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Getting ready to tap into the switched "run" terminal at plug for ignition switch for my '73 F100. Converting to HEI. On my plug I have the pink low resistance wire & what I think is the accessories wire (black w/green strip) cojoined into one spade connector at back of plug.
I would like to remove that spade connector & replace it with a new one so I can run a 12 ga wire directly to coil. Those connectors appear to be embedded pretty well in plug. What is the trick for removing them ? Or do you have to destroy them to get them out & just replace with new one. I don't own any special tools so hoping there's an alternate way to get them out.
Thanks !
Thanks for the reply. I think that tool is designed more for the rounded connectors. Great for removing the connector pins @ steering column harness.
I am now wondering instead of possibly buggering up that spade connector why I couldn't just leave the low resistance wire in plug & just snip it 2-3" back from plug & splice in a 12 ga copper wire & run directly to coil.
Wouldn't that still give me 12v @ coil ?
Most likely yes, but sometimes crimping and/or soldering to a resistor wire is problematic. It's an extremely small conductor under that thick jacket, and does not lend itself well to crimping.
However it's possible that this close to the switch it's more like regular wire. I just would not want to count on that!
And even though we're just talking about a short bit of wire, the added load of the more powerful ignition might still put more heat into it than you'd like.
You could add to the complexity (but cure the dilemma) by having the resistor wire trigger a relay under the hood, then run your 12ga wire from the relay to the distributor.
With a standard Bosch type relay (available under many brands and names) with four or five terminals you would run them like this:
1. Pin #85 to a nearby ground.
2. Pin #86 to the resistor wire.
3. Pin #30 to the battery positive.
4. Pin #87 to the main power wire of the HEI distributor.
(5. If a pin #87A is present, you don't use it)
The load to trigger a relay is so low that the resistor wire would deliver the full 12v and not build up any extra heat. The relay (basically just a remote switch) gets full battery voltage from the battery to the distributor over a much shorter distance than through the ignition switch directly.
Have you also changed over to a modern alternator? If you're not using the old Green w/red stripe wire that went to the old regulator for anything, you can use that to power your HEI.
It's easier to run any new wires right to the ACC stud on the back of the switches (if yours is set up like that) but you really want to keep to the idea of using the pink resistor wire, or the Red w/green wire (if your '73 has one?) or the Green w/red wire from the key. This lets you listen to the radio or leave the key in ACC without overheating the ignition.
Probably many ways to handle this. I forget what the back of your ignition switch looks like, but there might be an easier way than my story about the relay.
Any other unused wires under the hood?
Most likely yes, but sometimes crimping and/or soldering to a resistor wire is problematic. It's an extremely small conductor under that thick jacket, and does not lend itself well to crimping.
However it's possible that this close to the switch it's more like regular wire. I just would not want to count on that!
And even though we're just talking about a short bit of wire, the added load of the more powerful ignition might still put more heat into it than you'd like.
You could add to the complexity (but cure the dilemma) by having the resistor wire trigger a relay under the hood, then run your 12ga wire from the relay to the distributor.
With a standard Bosch type relay (available under many brands and names) with four or five terminals you would run them like this:
1. Pin #85 to a nearby ground.
2. Pin #86 to the resistor wire.
3. Pin #30 to the battery positive.
4. Pin #87 to the main power wire of the HEI distributor.
(5. If a pin #87A is present, you don't use it)
The load to trigger a relay is so low that the resistor wire would deliver the full 12v and not build up any extra heat. The relay (basically just a remote switch) gets full battery voltage from the battery to the distributor over a much shorter distance than through the ignition switch directly.
Have you also changed over to a modern alternator? If you're not using the old Green w/red stripe wire that went to the old regulator for anything, you can use that to power your HEI.
It's easier to run any new wires right to the ACC stud on the back of the switches (if yours is set up like that) but you really want to keep to the idea of using the pink resistor wire, or the Red w/green wire (if your '73 has one?) or the Green w/red wire from the key. This lets you listen to the radio or leave the key in ACC without overheating the ignition.
Probably many ways to handle this. I forget what the back of your ignition switch looks like, but there might be an easier way than my story about the relay.
Any other unused wires under the hood?
Good luck.
Paul
Paul,
thanks for the insight on this matter. I was able to remove the spade connector from back of plug. On my '73 which is pretty much all original it had the pink resistance wire & a black/green wire (I think the accessories wire) crimped together on the same spade connector which goes to the switched on RUN position of switch. I luckily had an extra spade connector so I simply ran a new 14 ga wire with that blk/gr wire together on new spade connector. Ran another wire from I terminal on starter solenoid that was then spliced into the new wire coming from ign switch. That spliced wire found it's final resting place on the + side of a Pertronix Flame Thrower coil. With new re gaped plugs & 8.5 mm Taylor wires truck runs significantly smoother.
Cheers
Sounds great! Didn't happen to take some pics along the way while you were working on it, did you?
Pics would be great if you've got them.
Paul
Sorry I didn't. I am terrible at photo documenting my work; certainly a failing of mine. I tend to be working on 2-3 car projects concurrently so I'm jumping around like a mad man half the time.
I almost never remember to take pictures either when I'm in the heat of battle (wrenching). Missed some great conversation starting pictures over the years, but at least I still got the jobs done.
Amazes me sometimes how some can take dozens of pics over a couple of days of wrenching and have a full write-up. And still get the job done too!
I deleted the resistor wire on my 70 f250 to run 12v to a HEI and later regretted it. I wised I would have used a relay to bring power to the distributor. I recently went back to the original distributor but could not run points because of the resistor wire. I was going to run points for a while so I could put my original air filter and some other parts back on then add a Petronix module later. I ended up just getting the Petronix now and switched back over last weekend. I am going to use the HEI in my other truck.
Question for those of you who used a relay to supply +12 VDC to your Pertonix Ignitor: Where did you source your +12 VDC power? And did you put a fuse in that DC lead for safety? If so, how many amps?
*** EDIT ***
Never mind. I called Pertronix and got my answers. They said to take the power directly from the battery (through the relay, or course!) and use a 25 A fuse in the line. Easy peasy.
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