads with the model & year of the car - it is NO fun guessing what car this is for. Additionally, stating reproduction Packard wires from Fusick offers no information at all. State the part number since you may or you may not have been duped. Help us help you, please.
I've done as Eric has done & honestly, it's a PITA, IMO. Quality spark plug wires is what you want (probably not reproduction Packard wires whatever that is).
Also, when you purchase spark plug wires look for the lowest resistance wires you can find as they will provide the best spark w/ the longest duration. I prefer either Blue Streak or NGK.
EDIT: BTW, I realize your 'Signature' states a vehicle, it doesn't state this is the vehicle in question.
Last edited by Vintage Chief; October 30th, 2023 at 09:14 PM.
There are literally hundreds of spark plug manufacturers. Please, please, please start threads with the model & year of the car - it is NO fun guessing what car this is for. Additionally, stating reproduction Packard wires from Fusick offers no information at all. State the part number since you may or you may not have been duped. Help us help you, please.
I've done as Eric has done & honestly, it's a PITA, IMO. Quality spark plug wires is what you want (probably not reproduction Packard wires whatever that is).
Also, when you purchase spark plug wires look for the lowest resistance wires you can find as they will provide the best spark w/ the longest duration. I prefer either Blue Streak or NGK.
EDIT: BTW, I realize your 'Signature' states a vehicle, it doesn't state this is the vehicle in question.
This thread has been resurrected, by mistake by Chris (Cfair). I believe he meant to reply to a different discussion about the orientation of the distributor cap thread.
In any case, to answer your questions, yes this was for my bone stock 1966 Olds Toronado. I purchased my plug wires from Fusick which stated the following: "Correct Delco-Packard Date-Coded Wire Sets. Superior workmanship, all wire sets dated for the 1st quarter of appropriate year." I purchased the set called 1Q66 (Ignition wire set - 1966 ALL).
This thread has been resurrected, by mistake by Chris (Cfair). I believe he meant to reply to a different discussion about the orientation of the distributor cap thread.
In any case, to answer your questions, yes this was for my bone stock 1966 Olds Toronado. I purchased my plug wires from Fusick which stated the following: "Correct Delco-Packard Date-Coded Wire Sets. Superior workmanship, all wire sets dated for the 1st quarter of appropriate year." I purchased the set called 1Q66 (Ignition wire set - 1966 ALL).
Yeah, you're correct regarding the different discussion resurrection.
Probably best to let the thread die a peaceful death & hopefully you resolved the issue.
I can appreciate you striving for period-correct wires for restoration. I reviewed the Fusick description. I (personally) would not have purchased a set of wires with no information regarding resistance & more important information pertaining to construction, as would be offered by, IMO, more reputable wire set manufacturers. But hey...sometimes you're the bug & sometimes you're the windshield. Good Luck.
February 16th, 2023, 12:05 PM
