Unplugging car harnesses without damage?

[f575gtc]

Is there a specialty tool to remove plugs under the hood without damaging them?

I work on older cars and I always seem to break one or two plugs, especially the ones in hard to get to corners, I currently try to squeeze the release and wiggle a panel popper in there in a sea-saw motion left and right but its still tough. Sometimes the release doesn't release even after been pressed. Would be nice if a tool for this existed...

these are the type of plugs I am talking about

 

[dclassical]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BVL7LUY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I do not own them, so I don't know if they are useful or would help you for your connectors. I have broken a few connector tabs as well.

 

[Tony G]

What I do is clean off the connector and study it to see how it wants to slide off. Look around it for the squeeze tab and see if it is locked in with a c.p.a.. That's what they call a connector position assurance wedge that they slide in crossways to keep the main plug from falling out. After all that they still break occasionally.

 

[f575gtc]

So basically sticking with my method won't be any worse or better than specialty tools?

 

[MrSmiley]

So basically sticking with my method won't be any worse or better than specialty tools?

Pretty much. On older cars the plastic will be more brittle too, so that doesn't help with not breaking the connectors either

 

[LXCam]

Spray them liberally with silicon spray and let it sit for 10-20 minutes first. You'll be amazed how much easier they come apart. And the silicon is none conductive so no issues there, plus it will dry all by its self in less then an hour with no residue.

 

[shockwave]

I have had great results with a 90 degree pick on the clasp or small screwdriver

Only ones I have the worst time is the stupid Nissan spring connectors

 

[WhiffySpark]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BVL7LUY/?tag=atomicindus08-20

I do not own them, so I don't know if they are useful or would help you for your connectors. I have broken a few connector tabs as well.

I own them and don't understand them

I use a pocket screwdriver

 

[drewvdw]

Pocket screwdriver is about the best tool here.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Spray them liberally with silicon spray and let it sit for 10-20 minutes first. You'll be amazed how much easier they come apart.

Doesn't that make the outside extremely slippery ?

 

[LXCam]

Not really, if you let it sit it pretty much is dry on the outside. But it sure does a great job of getting everything freed up. It's like the master blaster of the plastic world. I can't even begin to tell you how many harnesses I've bought just to have spare connectors here. Since I started doing this I rarely need one anymore. I also make it a habit of spraying the connector before final assembly and find it really helps later down the road when it's time for another year down.

 

[K-Dog]

Your little pocket screwdriver and pic tools are the most useful.
Sometimes you gotta go inside and lift the little tab itself. Just figuring out which tab is holding it is half the battle.

 

[T_Roze]

I like to use my pocket screwdriver, and a 90 degree pick to get under the tab if need be.

My battery pliers from snap on work well to. The ridges work well to catch the edges of the squeeze tabs, and as long as your gentle, you can pull the connector off after it has released.

And I have to agree, those older spring Nissan connectors are awful. Always brittle.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PoorOwner]

There is always one of those behind the EGR or intake manifold you can grip with 2 fingers and no where to apply pulling force...

 

[mjoekingz28]

Be careful, as some silicone sprays can degrade plastic.

It is tough for me to hold the lock tab just so, as it clears the hook but not too far or it may bend or break. Then the other hand is wiggling, see - sawing, rocking and it is quite a test.

Maybe some bulb grease on the rubber gasket/seal upon reassembly will help later.





Edit, I guess I am talking about a different connector than the one pictured above.

 

[Showkey]

Be careful, as some silicone sprays can degrade plastic.
.

Silicone is also bad news for the O2 sensors..........so no spraying under hood.

http://www.ecatalytic.com/oxygen-sensor-education/oxygen-sensor-symptoms

As far a connectors...........each style has its own lock tab and release mechanism. If your using brut force and or breaking the connector your have not figured out the trick for that style. Once you figure out the release, a small pick or screw driver is usually all that needed. It is like picking a lock........

 

[FigureItOut]

I use this guy for connectors and all kinds of other stuff, SGSR3AR:

Having the set is nice, but I keep this one near me at all times, and I do exclusively electrical work. It's so indispensable to me I keep at least one spare.

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[Jeeper]

I read somewhere...probably here on GJ...to heat the connector a little. Will reduce the brittleness. Haven't tried it myself. Maybe someone here can comment.

 

[Sine Swept]

Try and separate a connector that has been sprayed shut with a little undercoating, it can be very aggravating.

 

[royesses]

I read somewhere...probably here on GJ...to heat the connector a little. Will reduce the brittleness. Haven't tried it myself. Maybe someone here can comment.

I had my rear main and oil pan gasket changed on my 6.0L Yukon Denali. The guy used heat to get the trans selector/neutral safety switch connector apart to remove the trans and transfer case. When I picked it up I had no shift indicator. I had to replace the switch myself. The potting compound that GM used is low temp and the contact pins were pushed out of place. Just a word to be careful with heat on connectors. He didn't fix the leak either. Incorrect installation of the oil pan gasket. So now I have to do it myself. Being disabled makes it a not fun job.

Roy

 

[Farmall 1066]

I've used penetrating oil (one of the few good uses for WD40) and gentle heat from heat gun. Ford connectors always seem to fuse together.

 

[Super Mech]

I read somewhere...probably here on GJ...to heat the connector a little. Will reduce the brittleness. Haven't tried it myself. Maybe someone here can comment.

