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Well, that's what the depinner is for; it's supposed to barely fit over the outside and depress those tabs so you can pull the pin or socket out the back.
AFTER you remove the retainer, that is.
I hope this all works for you. If not, you might want to investigate a new connector, but before that, I'd toss in the towel on the PCM and replace it.
Again, my steps are through the more likely and cheapest to the less likely and most expensive.
RwP
Well, a properly functioning connector is essential now whether it is used on my current ECM or a replacement ECM. Seems to me the only issue I have in front of me at this moment is to ensure that connector works. It may work without that retainer and more than half the tabs missing but, let’s face it, that’s kind of cheesy.
I’m thinking of buying that harness/connector off ebay and either figuring out how to find the correct de-pinner or even paying some electronic geek to pull the pins out for me. Does anyone like this exist? Geek Squad or some place like that?
BTW, we are in complete agreement about how I have proceeded. There is enuf reason to think I have a connection problem in the ECM or the connector. Additionally, it makes total sense to me to re-pin that connector first.
I contacted an ECM rebuilder and explained my intermittent problem and he said they cannot guarantee they can fix an intermittent problem. So, I fix what I can fix. And I can fix a connector but I can’t fix an ECM. I also agree with your earlier post about bad connections often being the problem and not the ECM. That does not surprise me at all.
Ralph, I believe the tool you recommended is the right one. I was so consumed with those round de-pinners on that tool that I never gave those 2-pronged ones a serious look. Not very smart on my part. Anyway, I'm thinking the smaller 2-prong tool is what I need. When you say, "it bottoms out" do you mean like what you see in the closeup? It bottoms out on the stick-out part of that tab?? Even if the prong went past that stick-out the prong will still not go all the way to the bottom. It would come up short about 1.5mm.
If this will do the job then I am going to buy that $25 harness off ebay and take the wires out of it and use it on my truck. Want to get your thoughts first.
I've been taught to use the round one; but will the fingers work from the back side?
My memory was of using the depinner around the ECU-facing end, walking it over the retaining pin, then easing the pin out the back. Do these come out the front instead?
Yes, the wires go in/out the front (if your definition of "front' is the bolt head side). I was sliding a microdriver in the back alongside the terminal and down to the tab. The tab has to be pulled away from the terminal to release the wire. I was likely pushing too far down that tab and is what was causing them to break. However, simply pulling the tab back till it butts up to the opposite side will break it as well. That tab can only be pulled back ever so slightly. Not much margin for error. I think I'm still going to have to use a microdriver but put a "stop" on it so I can't sink it in too far and then be very careful about pushing the tab too far. Perhaps somehow get a spacer between the rows to keep from doing that. I bought that harness/connector off ebay. Will probably be here tomorrow or Saturday. Should be easier to take the wires off with it on the bench instead of still attached to the truck. All I know is I need to be very careful and go the extra mile to keep from breaking them.
OK. Front is back and back is front. :I learn new stuff every day.
The longest tube on the Lisle tool fits like a glove around the entire length of the terminal as you can see in the top photo. The second photo shows the terminal next to the tube for perspective. However, the tube will not slide in the connector's terminal cavities coming from the front. The tube is too wide. It WILL slide in from the back but that is where the wires go in and they would prohibit the tube from going in. What am I not seeing here?
The bottom of the second stage (using a rocket reference) of the terminal is where the stickout on the tab holds the terminal in place it would appear to me according to my measurements.
Here is that close up of the front of the connector again. Here's the issue. The terminal is slightly less that 3.0mm wide at the widest point. The ID on that Lisle tool (longest tube) is 3.0mm That's why it fits nicely over the terminal. The cavity in the connector is at least 3.0mm wide to accommodate the terminal. The problem is the rim of those cavities (the entrance) is smaller (like 1.80mm). That's why the tool will not enter the front. As if they don't want you to go in that way.
My replacement connector showed up today and I transferred it to my truck. Good grief, what a job!!! The truck fired up. That in itself is a miracle. Also, the code 27 is gone on the OBD1. But maybe that's cuz I had the battery disconnected for a week?? I ended up doing some redneck engineering to remove the wires from the replacement connector. Was able to put the connector in my bench vise so I could free up both hands. Used hemostats to hold the wire and use as a fulcrum to pull it out. A custom ground microdriver with a depth gauge on it to pull back the barbs holding the terminal in. And a cut up piece of credit card to put in-between the terminal rows so I couldn't pull back on those tabs too far. It worked (without busting a single tab) albeit some crazyass work that I'm too old to be doing.
So back to where I was. The truck started so that's a good sign.. Didn't drive it because I'm physically and mentally shot from doing that job. I'll drive around tomorrow. But, if that goes OK then I'm down to one possibility. The computer.
OK, Ralph. Here's the score. Today marks 8 weeks since I rebuilt my computer connector. My engine has not cut out on me since. Prior, the frequency of cut outs was increasing rapidly and the last two times was 3 weeks and 4 weeks. So 8 weeks is encouraging. I'm not calling it fixed yet but am happy I've made it 8 weeks with no incidents.
One thing that crossed my mind was thinking perhaps I did not need to take that connector apart. When I had initially unplugged it there was a lot of dried out dielectric grease (or whatever they used in 1993) on those pins. Wondering if it just needed a good cleaning. Perhaps the simple act of unplugging and replugging would have done the trick. I'll never know. Nonetheless, that connector has been reconditioned and so far so good. Fingers remain crossed.
