Wiring Connectors, can they be replaced?

[greekmaster]

As many of you know, the wiring connectors, those nice little boxes that have clipping tabs on the sides to keep them secure, are everywhere on these cars and they love to get corroded. I am systematically going through my 1983 280zx and am trying to solve some electrical problems. I suspect many of the connectors are either shot or corroded or both. How can I fix all these connectors? Replacing them all seems impossible. Can all these connectors be replaced? Does anyone out there specialize in these replacement parts? Or do I just need to hard wire all these connections? The connectors on my TPS are green, if anyone wanted to know.

[TomoHawk]

Get yourself a can of DeOxit 100 (100% concentration- strongest stuff) and a can of DeOxit 5 (5% concentration). Use the 100 to get the green stuf/rust/corrosion off then the 5 to lubricate & protect. A little scraping might help if it's really heavily corroded. DON'T SAND. Also, some dielectric grease is good to have on hand for spark plugs, battery posts, etc.(exposed connectors.)

[webdawg1]

I found a TPS kit on eBay last week. Thought it might be a good thing to have on hand should I ever need to replace the TPS connector or the pins inside the connector or the wiring boot for the TPS.

webdawg1

[ZIII]

TomoHawk is absolutely right, DeOxit is fabulous stuff.

For connectors, you might try AutoZone. Several months ago I found plastic connectors, with covers, in their U-Fix it section (or something like that). Red packages, in the section that has door knobs/cranks, odd bolts, springs etc. Anyway, these were six-wire connectors, with a male and female end and a plastic cover that fits over both. They only had three packages and I bought them all. Unfortunately I did not keep the packages so I don't have the stock numbers. Did three of the engine compartment connectors since they take the worst beating. Went over to Home Depot, bought some two inch shrink wrap and further sealed the connectors. Now, it will be a pain to get them apart, I am sure. However, in all the time I have had my car I cannot remember ever taking one apart except to install Dave’s headlight wiring harness. So why not hard wire it? Good question…..

[sblake01]

I've replaced many of the connectors on both my 78 280Z and my 79 810. We've done a thread or two on the subject in the past. DeOxit and the like won't do a damn bit of good if the connectors are brittle and falling apart like many of these 30ish year old connectors are. (I can't see his posts anyway). If I find the thread I'll link to it in the morning.

[sblake01]

Here's a link to one of the discussions on injector/cold start/temp sensor/etc. connectors. Now, I'm going to bed:sleepy:

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22929&highlight=BMW+connectors

[TomoHawk]

I have an entire BMW fuel injection harness (pretty much all of it.) I was thinking of unwrapping the harness from the resistor pack to take it off in one piece. Would that work? I'd make a measured jig, so I can solder the injector connectors to length, then re-wrap the whole thing.

thx

[Mike]

I've gone through my entire electrical system. I've also gone through the pain and the effort to find new connectors, crimps, ends, and other various things. What I found is that not all connectors are available. Some of them are still around, but, difficult to find.

I think this is one of the reasons somebody hasn't come up with a brand new replacement wiring harness for the Z.

There are various posts on this website that will help you in this research. Use the search utility and you'll find a lot of it.

[Bruce Palmer]

.... Z car connector housing to a motorcycle shop and see it they might hve the very same style on hand.....

Also a vinegar bath on those contacts will do the trick. Soak for 10 minutes, rinse, dry, dielectric grease, re-assemble.

Strip your fuse box and do the vinegar bath to it first. That alone might cure a number of ills. When re-assembling the fuse box, throw those old fuses away and load new.