What depinning tool/terminal ejector tool needed for '05 Chevy wiring harness?

desertPOS

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I\'ve dumped upwards of $1500 and well over a month of downtime to have a mechanic deal with a no-start issue on my \'05 Chevy Silverado (4x4, 5.3, 1500). Last time it was in there, they found that a bad connection in one of the terminals under the fuse box in the engine bay was creating enough heat to melt part of the fuse box. Paid for a new fuse box, installation and supposedly fixing that bad termination. After picking it up with it \'fixed,\' it made it about a week before the intermittant no-start issue came back. If I drop it off again, I\'m quite positive it\'ll just be another $1k+ and they\'ll want to replace the whole harness, which they suggested might be the fix if it continues. They did NOT cut the tape or wrap off any of the wiring harness where it comes into the fuse box, so I\'ve had the truck sitting at work for the past couple weeks until I have time to pull it apart and take a look myself. I wouldn\'t be surprised if the same heat that melted the fusebox also fried a wire in there - most likely the same one with the bad connection. I don\'t want to drive the truck in the meantime and melt the new fusebox I just had put it, but starting to get tired of driving a rock crawler around every day...\n\nWould like to make some time this coming week to dig into it and see what I can find. I\'d like to order up the terminal ejector or terminal removal tools ahead of time so I can replace wiring if I find anything. Having trouble figuring out what type of tools I need for this. I\'ve found what seems to be cheap-o stuff on Amazon like this:\n\nhttps://www.amazon.com/Terminal-Rem...61617011&rps=1&sr=8-5&th=1&tag=91812054244-20\n\nLittle higher quality stuff on Amazon like this:\nhttps://www.amazon.com/Lisle-57750-Wire-Terminal-Tool/dp/B007WQQHA2?tag=91812054244-20\n\nKartek has this - although looks like it might be more for external weather-proof plugs:\nhttps://www.kartek.com/parts/ford-c...05-extractor-pick-and-009-extractor-pick.html\n\nI\'d like to order some tools that are at least above medium quality. Or preferrably high quality as long as it\'s not a $500 specialized something-or-other. Wondering if anyone here can point me in the right direction:grinpimp:\n\nI may end up taking it back to the mechanic, but it\'d be sweet if I can just fix it myself - as long as it doesn\'t end up taking DAAAYS to do:homer:
 
I have these two and the hollow shaft one. If they were any smaller they would be difficult to use. https://www.amazon.com/Delphi-Termin.../dp/B07DD3PC8H
I don't know if these are the correct ones for your application but I've used one of them to disassemble the netural safety switch connector on a '03 1500 chevy.
 
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The pins for the fuse box are very simple. You can use a pick, small flathead or even just a piece of welding wire. Any flat depinning tool should work

If if you need another fuse box just pay shipping, I have a few laying around.

also what pin and in what connector is burning up?
 
I have these two and the hollow shaft one. If they were any smaller they would be difficult to use. https://www.amazon.com/Delphi-Termin.../dp/B07DD3PC8H
I don't know if these are the correct ones for your application but I've used one of them to disassemble the netural safety switch connector on a '03 1500 chevy.

Ok, that looks similar to what Kartek has - think I'll just order that in a second so I have it...


The pins for the fuse box are very simple. You can use a pick, small flathead or even just a piece of welding wire. Any flat depinning tool should work

If if you need another fuse box just pay shipping, I have a few laying around.

also what pin and in what connector is burning up?

Ok, I supposed I could just figure it out then if what I order doesn't work - good to know. Hopefully I won't need another fuse box, but I'll keep that in mind. As for the exact pin and connector, I have that paperwork sitting in my truck, which is sitting at work. I'll take a look at it and post up tomorrow...

I figured I'd pull the fusebox back out, pull the tape or whatever off of the wires leading to the terminal/plug in question, and give it a visual inspection to see if anything looks burned. If I can dig up a good wiring schematic, I'll figure out where the other end of that wire is and test for resistance/voltage. Not overly familiar with working on GM, and hoping I don't need to pull apart the dash a ton
 
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You'll want that delphi kit from Amazon for your truck or anything newer gm. Gt 150, 280, metri-pack, etc. But as stated, generally you can get to them with a small pick and/or flathead. I have a nice fine snap-on screwdriver/pick set that I use when I have to work on the production stuff. I have ran into connectors on the body side of new stuff requiring the use of a tiny pickle fork tool.
 
also what pin and in what connector is burning up?

According to the paperwork, "PIN12 burnt and not giving power to the switch." So that connector was replaced, along with the whole fuse box. He showed me a picture of it, wish I would have had him text it to me for reference.

Overall issue has been intermittantly happening for a year and a half now. Just a no-start situation where I turn the key, and nothing. Tested starter, no power going to starter with key turned. Always seemed to happen after the truck had been driven, usually when it'd been started/shut off a few times, like running errands. In the beginning it'd start back up after sitting for 10-20 minutes, but then it got bad and sometimes wouldn't start for days. Once it'd fire up, issue may not happen for 3 months or so. Then when I really need it, like headed out of town for work, or heading out to KOH fully loaded up last year - truck gives me a :flipoff2: and 'fuck you I ain't startin.' Seems to happen more when it's warm out, and seems to want to start again sooner if I pop the hood and let things cool in there. I think it's pretty clear that something's getting too hot and won't transmit power till it cools down to a certain point. Trucks never died while running, just something in the starting circuit.

Finally at it's worst, it was throwing brake codes and all kinds of powertrain codes, and not shifting right - I'd imagine with the fuse box melting, things were shorting out...
 
Sounds like you may have a more serious problem but it can’t hurt to check the ignition switch. I had to replace one in my 05 that would cause some really odd issues like you have discussed.
 
I probably everyone of the tools in those links above plus some, my problem is trying to figure out which tool to use for the connector I'm working on, then the stuff is so small you need to magnify it.
 
Sounds like you may have a more serious problem but it can’t hurt to check the ignition switch. I had to replace one in my 05 that would cause some really odd issues like you have discussed.

I replaced the ignition switch and whatever selector switch is on the D side of the transmission when this first started happening with no change.

So finally got around to messing with this. I believe the issue before is what can be seen in the attached pics. Fuse box pictured here is the new one I had put in, and issues were had on the gray plug - pretty obvious where. Looks like the gray plug was drilled out at some point - would almost think we’d replace that and the damaged end termination when replacing the fuse box, but :confused: Not sure what to do from here, other than pull tape and wrap off these wires and see if anything stands out as burned or damaged. Past that, maybe reassemble, fire it up, and temp check fuses while it’s running to see if the one in question (or any) are getting much hotter than the rest

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Looks like the pins that burned line up with the INTPARK or SUNROOF fuse?

That little pink piece of insulation looks like plastic insulation that might have been on the cheesy connector the first mechanic shoved in there. Wouldn’t be surprised if that’s why the plug is drilled out. That, or drilled out so the plug could be bolted in, then push that last terminal together afterward with rtv on it to make it stick...
 
I have one of those big square plugs if you need a new one. I can leave the wires long so you can splice on them to repair the damaged ones. Your more than welcome to it for shipping costs
 
I have one of those big square plugs if you need a new one. I can leave the wires long so you can splice on them to repair the damaged ones. Your more than welcome to it for shipping costs

That'd be :smokin: PM incoming...
 
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