Tight nuts - Tight connectors

[oldmako]

I was messing around under the hood on my (new to me) 99 today and I was unable to disconnect some of the electrical connectors. I pressed the tab down and tried to work them apart and had zero luck. I elected to quit as I didn't want to break one and create a headache. I could not get the connector to release from the MAF and another from one of the coils.

Any suggestions for loosening these mothers up?I'd like to do some preventative cleaning and lubing to keep corrosion at bay.

I also had issues with simple bolts. For example when I tried to remove the air cleaner box using a Phillps screwdriver I got nowhere. The bit twisted in the handle! (Old Craftsman). I ended up using a 10mm socket and ratchet. But it still took quite a bit of elbow grease to loosen a small bolt.

The car is from Wisconsin. I suppose that the salt has managed to compromise quite a few things on this vehicle, but I was quite surprised today.

[bullittandy]

My GA car also had tighter than expected airbox nuts and so add a little salt and viola.

I know what you mean on the harness connectors, I sold the engine harness off my parts car and had to remove every single one, some easy, some hard.

With that said, I'd leave them alone if you can stand it, I think you (not you specifically, just anyone) have a higher chance off creating a problem than solving a theoretical future one. For example, The fuse block on a 66 Lincoln Continental I used to own looked like it came off the Titanic-but everything worked. I took all the fuses out, cleaned everything and replaced with new fuses-guess what? Several small electrical issues that admittedly easily fixed but....

[oldmako]

I agree with you on creating bigger problems. Pretty much why I gave up on the MAF yesterday. My car is running perfectly, but I have my doubts about the previous owners maintenance. I figured I'd pull the intake off and check it from one end to the other for dirt and crud. But I never got that harness apart. Fortunately the airbox was clean below the filter, the intake to the MAF was spotless as was the intake up to the throttle body.

I'm planning on replacing my valve cover gaskets and spark plugs as soon as it warms up. (125K) I have no record of the plugs being changed, and I have a very small leak on one VC. But, I notice that there is a connector for each coil! So, if I'm having trouble with the one at the MAF....then I am in for a real PITA.

The last thing I want to do is start breaking connectors and screwing up the wiring. I wonder if D 40 would work? It's more of a solvent than anything, and the tube would allow pinpoint application. After it was apart, you could dry the residue and use something more suitable before reconnection.

Just thinking out loud (and breathing with my mouth open....knuckles dragging....grunting...)

[maxnix]

I read the subject and thought you had a really bad wedgie.

The connectors are tough, but depressing the right tab with a tool usually frees them. It stopped me for about 30 minutes the first time I replaced the plugs.

[oldmako]

Fancy tool or just anything suitable to depress the clip? I had the clip fully depressed on the MAF connector and it wouldn't budge. That's why I was wondering if road salt worked it's way in there.

[goody90q45]

Fancy tool or just anything suitable to depress the clip? I had the clip fully depressed on the MAF connector and it wouldn't budge.

I've got to ask- You did remove the 3 sided wire clip holding the connector to the MAF? The reason I ask is because I don't think the MAF plug has the typical plastic clip that must be depressed to remove the connector (i.e. FI plug, TPS plug, etc).

EDIT: Oops. You have a 99Q. It may be different from the G50's.

[oldmako]

No problem. Yep it's a 99. If there was something there preventing me from disconnecting that mother it was invisible. It's just a simple interlocking connector. I pushed the tab in a pulled....wiggled....cussed....yanked...and gave up before I broke it. As I said, the car is running fine, but I want to work on this mother soon (plugs, valve cover gaskets) and I'm just curious if there is some Haiku or Tofu Majic or something I need to know before I put the big yank on it.

There must be 40 of them under the hood!

[goody90q45]

I've had to use a pair of bent needle nose pliers on a lot of the connectors on my parts cars. Sometimes they need just a little extra squeeze and often you can feel the tab snap and release. Wiggle lightly as you squeeze the pliers and pull back on the connector (all at the same time) and it should come loose. If your connectors are brittle be careful about squeezing too hard with the pliers.

[Haitian_King]

The immature part of me just had a laughing fit over the thread title. "Tight Nuts".