I having some trouble opening up the looms on my 99 4.6, 4x4 with 81000. Any ideas? Is there a tool or technique?

 

Whaaat???????

 

Its the plastic pieces that hold the wire in place and route them where they are supposed to go. It looks like they should open.

 

Take a fine flat head screw driver or a knife for that matter, put it in the slit on the end and twist the loom. More or less you are moving the top one direction and moving the bottom the other. IIRc there is a small catch there that won't allow them to open until you twist past it. If that still doesn't make sense using the aforementioned screwdriver twist it clock wise when the tip of it is lodged straight into the slot.

I am sure Ford also has a $100 tool to do the same thing.

 

That worked well. Is there really a tool? Or did gullible get taken out of the dictionary?

 

I don't know of one but I swear they redesign everything they possibly can every few years just to keep tool makers in business. Look at the new screw heads that come out every 5 years or less.

 

Ok, so I don't think this is a dumb question when you can't see the way some of these things are made. On my 99 Ranger 3.0 Flex Fuel there are looms 'up top' that are easy enough to see. I found you just have to stuff a small screwdriver in farther at the right spot, at the 'bottom' of the end of the loom that has a set of offset detent holders, and twist. I used a little silicone spray to clean off the dust and lube things up. Don't use petroleum lubes as that's bad for rubber/plastic and I don't imagine a great idea around ignition stuff, either.

But lower down there are some weird single wire holders that have what looks a bit like buttons on them. I can't see around them to see how they open. Any hints?

I have a sense of humor, so you can make fun of me if you want.