I'm trying to figure out a easy way to depin the connectors for the dash so that I can finish my dash conversion to the 97+ gauge cluster. is there an easy way to do this 'depin'?, I've tried using something very thin to get in there, but it's not releasing and i can't tell if I'm hitting it in the right spot or not. should I be sticking the pin in from the back of the connector or the front to get it to release? I'm thinking the way it should release is the female side of the connector.

 

The terminal release (mating side of the connector versus wire side)depends on the connector, but most are from the mating side. Some connectors also have a secondary lock as well - Which ones in particular are you having trouble with?

 

I always use a small pick tool and stick it in from the mating side. Most of the ones I've dealt with just have a little metal tab you need to push up before you can release it.

 

The gauge cluster one. I need to pop all the pins and move it over to a new connector that supports the 97 gauge cluster from my 96.

 

The actual delphi removal tool is part 12031876, which is naught more than a flat little bit of metal.


The delphi catalog http://delphi.com/pdf/contact/brochu...balCatalog.pdf on page 170 shows the series connector you're dealing with. For removing the wires from the connector, you're going to want to go in with a paperclip to holes from the mating surface (seen here) and not the wire side.

...that don't have the actual terminal in them. There's a metal tab you need to press down that will release the terminal. This shot is a little blurry.


And for anyone that doesn't know, there should also be a secondary lock "TPA lock" that comes out from the wire side of the connector with the micropack series - though I don't know if this specific connector has one. That needs to be popped out before the wires can be removed if its there.

 

that really helped out. just got it apart in 5 min! you're the man!

btw- really easy as soon as you can get that first one out to see how it goes. no pressure required, very slight effort and they just start popping out on their own... and i figured out how to get them back in perfect too!

 

i got the 97 cluster in last night. reconnected all the connections and fired up the car. all the gauges work! my car just lost 80k miles I'll have to fix that later. now time to get the dash in, geez is this thing going to be hard to move in.