Ok so we have all see past pics of burnt connectors and this one is no different.

I bought a replacement connector from Advanced Auto Parts.

This one ---> http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/c...351/20974503-P




Close inspection reveals that some of the wires on the new connector are a smaller gauge than those in the OEM harness.

I am partly inclined to just install this on onto the harness and go on down the road, after all the new wire is a very short run ..... right???

However another part of me ( the perfectionist side ) would like wire sizes to be the same which brings me to my question.....

TERMINAL EXTRACTION -----

I have removed the white portion of the connector leaving me with just the wires/contacts installed in the shell.

At first I thought the white part might captivate each individual contact, but I guess I knew better as the contacts are captive inside the connector.

If they went in there has to be a way to extract them.



Does anyone know the process for extraction - usually on multi-pin connectors there might be a specialty tool ( I have used several such tools on different connectors in the past ).

Is there a way to remove them with or without a specialty tool ..... or is this some kind of one shot, installed and cannot be removed scenario ???????

Thanks !!!!!

why don't you just replace the connector with your new one as it is, then upgrade the headlight wire harness so that the switch isn't taking all the power which is causing it to melt in the first place.

That would be my suggestion as well. The factory routes all the power through the headlight switch and a crap ton of wiring. Get one of those generic relay kits off amazon or eBay, and the headlight output will increase due to the shorter cable run as well.

A relay harness is going in however that does not negate the fact that I prefer not to use pigtails in the harness as they add another future potential fail point.

Thanks

As to those relay harnesses, they are not without issue.

Vendors are overrating their actual electrical capacity at times and even they have weak connectors on them.

I have read where on some of the manufactured harnesses, the " high temp ceramic " connectors are failing over time ( some with little more than a year of use ) internally. The ceramic housing is fine, but it is the internal electrical contacts that are problematic for some.

Now to be fair, those who are having the failures are the ones who actually use their headlights almost ALL THE TIME .... people who work during the hours of darkness and such.


I do have a harness being delivered on Monday .... allegedly it is one of the better ones, but who knows.

I might not like the looks of it, spend the money and build my own.

I disagree on the harnesses. I've installed 6 or more with absolutely no issues. My gut feeling is that any failures are due to poor grounding of the harness and not mounting the relays so they can't take on and retain moisture.

Too many variables to list in reality.

Like I said, when I get the one on Monday I'll be going over it from end to end with a fine tooth comb ..... wiring is one of my areas of expertise and I admit when it comes to wiring harnesses I am extremely particular because of my training and background.

I will say this, I repaired the issue with the harness today and that failed connection will not fail again.

After tearing apart a new connector to see how they were built ..... I have come to the conclusion they were designed to fail ..... the contacts inside those connectors leave a lot to be desired.

I gauged that option on the insertion and extraction force needed compared to replace terminals that I have here. The stock ones in the connector were just too easily removable,

But they were designed to be low cost and easy install of multiple connections at one time.

New relay harness is here .... it's OK, but I think they could have sourced better relays.

What relays did it come with? No way to knowing, as they are cleverly NOT MARKED!

Would like to have seen the relay sockets with mounting tabs, instead the tabs are on the relays. Guess I'll have to figure out a remedy for that!

Instructions ...... well the harness is self explanatory, but a neophyte might have an issue.

Came from some company out in California ..... Octane Lighting