Wire that you can't solder to....

[IsaacHayes]

I recently converted to the 3 wire CTS because the single wire in the back of the rear head was bad and I didn't want to take off everything to get to it. So wiring in a 3 wire and screwing that in was much easier (and free, I have a spare 3 wire sender).

So I cut the pig tail off the single wire, so I could use that. It now disconnects by the injector harness and I ran the wire under the plenum like the stock ECM 2 wire one does, so when removing the manifold you can still disconnect everything...

Well at first I tried soldering a wire on to it to extend it. Uhm. WTF I couldn't. The wire is either aluminum, or some weird alloy that will not take solder!! The insulation felt like teflon, and probably was some high temp jacket at least for being in that area by the head and EGR tube.

So I ended up taking apart the weather pack, and putting a brand new wire in there, soldered to the terminal because I had to rip open the crimp. The wire I used was some big gauge scrap I had which said oil & gas resistant. Perfect!



... So question is.... WTF is that wire made of?? And why? To resist heat??

[3100 MPFI]

I have never encountered that before. I have done the 3 wire conversion to my 1988 Cutlass Supreme (3100 swap but used the original 2.8 engine harness). When I replaced the 2.8 engine harness, I used a 1993 3.1 MPFI harness, and it didn't do like that either.

I also did the 3 wire conversion to my 1990 Grand Prix STE with the 3.1 MPFI, and again, didn't have any problems with soldering the wires.

In fact, I have not come across ANY WIRES in ANY of my cars (YET!!!!!) that I could not solder.

What is the year of your harness? 1994?

[IsaacHayes]

It was the wire that comes on the single wire sensor. Not the engine harness. The engine harness insulation was the regular stuff and copper wire inside. But I wanted to keep the weather pack plugs because I routed it under the plenum like the 2 wire CTS so when removing the manifold you just disconnect them from the sensor and from by the injector harness, and the harness stays on the lower intake...

[3100 MPFI]

I see what you are saying. That is kinda like what I did. I cut the wire just right at the sensor, then I left the connector under the plenum when I re ran it. But my old sensor (original one by the looks of it) was normal, and didn't give me any trouble soldering it.

[IsaacHayes]

Hmm. Who knows. I tried sanding the wires and everything. I got them freaking hot as hell and if you did get solder to fall on it and stay, as soon as it cooled it fell off....

[geoffinbc]

Get new solder. The thinner the better. Make sure it is Rosin Core.

I have found the best place to buy thin solder is at Radio Shack (Called The Source in Canada)

[ForcedFirebird]

You will never be able to solder to those wires regardless of the composition of the solder. It is probably the same nickel alloy that GM uses for 02 sensors. You are correct in saying it's a heat-resistant wire - o2 sensors see over 900*.

The only way I know this is an electronics engineer told me why I couldn't solder in the new WBo2 to the old harness, lol.

[Barry]

They use a different type of wire to deal with the heat. Copper wire varies in resistance as its temperature changes. May not sound like much, but it really does. And that can affect the accuracy of "resistance based" sensors. The wire gm uses is probly more stable and consistant with changing temperatures.

[Superdave]

Just grab a Flux pen and a good iron, i had no problem soldering my CTS wires together with standard rosin core solder.

[IsaacHayes]

betterthanyou: Trust me it's not my solder. I have super fine rosin core solder and solder SMT stuff with it. I'm not new to soldering. Soldering this big wire should be cake..

FF: yup, that is what I was thinking.

I have the old wire if anyone wants me to mail them a sample. Feel free to try to solder on it all day long. I will sit here LOL

[Superdave]

betterthanyou: Trust me it's not my solder. I have super fine rosin core solder and solder SMT stuff with it. I'm not new to soldering. Soldering this big wire should be cake..

FF: yup, that is what I was thinking.

I have the old wire if anyone wants me to mail them a sample. Feel free to try to solder on it all day long. I will sit here LOL

What's the wattage of your iron?

I did have a problem when i tried my shitty 35W Weller but when i broke out the gas powered one it was plenty hot.

I just snagged one of those 100/150 watt Weller guns, maybe i'll break it out and see what kind of damage it'll do.

[IsaacHayes]

I can try a propane torch.... but seriously you shouldn't have to get it THAT hot....

[Superdave]

I can try a propane torch.... but seriously you shouldn't have to get it THAT hot....

i don't think you want that much heat...




that's similar to mine.

[IsaacHayes]

Yeah but if a torch won't do it, nothing will

[The Master]

Try using sandpaper on the wire then flux to remove the dust.