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    Wire Crimp / Connectors

    I'm replacing the fusebox on my car and I'm looking for wire crimp connectors. I believe these are the part numbers but I was wondering if there is another source that I can buy them in bulk for a little less. I know there is usually debate between crimp vs solder but crimping seems to be the best option for me at this point. I emailed newark.com but the said they don't carry anything equivalent.

    https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...or-61138353746 Cable connector, crimp size 0.2 to 0.5 mm
    https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...or-61138353747 Cable connector, crimp size .75 to 1.0mm
    https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...or-61138353748 Cable connector, crimp size 1.5 to 2.5mm
    Click image for larger version

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    sigpic84 325e

    #2
    KeeYees 500 Pcs U Shape Copper Ring Terminals Crimp Kit - Non-Insulated Assortment Cable Wire Spade Electric Butt Connector Kit : Electronics (amazon.com)

    I used some of these when working on the wiring for my N52 swap.

    Some of the wires are a bit too small to get a good crimp, so I would remove 2 or 3X the length of insulation and then twist and fold over making the wire 2 or 3X thicker.

    Here are the crimpers I used: IWISS Open Barrel Terminal Crimping Tool for Molex Style DELPHI AMP TYCO Deutsch Terminals Crimper, Molex Crimping Tool,24-14 AWG

    They are not the only crimpers needed for the swap, but the ones needed for these particular connectors. Crimp the wire first, then the insulation.

    Comment


      #3
      These are not the connectors you should be looking for. They are used just to connect two wires together.

      You should take out the terminals that you want to replace and then try to find matches on https://www.te.com/
      It's a daunting process.
      When you find matches, you should be able to order them on mouser.com

      Comment


        #4
        I used the same stuff that LukeJ mentioned for a mostly-remade engine harness for my Megasquirt+other. Works well. I prefer to the inline style in your original post. Here's a great tutorial on proper use of these:

        Need to join multiple wires in your wiring harness? You need to splice.This is just ONE module from the comprehensive Practical Wiring - Club Level harness c...

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          #5
          I do something like that ^^^^

          Open barrel crimp. I tend to NOT inline since the connection folded over the wire gives it mechanical strength if it's pulled. Inline tend to pull out much easier. If you open a BMW engine harness, all connections are twisted together, open barrel crimped and a silicone cap on it, folded in half and often have a small zip tie or tape near the fold.

          john@m20guru.com
          Links:
          Transaction feedback: Here, here and here. Thanks :D

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            #6
            Originally posted by LukeJ View Post
            Here are the crimpers I used: IWISS Open Barrel Terminal Crimping Tool for Molex Style DELPHI AMP TYCO Deutsch Terminals Crimper, Molex Crimping Tool,24-14 AWG

            They are not the only crimpers needed for the swap, but the ones needed for these particular connectors. Crimp the wire first, then the insulation.
            I have a set of those and they don't do a great job IMO. I had an awesome set of no-name crimpers for about 20yr and they finally gave up the ghost. Tried a set like the link above, but wasn't happy with them and got a pair of these (expensive, but worth it) : https://shop.snapon.com/product/Ratc...e-Point)/PWC48 They do a superb job, even on the cheap generic box-store red/yellow/blue. The anvils interchange and have a dual pattern crimp, so the quality connectors will get two diameter folds, one for the insulation, the other for the bare metal.
            john@m20guru.com
            Links:
            Transaction feedback: Here, here and here. Thanks :D

            Comment


              #7




              Digi Key has a good selection too

              Then heat shrink non rigid adhesive lined shrink over crimp.


              I have the factory ones like listed in OP just for out of curiosity, I don't like them as they are brittle in the middle and take up a lot of room the wire cant flex.

              I was up above it, Now I'm down in it ~ Entropy - A Build thread.
              @Zakspeed_US

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by ForcedFirebird View Post

                I have a set of those and they don't do a great job IMO. I had an awesome set of no-name crimpers for about 20yr and they finally gave up the ghost. Tried a set like the link above, but wasn't happy with them and got a pair of these (expensive, but worth it) : https://shop.snapon.com/product/Ratc...e-Point)/PWC48 They do a superb job, even on the cheap generic box-store red/yellow/blue. The anvils interchange and have a dual pattern crimp, so the quality connectors will get two diameter folds, one for the insulation, the other for the bare metal.
                Thanks for the input. No doubt there are better and even more expensive options. I do have a set of crimpers like the Snap-on set but without the extra anvils.

                I did try to make sure that I got a good crimp before I heated the heat shrink. Thankfully, I didn't have to use them very often. Most of the connections I made were with the proper pin/socket for the corresponding connector. Time will tell.

