Lightspeed crank sensor wire disconnect

[mistergerf]

Have any of you folks installed a disconnect in the crank sensor for the Lightspeed ignition system ? (The engine has to come out, ugh.) When its supplied it comes with the connector already installed. But construction is long since complete and I don't want to unravel the wiring loom to free the engine from the firewall.

If you used a connector to disconnect this cable under the cowling would you mind revealing what kind of heat resistant connector you used. I'm assuming anything involving low temp soldering is going to be a no-no.

Thanks,
Gerry.

[Mike S]

You might try contacting Klaus. This subject has to have come up before.

Whatever connector you use, you will probably be better off installing it behind the firewall, if possible, or at least behind the baffles.

[hgerhardt]

I used a D38999-series round military bulkhead connector with the typical gold-plated crimp pins. No solder. Of course, you need the proper crimper, too.

I also found during installation that the supplied cables were too short to go to where I mounted the brain boxes, so I would have had to cut the cables anyhow.

Whatever connector you use, this is not the place to "cheap out". If it fails, your engine ain't gonna run...

Heinrich Gerhardt

[mistergerf]

I seem to recall that Klaus's response is something like "Just don't do it" - he has his reason and I can appreciate that.

It's definitely going on the "cold" side of the baffles, probably somewhere up around the fuel/oil sensor manifold on the firewall. I've pretty much eliminated any kind of bulkhead fitting - I want something that's "in-line" - I've been looking at these:

http://www.mouser.com/Search/Product...4-PT06SE106PSR

Just not sure about their temp rating ... and the crimpers are horribly expensive.

[mistergerf]

Thanks for the suggestion - glad I did. He came up with the obvious answer that I didn't think of - dismount the sensor from the engine and leave it behind :-/

[breister]

I actually know what Klaus' reason was for saying, "Don't do it."

He told me it was his single biggest source of customer complaints; that people would swear up and down that their wiring was perfect; and that every time it turned out to be a bad connect or cross-wiring.

I can understand taking the position he has - it is a PITA to deal with smart folks like us who are SURE "we couldn't have done it wrong..."

[f1rocket]

I had one on my Rocket on the firewall side because the connector wouldn't fit through the firewall. I used crimp pins and a standard subminiature connector. Covered it with heat shrink and secured it in the wiring bundle to the engine mount. Worked fine. Keep it up high, where it is cooler.