66 Firewall connector

[Rich G.]

EDIT

LOOKED IN THE ARCHIVES AND I THINK MY QUESTION IS ANSWERED.


I have an intermittent connection that shows up after the car has been driven for a half hour or so. It was a no crank situation but all other electrics were ok, so the assumption was made that the starter was dying when hot. The car would always start after it cooled for 10 minutes or so. We replaced the starter but the problem persisted so then we did what we should have done first which was measure the voltage at the starter when it was in the failed mode. It was 5 volts. So I wiggled the firewall connector and it has been fine ever since.

The question is, what is a more permanent fix for the connections?

Rich

[John H.]

Re: 66 Firewall connector

The question is, what is a more permanent fix for the connections?

Rich

Rich -

Chronic C2 issue. Carefully remove the two multiple connectors from the engine side (and don't break the lock tangs when you do so), clean the terminals in the connectors and in their mating receptacles on the fuse block, apply dielectric grease to the terminals to protect against further corrosion, and button it back up. Pay particular attention to the big red wire in the inboard connector - that's the main power feed for the whole car; if its terminals are corroded, the increased resistance in the connection can cause enough heat to distort its cavity in the connectors and result in an intermittent disconnect (which causes instant shutdown).


RedWireSyndrome800.jpg

[Rich G.]

Re: 66 Firewall connector

John

Thanks very much for the words and the picture. The picture is a great help. This is one of those things I knew I should do "someday".

Rich

[John L.]

Re: 66 Firewall connector

What is the best method to clean the connectors?

[Scott M.]

Re: 66 Firewall connector

The DeoxIT Pen type cleaner works very good for this application.

[Peter L.]

Re: 66 Firewall connector

Ron - In addition to John's recommendations, I suggest you look carefully at the area around the connector to see that the plastic of the fuse panel immediate to the connector isn't melted. If it is, those contacts will be a problem down the road again. This is not only a C2 problem but it a problem with the 66 Chevelles &
I can attest to that & probably numerous other 60s GM passenger cars where when the windshields leaked the water ran over the fuse panel area. Pete