Pin fitment gages

[rslaback]

I was watching a recent diagnosis video and the issue ended up being a pin fitment issue on the throttle actuator motor. The technician had a gage set of different pins that he could stick into each socket of a connector and then gage the resistance to see if the socket and pin were indeed fitting well. It looked to have a lot of sizes almost like a torch tip cleaning set on a keychain. Has anyone ever purchased a set like this or have a lead on where to get one?

tl:dr. Saw new tool. Must have. Need to find.

 

[RTM]

I have no time or energy to watch internet videos that don’t involve dogs or people faceplanting, but here’s what I know based on your description.

We have McMaster-Carr pin gage sets at work. Definitely don’t fit on a keychain. We have a 0.06 to 1.29 mm, and 1.3 to 5.0 mm maybe.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

 

[whateg01]

Don't know about ones on a keychain and I'm not watching a video too see what they look like.

Contact Gage for Contact Verification | DMC

dmctools.com

 

[rslaback]

Don't know about ones on a keychain and I'm not watching a video too see what they look like.

I have no time or energy to watch internet videos that don’t involve dogs or people faceplanting, but here’s what I know based on your description.

Damn guys. I had the video cued up to start at the right time and everything. It probably took you longer to type out that you weren't watching no danged vijayos than it would have to just click the damn thing and see what they look like.

 

[KnurledNut]

@rslaback
https://www.autotechelectrical.com/
https://www.ebay.com/itm/154694970874

Honda also sells a similar factory tool but it only has a few sizes and is prohibitively expensive:
Terminal Inspection Feeler Tool Set, T/N 07XAJ-001000A
https://www.ebay.com/itm/406074952176

 

[dnschmidt]

AES Wave has a tool that does the same thing but it doesn't fit on a keychain and it's expensive and multi-purpose: https://www.aeswave.com/products/ut...t-kit?_pos=5&_psq=utest&_psid=0f007f9dd&_ss=e

 

[RTM]

Damn guys. I had the video cued up to start at the right time and everything. It probably took you longer to type out that you weren't watching no danged vijayos than it would have to just click the damn thing and see what they look like.

At your insistence, I watched the video. Only part of any value was when he dropped them on the bench / rag. I screen shot the image, zoomed in to read the tag, looked. It up online, and here you go.

Pin Set - Automatic Tensioners

Pin Set - Automatic Tensioners,

www.asttools.co.uk

 

[zimman]

Pin tensioning is hard. A resistance check is easier.
Zim

 

[ChevyEFI]

Watched that vid. too. I could see the value in diagnostics. But it's just an issue that's not going to come up on sealed -pack connectors much. Even on that salted, crusty vehicle.

Also, on a connector to connector situation, there may be an opposing terminal that can be unloaded and test fit nearly as quickly.

And ultimately, he wasn't chasing terminal issues, IIRC, it was the chawed pink wire from fuseblock to PCM. I don't recall the "loose" F terminal playing a role in resolving the voltage or TB power train codes, nor their resolution. Correct me if I'm wrong. You can overtroubleshoot and criticize every used piece of a harness, but 99.9% of the time, it needs to ship without replacing each one.

 

[manwithtools]

At your insistence, I watched the video. Only part of any value was when he dropped them on the bench / rag. I screen shot the image, zoomed in to read the tag, looked. It up online, and here you go.

Pin Set - Automatic Tensioners

Pin Set - Automatic Tensioners,

www.asttools.co.uk

Link to pin set says: "AST4593 - Set of 6 Spring Steel Pins for retaining tensioner plunger in 'locked-down' position whilst replacing timing belts."

Looks like it's for timing belt tensioners, not electrical connectors.

 

[L.Cheapo]

AES Wave has a tool that does the same thing but it doesn't fit on a keychain and it's expensive and multi-purpose: https://www.aeswave.com/products/ut...t-kit?_pos=5&_psq=utest&_psid=0f007f9dd&_ss=e

That kit is THE standard for doing extensive electrical diagnostics. I have one and it's glorious.

Can you get by without one? Maybe, but why would you want to make life more difficult? There's a reason Eric O, DiagnoseDan, ScannerDanner, Pine Hollow Ivan, Keith Defazio, and others have them.

It looks expensive, but when you consider everything that's in it, it really isn't. It costs about one hour of diag time at a good shop here so it paid for itself the first time I used it.

 

[whateg01]

Can you get by without one? Maybe, but why would you want to make life more difficult?

You're new here aren't you? There's a whole demographic on GJ that can't wait to say, "I've never needed that tool to do the job! Who cares if it saves you x minutes per day?"

 

[rslaback]

Watched that vid. too. I could see the value in diagnostics. But it's just an issue that's not going to come up on sealed -pack connectors much. Even on that salted, crusty vehicle.

Also, on a connector to connector situation, there may be an opposing terminal that can be unloaded and test fit nearly as quickly.

