dyeager535

Got an '88 Camaro TPI Harness that I'm "cleaning up" for an install in my '86 K5. I'm keeping everything related to TPI of course, and I can't use the Camaro firewall connector. (the one that the tach lead, 12v from starter, etc., pass through)

The problem is, some of the wires I *can* use, or might, from that connector, so I need to be able to remove them from the plug without cutting. Besides, it will make figuring out how I want to route the remaining stuff easier, if I can leave ONLY it on that plug for now.

So, the question is, how do you remove the wires from that connector? The ones in the truck are removed by first thoroughly smearing that tar junk all over your hands, and everything you touch, while trying to remove it, then pushing the wire into the connector as far as it will go, and "squishing" the blade end with some needle nose pliars. The Camaro blades though, appear to have a "U" shape to them, which leads me to believe they are locked differently.

Thanks for any help!

StngKlr

You shouldnt need anything from that harness. Unless you are using some of the lights or something from the camaro. That connector has a couple of screws in it, take them out and the rest is simple. Oh and that connector os a big plug actually, all the wires terminate right there and plug into the other wires that continue through the car. So really its one big connector, if you know what I mean. If you take it apart, you will see what I'm talking about. The process you described for gettting as much wire as possible in the K5, will not work for the Camaro.

Hope that helps.

dyeager535

Well, thinking of changing the K5 to electric speedo, and as well, the tach lead and a couple others so some of those wires/connectors might be useful. Even if not, now its just because I gotta know how!

So you are saying that that connector is two pieces, if I read you right, that has screws holding it together. It appears similar to the K5, the headlights and such are on one "plug" the engine is on another, and they combine to mate up to the fuse panel connector. I've got a bunch of empty slots on the K5 plug, so if need be, I can certainly run anything additional through it.

I'm guessing the screws that hold the engine harness connector together are on the "engine bay" side, and covered by the remaining tar stuff, which is why I didn't see them?

deadbird

88 still had a cable driven speedo for camaros (I believe the elec. speedo didn't come into play until 90 when the dash got a facelift), I might be wrong about that though.

Either way, the elec speedo isn't driven from any wires that go to the bulkhead either.

If you check out the tech articles ( https://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/tech/ )area of this board, you'll find 2 different websites that have wiring diagrams for camaros. Even though the years aren't 88, it shouldn't make any differance as far as non-ECM related wiring is concerned.

dyeager535

[QUOTE]Originally posted by deadbird
[B]Either way, the elec speedo isn't driven from any wires that go to the bulkhead either.

http://92b4crs.tripod.com/86wiring/dia-pics/33-0.jpg

If my memory serves, that brown VSS wire from the buffer is the VSS wire I was thinking was for the gauges.

You are right, that page (which I looked at before and ignored apparently : ) shows VSS being on the speedo head still. I'll have to trace it to be certain, but as I said, I believe the wire I am thinking of is tan or brown...I'll just have to trace it and see if it goes over to the ECM harness.

If I'm reading that page correctly, it shows a connector on the wire heading to the ECM, which would likely be the fuse panel, right?

deadbird

On a cable driven speedo , the VSS is on the speedo itself (small printed circuit board in the cluster), from there the wire runs to the ECM

The pink/black wire (gauges fuse) is the only wire to/from the fuse panel, the brown wire is output to the ECM & cruise control.
I'm not to sure if that's answering what you're asking though ?

dyeager535

Umm, kinda. : ) That diagram plainly shows the speedo as being cable (knowing what I do about GM's systems) and VSS reading off the speedo head, but I *think* that diagram shows that the VSS brown wire has a connector BEFORE it gets to the ECM.

I'll trace it tonight, but I'm thinking maybe the brown VSS wire comes out through the fuse panel connector, and heads over to the ECM. That makes NO sense, but I'm not sure what to make of that diagram...after further review, it goes through some connector, (C207 I'm assuming is connector 207) which is the same connector the cruise wire goes through.

Appreciate the help, I'm kinda doubting the need to run any of this fuse panel connector wiring though...I'm now pretty sure that even with the open connector spots, GM didn't spend the money to have them wired on the fuse panel. For VSS to the ECM, I can run that inside the cab, and for anything that needs power, I've got enough (I think) different accessory plug ins (ignition switched or constant) that I could wire in there.

Still going to take that connector apart : )

Thanks again!

long&low

When you get that thing apart let us know how to do it . I have one I need to get apart in the near future.

dyeager535

Looks like there is a special tool to do it.

