Crank sensor wire - what do I need?

I'm going to replace the existing crank sensor wire which I don't trust, so I wonder if electronics gurus can spoon feed me a wire spec, so I can just get on and buy it? Preferably an RS components part no?

It's for a DTA EXP 48 ECU and the DTA manual quotes a wire spec of "twisted pair wire with overall screen".

It's a 2-pin Ford sensor I'm using.

It'd be much appreciated. TIA

 

I bought my shielded wire from maplin for my applications, it was instock and i think its use was for micro phones. If you pop in it will take you 5mins of flicking through their catalogue to find something suitable.

Think it might have been this here.

Are still having problems then? did you try moving the sensor from the PAS mount?

 

Thanks - I'll nip into the local Maplin. Saves a trip to RS @ Hounslow.

I've not driven it since Oct at Castle Combe, and it was playing up then, so I'm just beginning to eke away at what it might be before the season kicks off!

The bracket is next on the list but I'm more suspicious of the wire, having tried two different brackets (one away from the PAS mount) & replaced the sensor. I've also got a s/hand ECU in now, and am lining up a new fusebox also!

 

Just looking at the DTA manual, it says:

Wire 1 to terminal X
Wire 2 to terminal Y
Shield to terminal Y (at ECU)

I could swear it has single-core cable in it, and just the shield is connected to terminal Y. The loom has been like that since 1998

 

Chris - I've got a stock VW one on an ABF engine, if that's any use. I might need to swap for an old one to plug the hole.

 

I may neeed to trial an ABF / 1.8T Bosch one, so yes, that would be useful.

On plugging the old one, the race builders plug them with core plugs/Loctite if that helps.

 

if it's a 2 pin shield wire, it sounds like the dta uses a AC wave for the signal.
going from standard OEM wiring your best aiming for 0.5mm per cable of thickness of twisted copper, and of course shielding from any interference.

 

http://trigger-wheels.com/store/index1.html

 

Seconded. This is a reluctance sensor similar to principle as found on VR6 and 1.8T.
Agreed on the wire gauge thickness as well. Most sensors on VWs use a 0.5mm wire lead.
Knock, crank and cam pickups use an earth shield around the signal wires.

 

The Maplin microphone wire Smudge suggested is listed as follows - can you confirm this is sufficient spec?

Here: http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=133

 

RS at Hounslow? Never heard of them, care to shed a little light on it?

 

www.uk.rs-online.com

Best to Google - it's a technically a trade outlet.

 

Looks ok to me.

 

Great - thanks.

 

Sorted with the Maplin wire - many thanks.

 

Has it had a test run yet?

 

No - it's SORN'd from the winter still.

This tells a story however:



Sitting vertically down on the sensor, the wire would obviously sit together ok, but as the vibrations & revs increased, the sensor would drop the signal out.

It'll be rigourously tested in the next few weeks, but I'm hopefuly I've snared it at last.

Also as mentioned above, when I started to analyse what cable was required for the sensor, DTA said two wire + shielding, whereas I knew this cable was using the shielding as one of its wires. No idea of the implications, but it makes me glad I changed it!

The shield is now connected into one of the wires, but only at the ECU end shown here:



I think this is what is meant by:

ie the shielding is not connected into either terminal at the crank sensor end.

If anyone knows different, let me know

 

It would be good to confirm that it's solved your misfire problem, after all the grief it's caused you. New tax disc for April?

 

Yes, April's the plan.

I should have pointed out that the fatigued wire was hiding inside a boot like this, hence not getting spotted and yet being able to sit vertically on the sensor plug.