This is why I come to your channel. I love all your videos, but this kind of in depth diag is what I love. You and you guys should be proud of the work you do, because I believe this is how an automotive shop should conduct itself. Accurate, fair and honest. That's what we try to achieve in our shop.
Great job. Unbelievable that a 10.00 connector cost this dude 2 engines and a set of heads along with a parts house. That's some poor work by the other shops. Live watching these vids. You guys are awesome!!!!
It seems unbelievable that they changed the engine and didn't catch that it was just a bad connector! They changed the engine and left the old harness on? Wild.
That's the truth. Sounds like they just wanted to make that money to me. I live in Jacksonville where this happened and I am sure they would do it. They are sorry around here....
Sadly....dealer techs are often the least able to actually diagnose a problem because they spend their time doing new car prep and warranty work. When something shows up that needs a little thinking....well...'We don't get paid to think! We get paid to replace things'!!! Sad...but true.
Y'all are definitely the best RUclips MECHANICS EVER!!!! I've watched from the beginning & have learned so freaking much it's crazy. Idc what u give away but I want it, lol.
Always worth doing a quick wiggle test on looms and connectors especially when a fault is intermittent. Takes almost no time but can save hours of head scratching.
Totally agree every diagnostic procedure should start with a visual inspection (hands on harness wiggle if safe) and a voltage check if electrical systems are involved.
These guys - Eric O at South Main Auto used them on one of his recent videos for one that the dealer doesn't make anymore or it was ridiculously expensive or something like that.
Too expensive. May as well design a universal one and 3D printer them. Sell the design to recoup some of your money for the time designing. I bet you will have guys printing them.
Brought back my days in the Navy in electronics school…my instructor was also telling us to always check the obvious things first….does it have power etc.
Awesome! I'm 65yo old schooler and diy'er, I love watching your videos chasing issues using the your scope. I learn so much, not that I need it. When I was young working around the Gas Station Douglas the owner had one of those massive Sun Scopes. They sure have come a long way. Thanks
lol I remember a massive sun scope in the ford dealership way back in the day. Also a paper manual for every vehicle. Wasn’t nothing to walk into the file room and see 15 guys with books in their faces. Lord help us if a GM came in. Luckily we traded information. We drove to their shop and they came to ours. A lot more efficient now days with alldata.
After you said they swapped to a 2nd engine and the same issue followed I knew it wasn't an engine issue. Knowing they changed engines, then the misfire is likely caused by a bad injector, coil, plug, ECM or harness/connector. The scope tells you that the ECM is fine, you can then swap coils with another cylinder to see if it follows, then swap plugs, even swap injectors. If the misfire stays on the same cylinder, then the only thing left is the wiring harness or connector. I've worked on various electronics and have found bad connections like this by moving the wires one way then another and you can usually find them. Good find! Now on my Hemi... swapped coils, plugs, and it stayed the same. In this case, it's most likely it's a bad lifter roller which ate the cam. Once weather warms up, I can verify, but those are a common issue with the Hemis.
@@jakeandrus690 You're not paying them for the connector. You're paying them for storing the connector for the last two years waiting for you to need it.
Love your channel Sherwood! I've been watching for a couple of months and learned quite a bit. I admire how your brain works, it's obvious how knowledgeable you are when you say your going to "do this" and then you decide to do "that", because "that" is a proven way from something you tried in the past. I love figuring things out and it gives me great satisfaction to not be at someone's mercy! Thanks! As far as the giveaway, i think maybe the same diag tool/scope you gave away the last time would be great
Toyota technician from Canada here. For Toyota, under the connector view in the electronic wiring diagrams it will list the part numbers for pigtails that can be bought individually. I've used this method a few times to save a customer some money.
Yep, another just graduated tech school master technician that poked their test light through the connector, and messed it up. I did this for over 40 years at Chrysler, and I can't count the times I had to go behind someone that made more of a mess of a vehicle than when they first got ahold of it.
Yes, by testing connectors with standard multimeter tip or probe (bulb/LED, doesn't matter), pushing it hard into plugs/sockets, you're actually damaging probably good contacts... 🙂 Basic test can be Destructive. Trap for young players.
I have a 96 Chevy Lumina van, 312K miles, and one of the biggest problems I'm starting to have is electrical connectors losing their spring tension. This video is a big help, especially that drag test.
