Plug wires!

Captmandel

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So this may seem basic but I have a question. When screwing the caps in the wires do I just push it down and twist it so the screw in the cap touches the copper wire?

Finally when connecting the plug wires to the coils, do i need to strip the wires and put caps on? Or strip the wires and just shove it in there with the coil cap? Hopefully I wrote this with some cohesion and clarity. I really want some help so if this doesn't make sense let me know so I can clarify. Thanks!
 
If you look into the plug wire hole on most plug caps and/or coils, you'll see what looks like the threaded part of a wood screw. You simply "screw" the wire onto this like tightening a bolt. It won't feel quite the same but you get the idea. Keep turning the wire into the coil or the plug cap onto the wire until it stops going in any further. I like to prep the end of my wires like so 1st before mounting, also add a dab of dielectric grease .....

VqkZjYD.jpg


If your coil has a screw-on cap to retain the plug wire, there should also be a little rubber "doughnut" that goes on the wire (you'll need to reclaim this from the old wire usually). Slip that on the wire 1st (cap too), before screwing it into the coil. Once the wire is screwed in fully, slide the "doughnut" up snug to the coil and screw the cap on. This compresses the rubber ring onto the wire and helps retain it in the coil.
 
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Thanks 5twins! I always see you answering questions on the forum and want to thank you specifically for all the direct and indirect help! :bow:

Just to clarify I want to ask, am i suppose to strip the part of the wire that goes in the coil? I just ordered the caps and doughnuts for my xs2 from mikes, I think they are screw on. Thanks again.
 
No, you don't strip the plug wire. I do cut like 1/8" off the insulation to allow for fanning the wire strands out as pictured, but the part of the wire that gets inserted into the coil or cap is not stripped. Make it look like my pic, full wire with just a little off the end so the wire strands can be spread out. And thank you for the "Thank You".
 
Just to add to this. I didn't have the rubber grommet for the coil side. My wires would pop out easily.
I took the cap off and slid onto wire. Then put a cable tie onto the wire instead of the grommet. When I push the wire on now then screw the cap down its pushed on REALLY nicely and won't budge. I actually tried pulling it off and couldn't. So it seems to work ok.

Posted via Mobile
 
That whole system pissed me off enough to get a high-energy coil, some bulk racing wire, a couple of car-type ends, and some car-type plugs. If my car can do 100k on a set of plugs and wires, why can't my bike?

:p
 
If you look into the plug wire hole on most plug caps and/or coils, you'll see what looks like the threaded part of a wood screw. You simply "screw" the wire onto this like tightening a bolt. It won't feel quite the same but you get the idea. Keep turning the wire into the coil or the plug cap onto the wire until it stops going in any further. I like to prep the end of my wires like so 1st before mounting, also add a dab of dielectric grease .....

PlugWireEnd.jpg


If your coil has a screw-on cap to retain the plug wire, there should also be a little rubber "doughnut" that goes on the wire (you'll need to reclaim this from the old wire usually). Slip that on the wire 1st (cap too), before screwing it into the coil. Once the wire is screwed in fully, slide the "doughnut" up snug to the coil and screw the cap on. This compresses the rubber ring onto the wire and helps retain it in the coil.


Image is currently unavailable to what you posted before. I am in the same boat and need to understand how the plug wires connect to the coil. So on the plug wire you have a cap on one end and what? A wire sticking out of the housing on the other? Stick that into the coil and twist? Or does the coil have a cap that you loosen to then stick the wire in and rotate that cap to seat the wire into the coil? Sorry I don't have my new Dual high output coil until tomorrow. Part number from Geoffs and Mikes XS is 17-6903 to the coil I purchased.
Sounds like I attach my cam to plug wire almost the same way?
 
coil.png

The black box is the coil. The red triangle is the "wood screw". Think of it as a probe.
The black circle is the plug wire, the center is the copper conductor.
When the wire is shoved into the coil tower, the probe penetrates the copper conductor to complete the circuit.
The screw on cap and o-ring/donut seals the connection and holds it in place.

(All sounds kinda perverted...)
 
I looked at that 17-6903 coil you're getting and it uses the same "compression" type fitting for the plug wire so you can follow the above instructions for plug wire install. I prep the ends of my plug wires as shown (fixed the pic for you) to insure I get good contact.

