Cable "connectors"

[Mos]

Half cut looms are a great source of plugs, both weatherproofed and open.

Part of the reason for crappy soldering is the size of the tip. A 1mm tip won't solder thickish wires as well as a 5mm tip, more or less regardless of the wattage of the iron - you just can't channel heat as effectively through a smaller conductor.

I have a few identical irons (60W wellers and portasol gas) with different size tips, but the favourite is 5mm. There's also an 80W weller with a 10mm tip for the larger wires.
For the largest cables (ie starter, alternator, etc) or to solder up large cable lugs go straight for the flame.

The cheaper irons are not temperature regulated and thus have a less effective heater - they need to not burn out if you leave them on, so as soon as you hit a heat sink (ie cables) the tip looses heat and it takes some time to add more heat (also bigger tip = more stored heat for that initial hit).
Temperature regulated irons generally have a more effective heater allowing the heat to be supplied more effectively.
I don't really know how it relates to iron wattages as 60W of power should be 60W of heat - maybe it's an average figure - but the temperature regulated irons have always done a better job, even with a lower wattage rating.

Another thing is that tips wear out (as ridiculous as it may sound). Obviously in gas irons the catalyst disintegrates over time and they need to be replaced.
In addition to that, tips are usually copper cored, plated with something a lot tougher, but the copper melts away over time and the tip becomes less effective. I don't know how it works in the pcb assembly industry, but in my experience they need replacing.

An acceptable crimper, as others have said, is one that rolls the legs rather than just crushing them, and in addition, does it with sufficient pressure that the cables don't come out - if you can pull the cable out of the crimp with your fingers, or it moves in the crimp, it will likely fail. The quality of the die, and the locating of the crimp pin is important also. The acceptable crimpers usually move the dies in an arc which has potential for the pin twisting and not crimping symmetrically. Better crimpers move the dies parallel to each other, reducing the likelihood of the pin twisting.

JME.
Mos.

[The Witzl]

Goodo! I'm not the only cheapskate here!

No, I'm a cheapskate too. I've got a cupboard full of old looms and plugs, connectors, sockets, pins, adaptors.... all pulled from the wreckers, other peoples cars, and frontcuts.

I only use the new connectors when i want it to look "nicer"

[o_man_ra23]

I was a cheapskate... too many secondhand parts failing combined with a much higher income has moved me toward being less cheap and more proper. Still need to continue replacing my old cheap tools with new good tools.

As for secondhand plugs, make sure you dont get any from areas which are heat prone (ie exhaust side), as they will be half stuffed already and quite brittle. Also dont use connectors from ex-taxis, the only thing that dies on taxis is the wiring, the motors never wear out despite the ks on them (as they never get cold)

[gianttomato]

As for secondhand plugs, make sure you dont get any from areas which are heat prone (ie exhaust side), as they will be half stuffed already and quite brittle.

I try to get ones from the car's interior unless there is a specific one I need (eg that 12 pin jobbie from the Telstar).

[Pure_In_Sanity]

Has anyone had luck getting new mini spade terminals to suit toyota wiring plugs? Theres quite a few different types.
My local auto elec had a few about, but had no idea where he originally obtained them from.

Yes the universal plugs ones are great to use, but the genuine ones look a bit neater IMHO

[RA35GT]

I have the female spade terminals used on the 18RGEU, for the ECU and all the other bits (injectors, sensors, etc). (These are used on a lot of cars of that era also).

I bought them from AMP themselves (well a reseller of AMP stuff).

I gave them a sample and they were able to match it up, the downside is, one was available in min qty of 200,. the other was min qty of 1000 ! Sooo...thats a rather expensive way to do it, unless you know someone who needs the same ones (Any takers here, i have lots of spares! ).

So basically dood, pull the terminal out, see if you can find a manufacturer on em, and see if they can match it up...

Rudi

[Mos]

Tyco is the parent company of Tyco Electronics who own AMP...
Everything that I have seen on toyotas is AMP stuff, and yeah, the min qtys are the killer.
Good luck
Mos.

[gianttomato]

Phil, JayDee's in Bayswater. The only ones they didn't have were the Motec loom to ECU ones, and I got them from Motec.

[Pure_In_Sanity]

Cheers, I'll have to make a trip out there sometime to match them up

[celicapain]

Another thing is that tips wear out (as ridiculous as it may sound). Obviously in gas irons the catalyst disintegrates over time and they need to be replaced.
In addition to that, tips are usually copper cored, plated with something a lot tougher, but the copper melts away over time and the tip becomes less effective. I don't know how it works in the pcb assembly industry, but in my experience they need replacing.

I make up alot of pcb's and have found that tips last nearly indefinatly, providing you keep em clean and take some care of em(dont scrape them hard on anything).
I have got three of the jaycar duratech temp regulated soldering irons, with the oldest being about 6 years old and used all day,5 days a week.
Ive had to replace one iron, but only cause it got a big chunk of metal dropped on it.
I use brass shavings for wiping the tips(cheap and easy and so much better than sponge) and make sure i give the iron a good tinning and dip in the shavings just before i turn it off.

everything else you said is bang on.

p.s if your getting alot of electrical gear have a look at electus, jaycars wholesale branch.
v good prices on most stuff.

[thanhngo]

Where can I buy buy one - model number?

I found a guy in the US who uses the crimping method/tool. He said he could sell me the tool for $200. Might look into it as my soldering is really bad...gobbs of boogers.

[horse]

found it at bunnings the other day. brand was Toledo.
Bursons can get them for you aswell

[The Witzl]

Ummm... you buy them at Jaycar, TH1827, $25.95

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=TH1827

[EldarO]

i like solder for anything smaller, however, the big wires piss me off big time and i go for a crimp connector.

havent had any connections fail on me, or anyone elses car that ive done so far

luckily i learnt in the early days, playing with remote controlled cars, that more solder isnt a better join

0.02c

[clubagreenie]

Bunnings is supposed to beat prices, take the jaycar catalogue and jaws could drop and dollars be saved