Where to buy weatherproof electrical connectors?

[JimG]

Hello. I'm in the initial planning stages of my first install.

Engine is a Mopar 440, I have an Edelbrock Victor EFI intake manifold, 4-wire IAC, and a typical 3-wire TPS.

I'd like to find one plug to handle all these wires, so the intake will have a single wiring harness with a single plug.

This would work

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/W ... T-/21-3065

but it's not weatherproof and doesn't look like it belongs under the hood of a car.

Most of what I've found online has one of the two connectors as "header" style - solid, rigid pins (not wires) intended for solder-in PC board mounting.

I'm not crazy about running the wires through a grommeted hole in the firewall - I'd prefer a factory-style bulkhead connector. I haven't gotten that far yet, but would welcome any suggestions there as well.

Thank you,

Jim

[trakkies]

Personally I'd use a grommet. Connectors are always the first thing to give problems, so don't add extra ones unless essential. Go for a large grommet - big outside diameter but a tight fit to the cables - so you can push the MS etc connectors through the hole, then fit the grommet. Mine is a 3" OD.

If you must use a bulkhead connector, look for a military spec one.

[JimG]

Thanks, Trakkies.

I'd looked at military-spec connectors too. After searching for suitable connectors and coming up empty handed, I'm beginning to understand why I saw nobody else using them.

Jim

[Matt Cramer]

How about these?

http://www.DIYAutoTune.com/catalog/weat ... p-364.html

[sicbird]

That's a nice looking bulkhead connector!

Terminal Supply Co has a ton of different connectors...Weather Pack, Metri-pack, Deutsch, etc.
h[url]ttp://terminalsupplyco.com/Store/Default.aspx?CAT=DEL110&PCAT=54228#Categories[/url]

I would do a bulkhead like Matt posted and the rest of your components with matching Weather Pack connectors. MSD makes a nice spark plug wire crimper with changeable jaws. Get the weather pack jaws and make crimps you know are good.

[JimG]

Thanks once more.

Matt, I thought I'd been over the DIY Autotune site from stem to stern. Mea Culpa. That looks like what I need.

Sicbird, that's another source with lots of options that will most likely come in handy.

Jim

[gfolsom]

If you really want the Mil-Spec plugs, go with Cannon Mil-Std-38999 plugs. They come in pretty much ANY size and configuration you can imagine:
http://www.ittcannon.com/uploadedfiles/ ... atalog.pdf
http://www.ittcannon.com/product.aspx?id=1122
You can get selected sizes and configurations through Digikey: http://www.digikey.com it's like a McMaster-Carr for electronics.
Well worth the price, and the plug won't be the failure point if it's wired and assembled properly.
Trusted by the military for a reason...