Though I know there are some on this forum who disagree, solder alone is not mechanically strong enough to join wires. Toyota (and every other auto manufacturer) uses crimped joints because they are stronger. If you have an adequately crimped connection it doesn't hurt to add solder (by filling in the tiny remaining air space it might provide a slightly lower resistance), but it should never be necessary.

 

@CO_94_PU, that's not what I meant by "gas tight". It has nothing to do with rubber/plastic seals around the connection, but rather refers to the metal junctions themselves. If the joint is compressed enough, the metal layers conform to each other closely enough that gas molecules can't enter the space between and cause oxidation or corrosion. Properly crimped connections meet that standard, as do wire-wrapped connections (remember those?) around square pins, and of course properly done solder connections.

The primary reason that Toyota (and every other manufacturer of wiring harnesses) uses crimping instead of solder is automation. Crimping is faster and more consistent giving the proper tooling, which an assembly line can afford. Proper soldering of wire connections is more labor intensive and more subject to operator error. On the other hand, for the home repair situation, where proper crimping tooling is harder to come by, learning to solder properly is often cheaper, faster, and more reliable than crimping. Neither process should rely on the joint for strain relief. That should be taken care of by the connector housing, heat shrink, etc. (Note that for precision audio and test/measurement cabling, the connections are almost always soldered, because of the greater electrical integrity of the joint.)

Properly crimped or soldered wire connections very seldom fail at the actual joint. Instead, typically the wire breaks off where it enters the joint due to flexing, because of inadequate strain relief and sharp radius bending.

 

The solder vs crimp discussion is an interesting one. I use to think solder was the way to go, until when wiring my boat a West Marine guy told me it was a no-no by itself for marine connections, which I have since verified:
https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvis...nal-Tech-Specs

As I understand / observe, soldered connections force all the movement to be where the solder stops, whereas crimped connections allow fatigue to spread over a larger zone. Solder makes for a better electrical connection, but crimps make for a better mechanical connection. But I'm sure RJR is correct that automation is the PRIMARY reason for auto manufacturers using crimps, and that PROPERLY soldered or crimped connections won't be the problem, poor wire plumbing will be.

Having spent more time than I'd like chasing down electrical gremlins due to wire-nut indiscretions in my twenties, I now use a belt-and-suspenders approach to automotive wiring: marine grade wire, crimps, and connectors, with marine grade adhesive heat shrink. The marine stuff is expensive, but the heat shrink especially is a world apart from your basic parts store stuff.

 

Used tools and electrical connectors I have available. Cleaned the wire, installed a shrink-fit connector, using my "pro-Crimper" I use for crimping spark plug wires, crimped the connector then used heat gun to shrink connector to wire, used shrink-fit sheathing over the repair gave it a few heavy tugs and so far all is good???

 

if it were me, I'd replace the "wing nut" battery connectors with real crimp-on ones. Those connectors seem to be a corrosion-magnet in the best of cases, so I'd like every advantage.

But what you have should last, oh, 10 years. At which point your truck will be 40 years old. So it might not matter ....

Good job working the problem.

 

Good info and reading about crimped vs soldered connections guys, very interesting, thanks for all that! I'm always trying to improve my wiring skills.

Good job diagnosing the problem OP.

 

Agree I need to replace the wing nut and repair the ground strap but after taking the vehicle to the shop to replace the starter and they came up with this $80 solution not sure how long I will keep it this way before determining when I got my monies worth?

I am as bad at soldering than I am at welding and rarely do I post photos of my work with either. The soldering information is very helpful; again thank U's all for the help!

 

Dave,
Your Auto transmission model truck most likely does not have a starter relay. IF you still have have a problem where something clicks but starter does not crank, it's probably because of that.
I explain that problem and the fix here:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116.../#post52422426

 

I did come across and bookmarked the article, I thank you for the heads up. I am waiting for the other shoe to drop but so far there is no hesitation as there was when the starter is engaged, zoom-zoom.