Delphi Electrical Connector tool+pins/bodies experts?

[AuroraGirl]

I am trying to weigh between getting associated tools to crimp and make pins/tools to insert them into connector bodies/remove and do the associated learning of how to do that or replacing any bad connectors with splice in units.

I have pretty much done the math.... a vehicle harness with unknown age/brittleness or god forbid a new one with THAT many connectors is still more than buying a crap load of new connector ends to splice... but problem is, fuel injected kinda modern car... this would add a lot of bulk and runs in the wire that wouldnt be very routable without really rethinking a lot of things.... and just the labor aspect.

But... my problem isnt broken connector bodies, i have a lot of in-insulation wiring breaks AT the connector seals(harsh angles and pinched, etc) and issues with bad contact into those slots because most connector wires were pulled hard and to one direction making stress points.. so that is why I ask about repair, if the tools arent bad or many and i have the time, I can remove damaged sections and repin them and most wont even need more wire, just have to route it better than the last guy. From a quick google search, a a couple tools that seem to be about 20$ and a kit with bodies, pins, seals etc may set me back close to 150 maybe more.. but that is beating both a harness and new connectors. and i could probably get away with auto-store bins for any spot-needs of bodies/seals and just buy contacts/pins.

a lot of the inquestion connectors are peppered close to eachother and are numerous straight across the top of the engine for most part, and seeing someone do a splice repair on just a 3 connector sub-harness on a forum which is at most 14 gauge really impeded the ability to route it witout making more problem points and making the once conduit wrapped thing look like a burrito of pvc and vinyl and copper lol

i can show my situation if needed but im sure i visualized it more-than-necessary enough..


by chance, do these questions that im asking for weatherpack/multipack etc work for older
"packard" ones like on our squares or do they need diff tools/pins? I dont need to redo much for the square but if i can justify the purchase because of future-use on more cars that would help i think


I know someone here helped me last time with an electrical diagram question and seems to be a guru but I cant find that thread lol. I feel like it was either reckless raider or craig but if that isnt even close then good thing im making a thread lmao

 

[SquareRoot]

ok...wow. I hear what you're saying. I'm wanting to redo a bunch of my oem wiring on my 85 and I'm defiantly sold on the weatherpack connectors. I bought the tool to remove the clips from the connectors as I have been using existing plugs that I cut off leaving a pigtail to splice on to. Now I'm getting ready to take the plunge and buy the good quality "correct" crimpers and a 100 piece kit. The kits seem to be the most cost effective route. Way more than I'll need initially but I think like everything else it will get used up in time.

Same thing happened with my nut rivot set. I only needed a few rivets but once I started using it I discovered how useful it was. It's like a bag of potato chips...you can't put em down till there gone!

 

[AuroraGirl]

ok...wow. I hear what you're saying. I'm wanting to redo a bunch of my oem wiring on my 85 and I'm defiantly sold on the weatherpack connectors. I bought the tool to remove the clips from the connectors as I have been using existing plugs that I cut off leaving a pigtail to splice on to. Now I'm getting ready to take the plunge and buy the good quality "correct" crimpers and a 100 piece kit. The kits seem to be the most cost effective route. Way more than I'll need initially but I think like everything else it will get used up in time.

Same thing happened with my nut rivot set. I only needed a few rivets but once I started using it I discovered how useful it was. It's like a bag of potato chips...you can't put em down till there gone!

i doont think an 85 could have weatherpacks i thought that was a late 80s early 90s patented item. the delphi terminal and wiring repair kit was made in 88 i think. maybe 86. or. 87.

okay maybe it has metripack?

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one of them came earlier, works better with larger wire gauges and usually is found on body panels and distant from engine connectors but doesnt translate well to small or as beneficial in the sensor department so we have weatherpack

Oh god I just googled it, i have it backwards entirely. god damn. okay, well, my application i would need to primarily repair metripacks but weatherpacks are at least 3 of the things i was thinking of.

God damn I have watched way too much informational technical things that the information bleeds into eachother its bad


I too like nut rivets. i am going to be getting a the stuff in this TSB

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Not only does relevant vehicles in my quest have the original studs and they are not the best anymore, I love brass and ive chased so many problems from ******* ground connections that I want to do stuff like this TSB is saying even in custom/future applications because ive done nothing but chase years of my grandpas half-measures or POs attempts and would like to do,install, or fix something and just not have to touch it again kind of thing lol. Esp in the rust belt.

In the same ideas as a rivet nut these splined ones really hold and if you think about it, if you use something like this into a clean frame connection for example, you are getting the surface area on the c channel drilled hole, some top side, and it aint going anywhere and you dont have to ever deal with a nut or hard to get it started becuase the stud wont go anywhere so you make a nice to use and one and done grounding spot that doesnt rust and nice quality rings or lugs and properly done wiring will be providing a proper and good ground for years. You seem like you might be interested in the whole TSB i will post it in my convo starters

Also, these rivets look like they would be the best solution to broken square body firewall ground point for that engine block braided ground?

