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Author Topic: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!  (Read 17777 times)

January 10, 2010, 05:11:17 pm

mtnbob

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There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« on: January 10, 2010, 05:11:17 pm »
I have done Vince Waldon's "Pimp Your Glowplugs"(Thank You Vince!!!), but I was thinking there must be a better way to attach the glowplug wires to the glowplugs. Any suggestions? Is there a connector that would clip securely on? Or a press on connector that would withstand the vibration? :o :o :o  I seem to be going through a set of Bosche Duratherms on a year, and it would be nice to figure out how to switch out glowplugs more easily, or at least make the connection easier to install. I'm a big guy with big hands, and it is close to impossible for me to get the tiny nuts on the ends of the glowplugs ???

Thanks
Robert


86 VW Golf 1.6 N/A 4-door (soon to be turboed!!!)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/2598033828_d3d19f9842.jpg?v=0
96 Subaru Outback Wagon

Reply #1January 10, 2010, 05:18:52 pm

maxfax

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2010, 05:18:52 pm »
I have played with some push on terminals that fit nice and snug..   But gettnig one's fingers down in there to push them on may be equally as challenging.. 

I used terminals like this http://www.nichifu.com/spadesis.htm  Then all I have to do is loosen the nut a bit to slide them on and off...

Reply #2January 10, 2010, 07:25:08 pm

Vincent Waldon

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2010, 07:25:08 pm »
Interestingly enough VW switched over to press-on connectors for the TDI glow plugs and guess what:  they are a very very common source of trouble.  Corrosion, working loose over time, intermittent changes in connectivity that trigger an engine fault.... the worst.  And since it's one moulded assembly the only fix is "replace the entire press-fit harness".



This is with TDI plugs that carry a few amps less each than their IDI cousins... gimme a solid terminal that bolts down any day for high current applications.  Until you have to change them, of course.   ;)
Vince

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2001 silver TDI Jetta Malone Stage 1.5 , 2001 blue TDI Jetta SBIII 216s Malone Stage 3, 1970 Bay Window bus

Gone but not forgotten: 1969/1971 Beetles, 1969/1974 Westies, 1979 Rabbit, 1986 TD Jetta, 1992 gas Jetta, 1994 TD Jetta

Reply #3January 10, 2010, 07:35:17 pm

8v-of-fury

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2010, 07:35:17 pm »
I seem to be going through a set of Bosche Duratherms on a year, and it would be nice to figure out how to switch out glowplugs more easily

I think you need to look in to why you are going through that many Bosch Duraterms when they don't burn themselves out. When you remove the old ones, are the ends all pitted and melted looking? Maybe you have some leaking injectors happening here? ruining your GP's? you shouldn't have to replace Duraterms that often, they should last up to three times as long.. and even crappy ones don't burn out in a year.

Reply #4January 10, 2010, 08:47:56 pm

theman53

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2010, 08:47:56 pm »
Since I went to wire instead of the buss bar I tighten the little nut on the glowplug before putting it in the head. I don't tighten it much, finger tight, then I lower the GP into place and tighten it a little. Then I loosend the little nut and fully tighten the GP then I snug the little nut.

I have heard that if you over tighten a GP into the head it will have a shorter life.

This is the connector I use

You can also put the nut almost tight and then just slip the terminal down and tighten the nut a little. It all depends if I have the IP lines off or not when I do it. I have pretty big hands too.

Reply #5January 10, 2010, 09:48:52 pm

burn_your_money

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2010, 09:48:52 pm »
Grease is the secret. That and 2 long skinny flat screwdrivers. Just put a small dab on the blade of one of the screw drivers, stick the nut to it and put it in place. Then use the other screw driver to spin it.
Tyler

Reply #6January 10, 2010, 11:17:30 pm

mtnbob

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2010, 11:17:30 pm »
Thanks for the suggestions. Got me wondering about tightening the glowplugs too much ::)  I do tend to over do it. Thank you for the screwdriver idea Tyler, I'll give it a try. My bad glow plugs don't look bad at all, they just don't work when I test them. My injectors are recent(less than two years old)
86 VW Golf 1.6 N/A 4-door (soon to be turboed!!!)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/2598033828_d3d19f9842.jpg?v=0
96 Subaru Outback Wagon

Reply #7January 11, 2010, 12:18:12 am

Vincent Waldon

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2010, 12:18:12 am »
Grease is the secret. That and 2 long skinny flat screwdrivers. Just put a small dab on the blade of one of the screw drivers, stick the nut to it and put it in place. Then use the other screw driver to spin it.

