Wiring a Motor

[Horrorshow]

I’m quite impressed with some of the pictures here of motors (car motors) that are wired.

 I would like to give it a try so I’ll need a little advice.

-what to buy, wires, tools, glue, tweezers ect. 
-a little advice on assembling…

Thanks 

[Mike C.]

A lot of guys like to make their own, but I think these pre- wired distributors make life a little easier. You can choose from many colors and the photo etched looms are nice as well. I always seem to get the Accel yellow and red boots

 

https://www.modelroundup.com/product-p/gr-18003.htm

[StevenGuthmiller]

M.A.D. (Morgan Automotive Detail) makes some of the absolute best pre-wired distributors available.

With separate wired caps, bases, and boot material, they come in all variations of cap and wire colors.

Beautiful stuff!

 

Steve

[Repstock]

26 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

M.A.D. (Morgan Automotive Detail) makes some of the absolute best pre-wired distributors available.

With separate wired caps, bases, and boot material, they come in all variations of cap and wire colors.

Beautiful stuff!

 

Steve

x2

[Ace-Garageguy]

I still mostly drill my own caps, and make distributor bodies from styrene or aluminum stock (photo below). Otherwise, I prefer the molded-hole resin units from R&M.

Photo below shows completed kit cap with fabbed body, and drilled and "spot-faced" holes in the head for plug wires.

Edited March 14, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[Rodent]

Kris makes a really HEI distributor that I like to include as an upgrade in my "restored" GM models.

Firing order and cylinder ID diagrams like these are pretty easy to find on the internet if you want the routing to be accurate to the 1:1.

[Ace-Garageguy]

6 minutes ago, Rodent said:

...Firing order and cylinder ID diagrams like these are pretty easy to find on the internet if you want the routing to be accurate to the 1:1.

Most helpful to avoid the "hair part" or "spider" looking wiring as well. 

Getting your wires at least close to scale diameter for the application helps too.

Many otherwise nice engines are spoiled with wires the scale diameter of garden hose. 

Edited March 14, 2023 by Ace-Garageguy

[bluestringer]

53 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

I still mostly drill my own caps, and make distributor bodies from styrene or aluminum stock (photo below). Otherwise, I prefer the molded-hole resin units from R&M.

Photo below shows completed kit cap with fabbed body, and drilled and "spot-faced" holes in the head for plug wires.

What size wires are you using? I find the kit distributors too small to drill for the 30awg wires I use. I usually cut the cap off and make a new one from styrene tubing so I can get the wires in, then glue it onto the shaft/body. It works, but doesn't look as good.

[bluestringer]

I have also bought some pre-made ones from ConnKur and M.A.D. I prefer the ConnKur over the M.A.D. 

[Ace-Garageguy]

6 minutes ago, bluestringer said:

What size wires are you using? I find the kit distributors too small to drill for the 30awg wires I use. I usually cut the cap off and make a new one from styrene tubing so I can get the wires in, then glue it onto the shaft/body. It works, but doesn't look as good.

I don't know what nominal AWG it is, but the stuff in the photo mics out to .019", and looks good for late-model OEM or performance wire. 

For early OEM wires, I'll use something like .013".

Not every kit cap can be drilled, of course. Some are just too small, not scaled correctly, or are too tapered or blobular.

[peteski]

There is a very recent thread in the FAQ forum about scale spark plug wires. There were also many similar threads here in thee past (and I posted links to them in that thread).  Like Bill  said, using properly scaled diameter wires makes or breaks the realism of your model.  Sometimes it pays to spend more money for smaller (properly sized) wire than being thrifty, and having garden-hose-sized wires in your model.  But it all depends what you find acceptable on your models.

v

[bluestringer]

I know the 30awg I use is a little out of scale. It looks ok in photos if it's not a close up. 30awg is 0.10" without the insulation. I forget what it mics out at with the insulation. Bill's 0.19" is probably 32awg which would look a lot closer to scale.

[Straightliner59]

Here's something I posted a few years ago. It's a great way to save yourself some money! It's easy, too!