And ultimately, he wasn't chasing terminal issues, IIRC, it was the chawed pink wire from fuseblock to PCM. I don't recall the "loose" F terminal playing a role in resolving the voltage or TB power train codes, nor their resolution. Correct me if I'm wrong. You can overtroubleshoot and criticize every used piece of a harness, but 99.9% of the time, it needs to ship without replacing each one.

The issue only fully resolved when he backprobed at the ecu and the extra pressure from the needle forced good connection.

I have a dash cluster in a GMT800 that has a delay before it boots and the needles sweep. It can be a couple of seconds. I have resoldered all the board connections so at this point my next guess is pin fitment. It wouldn't really matter to me that much but it does seem to correspond to an intermittent draw of 200ma I get which kills my battery every so often, just for funsies. My working theory is that pin fitment issue is keeping the control module awake.

 

[RTM]

Link to pin set says: "AST4593 - Set of 6 Spring Steel Pins for retaining tensioner plunger in 'locked-down' position whilst replacing timing belts."

Looks like it's for timing belt tensioners, not electrical connectors.

I didn't say it was the right tool for the job, but it seems to be what the guy in the video used. They may sell something else that looks like that tool, but I figured once he was on their site, he could poke around further.

Do you always use the "right" tool for the job, or one that gets it done "for you"?

I know where my allegiance lies.

 

[manwithtools]

Do you always use the "right" tool for the job, or one that gets it done "for you"?

As my username might imply, odds are very high that I'll use the right tool for the job

BTW, I should have been clear, I wasn't calling you out for linking to the wrong tool. I was indicating the guy in the video was using a tool designed for something entirely different. If he going to make a video about electrical pin tension I'd expect him to use a tool for electrical connectors.

 

[RTM]

BTW, I should have been clear, I wasn't calling you out for linking to the wrong tool. I was indicating the guy in the video was using a tool designed for something entirely different

No concerns, I didn't take it wrong.

I too have lots of tools, but I have no concerns about using an inappropriate tool, if it safe to me and the tool.

 

[Hakeem]

Watched that vid. too. I could see the value in diagnostics. But it's just an issue that's not going to come up on sealed -pack connectors much. Even on that salted, crusty vehicle.

Also, on a connector to connector situation, there may be an opposing terminal that can be unloaded and test fit nearly as quickly.

And ultimately, he wasn't chasing terminal issues, IIRC, it was the chawed pink wire from fuseblock to PCM. I don't recall the "loose" F terminal playing a role in resolving the voltage or TB power train codes, nor their resolution. Correct me if I'm wrong. You can overtroubleshoot and criticize every used piece of a harness, but 99.9% of the time, it needs to ship without replacing each one.

If some lunkhead was messing around in there previously and used a test probe needle or something else to spread the connector, a pin-fit kit like this is the way to confirm the issue. It’s also the proper way to connect a multimeter lead. Some pins are really small and you’re playing with fire by inserting anything other then the proper-fitting pin.

Also, some connectors wear out if connected/disconnected multiple times. Ford tells us that the DLCs need to be replaced after 3 uses LOL. I don’t think anyone has ever adhered to that but that’s what the OEM says.

For higher level electrical diagnosis (and especially warranty work), a kit like this is essential. A clever DIYer can likely find a workaround but it’s still nice to have.

 

[zmotorsports]

AES Wave has a tool that does the same thing but it doesn't fit on a keychain and it's expensive and multi-purpose: https://www.aeswave.com/products/ut...t-kit?_pos=5&_psq=utest&_psid=0f007f9dd&_ss=e

^^This. Rather than buy the small keychain gauges, purchase a kit that will do the same thing to check fitment but also, and more importantly, serve as a means to connect to a VOM. I love this kit from AES and show it being used recently for both testing voltages as well as pin fitment on a vehicle I had in my shop.

 

[Hakeem]

This is what we got from Ford:



The pins have banana jacks so you can hook a meter up for testing. Looking around it’s about the same price as the AES wave kit, which appears to be more expansive.

 

[richfinn]

I was watching a recent diagnosis video and the issue ended up being a pin fitment issue on the throttle actuator motor. The technician had a gage set of different pins that he could stick into each socket of a connector and then gage the resistance to see if the socket and pin were indeed fitting well. It looked to have a lot of sizes almost like a torch tip cleaning set on a keychain. Has anyone ever purchased a set like this or have a lead on where to get one?

tl:dr. Saw new tool. Must have. Need to find.

I've always used a breakout adapter kit like the AESwave U-Test kit (mine is all metric made by PICO) the connector pins on the adapters are the correct size for the terminals and the sizes are specific to each connector.

It's pretty obvious when you have a loose female connection (the male test adapter will literally fall out of the plug if held vertically).

If you go this route you have two tools for the price of one, and you will find yourself using them as breakouts way more than pin drag/grip gauges in my opinion.

Just bear in mind gearing up for this level of testing will lead you down the unfortunate rabbit hole of having to buy hundreds of tiny expensive OEM replacement connectors/pigtails so you can actually repair the ****** things!!!!!