New Connector Pins

[halg]

Has anyone found new replacement pins for the connectors used on our Fiats? Iam checking on the locking tab design on pins supplied by Wurth. All my connectors are badly oxidized enough to not be able to get continuity across each side of the connector.
Hal

[mbouse]

mcmaster carr has a wonderful selection.. but i just generally cut the old connectors out and straight wire the components.

[racydave]

When I was a dealership tech, we kept a varied assortment of terminals. Try a dealership, or supply house? Like Mike, some connectors were omited with butt connectors...

[mdrburchette]

Have you tried pushing the spade terminals out of the connectors and cleaning them? I've done that before, vs cutting, wiring and causing another electrical problem.

[mbouse]

yeah, that is a good suggestion Denise.

wish Fiat had decided on ONE type of connector, but spade connectors..and bullet connectors..on the same component?

i still say, unless you are thinking of changing the component in the future, removal of the connector for a soldered joint is the best way to go.

[jwhite]

Take a look at Rhode Island Wiring http://www.riwire.com/ They carry Parallel splice connectors as well as male/female blades and also the connectors for the blades for 1 to 4 wire connections. I have used these and have no problems.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31164559@N07/3749064913/

[baltobernie]

Thanks for the link to Rhode Island Wiring. Looks like a valuable resource!

[halg]

Here is a photo of my reworked wiring harness. All wires have been returned to their proper location. The upper left hand corner is all the new wiring added for mt electronic upgrades. Fuses and relays to control fans, fuel pumps, spark box and ECU, the ECU is in the upper right hand corner.
Del City Wire sells replacement pins for relay blocks that fit the Fiat connectors with the proper retention pins to hold the pins in place. With the harness now repaired I can return to the original problem, corroded female pins in nearly every location. The male pins in most connectors are brass and can be removed and cleaned. The male connections on some components(relays) appear to be silver plated, so can be carefully cleaned. Other components(light sockets) must be steel because they are totally rusted. Anything that can't be cleaned I will be looking to replace. Iam going to replace all female pins.
Hal

[manoa matt]

Hal,

I have an almost complete wiring harness from a 1980 FI car if you need it for parts, connectors, or color coded wire. You could carefully uncrimp the connectors, clean them, and have them plated. matt.scarton@gmail.com

[baltobernie]

For those of you with non-smog carburetor Spiders, I have a detailed article on adapting a Painless universal wiring harness for this application. If you're going to the trouble of removing all the old wiring, why not replace it with brand-new? Brad Artigue did not post it on his new site, so PM me directly.

[halg]

Here is my cleaned and a dirty fuse block. Working my way around changing female pins and cleaning male ones. Is all this going to be worth it ??? Won't know until Iam done and try to turn everything on.
Hal

[halg]

Here is the fuse block wired with new pins. These are the pins replaced today. I have also replaced all the black rubber insulation(so hard it can't be removed)with the two items shown on each side of the pins.(from later cars) I may need more of the clamshell insulators that go around individual wire connectors. If you have some let me know. I have replaced 100 pins and will need to purchase more(not done yet)
Hal

[racydave]

On my 79, the main fusepanel power wires came from the starter. They are not fused untill they go thru the fuse box. I did run a seperate 10 gauge wire to power some of my circuts at the fuse box, and fused it at the battery. It also fixed my slow wipers and dim headlights. I used a relay for the headlights. Modern cars are fused close to the source, and offer much better wiring protection. Your work looks great!

[mdrburchette]

Wow, you are to be congratulated on your thorough job. I've pulled many a wiring harness but I have yet to put one back, much less replace all the connectors! In fact, while I'm pulling the harnesses through all those holes in the body, I'm thinking to myself "I sure am glad I don't have to put this back in."