I wasn't kind to the connector last night, so I was able to get one of the wires out. If you look at the plug on the side that mates up to the firewall, you'll see that on one side of each blade, there is a small square cavity. Each blade is actually a "U" shape, and the cavity is at the "top" of the U... but the two uprights that form the U are not full length obviously...they are there to keep the blade "straight" in the connector, so they do not protrude from the connector visibly, unless you force the wire into the connector a bit. (the tar junk doesn't help)

Anyways, the tool I'm thinking about would be a square piece of steel just smaller than that square cutout next to the blade. in the center of the U is a tab that is pushed out of the blade, that allows the blade to lock into the connector. The tab obviously is accessible through that small square cavity, but there seemed to be very little room to move the connector, so a tool almost seemed necessary. You MIGHT be able to do it carefully with a jewelers screwdriver, but its pretty much impossible to see what you are trying to press in with the tar junk that is in all the cavities.

If I had a digital camera, I'd take pics, but each blade/square cavity/tab looks *basically* like this, viewed from the firewall side of the connector:

...___
..|.....|<---cavity
|__|__|
^
Locking tab

Does that make sense? It's basically the same idea GM used on most of the flat blade connectors they've used since the 60's and 70's, with the addition of that cavity which is fairly large...large enough a paperclip won't work.

StngKlr

I hope this is the connector you are talking about. You just take the screw out, then push the tabs down. Really easy.

dyeager535

Thats the connector, but I'm talking about removing the individual wires from that connector, once you've unbolted it from the fuse panel.

StngKlr

Oh ok, why not just cut them. Are you trying to put them back into another connector? Just curious.

dyeager535

Yep...and things like the starter wire leads/fusible links are ALWAYS handy to have around : ) (I prefer to not cut wires unless it's absolutely necessary)

deadbird

sticking in a small paper clip straightened out on the terminal face, under or above (I forget) & giving a slght tug will let them pop out. I pulled all the headlight ones out of mine & put the headlight module under the dash (less wires to see). You don't really have to go 'baby huey' on them, unless it helps you relieve some stress

dyeager535

I'll try again tonight, but you are right, going baby huey on them helped a bit...at least I got the wire out lol.

Did you push the wire into the connector a little bit before inserting the paperclip, or did you just stick the paperclip in the cavity as is, and pull? I tried with a paperclip, didn't seem that I was getting anywhere.

deadbird

I had to fiddle around with it a little to figure out if I needed to go top or bottom but, giving the wire a nudge foward should make it slightly easier.

Most connectors have a little 'winged' tab stamped out on them so when the terminal is pushed in the plastic plug, the tab locks the terminal in place & keeps it from being yanked out, somewhat simlar to a barbed hose fitting. The main objective of using the paperclip is to flatten the tab even with the terminal so it no longer catches. I've a few times since I did my rewiring so that's as good as my grey matter holds data w/o going out and yanking a wire to be 100% accurate.

dyeager535

Hey, I'll send you my harness so you can brush up by removing all the wires : P

The worst part though is that tar stuff on there. Definitely going to have to go over everything with paint thinner once I get them off.

Since you've had one apart before, curious if you sealed the connector back up with something, or just left it...

deadbird

Heh.. sure thing.. send it on over (and a 6pk )

The 'tar stuff' seems to just be a type of nasty old 'dried up' dielectric grease that was put on there to keep water out. My bird really didn't have alot of that crap on there,, just some where the 2 connectors met. I personally wouldn't lose any sleep over trying to reseal it unless you're planning to sink the vehicle so deep the water reaches the connector. If you're getting that deep.. I'm sure there's many other things to worry about than that

I did end up squeezing a little new di-grease into the terminals before I bolted it back together though just to assure good connections & in hope I won't have to screw with it in the future.

Here's a small slice of the fun I had going on under my dash after have the "brilliant" idea of moving wiring around...

dyeager535

Ha! Nice mess! I know what you went through..I had to swap in a wiring harness to the truck, and I figured I could route it better than GM. Yeah right! I *still* don't know how they got it in there the way they did, but I had to strap the main harness to the steering column just to keep it off the pedals lol. I'm definitely not proud of that feat : )

dyeager535

Well there was a glaring oversight. Sorry for the delay, but just got around to taking it apart last weekend.

After getting three wires out with the paperclip, I ended up right where I started, with no others coming out. I got so sick of that grease getting all over me, I threw it in a bucket of paint thinner.

Only then did I notice that on the side of the connector, in my case covered with grease, was a white forked "clip" that retains all the connectors. You still need to use the paperclip, but you NEED to pull the white clip out of the side of the connector. Clean the outside of the connector (what you would see as it were installed in the car) and you'll see the white (nylon?) back of that clip. Pull it out, and with the paperclip, the wires will come out no problem.

novak

May I ask what size is screw between connectors?