If you take the caps off your new coils, you should find a rubber or plastic ring in there .....

7or9jeO.jpg


Slide the cap onto your plug wire, then the rubber or plastic ring, then insert the wire into the coil. If the coil has a wood screw looking pin in the plug wire hole, you'll need to thread the wire onto it. Some just have a pointed pin, in which case you would just push the plug wire onto it as far as it will go. Then slide the rubber or plastic ring down the wire up snug to the coil and screw the cap on. The ring will get compressed on the wire as you tighten the cap, pinching it and holding it in place in the coil.
 
Watch wire diameter, stock is 6 or maybe 7mm, 8mm (often sold as "performance" wire) will be way too big to go in your fittings.
 
View attachment 159005
The black box is the coil. The red triangle is the "wood screw". Think of it as a probe.
The black circle is the plug wire, the center is the copper conductor.
When the wire is shoved into the coil tower, the probe penetrates the copper conductor to complete the circuit.
The screw on cap and o-ring/donut seals the connection and holds it in place.

(All sounds kinda perverted...)

Hahahah yes it does sound a bit perverted. Thank you for the drawing detail and explanation. I find it funny to ask how to connect this but at the same time when I removed the old one it seemed a little odd and not straight forward. This makes sense. I should receive my new coil tomorrow and will pick up some new wires and see what I can do. Cheers!!
 
I looked at that 17-6903 coil you're getting and it uses the same "compression" type fitting for the plug wire so you can follow the above instructions for plug wire install. I prep the ends of my plug wires as shown (fixed the pic for you) to insure I get good contact.

If you take the caps off your new coils, you should find a rubber or plastic ring in there .....

7or9jeO.jpg


Slide the cap onto your plug wire, then the rubber or plastic ring, then insert the wire into the coil. If the coil has a wood screw looking pin in the plug wire hole, you'll need to thread the wire onto it. Some just have a pointed pin, in which case you would just push the plug wire onto it as far as it will go. Then slide the rubber or plastic ring down the wire up snug to the coil and screw the cap on. The ring will get compressed on the wire as you tighten the cap, pinching it and holding it in place in the coil.

Well you can’t get a better explanation then what you just gave me! Thank you kind sir! Sweet as! Looking forward to the install. So funny to ask how to do this. However I didn’t know. Hahah I really appreciate your help...all the time.
Lewi
 
I'm sure they have some sort of replacement plug wires but maybe not the large selection of colors and the silicone type. I've been using these EMPI silicone wires for a good 20 years now on all my bikes. The color may fade a bit after several years but I've never had a wire go bad. Just put a fresh set on my new-to-me '83, along with a Honda MP08 coil .....

c9kWv1W.jpg


lOp2hHu.jpg
 
I'm sure they have some sort of replacement plug wires but maybe not the large selection of colors and the silicone type. I've been using these EMPI silicone wires for a good 20 years now on all my bikes. The color may fade a bit after several years but I've never had a wire go bad. Just put a fresh set on my new-to-me '83, along with a Honda MP08 coil .....

c9kWv1W.jpg


lOp2hHu.jpg
Okay great! Thanks for letting me know. So is that something I get direct? EMPI?
 
I'm sure they have some sort of replacement plug wires but maybe not the large selection of colors and the silicone type. I've been using these EMPI silicone wires for a good 20 years now on all my bikes. The color may fade a bit after several years but I've never had a wire go bad. Just put a fresh set on my new-to-me '83, along with a Honda MP08 coil .....

c9kWv1W.jpg


lOp2hHu.jpg

silicone for the casing (housing)
Copper core or what should I get? Non resistor
 
I'm sure they have some sort of replacement plug wires but maybe not the large selection of colors and the silicone type. I've been using these EMPI silicone wires for a good 20 years now on all my bikes. The color may fade a bit after several years but I've never had a wire go bad. Just put a fresh set on my new-to-me '83, along with a Honda MP08 coil .....

c9kWv1W.jpg


lOp2hHu.jpg

Okay I found some leads to order from a local shop. They arrive Tuesday but I still have my old ones (that were in decent shape) Just wanted to replace them while I was replacing everything else. So I ripped out of the leads of the old coil. My existing coil did not seem to have the caps you can loosen and back out. So I yanked on the leads to get them off the coil. I am posting some pics of them to see if they look reusable? In hopes lol
 

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