Please stop poking wires

[Torque Junkie]

For the love of VW's please stop using this practice of diagnosing electrical systems. Sitting in traffic on my way home tonight from my 2 hour commute I found the temp gauge creeping higher and higher. I got home to find corrosion coming out of the B+ going into the fan switch on the radiator causing the fan to work intermittently. There are holes in all the wires from someone trying to diagnose a problem earlier in my van's life only to cause me heartache now.

Anybody have an idea where to get a replacement connector without holes poked in them?

Sam

[dubbified]

One could disassemble the wire/housing, and pull some wire through, resolder/crimp and reuse the connector.

Have not done this exact one, but others very similar to this one.

[randywebb]

get some Liquid Tape in the color of your choice - clean the wire & apply it
_________________
1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans.

[dubbified]

like he said, the rust/de-funct status is questionable, and he wants to fix/replace the damage.

[jackbombay]

[WLD*WSTY]

[CessnaJon]

I was repairing the very same holes in my harness near the drivers rear light tonight- looks like they were trying to install a trailer light plug. What a crappy way to do things.
_________________
1973 Westy (shared birthday)
1990 Westy Multivan
2015 Passat TDI 6sp
2015 Sportwagon TDI 6sp
LR-JET, Gulfstream 159

[nocreditnodebt]

I've also had a number of wires that were prodded in the past give me issues.

If I absolutely have to do it, I clean the wires with rubbing alcohol, then use a small sewing needle to pierce the insulation leaving the smallest hole, and then a dab of RTV smeared into the hole after ward.

[Torque Junkie]

The damage is done. The connectors and contacts are clean. The corrosion is inside the wire casing and has compromised the continuity. I can do a voltage drop from the fues panel and there isn't enough potential voltage to turn the fan on. I don't think I can shorten the harness enough to reuse the connector housing either so a cut lead is needed.

My wife is a little upset now that she has to drive the van until it gets fixed. Her commute is only 5 miles and it barely has a chance to reach operating temp.

I hadn't had an issue until I started my new job and have to sit in traffic on my way home for a couple of hours. Luckily the A/C works and the fan override cooled the motor down otherwise I'd have been done.

[Torque Junkie]

[insyncro]

[jordauto]

That is one of the biggest problems we find in the auto repair trade. That is also the reason we now have back probe pins,that get inserted under the connector boot and up to the terminals without compromising the wire's insulation. This may not be a problem in some of the dry hot states, but it sure is any where that has winter. Especially if salt is used on the roads.The salt somehow finds its way into that tiny hole and slowly eats through the copper wires and then you're left with a wire that may look OK, but is open circuit or is degraded so bad that it can't carry the load it should. Easy to find when its a big amp circuit like a rad fan,the worst is when you're dealing with a sensor signal return circuit that still works but has enough corrosion to increase resistance in the circuit causing the sensor signal to be incorrect or out of range. So yes I agree,please stop poking wires.

[jackbombay]

[GrindGarage]

I am never a big fan of it either but I do own a power probe with the nifty probe that pierces the wire. I like to do it away from the connector and then grease the area once diagnostics are complete. I am never worried about my harness having corrosion. After before and after offroading I am a big fan over the WD-40 on everything. I buy the big shot cans and do everything from them bumpers / rockers down and in the engine bay as well.

Different strokes for different folks.

Oh and I live on an island covered in humidity and salt.
_________________
-cliff

91 Vanagon AUTO
97 Single Port EJ22 all smallcar.com

[Torque Junkie]

Here's what the inside of the wire looked like. Only half of the strands where actually connected all the way through at best. The rest where separated by corrosion.

I ended up just shortening up the harness by about 2 inches and put new ends on the wires. I reused the original connector housing and rubber cover. It still looks factory.

[Bercilak]

TJ ~

Since you're local like me, might as well find heaven. It's in Elsinore. And it's called:

Interstate Used Parts

http://www.interstateusedparts.com/

I'm going over in a week or so to get a real Bosch starter to rebuild and last another 25 years.

They have everything. Many times over. And the owner is, by any standard, awesome.

Best,

B.

[Torque Junkie]

[Zeitgeist 13]

I wonder if ol pokey was the cause of this little confounding mystery from a few years back

_________________
Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?