Connection help anyone?

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Hi everyone,

My car was turning over and getting fuel, but not starting. After following jrichker's Cranks OK, but no start checklist I found a bad connection near the ignition module where some unprotected wires were touching (by the way Jrichker, thanks for the help, I plan to name my first born son Jrichker in your honour - subject to wife's approval ). When I moved the wires apart, the car started so I cleaned the connection well, taped the wires up so they couldn't touch and fired the car up. It worked fine for a few blocks, but then it ran rough for a few seconds then died.

I added a picture of the connector, does anyone know where I can get a replacement? Is this a mustang specific connection, or can I grab a the same one from any ford small block in the junk yard? Or can I just cut the wires on each side and connect them without the plastic connector? There are 6 wires going in one side and 8 coming out the other but I think I can correct the right wires. Any thoughts?

Thanks

 

[Brian992V]

Have you tried cleaning the connection with brake cleaner? Don't cut the wires. You can change the connection by removing the red lock that goes down the middle of the connection. After removing the lock, you'll be able to see the little tabs that hold each wire in the connection. Gently pry up or down, whichever way the tabs are in, and pull the wire out of the back of the connection. With that said, are you sure its the connection thats giving you problems?

 

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Thanks for the help, I'm pretty sure it's the connection or the crappy wiring leading into it (which you can't see in the picture). I have replaced every other part of the ignition, with no luck and when I cleaned this connection and moved the unprotected wires apart it worked intermittently. So, to me that sounds like the connection or the crappy wires are the problem.

My plan is to disassemble the connection as you described, then replace any unprotected stretches of wire and put it all back together and drive away. What do you guys (girls) think.

 

[jrichker]

What year is the car or wiring harness you are working with and what are the wire & stripe colors in the connector?

 

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Thanks for all the help. My car is an 85 GT.

There are a lot of wires coming in and out of the connection pictured. The wire I initially thought was the problem is solid blue (I think?). But, looking closer, all of the ingnition related wiring is ratched and garbage, I'm suprised it lasted as long as it did. So I'm not totally sure that what I thought was the problem initially actually is. Regardless, I plan on replacing all of the rotten wiring tomorrow (it's a stat holiday in Canada!) and hopefully solve this problem and a few from the future.

If you know something I don't (likely), feel free to let me know...