                Here's some of the other crimpers I used. All of them are the 'cheap ones'. I found that some worked better than others and you have to do a practice run sometimes to make sure it will provide the crimp needed. A couple of these do have the dual crimp pattern for the wire and insulation.
                Click image for larger version

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                Last edited by LukeJ; 06-18-2022, 04:52 PM.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by 808ETA View Post
                  I'm replacing the fusebox on my car
                  Could you please let us know how you de-pinned (removed the terminals) from your old fuse box? I have a few issues with loose fuse and relay connections, so I bought a new fuse box. For the life of me I can't get even a single one of the terminals to release from the bottom of the fuse box (even after taking out the plastic lock on each side of the box). I have tried many different little tools from Amazon and one from the BMW dealer from Germany to no avail.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    For splicing wires in the car's harnesses, at least for anything that actually matters, I only use parallel crimp sleeves. That is the same type used at all of the factory splice points where 2 or more wires are joined up (other than the power and ground lugs, which are basically the same thing but with a ring attached). Getting a good crimp with them sort of requires a good ratcheting tool. The idea is that the wires you want to bond are all there next to one another, and the sleeve crushes them all together for minimal contact resistance. Here are the ones I used in my custom engine harness:

                    I do them with these crimpers:


                    As for the various crimped terminals used in the connectors around the car, they are all standard TE/Amp automotive system stuff. The round ones come from the 2.5mm system, and the rectangular ones are mostly Junior Power Timer (JPT) and Standard Power Timer (SPT) series. Up at the ECU there are some Micro Timer 1 terminals mixed in, at least on Motronic 1.7.

                    The relay housings for the main, fuel pump, and O2 sensors all use SPT female terminals. I have not gotten down into the fuse box, but I would guess that those are also SPT. If you have one taken apart and post some photos, I could probably tell you what they are using in there.

                    With the terminals, the hard part is dealing with the insane variety of part numbers. There are different contact body alloys, sealed vs. unsealed (all of the ones in the E30 are unsealed since the connector housings have rubber boots) and wire size range. It isn't too hard to deal with, but you do need to spend a little time looking through the datasheet drawings and the large tables therein which show which PN is for what.

                    As far as getting good crimps on these, you do not need anything exotic. I have found that these two crimpers covered 100% of my needs. The blue handled ones give me the tightest final crimps on the copper wire (note: hand strength is required), and the red ones do a good job on the part that grips the insulation. The red ones also work well for starting crimps in some cases where I step down to the final size. Anyway, if you want to make good harness crimps, get both IMO.

                    Ballenger Motorsports Micro Crimper (For smaller terminals 30 - 16AWG) - Crimps most terminals from 30-16 AWG including Weather-Pack ( Weatherpack ), Metri-Pack ( Metripack ), GT Style and other terminal types (TOOL-01002) for only $28.99!


                    If you check my ECU conversion thread, I did my best to document a lot of this with part numbers in the first post. You can check out some of the later posts for examples of how the crimps are done.

                    Transaction Feedback: LINK

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by ghrays View Post

                      Could you please let us know how you de-pinned (removed the terminals) from your old fuse box? I have a few issues with loose fuse and relay connections, so I bought a new fuse box. For the life of me I can't get even a single one of the terminals to release from the bottom of the fuse box (even after taking out the plastic lock on each side of the box). I have tried many different little tools from Amazon and one from the BMW dealer from Germany to no avail.
                      If the fuse box is anything like the relay holders on the firewall, there are a bunch of plastic prongs on the bottom which create an additional mechanical interlock with the back of the terminal body. Just depressing the little retention flaps with extractor tools is not enough to get them out if that is the case. It is a real pain, but it can be done with enough wiggling and pushing of the plastic prongs.

                      If it is not set up that way, then it is probably just the retention flaps digging in. With any of these, when you stick the extractor in it will push the flaps down into the holder as much as it will push them inward. What happens a lot of the time is that they get mashed outward and then become almost impossible to get out. When extracting any terminals like this, I push inward on the wire / terminal's crimp barrel, insert the extractor since I know at that point the flaps are not engaged, and then try to slide it out.

                      Transaction Feedback: LINK

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by ghrays View Post

                        Could you please let us know how you de-pinned (removed the terminals) from your old fuse box? I have a few issues with loose fuse and relay connections, so I bought a new fuse box. For the life of me I can't get even a single one of the terminals to release from the bottom of the fuse box (even after taking out the plastic lock on each side of the box). I have tried many different little tools from Amazon and one from the BMW dealer from Germany to no avail.
                        I learned it from this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdT2cUlN3AQ&t=101s
                        sigpic84 325e

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