I'm going to be re-installing my stock fuel pump and need to re-connect the wires. The walbro came with some connectors that look like this:



I think they are called butt connectors. I'm fairly terrified of having electricity running through gasoline so I want to make sure that I get the right ones. Do I need to find some that are gasoline safe? Should I solder the wires and apply heat shrink tubing? What's the right thing to do?

 

I have been curious about this.... I am weary of the butt connectors and wondered if soldering and shrinkwrapping would be better than those things, but don't know how well the shrink wrap and solder will hold up to the fuel...

I do know for a fact though that there are tiny sparks created inside the fuel tank by the fuel sender on some vehicles. The only reason you don't go up in flames is due to the lack of oxygen. I would guess the same applies when you use these butt connectors?

 

thats a good question. spark doesn't need a o2 to be created but flame does. so i would assume the air tight vacuum in the tank stops that from happening. at least i think so.. but then again that would have to be the case or car would randomly explode all over the streets.

 

^um fuel tanks have breathers...

 

It's perfectly safe to use butt crimps. Make sure the crimp is tight and you'll be fine.

You'll notice the connections on the stock fuel pump aren't even insulated anyway, so you don't have to worry about electricity "running through gasoline".

Oh, and the connectors you posted pictures of, actually are heatshrink connectors. So long as those are the EXACT ones you got, you can shrink them too.

 

There are exposed connections with stock wiring & stock pumps ( the positive and negative terminals for instance). Gasoline is not a conductor, it's actually an insulator, so current won't flow through the liquid gas. You would have to create a spark to get a boom.

The connectors that come in a walbro kit are "fuel safe" because they use a type of plastic that will not break down in gasoline. Many plastics will turn to goo if you stick them in a container full of gas.

 

youd only get a spark if the connection itself is faulty. even then, its not running massive amount of amps or power to even make a significant spark in an environment with very little oxygen.

gasoline isnt something that just goes kaboom. i know this from experience. you gotta blow the **** up to make it go kaboom.

 

Heh. Last time I threw a match in a gas can, it kinda went kaboom. I learned two things then, one of which is that I look much better with eyebrows.

Mostly what I'm concerned about is that the butt crimps' insulation melts off and then the metal touches, then spark, then my children are orphans.

So, should any auto parts store have 'fuel safe' butt crimps and should I probably see this labeled on the package somewhere?

 

The kind of "kaboom" you're thinking of is perpetuated by hollywood movies. You'll probably be fine using the ones supplied with your pump. Just make sure you have a good crimp on the wiring, and if you have that particular kind, heat shrink the ends.

 

Fuel vapor is what you have to be afriad of. gas alone is no big deal, i've caught a gas tank on fire, never connect a fuel pump with the power to the wires ON, esp if you're holding all this above the gas tank. but .. there was no kaboom. just a small open flame that was easily put out with suffercation.

 

Fuel pumps are on a fused circuit as well. So if there was a fault of any kind, the fuse would most likely trip before there was a chance of ignition.

 

Ok. I guess I'll relax a little about it. Thanks for all the replies!

 

Just thought I'd post an update. I went to Napa and bought some 'waterproof' butt connectors. I threw one in a jar of gasoline for a week and it was just the same when I pulled it out.

A note on the installing.. I used vice grips to crimp the connectors, which will put small holes in the insulation. If you crimp them just a little with the grips, it'll loosen up the insulation which can then be slid down the wire. You can then crimp the heck out of it and then slide the insulation back over the crimp, resulting in a relatively bite mark free insulation sleeve. After heat shrinking them, it looked just fine.