need a quick fix for severed ground wire!

[mikeyjudkins]

I accidentally severed a ground wire (its the one bolted to the bottom of the engine block) while I was changing my oil filter today.

I have a trackday tommorrow and need some way to fix this quickly. I dont even know what this thing does but I hope its not going to cause any major problems.

Ive peeled back the plastic coating to reveal strands of silver metal wires inside on both ends of the cut. I am thinking of just twisting them together and then applying electrical tape until I can get it welded later.

Do you think that would work? What's this wire supossed to do anyway?

 

[fawndog]

yes, that will make a decent electrical connection.

 

[OldFatGuy]

You sure it's a ground wire? Can you post a picture of it? Usually, a crimp connector (especially with some heat shrink tubing) is considered a permanent repair, while twisting together and taping is not. The best thing is to solder it, though. That way, there's no chance of it coming loose.

And how did you manage to cut it while changing your oil?

 

[ALANRIDER7]

If it attaches to the oil pan, it's probably the oil level sensor wire.

 

[afm199]

If you have little time, and it long enough, use a small wire nut until you can get a crimp on connector. And yes twisting the wires together will work but vibration will tend to vibrate them apart fairly quickly.

 

[mikeyjudkins]

Thanks guys. Im going to just twist them together and tape it up until my buddy will be able to solder it for me.

Stupid me, the oil filter wasnt coming off, so I hammered a screwdriver through it and then leveraged it off, but I didnt notice the wire was under the screwedriver and, snap. I gotta get some of those hex-head type oil filters. Ive had it with these ones that the filter wrenches slip off all the time.

 

[goodness-707]

... I gotta get some of those hex-head type oil filters. Ive had it with these ones that the filter wrenches slip off all the time.

Mikey,

For about the price of two or three of the filters with hex heads on them, Snap-on makes an oil filter wrench that functions much in the same way the hex-head filters do, cept you can use it on a variety of filter sizes.

Hopefully this
snap-on link works. IMO, it's a great multi-filter wrench at a reasonable price. And how often do "snap-on" and "reasonable price" appear in the same conversarion.

edit... of course the K&N filters have holes for safety wire I think, so that might be an issue too.