How to remove the B4 engine wiring harness connector? Glow plug harness content

I need to replace the glow plug harness and glow plugs on my B4. I'd like to install OE style crimp terminals on the new glow plug harness instead of using butt splices.

How do you remove and/or open up the the big, round multi-pin connector that the glow plug harness plugs into?

Twist to remove.

-J

Does the connector twist out of the metal bracket, or does part of the connector twist away from the base? Or...?

The connector can be removed from the metal bracket, though I haven't been able to do so without taking the metal bracket off the head first. This is a pain.

You can actually extract the pins from the GP harness without removing the connector from the bracket or bracket from head. I'd do it that way to save a headache.

Thanks for the responses.

What direction do you twist the multi-pin connector?

What do the glow plug harness connectors / pins look like, and how do you extract them for the multi-pin connector?

914rrr said:

Thanks for the responses.

What direction do you twist the multi-pin connector?

What do the glow plug harness connectors / pins look like, and how do you extract them for the multi-pin connector?

Click to expand...

twist the harness counter clockwise (grit gets in here and it is sometimes difficult to twist.

To remove the pins you need to locate the pins for the glowplug harness (trace backwards from the Glowplugs). I use a homemade pin removal tool. I use a piece of this stainess steel from a windshiel wiper blade and grind it so its 1/16"-3/32" wide with a dull chisel point on the end. I use a pair of needle nose pliers to grip this pin removal tool and I push it in on both sides of the pin I want to remove (you will see two indentations in the plastic next to the pin) Slide it in a couple times and sometimes you may have to twist the tool to get the pin's tabs to retract.

Grab the middle of the multi-pin connector's cylinder barrel and rotate the top of the barrel towards the radiator. The ends of the connector where the wires go in and come out don't rotate, just the middle.
This rotating action will "unthread" the barrel and will pull the pins (driver's side of the connector) straight out of the sockets (engine half of the connector).

The glow plug leads are the two fatter black ones next to each other.

Hammering the ends of a short piece of bailing wire until they are flat will also make a usable tool.

non-insulated bare terminals and proper crimper tool

Thanks for all of the replies.

I think I read that the new B4 glow plug harnesses have the incorrect terminals crimped on to them. Does anybody know if this is true? If so, what is the part # for the correct bare terminals? I really want to install the new harness without butt splicing the wires.

Also, I've always wanted to get a "proper" non-insulated terminal crimper for automotive applications. Which non-insulated crimper tool is the correct one to buy / use? I've seen a few different ones online and wanted to make sure to get one that works.

rrr..., I am here in Houston, what else/questions you have about the B4?

I did the GP harness replacement and spliced the new leads into the older ones, my wire harness would NOT give, argh!

John
713-382-0344c

(You know about the B4-GTG that Charlie is having in ten days?)

Are you saying that you couldn't get the wiring harness connector to release? I'll splice the harness it if I have to, just wanted to get the right crimper for other wiring projects anyway.

I have another thread on some wierd wiring related issues, some Q's on excessive camber on the passenger side front tire, etc. etc. etc.

I appreciate the heads up on Charlie's B4 GTG. I'm on the 'guest list' to get my TB done and possibly strut bushings. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you.

Crimp tools for non-insulated terminals

Here's the 3 sites / candidates for crimp tools I've found:

http://www.jcwhitney.com/open-barrel-terminal-tools/p2013851.jcwx

http://www.skygeek.com/ats-e300-005.html

http://www.whiteproducts.com/cetools.shtml