I'll add to this my favorite tool... a small magnet on the end of a 2 foot length of thick copper wire.  Dunno where I bought it from... already have the magnet on the end of the telescoping pointer... but the copper wire lets you bend it into all kinds of interesting shapes as you snake thru impossible corners to get that bolt that just dropped down into the depths of the innards.
Vince

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2001 silver TDI Jetta Malone Stage 1.5 , 2001 blue TDI Jetta SBIII 216s Malone Stage 3, 1970 Bay Window bus

Gone but not forgotten: 1969/1971 Beetles, 1969/1974 Westies, 1979 Rabbit, 1986 TD Jetta, 1992 gas Jetta, 1994 TD Jetta

Reply #8January 11, 2010, 12:48:10 am

mtnbob

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #8 on: January 11, 2010, 12:48:10 am »
good point!!! I've been unhooking the lines on the injector side, the bending then back a bit, but that's probably not a good idea ::)
86 VW Golf 1.6 N/A 4-door (soon to be turboed!!!)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/2598033828_d3d19f9842.jpg?v=0
96 Subaru Outback Wagon

Reply #9January 11, 2010, 07:59:29 am

theman53

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #9 on: January 11, 2010, 07:59:29 am »
My thing with the lines is usually if I am doing the job it is in the winter and I don't want to wait, crank, or try to pull start it to get it to prime and bleed off. Plus then it is usually cold so working outside sucks and cold being the reason I noticed the GPs going bad. In the warmer weather when I do them it doesn't bother me at all. But either way I always put the nuts on them and then install. Since one time I dropped one and couldn't find it. I thought it went into the TB cover area. I tore most of the front of the engine down and found it right behind the hose for the water pump. sucked.

Reply #10January 12, 2010, 09:46:47 pm

mtnbob

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2010, 09:46:47 pm »
The guys at the electrical supply store told me that there was nothing even close to being as secure as a screw down bolt. I guess the clip on connectors wouldn't work too well in the long run :(
86 VW Golf 1.6 N/A 4-door (soon to be turboed!!!)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3248/2598033828_d3d19f9842.jpg?v=0
96 Subaru Outback Wagon

Reply #11January 12, 2010, 11:20:43 pm

8v-of-fury

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #11 on: January 12, 2010, 11:20:43 pm »
Ford 7.3 IDI used a bullet style push on connector..

Why couldnt that work here?

Reply #12January 12, 2010, 11:24:55 pm

maxfax

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #12 on: January 12, 2010, 11:24:55 pm »
THe 7.3 had a little different style connector on the GP, but it might work..   Although with time even those were good for some trouble...   A spade connector still seems to be the best bang for the buck..   Still bolts on but no need to completely remove the nut...

Reply #13January 13, 2010, 12:25:47 am

bajacalal

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #13 on: January 13, 2010, 12:25:47 am »
Ford 7.3 IDI used a bullet style push on connector..

Why couldnt that work here?


Those things suck. Moisture gets in there and then the connectors corrode, become loose and stop making contact.

I like the nut/stud connection the best. I suppose you could try nuts that have a flange on them, so you can thread them on in the end of your socket and you wouldn't have to start threading them with your fingers.


Reply #14January 13, 2010, 09:58:31 pm

Rabbit on Roids

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Re: There must be a better way to attach wires to glowplugs!!
« Reply #14 on: January 13, 2010, 09:58:31 pm »
Ford 7.3 IDI used a bullet style push on connector..

Why couldnt that work here?


ford went to blade terminals shortly after using the bullet connector. those were short lived. mostly only on 6.9 engines i thought.