How does one easily separate/remove those wire/cable connectors in Fords? Many of them have fasteners which go over tabs on both sides and sometimes in hard places to get at making it almost impossible to pull them apart. I have some little wire hooks but there must be a better way. Is there a special tool and if so I would appreciate a recommendation.

 

Most of mine break somehow...

 

There are a bunch of Ford certified Master Technicians that frequent the Ford forum at Flatratetech.com - that is where I got answeres to similar questions in the past!

Now although I am a shade tree mechanic, I have had cause to work with a number of electrical connectors on my Miata as well as the IP Harness behind the dash of our 99' Expedition. What I have learned is that the smaller connectors (2-4 wire type) are usually pretty self-explanatory. The larger, more complex connectors (>6-8 wires) usually have a colored "key" - a plastic tab that has to be opened/pulled/removed/displaced in order to release the "latch" for the particular connector.

Also, a couple years ago I found and purchased an octagonal shaped tool at NAPA or Pep Boys that was specifically designed for dealing with the various types of auto electrical connectors. The tool has 8 sides and each side is made for a different style connecotr! The tool has a variety a of flat, round, looped, and pointed metal "probes" that are designed to reach into electrical connectors and release the tab or the wire from within the connector itself! If you plan on doing a lot of work with automotive electrical wiring harnesses - you should try to acquire one of these tools!

Michael

 

I think he was talking about the plastic tabs that retain the entire connector. That tool sounds like a good one for pulling individual contacts out of a connector.

Many times I am working on older vehicles and those plastic tabs break due to age. Other times they get broken on purpose because you have to have two thumbs on each of four hands in order to release them. After the tabs are broken I secure the connector with a zip tie or secure the wiring with zip ties so the connector will not fall apart. When you put the connectors back together don't forget the dielectric grease.

 

Correct, I'm looking for a tool to spread the plastic tabs on the outside of the connector, not for pulling the pins out of a connector.

What is dielectric grease and do you put it on the metal contacts? I take it must be able to conduct electric or it would decrease the conductivity.

 

Dielectric grease is a corrosion inhibitor. The way I apply it is with a very small brush, similar in size to a nail polish brush. You just want to "dab" the contacts. Too much will hydraulically force the seals out of either end of the connector, making the grease ineffective.

 

You can buy silicone dielectric grease at the auto parts store. Same thing as silicone spark plug boot grease.

I smear the contacts with it using the tube dispenser itself or from a bottle I keep in the toolbox with a cut off zip tie for a brush. I started using the bottle when a tube had a bad end seal. I just cut the end off the tube and filled a small plastic pill bottle with a screw-on cap.

 

One thing to remember is that on Ford connectors a lot of the tabs push to release. They look like you would pull them away from the connector shell to release them but actually you push the tab towards the shell and then pull the connectors apart.

 

EGF,
Lisle makes a forked tool to gently spread the retainer clips on wire connectors. it has a straight fork and a J shaped fork for the connectors that aren't facing you. Check your local parts store that handles Lisle. The same tool is available from the tool trucks as well.

 

> When you put the connectors back together don't forget the dielectric grease.

Unless it is an 02 sensor, then skip the grease.

 

Why? The small amount of grease is just going on the wires.