waterproofing buggy ignition

[wythac]

Any suggestions about waterproofing buggy ignition? I've been fortunate to have avoided heavy and sustained exposure to wet weather, but this year I have plans to drive further into the wet seasons. I'm thinking silicone or dielectric grease on the coil and distributor connections, but less sure what would work best on the hotter plug ends. What do you folks use?

[jspbtown]

I think they sell little boots that go over the dizzy caps and coils. Maybe Larry's?

[rmckay]

I don't know anything about these, but have seen waterproofing sets like this sold on several different websites.

http://www.chircoestore.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=987

Rick
_________________
-------------------------
63 California Clipper

"The trouble with quotes on the Internet is that you can never know if they are genuine." --Abraham Lincoln

[wythac]

I should have mentioned that I have a Pertronix distributor, with 90 deg ends on the plug wires. One of those boots might still work if I used just the end pieces.

I suppose that the engine creates enough heat to keep the plug ends dry. Never been a problem with my enclosed engine compartment bugs and busses, but of course the back of a buggy is wide open.

[Axitech]

Good quality wires and stock distributor caps will seal out all moisture except submarine-style water ingress. Spray a little silicone door seal spray on tem if you really worry about it, or WD40 is good too. I tried one of the 'boot' deals once, dang near sliced my fingers off trying to get it off after giving up installing it. Save your knuckles, get a good quality movie from Redbox, take your laptop and your favorite girl outside under the stars, maybe some popcorn and enjoy the night. If it's chilly out, take the fifteen bucks I saved you, wad up the the tenspot, put it under the logs in your fire pit, set fire to the fivespot and use it to light the tenspot. Sit back and enjoy in the knowledge that your ignition is every bit as waterproof as it would be if you had skinned every one of your knuckles installing that 'distributor cap boot from hell'.
_________________
He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. Luke 22:36


The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.-Thomas Jefferson

[lostinbaja]

Silicone grease where the boot meets to the wire, where the boot meets the cap, coil or plug and a little to seal the cap to the dizzy. I actually pack the boot with silicone grease. Works for me,,,,
_________________
Jerry...
If it's being towed, it must be a trailer!
"Vee Grow Too Soon Oldt Und Too Late Schmardt"
RIP Morgan

My photos
http://www.manxgallery.org/gallery/album92

[wythac]

Entertaining responses. Bonfires with currency, starlit dates with movies...who'dathunk that would all be a part of keeping my ignition dry. Always better to learn from someone else's pain without replicating it yourself. Thanks for the tip(s).

I'll try the tried and true silicone grease method and I think that will be enough until I encounter a situation where it is insufficient. I like to keep my parts serviceable, those boots wouldn't fit my distributor anyway, as I mentioned.

[glassbuggy]

close your eyes , now imagine for a moment the poor bastard in China prying each one of those off a dummy distributor

[oprn]

I am having a problem with this issue when driving my Buggy in the rain. What solution did you come up with and how well did it work?

Thanks Merv.

[MrGoodtunes]

[weasel_ugs]

I used one of the boots over my coil, fixed my water intrusion problem.

[slalombuggy]

I use silicone brake grease on the plug wire ends. I put a small dab inside the boot and roll the boot between my fingers to spread it out or you can use a small screwdriver. Don't use a lot or it will interfere with the spark, just enough to coat the inside of the boot and seal it to the terminal and plugs. I have a water spray system on my race car and it floods the heads with water but I usually don't have a problem with spark.

brad

[Dale M.]

Also use it to protect electrical connections throughout car, just polish up connectors (maybe tighten springiness of pushon terminals) and coat lightly.... YES it is a insulator, and yes if you have good solid "mechanical connection" its does not matter, it keeps moisture and oxygen out of connection therefore prevents corrosion... I also use it on all my "crimp" terminals as I insert wire and crimp... Also automotive lamp bulbs/sockets... Even screw base light bulbs in house/shop/outdoors...

Dale
_________________
“Fear The Government That Wants To Take Your Guns" - Thomas Jefferson.

"Kellison Sand Piper Roadster" For Street & Show.
"Joe Pody Sandrover" Buggy with 2180 for Autocross (Sold)
============================================================
All suggestions and advice are purely my own opinion. You are free to ignore them if you wish ...

[oprn]

Thanks for all the good ideas!

[oprn]

Just digging up an old thread to update the subject.

Previously I had a Pertronics III distributor with their coil and ignition wires and twice we were caught in the rain. It only took a few minutes of moderate rain before the engine started to miss and fart around.

Then I went to the EDIS 4 and Megajolt and for a trial it was all mounted on a piece of plywood and zip tied to the top of the fan housing. We got caught in a brief shower with this too and again there was some misfiring. Not as bad but then the rain did not last as long.

This winter I put all the electronic components in a Tupperware style carton and mounted it to the firewall with the Ford coil mounted in the open right beside it. All wiring exits out the bottom of the container. Here is how it looks.

Yesterday on the way to an event I drove through almost an hour of moderate to very heavy rain, at times it was heavy enough that the front tires were hydroplaning at 50 mph! Wipers on full speed, driving with my left hand and wiping the inside of the windshield steady with a squeegee made it so I could nearly make out the road! Here is a photo the Missus took following me in the Jetta. Yes it was a gulley washer of a rain!

I am very happy to report the the engine did not miss once! Not one single pop, fart or miss on the whole trip!

Problem solved!
_________________
We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)

[oprn]

I might add, for those of you that are concerned about the electronics overheating on a box like this, I did a 1.5 hour run on the highway and checked temperatures. Temperature outside the box was 80*F, the Megajolt unit was at 85*F and all other components in the box were 82*F.

Hope this helps.
_________________
We had the stone age, the bronze age, the industrial age and now we are in the age of mass deception and mind control for corporate profit. (The mass media age)