Connecting ignition wires

[drooartz]

Got in a new coil and ignition wires for the Tunebug. I had expected them to be pre-made, but what I got was a little kit with a length of wire and 4 ends to clip over the plugs. My cap is the side-entry sort, so I can see how that end attaches to the plug wires, and the little plug caps seem to screw into the wire.

Now the coil connection is a little different. This is a screw-in type coil, and the coil came with a little screw cap and a small washer-type thing. How do I make the connection at the coil end with those bits and the wire?

My old coil wire was just taped up and stuck into the top, so its not of any help as an example.

 

[ChrisS]

Check your email, I sent you a PDF which may help. The washer is the contact point for the wire to the coil and the screw cap forms a compression type fitting to hold the wire to the coil.

 

[drooartz]

Thanks for the picture and the email. I should have thought to look in my factory manual... of course it is at home. The cable seems a bit loose in the screw connector--I assume that is fine since the poking the wire through the washer and flattening it should permanently connect it to the wire.

So the screw cap pushes the washer down, and since that is connected to the wire it holds the wire in place. Do I have this? Hard to completely wrap my mind around it until I am out in the car and can sit down and do it.

 

[jlaird]

Drew. Do it just like the pic. Makes a good solid connection that will not vibrate out at the worst possible time. ie, when you are putting it to an MG. lol

 

[drooartz]

I think I can see how it works now. Seems a bit odd, but I can imagine that it should work. Sure is better than my old connection--wire wrapped in tape and jammed into the coil.

 

[DrEntropy]

The coil on Horsemits' MGB is the original and has that screw cap. Worked for forty-odd years! I will admit I've changed wires a few times tho. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif

 

[drooartz]

I got a new coil, but still have the old one which might be original. It still works, so it will make a nice backup. It's a screw type as well, so the wires should just transfer if there was a problem.

Now, scanning the manual, it says to use silicone grease on the cap-side of the wires in the little holes that the wires go in to. Good idea? Bad idea? Necessary?

 

[jlaird]

Don't ever remember doing that? However that would keep the water out, bet it is just something that I did not know.

Hope they sent ya some.

 

[drooartz]

Didn't send me any, and I don't think I have any around. The old cap (actually a pretty new cap, now to be my spare) didn't have any either, so I'm not going to worry.

 

[jlaird]

Just went out in the garage to look at my new cap, no instructions of course but no grease either.

 

[drooartz]

The instructions I saw were in the factory shop manual.

Got the wires in tonight, and all seems well. I'll do a final carb check and radiator flush next week, and hope that my tuneup has gone well. I'm off for a motorcycle camping trip in the morning, just an overnighter, but a chance to get away on the new bike.