1994 855T PNP Switch Replacement -stuck on one of the steps

HMS Surprise1 · Post by **HMS Surprise1** » 12 Mar 2014, 11:11

I see my college-aged operator of the above vehicle very infrequently, so with the vehicle's arrival home for Spring Break there are a couple of routine maintenance items and one not so routine. Thankfully, the dreaded flashing yellow arrow presented itself here and not on the road. I have determined that the PNP switch is the culprit. I have a new switch in hand and dis assembly has gone smoothly up until the point of disassembling the electrical connector box that contains the switch's electrical connector. The rubber zip ties securing the rubber boot and the boot itself have been removed. The plastic tabs securing the top half of the "pig tail" to the bottom half of wires going in to the box are disconnected.

Per Polskamafia's very nice write up I placed a small pocket knife blade in the slot (the blue line if you are looking at his write up) in the back of the black connector box and have a small set of vice grips at the other end box with which to pull up. I put some WD40 in there to lubricate things a bit. After 30 minutes of pressing and pulling the connector box has not yet come apart. I ended up remounting it with it bolts finger tight as it is cumbersome to push, pull and hold the box. When the knife blade slipped and bent one of the connector pins I called it quits last night. I didn't want a bigger project on my hands!

Was hoping to get this thing in and aligned and send the car back on its way before the weekend!

Anybody have any thoughts on what might be the issue or for those who have done this before any tips?

As always, appreciate your help!

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 12 Mar 2014, 13:08

Getting the connector apart is always the hard part of the job. You really can't pull the connector away from the connector shell one tab at a time. I wound up using three or four small screwdrivers so that I could simultaneously release the locking tabs and then things came apart OK.

...Lee

HMS Surprise1 · Post by **HMS Surprise1** » 12 Mar 2014, 16:30

Thanks, Lee. Where do you place the three or four screw drivers? Do you place them all in the slot at one end of the connector box or do you insert them down between the pins in the box?

Many thanks,

Post by **rspi** » 12 Mar 2014, 20:56

HMS Surprise1 · Post by **HMS Surprise1** » 13 Mar 2014, 09:53

Thank you, Lee, polska and rspi! Thank you for your great coaching, write up and video - in that order!

As I explained to polska in a PM, the key to the electrical connector releasing itself from the black connector box I discovered (and as you guys said!) is to insert a small bladed between the back wall of the black connector box and the blue tab. That was my eureka moment and the connector easily released itself. Just before this, though, with knife blade inserted and pressing forward (not between the black box's back wall and blue tab, but in front of the blue tab) and lifting up with my small vice grip pliers, the front part of the box broke away. Fortunately, the broken part of the old PNP switch connector assembly which will be replaced by the new one. I was also very fortunate that the two round plastic locating pins and "latch" from the adjoining connector did not break off of same. Whew! Dodged a bullet there!

Hopefully I can get it all buttoned up and aligned this evening and get it back on the road.

Again, many thanks for your assistance!

HMS Surprise1 · Post by **HMS Surprise1** » 13 Mar 2014, 10:24

Thank you, Lee, polska and rspi! Thank you for your great coaching, write up and video - in that order!

As I explained to polska in a PM, the key to the electrical connector releasing itself from the black connector box I discovered (and as you guys said!) is to insert a small bladed between the back wall of the black connector box and the blue tab. That was my eureka moment and the connector easily released itself. Just before this, though, with knife blade inserted and pressing forward (not between the black box's back wall and blue tab, but in front of the blue tab) and lifting up with my small vice grip pliers, the front part of the box broke away. Fortunately, the broken part of the old PNP switch connector assembly which will be replaced by the new one. I was also very fortunate that the two round plastic locating pins and "latch" from the adjoining connector did not break off of same. Whew! Dodged a bullet there!

Hopefully I can get it all buttoned up and aligned this evening and get it back on the road.

Again, many thanks for your assistance!