Focus Coil pack connection

Focus Coil pack connection

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G321

Original Poster:

610 posts

211 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
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My MK2 ford focus has a problem with the plug connector wires that connect to the coil pack. I've had a garage try and re-terminate the wires into the plug only for them to come loose again causing a mis-fire. I'm thinking of trying to get another plug from a scrap yard with the wires attached and cutting the old plug off the car and soldering the wires to the new plug wires and then covering the soldered joint with some heat shrink. Any ideas on whether this is a good or bad idea?? obviously if it doesn't work it's going to leave me with some problems!

ruggedscotty

5,800 posts

216 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
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photos !

Not to sure about the soldering as you will need to heat the connection and not to sure what damage that would do to the device. Still if you can solder it then cover the connections that would do it. not to sure what side your talking about - if its the ht leads then they could be a nightmare to solder..... and then to insulate and such would take a fair bit to do.


G321

Original Poster:

610 posts

211 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
Sorry haven't got any photos as I'm at work at the moment.
It's not the HT leads side its the 3 wire connector plug that connects to the side of the coil pack. the idea isn't to solder to the plug but replace the plug and solder the wires from the new plug to the old wires.

ch427

9,750 posts

240 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
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Your idea is a sound one and exactly what i would do. Im sure various people will come along shortly and advise that soldering is an inferior joint to crimping but in thre real world it wont matter and will last longer than the car.

G321

Original Poster:

610 posts

211 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
quotequote all
ch427 said:
Your idea is a sound one and exactly what i would do. Im sure various people will come along shortly and advise that soldering is an inferior joint to crimping but in thre real world it wont matter and will last longer than the car.
Cheers ch427, I plan on heat shrinking around the solder so it should be just the same as having one wire

ruggedscotty

5,800 posts

216 months

Tuesday 14th July 2015
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your idea is ok - soldered tons of connections in the past with no issues....

Al Murphy

293 posts

166 months

Thursday 16th July 2015
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I'm not sure whether the mk2 uses the same coil pack and connectors as the mk1 with the zetec engine, but if it does you can buy the connectors and new pins quite cheaply. It might be worth remaking the connector entirely with new parts if you can;

http://www.simtekuk.co.uk/product.php/ford_coil_pa...


For what it's worth a crimped connection is a better join when done properly, but in all honesty in an automotive application there is nothing wrong with soldered and it's easier to make a decent solder join than a good crimped joint. Although with solder I would always advise trying to make sure it's well supported.

Al

G321

Original Poster:

610 posts

211 months

Thursday 16th July 2015
quotequote all
Al Murphy said:
I'm not sure whether the mk2 uses the same coil pack and connectors as the mk1 with the zetec engine, but if it does you can buy the connectors and new pins quite cheaply. It might be worth remaking the connector entirely with new parts if you can;

http://www.simtekuk.co.uk/product.php/ford_coil_pa...


For what it's worth a crimped connection is a better join when done properly, but in all honesty in an automotive application there is nothing wrong with soldered and it's easier to make a decent solder join than a good crimped joint. Although with solder I would always advise trying to make sure it's well supported.

Al
Unfortunately it is a different coil pack/connector to the MK1 so that's not an option unfortunately. Hopefully the solder option will work and maybe support the wires by cable tying them

Penelope Stopit

11,209 posts

116 months

Thursday 16th July 2015
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When you do the soldering use a decent sized iron, grab the bare wire at the plug side of the joint with a pair of pointed pliers, the pliers will act as a heatsink and stop the heat from travelling along the wire to the terminals in the plug thus avoiding melting the plastic or overheating the terminals and weakening them

G321

Original Poster:

610 posts

211 months

Thursday 16th July 2015
quotequote all
Penelope Stopit said:
When you do the soldering use a decent sized iron, grab the bare wire at the plug side of the joint with a pair of pointed pliers, the pliers will act as a heatsink and stop the heat from travelling along the wire to the terminals in the plug thus avoiding melting the plastic or overheating the terminals and weakening them
Thanks for the tip, I'll give it a go