Hey guys,
I have a 1989 RS that I am engine swapping. I'm putting in a Gen 1 SBC I built and it will be carbed. The existing wiring harness has a lot of damage. Lots of exposed wires, melted connectors, damaged grounds. It's bad. Is it possible to reinstall the wires into plugs? Or should I buy new plugs and solder the wires together? The fuel pump relay, MAF relay...all of those connections in the corner closest to the driver door is a total mess. Thanks in advance.

 

You can buy all (or at least nearly all) of the plugs for GM cars, from Mouser Electronics. They're a distributor of electronic components generally, but they specifically carry the Aptiv (this week's name for Delphi, Packard, etc., historically) line of automotive connectors.

However, it's difficult and EXPENSIVE to piece together all that stuff in ones and twos. Each plug for example, consists of pins, connector bodies, seals, "terminal position assurance", and often "connector position assurance", every piece of which must be correct for the finished assembly to be .., finished, and functional. Plus, you have to buy the right tools to do it really right; and pray that the wires themselves are in good enough shape not to crumble when you work on them, long enough if you have to trim them, etc.

Sounds like you only need a couple of connectors in any case. Might be best to just buy pre-made pigtails for those few and call it good. And yes, solder & heatshrink is the way to go; particularly the heatshrink with the adhesive inside it,, such as you can get from marine electric supplies dealers.

 

Yes, you can remove / replace individual wires from Weatherpack connectors. At minimum you need a little tube tool to depress the barbs so they push out, and it's a lot easier to crimp new terminals with a ratcheting crimp tool designed for Weatherpack terminals. I bought the PerTronix T3005 Weatherpack Connector Kit from Summit and it had everything I needed.

The relay connectors are different, I got lucky and was able to splice onto the existing wires in place there.

 

If I am going back with a carb, do I still need the MAF Sensor?

 

Probably not.

 

Get alot of the weatherpaks from Bellanger Motorsports. Plus tools to disassemble. Get wire from wire barn. Any color. Some stores on ebay sell even the gxl txl striped and everything. Basically bring the wiring back to New like a pro.

 

As already stated, the tooling to assembly Electrical Connectors from individual components...
would be the biggest investment.

However, afterwards the cost of assembling Electrical Connectors vs. purchasing Pig-Tails can be a substantial difference.
Lets use a 6-way Metri-pack 280 sealed Connector for the Windshield Wiper Motor PCB as an example.
A Pigtail similar to what I just described could sell for $30 or $40 from some greedy retailers...

On the other hand, the cost of assembling the same Connector from components, could look as follows:
-Connector Body and Seal = $2.34
-TPA = $0.78
-Terminals = $0.09 each times 6 = $0.54
-Wire Seals = $0.25 each times 6 = $1.50

Significantly less money than a Pigtail... but you have to learn all about the assembly process, the parts, and the tooling.
So there is still a large investment to be made... just not in dollar-bills.

 

LMAO!

Aptiv purchased GM's 51% Controlling Stock (of Delphi Connection Systems) after the 2008-2009 Financial Crisis.
Aptiv has been the name/ company producing Delphi Connection Systems Parts for 11 years now.

Going back in time...
Packard Electrical (at the end of being called this name) was a Division of GM.
Delphi Electronics was also created as a Division of GM, and absorbed Packard Electrical.

Delphi Electronics grew very quickly, and was split into multiple sub-divisions, I.E. Delphi Steering Systems and the former Packard Electric (now called Delphi Connection Systems).
In the mid to late 1990s GM made Delphi Electronics into multiple separate Subsidiaries (instead of remaining Divisions within GM).
GM maintained a 51% Controlling Stock of Delphi Connection Systems until the Sale to Aptiv.

Now 11 years after Aptiv took Delphi Connection Systems...
Aptiv has been designing, producing, and selling their own design Electrical Connector Systems.
As such many of the Delphi Electrical Connector Systems are being phased-out.
This was Aptiv's goal from the time that controlling ownership was attained.

It honestly saddens me to see this happening.
Delphi produced some of the best Electrical Connector Systems in the world (and attained more contracts than any other competitor).

Today GM Vehicles have damn near no Delphi Electrical Connectors being used.
GM has stated that Delphi products are too expensive... and use several competitors products that are more cost effective.
DCS was a major part of my Life (in terms of work).

 

Ah, good old Packard Electric. I spent too many years filing updated copies of Packard prints, then reading them to create service manual schematics and diagnostics. In some ways, good memories. In others, it gives me cold chills!