I actually need to replace that since mine broke... I Used a riv nut and coated it to just work for now but its aluminum riv nut in steel sheet....

Brass riv nuts and studs, sold.

Whoever discovered brass was pretty cool

 

[bucket]

Weatherpack connectors started showing up in the very early 80's.

They are pretty easy to disassemble, re-pin, etc.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Weatherpack connectors started showing up in the very early 80's.

They are pretty easy to disassemble, re-pin, etc.

if i recall correctly, isnt there a weatherpack for somethings on our trucks like... tbi MAP or something? I cant think of anything else but something under the... uh.. dash? Maybe on the frame somewhere.. my cars headlight harnesses are weatherpack, the ABS solenoid power circuits go through one, theres one for the fuel pump i think, etc. the fuel tank harness itself is and the electronic level control plugs into with one.

Metripack has the delicate pins that a small flat blade or the proper tool can do. they can fit much more terminals in a connector of equal size and sometimes have locks or position assurance holders

 

[bucket]

Weatherpack connectors were used for areas that were exposed to the elements. Like underhood TBI and chassis electrical. Like the rear lighting harness for example, it got a weatherpack connection at the rear, starting in '85.

 

[Bronze Knight]

I think the fuel tank selector valve on dual tank trucks also uses a weatherpack connection. My 85 does at least.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I think the fuel tank selector valve on dual tank trucks also uses a weatherpack connection. My 85 does at least.

based on buckets analysis id say that its safe to assume 85 was either a model start for weatherpacks or a division/corporate start. gm has a trend to design changes and there is usually a roll out on a large across the board at a similar time or they get combed into model lines when necessary so you had overlaps of technology and stuff and im sure a big part of that is inventory and assembly line changes necessary to implement


for example, gm rolled out passkey 3 in 97 or 96(maybe on a cadillac?( but you could get passkey 2 until 99 at least. a 4t65e could be had till 2011 but once the last models of gm changed from their mid 2000s generations, they went to 6 speeds for fwd cars. i think.

 

[bucket]

based on buckets analysis id say that its safe to assume 85 was either a model start for weatherpacks or a division/corporate start. gm has a trend to design changes and there is usually a roll out on a large across the board at a similar time or they get combed into model lines when necessary so you had overlaps of technology and stuff and im sure a big part of that is inventory and assembly line changes necessary to implement


for example, gm rolled out passkey 3 in 97 or 96(maybe on a cadillac?( but you could get passkey 2 until 99 at least. a 4t65e could be had till 2011 but once the last models of gm changed from their mid 2000s generations, they went to 6 speeds for fwd cars. i think.

GM cars started using them as early as '81. I just know they started showing up on trucks by '85.

 

[Doppleganger]

My 85 has them. Everywhere.

 

[AuroraGirl]

My 85 has them. Everywhere.

have you seen this weatherpack ****?

bean counter who has no way to control his pure lust of the design..: positive assurance locks ROCKKKKKK (visibly an uncomfortable day to be around)

 

[Dooley]

Handy tools for working with Packard Electric wiring.
I refer to my pin terminal removal tool as a "barrel pick"

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[Raider L]

@Dooley,

Wow, I love antique tools as much as the next guy, but man..... Where did you get those?

@AuroraGirl, I've been making up my own wiring for years. It's the only way to go. You can solve all those short and over bent ends as much as you like. The fun part is you can make your wiring look any way you want. I can't say much because I was an commercial aircraft mechanic for years and we were doing re-pinning all the time due to FAA usually doesn't allow some things to be reused, not so much with wiring but things normally reused in auto can't be reused in aircraft. I took that experience with me and applied it to my truck when I rebuilt it. Not so much re-pinning but any place where I wanted to make new wire or lengthen or shorten wires I just made a new connector.

Do it. It's fun and interesting. And you learn a valuable skill.

 

[AuroraGirl]

@Dooley,

Wow, I love antique tools as much as the next guy, but man..... Where did you get those?

@AuroraGirl, I've been making up my own wiring for years. It's the only way to go. You can solve all those short and over bent ends as much as you like. The fun part is you can make your wiring look any way you want. I can't say much because I was an commercial aircraft mechanic for years and we were doing re-pinning all the time due to FAA usually doesn't allow some things to be reused, not so much with wiring but things normally reused in auto can't be reused in aircraft. I took that experience with me and applied it to my truck when I rebuilt it. Not so much re-pinning but any place where I wanted to make new wire or lengthen or shorten wires I just made a new connector.

Do it. It's fun and interesting. And you learn a valuable skill.

it’s a little taken apart but you can kinda see where my connectors and certain runs had issues I actually made it a lot better just by untwisting and running the wires on the sides close to where they exit so rearranged the bundle essentially

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