9 replies to this topic

[The-Womble]

Model: Austin Mini City E 1000
Year: 1982
Description of problem (please be as in depth as possible):

(Click to make bigger)

Ok, have been having a few issues with ignition recently, and today realised that some of these issues may have been caused by the pretty awful soldering of the wires by a previous owner, as the whole (frayed) wire came out of of the connection plug for the ignition barrel (as seen in the picture).
My question is, how should I go about repairing this? How do you open up the plug to attach the wire back in (once it is repaired)? Obviously I will have to use a different bit of wire because the state of the current one is dreadful; frayed, badly soldered and badly crimped to another bit of wire.

Cheers

Any non-standard parts that might be involved with the problem?
N/a

[bmcecosse]

You probably need a new ignition barrel! Can't really see in that picture.

[The-Womble]

Sorry, I don't think I made that very clear. It's not the ignition barrel end, it's the end which is part of the loom.
Can get a better picture tommorrow, just wanted to get it up tonight while I remembered

[Boycie]

Your best bet is probably to find a scrap old loom, cut the plug and a length of wires off it, then join it to your car loom further down!

Otherwise, you'll always have problems with that bodged plug!

[Beige]

Dont know which plug it is exactly, or what type for that matter... But if your handy with a soldering iron, and the contacts themselves are in good condition it would be fairly easy to tidy up or replace the wire, remove the contact from the housing and solder it back together.

I've done it myself a few times, as long as you keep the joint tidy you can't tell it's been done


Oh, and when playing with connectors and bare wire you really should disconnect the battery ZAP!!

[The-Womble]

Boycie - Thats a good idea actually, I didn't think of that! (even though thats what I've done with half the rest of the car!)

Beige - How are the wires connected into the plug? are they just bullet connectors?

thanks guys

Edited by The-Womble, 03 October 2009 - 07:10 PM.

[bmcecosse]

Ahh -0 well if it's just the bullet - either dig it out and resolder - or there are crimp versions you can use. Need to dig the old bullet out anyway!

[shellspeed]

A bit on heat shrink applied over the soldered area will tidy up the area and be safer and look better than insulation tape to finish the job.

[Beige]

Beige - How are the wires connected into the plug? are they just bullet connectors?

Theres normally a clip or something holding the contact in, can't remember off the top of my head, if you look down the edge of the contact you should see something like barbs that hold it in.

I'll refresh my memory in a bit

***edit***

Yes, theres a barb on the contact, press it in while pulling the the contact out

scuse the dirty fingernail

Attached Files

•  conn2.jpg   145.75K   5 downloads

Edited by Beige, 03 October 2009 - 07:43 PM.

[Dan]

Your best bet is probably to find a scrap old loom, cut the plug and a length of wires off it, then join it to your car loom further down!

Why introduce a new connection into the loom that isn't meant to be there? This damage is so close to the end of the loom that you just need to re-make the connector. There is enough slack in that area. Get new terminals (they cost only pence) of the correct type for that housing (Ripaults 'church window' type) which are available from all auto electrical suppliers and re-make it. Cut the wiring back to remove all the failed and damaged cable, solder and other foreign garbage, but cut as little as you can. Then strip and crimp the ends into the new terminals. Get a proper crimp tool for this. Fit the terminals back into the housing and it's fixed, properly.