Greetings!

I have been trying to diagnose my AC/Heater/DCCV problem. I really thought it was the DCCV so I installed a new one and was only getting air on the passenger's side. After some discussion I decided the replacement may be bad so I ordered another one. Before I installed it I decided to run a wiring check for continuity etc. I was getting sporadic readings so I started to trace the wiring. Turns out the green and brown wire [pin #1] was frayed at the connecter on the other end of the DCCV - same place my mechanic found a frayed yellow power wire [pin#2] 4 years ago [I never knew exactly where he made the repair].

My question is how does one remove/replace the existing pin and install a new one? Apparently it is possible as you can see in the attached photo's that the yellow wire was spliced to a new red wire and pin. I suppose I could bypass the connector but that seems like a poor solution. Is it possible to purchase a new harness [3 plugs female plugs on the other end that run to the DCCV, the low coolant sensor and the extra coolant bypass or some such term].

broken green/brown wire - runs to pin 1 at DCCV

entire male end of connector showing the previous splice at the yellow/power/now red that runs to pin 2 at DCCV

view of connector from the other side - top left pin is the one that needs a new wire. top center more gold color is the yellow/now red new connection - it appears the pin was also replaced

 

You can get a new pin and recrimp it and remove the old connector using a thin bladed tool to release the hidden catch inside the black body.

isnt the yellow to red splice on pin 3?

 

Excellent find!

I'm not sure exactly how you'd remove that pin for replacement. There will be a release mechanism, probably accessed from the front. You may need to push the pin slightly from the back to take tension off the lock.

Not sure where to get a replacement pin, either. Perhaps you could ask your mechanic where he got it previously. Failing that, can you remove the entire harness and take it to a parts store? Avoid any discount chain. The kid at the counter will just stare at you. Harness repair kits are available, and that's probably a common pin. I'm just not sure how you'd find one. You'd need an experienced guy behind the counter.

The $64,000 question: Why did that wire break, the second one at that connector? Is the harness too tight? Can it be repositioned for a little more slack?

 

Yes, you are correct it is pin 3 on the connector and pin 2 at the DCCV.

 

Karl,
I got the pin out and I may be able to reuse it if I can not source a new one but I would feel more confident with a new pin [probably should buy a couple just in case]. I will try my mechanic in the morning but I am not sure if they are still operating, guess I will give him a call. I would think that it may be a somewhat standard pin - perhaps also used by Ford?
Good question why both wires failed at the same location. The insulation had a crack total encircling the wire which caused corrosion in the copper wire which eventually deteriorated causing a loss of continuity. Apparently there was enough wire remaining when I tested from the junction at side of the dash to get normal numbers leading me to originally suspect the DCCV. I checked the rest of the wires on the connector and they all look good. Your suggestion of giving it a bit more slack seems to be a good idea.

 

Agreed, I would be very surprised if this was some oddball. Try searching for "Ford connector repair kit" or similar, and you will see lots of potential sources.

This one looked very promising, with over 6 pages of individual pins. You might be able to find something:

https://connectorexperts.com


I still bet you could find something locally, if willing to spend a little time. Bring the pin and some pics of the connector. You might be pleasantly surprised.

 

If you want to replace the entire connector, how about this, part #CET1041M?:

https://connectorexperts.com/i-30751...tegory:1261636

They're not exactly giving them away, but it's your call.

If that is the correct connector, you could contact them and say you need some male pins to fit. I bet they could help you out and sell you the correct part.

 

I called my independent mechanic [J & L Foreign Auto Centre, Inc. - Midtown/Cass Corridor - Detroit - works mostly on Jaguar, BMW and Mercedes] this morning and explained the pin I was looking for. They are still operating during the lockdown so I went for a ride down to the shop [former home of Saxon Motor Car Company]. Neil pulled out a large divided box of pre-crimped pins with lead wires already attached [probably close to 100 choices] and matched up a pin. $7.50 each - I bought an extra just in case I need one in the future [or I somehow screwed the first one up].

I installed the new pin and put a crimp connector between the 2 wires - heated up the shrink-wrap with a heat gun and tested for continuity before and after. Looks like I'm good to go - just have to put the wheel well liner, belly pan and bottom bumper pan back on and I'm back on the road with controllable heat/AC. I'll send the DCCV that I have not opened back to Rock Auto and I'll have the spare 4 year old Bosch for the future if needed.

I think that the harness may have been to tight - a result of last year's bumper replacement [a pickup backed into my wife and poked a hole in the bumper with his hitch].

After having problems at the harness connector twice I think that the diagnosis for DCCV/CCM problems should include a statement similar to "trace the wires from the DCCV to the junction box where it hooks into the larger wiring harness located under the washer fluid reservoir and inspect for broken/frayed wires" or something similar.

Thanks to all for some excellent advice.

 

Excellent suggestiion. I will add some more details to the troubleshooting guide. Would you be so kind as to add another picture to your thread, showing the general location of this recalcitrant connector? With your permission, I'd like to add that and a couple of your other pics to the troubleshooting guide, with proper credit, of course.

You ran into the troubleshooter's nightmare, where only a few strands were still intact. That's enough to trick a meter and give a misleading indication that the circuit is good, but it fails under load. Years ago I was taught to always treat unloaded voltage readings with suspicion. If you show no voltage, yep, that's a bad switch, broken wire, etc. But if you do see voltage unloaded, that's no guarantee the circuit is good until you can repeat the test loaded (talking about the circuit still...)

 

Karl,
I'm in the process of slowly putting it all back together. I'll shoot pictures in reverse of the harness and connecter, where it is, and what you need to take off to get a look at it as It all goes back together.

 

Karl,
I shot some pictures of where this harness is located. Please feel free to use them as you see fit. Finished the job last night - I now have cold cold air and hot hot heat.

harness is located inboard of washer fluid tank

remove the nose pan under the front bumper to access the harness