I will often times apply some gentle heat with a heat gun to soften the plastic and make the connector clip easier to move. This is especially true during the colder months.

 

[Hiball]

It comes with the territory, as already mentioned older cars and cold weather seem to be bad combination. Zip ties are my weapon of choice on broken connectors that need to stay together..

 

[theoldwizard1]

Be careful, as some silicone sprays can degrade plastic.

Never heard of silicone spray degrading plastic ! Got any documentation ?

Silicone is also bad news for the O2 sensors..........so no spraying under hood.

Yes, silicone will kill O2 sensor, IF IT GOES DOWN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD !

Just be careful where your spray it.

 

[theoldwizard1]

I come from the era when all EFI connectors were "packed" with silicon grease and efforts were made to keep connectors out of direct "splash" zones.

Water getting into connectors (from odd things like A/C condensate drip or cowl run off) is still an issue.

 

[bareass172]

A little lube always goes a long way in helping separate (as mentioned) and I use a little dielectric on the seal and the mating surface (outside) to make it easier next time. Be careful with the dielectric inside the connector. If it gets on the terminals and it's a low voltage plug it will break the connection. I know guys who think "if a little is good then a lot is better" and they've caused all sorts of issues smearing this stuff throughout the terminals.

 

[colin39]

Clean them and push them together then squeeze or push the clip. Simples

 

[MGmachine]

I had my rear main and oil pan gasket changed on my 6.0L Yukon Denali. The guy used heat to get the trans selector/neutral safety switch connector apart to remove the trans and transfer case. When I picked it up I had no shift indicator. I had to replace the switch myself. The potting compound that GM used is low temp and the contact pins were pushed out of place. Just a word to be careful with heat on connectors. He didn't fix the leak either. Incorrect installation of the oil pan gasket. So now I have to do it myself. Being disabled makes it a not fun job.

Roy

They heat them because they are a glued mess from the factory. The rubber seals that keep the water out actually bond the plastic together and sometimes need heated to remove. The guy that did it probably heated the plastic and then pulled on the wires is why you had problems.

 

[bdelmar2]

We pull that switch off when we do one of those transmissions rather than mess with the connector, faster and less hassle.

The other connectors mentioned I disconnect a lot of daily in engine bays, mostly I do heads/engine swaps.

Don't give them any special treatment and don't really break very many, though they are plastic in a high heat environment and occasionally I will break a tab here and there. Usually it just snaps off when I press on it, so I don't think there is anything that can be done to prevent it, just too brittle.

I run into far more already broken than I ever break. Usually easy to reach ones, although once in a great while I'll find a mangled hard to reach one, mainly just cut those out and replace them, or the bad side anyway.

I save engine harnesses and have 15 or so hung on an old air hose bar which I prune as necessary, handy to have for testing as well. When they start to fall off the bar or otherwise annoy me I pitch a bunch and start collecting again.

I keep threatening to get one of those multidrawer file cabinets and cut the connectors off the harnesses and sort them by manufacturer but doubt I ever actually will.

 

[mjoekingz28]

Never heard of silicone spray degrading plastic ! Got any documentation ?


Yes, silicone will kill O2 sensor, IF IT GOES DOWN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD !

Just be careful where your spray it.

Yes, read the label on some silicone sprays.

Also, I sprayed my stereo receivers (home) with it......and while it mostly turned out nice, it did stain. I think the proper test is to spray into a styrofoam cup and see if it dissolves.


Picture on can.....Walmart has a CRC that says (paraphrase) ' may damage or degrade certain plastics) that I saw awhile back on the fuel cleaner aisle.




Pic to follow for you!

 

[mjoekingz28]

Bdelmar2,

It can be an exercise in futility.

Maybe if you are gentle enough AND patient it may be rewarding.

 

[mjoekingz28]

New Orleans,

Alot of us are in that camp of if some is good then more must be better.

I went against the grain once upon a time and installed plug wires and used very little tune-up grease thst was included with the set...just enough to leave a film. Come time to change plugs, they were very heavily welded to porcelain connectors. Much worse than having used none at all.

Fast forward, I gopped it on a tail bulb and soon later the bulb was out again.



So, the takeaway should be, IMO, a dab el do ya...or more than a film, but not enough to contaminate the entire area with grease. We're not trying to pack wheel bearings with it.

 

[mjoekingz28]

I bought this for lawn equipment since I try to use only plastic safe silicone sprays on automotive. WD-40, liquid wrench are but two of the safer ones.

 

[mjoekingz28]

This is one of the softer warnings I have witnessed.

 

[bareass172]

I save engine harnesses and have 15 or so hung on an old air hose bar which I prune as necessary, handy to have for testing as well. When they start to fall off the bar or otherwise annoy me I pitch a bunch and start collecting again.

I do the same thing. If you ever have trouble coming across these to get your "collection" started, I went on ebay and found all the scrappers selling harnesses. I fired off a "form" email to a bunch of them asking what they did with harnesses that were wreck-damaged and unsalable. I found a couple who said they junk them or sell for scrap copper and they were willing to mail to me for the cost of shipping. If you do a lot of wiring they're a great resource to have handy.

This is one of the softer warnings I have witnessed.

I like it!

 

[NYBODYMAN]

A pocket screwdriver always works for me.

 

[Vvmvbb]

Sometimes snap ring pliers can be useful to push the opposing connectors apart.