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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 01:23 AM
  #1  
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Default Connector HELL

I am somewhat embarassed to ask this question, but here it goes...

There are tons of electrical connectors on the C5. Some have only 4 wires or less and some have 20 wires or more. During the course of repair work, it is quite often necessary to pry them apart. Yet, there is always some @#$%& plastic latching mechanism that that makes it a nightmare to pry them apart and this latching mechanism varies with different connectors.

I've spent as long as 20 minutes trying to pry connectors apart. Others I can't even figure out. Is there some is there some special tool out there or a procedure one uses to pry them apart?? Or maybe a set of special GM tools for the various different connectors found on the C5?

Thanks,
Matt
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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 02:34 AM
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Originally Posted by Z06ster
I am somewhat embarassed to ask this question, but here it goes...

There are tons of electrical connectors on the C5. Some have only 4 wires or less and some have 20 wires or more. During the course of repair work, it is quite often necessary to pry them apart. Yet, there is always some @#$%& plastic latching mechanism that that makes it a nightmare to pry them apart and this latching mechanism varies with different connectors.

I've spent as long as 20 minutes trying to pry connectors apart. Others I can't even figure out. Is there some is there some special tool out there or a procedure one uses to pry them apart?? Or maybe a set of special GM tools for the various different connectors found on the C5?

Thanks,
Matt
No. Matt, I agree that these connectors can sometimes be confusing to disconnect but they all have a retaining lock to ensure high reliability. Just be patient and gentle with them or you'll end up with connectors vibrating loose later on and have no idea why you have an intermittent problem. That's the real definition of connector hell.
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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 07:28 AM
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Dang things will drive you nuts I think someone devoted all of their time just too see how many connectors they could come up with
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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 09:13 AM
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I wonder why they can't/don't standardize the fricken things. I know GM uses different vendors but GM could specify how they disconnect.
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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 09:37 AM
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I see 3 different connectors on some of the service manual pictures, I am sure there are more.

1 is a lift and pull
1 is a push down and pull
1 is a pull the pin and then push and pull.

In layman's terms
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Old Apr 25, 2007 | 09:39 AM
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I think someone devoted all of their time just too see how many connectors they could come up with
I built a Cobra replica a few years back (Factory Five) and used the stock wiring harness from a Mustang. Every connector was different on the harness, and there are a lot of them! Of course the advantage comes when you are putting it all back together, you can't mess it up, it only goes one way. And I agree that some of them have locking mechanisms so ingenious you can't figure it out; until you've broken it taking it apart and then see how you should have done it.

Rick
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