Granite 944

I'm interested in possibly making up my own plug wires since I have enough good Beru ends to use. I can get the M3 threaded sleeves ok for about a $1.25 ea, but the "Beru crimper ZAZ5" costs $271.00. Below is a quote from a post dated back to 10-01-2002 from SoCal Driver (very good info!). I'm wondering just how exactly do you crimp the threaded end point, and with what tool without distorting the stud end? And am wondering if anyone has found a better way or procedure for securely installing these ends without buying the Beru tool. Can you pay a shop/or someone to crimp these on for you and still be cost effective? Can you buy just the 7mm wire with the ends already crimped on much cheaper than the complete set? I'd like to be able to take advantange of everyones experiences with this. Thanks!



"The BERU/Bosch tips are for 7 mm OD by 16 gauge stranded copper spark plug wires. If you get 8 mm OD wires you will have to shave the ends down.

Use crimper pliers for TV cable fittings to crimp on the outside of the wire. Crimp once then rotate the pliers a couple of facets and crimp two more places.

This is not as secure as the special tool that uses two or three points to bend a sharp wedge of the material into the wire. This sharp wedge helps to keep the wire from turning when you screw it back into the end fittings.

Crimping the wire in the threaded point is tricky too as you don't want to bend the end. This will make it hard to impossible to get it to screw back into the fittings"

tod84944

Where are you able to get the sleeves. I have a ton of ends that I have taken off of the parts cars. I have thought of making my own, but never knew where to get the ends.

Granite 944

Kingsborne

I got this link from an old, prior post from SoCal Driver. The parts are all here, I just can't get over what they want for the crimper tool. I guessing the cable TV crimpers just might be the only way to go.

Oh yeah, I did call them up and ask about the prices just this afternoon.

SoCal Driver

I've tried something different on the ends. I drill them through and solder the wire into the threaded ends.

I drilled a hole the same size as the BERU ends OD then cross drilled a hole for a large nail into it from the side in a piece of hard wood.

After soldering the wire into the end I stick it into the hole and use a nail to stake the sleeve into the insulation in three equally spaced locations around the sleeve. This keeps the end from rotating on the wire when you screw them back in.

Granite 944

That sounds pretty slick. So your using the hardwood block as a jig in order to hold everything in place and keep it fairly straight and even. I'll bet that works pretty good! I assume the brass ends accept soldering pretty well? Thanks SoCal, I was hoping you'd jump in on this!

Josh B

I assembled my wires this same way and they have been running great. Just make sure to get a few extra m3 threaded ends as sometimes the drill bit might come out the wrong place. Also - just because an end is listed on the Kingsborne site doesn't mean they have it in stock. They might try to sell you a woodscrew connector.

SoCal Driver

The staking while restraining the OD is an old automated assembly trick.

SoCal Driver

Here is a section through one of the connectors:

Granite 944

Thanks guys! I think I'm going to try making a jig up like SoCal uses, and do the stake it trick, and the solder routine. Soundsl like it works pretty good to me! Good cross sectional pics of the end connectors too! I just took an old, already broken up one, and broke it open to get the guts out so I could see it up close.
I'm sure buying 7mm wire in bulk has got to be a whole lot cheaper way to go, and still be able to use the Beru ends! Are you guys using the solid or stranded core wires, and are you using a dielectric grease for reassembly?

SoCal Driver

Regular 16 gauge stranded. 7 mm OD on the insulation. When you "stake" them the shell has to be penetrated so the edges of the hole spike into the insulation. This is how I've found some sets that I've rebuilt.

Could use a little lube on the threads. Sure wouldn't hurt to get the end past the weather boot.

You may find that you have some corroded ends on the dist. This is exposed to the elements. I've found the bottom two to be corroded more often than not. This is why I have one cut open. You can press a decent fitting into a good weather boot. First you have to cut a bad weather boot apart to get to the good fitting!

Granite 944

SoCal, I thank you for all the great info! For right now (since I need wires on this car pretty badly), I've just ordered a set of pre-cut wires (copper stranded) with only the M3 sleeves on them for a cost quote of $25.00 (red ones at that!). I also ordered 12ea. of the M3 sleeves so I can make up another set myself, using wire I'll source locally when I can get my head above water from doing what all I want to do to this car right now. Cost of sleeves = $15.00.
For a cost difference of $10.00 (and minus the cost of wire), I'll try out Kingsborne's wires, and they'll crimp em on using a production machine. I've already made up the peices to make a jig with, for crimping sleeves on, using alluminum 1/2" face machined plate (two peices/split design). As soon as I can get the sleeves, I can measure the OD of em, and drill it up. I'm kinda anxious to try it out!
But, I must admit, after finding out today what Kingsborne charges for the above mentioned wires made up, less than $10.00 (plus shipping), makes it almost not worth while to do it myself. But I still want to check out the other brands of wire available also. Thanks bunches!

Shutemup

How much is a complete set from them?

Looks like they only sell to dealers though.

BTW, what's so special about the plastic end pieces anyway? Why won't standard 8mm plug wires with straight ends work?

Granite 944

Ya know, I never even asked them what they wanted for a complete setup, but I'm sure it ain't cheap. Their shipping to me (retail), so, not just to dealers. "Special"........ I'm sure your idea would work. I'm no expert, but the Beru ends are OEM, so they fit the head/plug/intake manifold area properly, and, I'm not sure, but I believe the spark voltage transfer is about as good as it gets through these ends (at least,it should be for what each connector end costs!), and I'm just not going to start throwing a bunch of aftermarket stuff at it like this if I can stay at least close to OEM going the route I'm going at a "reasonable price", but I also just can't see or justify paying $100.00, $120.00 or more for a set of OEM type plug wires........ for my cars anyway.

SoCal Driver

Straight ends? Are you thinking of the copper press end clips? If so these will not fit the threaded part of the connector resulting in a spark gap that will eventually wear away the insides of the ends.

As to OD; there is no reason to go to larger OD insulator using 16 gauge stranded cores with the Bosch coil. There is no reason to use any other coil but the Bosch. If you have bad wires that are arcing to the engine these must be changed. All arcing will go back through the DME IF the injector harness is close to the arcing.

Interesting to hear that Kingsborne will make up a set of just the wires. This is something that is sorely needed for the 944 hobby car community. Hobby car is when the owner does most of the work on the car.

I would not use aluminum for the fixture. I would get some tool steel and machine the hole for the sleeve between two pieces then cross bore for the staking tool and hinge the two pieces on one end. Kind of like the tubing flaring tool for serious brake line work. I would have the tool steel hardened afterward.

Shutemup

What I meant was why won't a set like this work?

http://www.msdignition.com/wire_1.htm