hopefully someone can help me with where to buy or what type of pin i need for the connector above the passenger side of the transmission, its the female side. one of them is burnt and causing intermittent loss of power to the fuel pump.

 

I find that I can usually find connectors defined in the parts manual, though it can take more than a minute to figure out, and sometimes the connectors don’t come with pins so it’s another search for those.
That said, can you add some details here? Which trans, and is the connector in question a harness to the trans, or just near the trans? Do you suspect a specific issue?

 

Couldn't even get the dang pin out, just spliced in a new connector.

 

Hard to see but second from left top row is burnt from loose connection

 

Are those actual crimp splices? They look like solder ferrules.

 

Crimp

 

Personally, I would never use a crimp connector like that, except as a temporary/emergency repair. I certainly would never ship a customer's car with crimp connectors, especially in an area exposed to the elements, due to corrosion concerns. These connections have a sixth sense and always know just when it is the most inconvenient for them to fail ... which is the last thing that you want with the fuel pump circuit. Respectfully, I would suggest that you solder, heat shrink and tape those connections in order to minimize moisture ingress and corrosion.

 

Cool. What brand are they?

 

I have heard the argument for and against solder, I usually solder but I will try crimp this time and see. It was a heat shrink crimp and was taped after, admittedly not the best tape job. To the brand, it is what O'Reillys had in stock, don't know where to buy the "better" stuff. I keep extra in tool box now. Would actually like to get a nice 10 pin connector and fix it up a bit cleaner, maybe this off season.

 

 

There is a concern that in high vibration environments, that soldered joints could eventually fracture over time. This may be a concern with the roads in and around Manhattan (lol), but it's not really a concern for the other 99.8% of the motoring public.

For splices that require moisture protection, GM recommends Duraseal heat shrinkable splice sleeves. They "wear" GM p/n's, but I suspect that there are other sources for these connectors.

 

It also helps when you tell the whole story…..why solder connections are problematic. The point at which the solder stops and the stranded wire continues creates an embrittlement point… This is the area where it will fracture, especially if there is no strain relief. I’m sure you are betting your belt-and-suspenders approach of heat shrink + tape will prevent flexing in this area. The vibration does not have to be severe either( roads in Manhattan). It only requires small movement over a duration of time. There are also situations that are not conducive for a heat source capable of melting solder….close quarters, fuel vapor, repairing something 12” from your face, etc.

There are numerous reasons crimping is superior to soldering:

1) Cheaper, safer, and more efficient from a manufacturing perspective

2) Crimping and wire strain relief are completed in one step

3) No concerns with proximity to fuel vapor or adjacent wires that could be damaged by heat or dripping solder

4) Very easy to stagger multiple wire repairs in a harness

5) Suitable for all operational environments

6) No fuel or power source required to effect the repair



Solder wire is also a consideration, the flux chemistries are different…..as are the alloy choices. In short, never use acid-core solder wire, as it will corrode the connection. No-clean flux works best. While it makes no points with the green folks, 63/37 or 60/40 solders have a lower melting point, and offer good strength.

The biggest downside to crimping is expense. Crimpers are expensive, which is why I’m certain most small shops do not invest, especially the car stereo/alarm league installers. Having an inventory of appropriate splices is also added expense. Finally, crimpers can be bulky in a confined space. In reality, a shop could get away with a quality combo red-blue-yellow ratcheting crimper for most needs. I also like the Raychem crimper for environmental splices only, but that’s the aviation guy in me.

Personally, I have not soldered two wires since I installed my Realistic (Radio Shack Special) stereo cassette deck (with power boost! ) in my 1976 Monte Carlo. The car was only 9 years old back them…..so yeah….it’s been a while.

If anyone wants information on crimping, tools required, etc……..send me a message.

To the vast majority of “I’ve been doing this for years and never had a problem” guys…………Happy soldering!

Almost forgot, the "Duraseal sleeves" you mentioned are actually heat-shrinkable splices that require a crimper(not just sleeves) .