How do you glue plug wires?

[Kit Basher]

Specifically, I'm working on a stock hemi. The engine is assembled, the valve covers are drilled, and the wires are in place. Ideally, I'd like to put a tiny drop of CA on each wire, but I don't want any extra glue showing. The covers are already painted flat black, so any gloss or white haze would look bad. My past attempts at gluing with thin CA have resulted in either too much or none. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[espo]

I have used Zap-A-Gap and Model Master liquid cement (the black triangle). Both have worked well. The issue of the glue showing may be solved by a little touch of flat or semi gloss black around the area where the plug wire inters the valve cover. On a 1:1 there is a black rubber boot on the plug wire in that area and you could use that to cover any glue there.

[Kit Basher]

I have used Zap-A-Gap and Model Master liquid cement (the black triangle). Both have worked well. The issue of the glue showing may be solved by a little touch of flat or semi gloss black around the area where the plug wire inters the valve cover. On a 1:1 there is a black rubber boot on the plug wire in that area and you could use that to cover any glue there.

How do you apply the glue so you have some control over it?

[cobraman]

Toothpick ?

[Kit Basher]

Toothpick ?

I've tried a toothpick, a pin, and the eye of a needle, both solid and cut off so it's like a fork. Using thin CA, the toothpick and pin won't pick up any glue. The needle sometimes picks up glue, but won't always transfer it. Should I be using medium CA?

[astroracer]

Pop the covers off and glue from the inside. If you put a small 90 degree bend on the wire that will lock it in place while you are gluing.

Mark

[Kit Basher]

Pop the covers off and glue from the inside. If you put a small 90 degree bend on the wire that will lock it in place while you are gluing.

Mark

Thanks, Mark That's a good idea, but them covers aint popping off. They're glued on there good. I should mention the distributor is already wired.

[snacktruck67]

Get some Plastic Magic bottled glue from Deluxe, available at Mega Hobby,  This stuff holds very well and does not leave any residue behind.  Go to the Deluxe Materials sight, https://www.deluxematerials.co.uk/en/rc-modelling/34-plastic-magic-5060243900210.html.

Look at the demo.  This is a British site so don' be alarmed at the prices.  You can get there products at Mega Hobby here in the states.  This stuff really works great.  I even went as far as to put a dab of this glue on a finished engine block just to see the results.  It dries fast and invisible.  I put my wires in the drilled out holes in the engine block, and then dab some of this glue on there.  Works flawlessly. 

[Kit Basher]

Thanks, Mike. Since the Plastic Magic is a solvent glue, I wonder if it is friendly to paint. However, that Pin Flow applicator gave me an idea. I have some hypodermic needles, like the one in the video. Surprisingly, they fit perfectly on the spout of my bottle of CA. I still get more glue than I want, but it's much better. I think a smaller needle or medium CA might be perfect. So thanks for that suggestion, it really helped a lot!

[Sixties Sam]

I use CA glue, but not the water-thin kind. The thicker stuff will form a drop on the end of the wire, then carefully insert it in the hole.

Sam

[Kit Basher]

Thanks, Sam. It sounds more and more like I need to get some medium CA.

[Foxer]

I agree with Sam. I don't use thin CA for anything because of all the things mentioned. It just doesn't handle well. Using Zap-A-Gap medium applying with control is a no brainer. You can't flow it into a joint but can dab very thinly and a small drop on a toothpick secures everything, even those oily plugs.

[Mike Kucaba]

Can you pull the wires out? If so put a small amount of medium SG on the wire and push it into the hole.

Another way to tackle this would be to make boots that fit in the hole and are even with the valve cover level and then 

cement from underneath like Mark mentioned. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

I use PVA white glue. It dries totally clear, it's entirely strong enough to hold wires in drilled holes, and it's about the easiest to use with zero fear of buggering paint or getting a CA haze.

Honestly, if you drill your plug holes pretty deep, you don't need any glue at all...especially if you drill the holes to be only a couple thou larger than your wires.

Edited May 5, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[High octane]

I use Devcon 5-Minute Epoxy as it dries clear. I also apply it in the spark plug holes with a straight pin so I don't get glue all over. This has been working well for me for many years.

[BigTallDad]

You drilled through the valve covers... Is it a hemi?

[Harry P.]

You drilled through the valve covers... Is it a hemi?

From the original post...

"Specifically, I'm working on a stock hemi."

[Art Anderson]

You drilled through the valve covers... Is it a hemi?

Second-generation Mopar Hemi's had no wiring loom on top of the valve covers--rather each plug lead goes down into a tube that leads to the plug, with a rubber boot to cover the opening on the top surface of the valve cover.  Therefore, drilling a hole into the model kit valve cover is correct!

Art

[Kit Basher]

Thanks guys. I'm going to get some medium CA and see how it works with the needle trick. I may also try the PVA that Bill recommended. I've got some different ones, from Testors (very thin) to Weldbond (very thick).

[blunc]

sometimes I don't glue the wires to the head, if the wires aren't trying to pull out on their own, there is usually nothing that will disturb them when the model is finished.

[espo]

Specifically, I'm working on a stock hemi. The engine is assembled, the valve covers are drilled, and the wires are in place. Ideally, I'd like to put a tiny drop of CA on each wire, but I don't want any extra glue showing. The covers are already painted flat black, so any gloss or white haze would look bad. My past attempts at gluing with thin CA have resulted in either too much or none. Any suggestions? Thanks.

Hugh, I can see that you have gotten many good ideas from your request including some I had never thought of that I will be trying in the future. I never asked, but it sounds as if your are using an after market prewired distributer. The ones that I have used come with a short piece of tubing that you can use to make spark plug boots. This would help the appearance and also help hide what ever glue you should to use. I would like to see how this turns out for you.

[Kit Basher]

Thanks, David. Actually, I wired the distributor myself. I do have some stuff I could use for boots, but in this case the boots are already molded into the valve covers. After some further experiments, I will report what worked for me.

[dshue76]

I use the clear testors glue that is made for clear parts. It is water based and any excess cleans off easily. You could also put a small dab of thick CA on the wire before pushing it in. Or dip a piece of thin music wire, @.015", in the thick CA then use it to coat the inside of the hole.

Edited May 6, 2016 by dshue76

[afx]

If your plug wires are long enough drill deeper all the way into the hollow center of the block.  Then push in as much wire as you can.  This should eliminate the need to glue them.

Edited May 6, 2016 by afx

[Kit Basher]

Thanks JC, I like that idea. I can't do it this time, but I will definitely try it next.