I’m so glad you were able to figure this one out. Definitely would’ve had me confused. Only thing that made me question the connectors or harness was when you probed it, misfire went away. Another reminder to think basic
For your question about connectors: Try a company called Aeromotive All sorts of different connectors and sources for making custom harnesses or repairing them .
Most excellent find! As a technician for Chevrolet, this would suck to learn; all the work done at the dealer didn’t solve anything. Something so simple caused all this. But I’m glad I can always learn something from you and my shop foreman too (when he’s willing to help/teach). He’s always having us test the basic’s. Terminal tension/drag test being one of them. Luckily, I’m stubborn enough to always try exhausting all my tests/resources before recommending heavy line work, reaching TAC, or even bother my shop foreman with my repair order. I’m really hoping to buy an eScope this year. Have been trying to get it since I started watching your channel. 30:48 if I can remember, I’ll look for our trays of terminals and if they can still get ordered. Will try to update you guys.
Thank you for another great video! Seen this a lot over the years! My mentor when I first started told me most things are simple just finding it! Thanks again great explanation and great video!
I thought the majority of the guys in the comments would be telling you to use crimp connectors. I'm cool with either, though I've really fallen in love with my Thomas and Betts crimp terminals as they're way quicker than dragging out the soldering iron and heating it up. A nice dual walled heat shrink goes a long way too. Nice catch on the bad connector.
Hello, Sherwood. Former master tech here. I have a 2015 Express with the L96 motor. Along with some needed maintenance on this truck, which is approaching 200k miles, I got some intel that my cyl 2 miss could very well be a coil harness problem. I found a new OEM harness on line, and I will be replacing it soon. Cost was $85.85. Apparently from my source, these coil connectors are a chronic failure mode, and the replacement harness gives you a new connector for each of the coils on one bank. I wasn't going to all of the trouble of removing the dog box and fixing #2, only to have to go back in a month and do one of the others. The previous owner said he never had a plug change either, so a new set of Iridiums is going in, as well. They are supposed to be good for 100k miles, so they are overdue. I do wish I had a scope setup like that when I was doing engine performance diags. My scope was the Sun cabinet from 1998 that you would roll from bay to bay. Good video. BTW, I fix commercial HVAC systems now.
Had a real similar situation on a Jeep Wrangler 3.6l here a few months ago. Did a valve cover gasket and got it back together. Test drive went perfect. Customer gets it starts misfiring later that day. Fuel injector had poor pin fitment. Guess I was the lucky one to plug it in last or something not sure but it definitely has had hands in it prior to my repair. Took care of that no further issues.
I have the same aes wave kit. Very high quality stuff. Enjoy your videos. Can’t wait til your website launches so I can learn more about using a scope. Till then I’m lucky to have Eric o right down the road 😂
Sherwood, that was excellent troubleshooting to find the correct solution. Unlike you the previous individuals that “worked” on this truck as my late Dad would say were blacksmiths.
Good vid . When you solder the connections hold the gun under the wire and let the solder run through the wire. Need to get one of those pin kits for our shop
Nicely done, my guess was electrical and that is what you found, i had back in the 90's something similar on my wife's Volvo 240 4 DR and it was a 4 cylinder and they kept telling me it was the control pressure regulator and i said no that was replaced, then their service said to me well then its a big bill you need 4 new injectors and i said no, i tested thee pattern myself on a tester at my work in our engineering dept, and they are all good, I said maybe one injector, so i guessed it was a connection to one of the injectors, so i did the same as you and pushed on each injector plug , but first i tested each one to make sure they all got the right voltage and used the Bosch diode test tool and on #3 got an intermittent flash, then pushed on it and right away it would change as soon as you touched it, shut it off and opened the connector to find a pin had backed out of the holder and found out the connector was cracked, no biggy, i replaced it with a new one and made sure the plastic holder was good and it was, put it back together and it ran fine no faults or rough running or hesitation on acceleration either and it even got about 2 mpg better in city and highway almost 3 mpg , i also changed plugs cap, rotor and wires, myself and she drove that car for another 9 yrs and never had that issue again and to this day that dealer doesn't believe i did the work myself or found the problem and i saved myself almost $1000 that they would have charged me for new injectors with labour/taxes and it only cost me about $200, when she got rid of that car it was close to a 250k miles and still ran awesome, she did not need a new car she just wanted something different and new, so she bought a late Model Grand- Am and i saw it when i came home that day and i laughed my ass off, my friends wife told her not to buy one from the bad experience she had with the 2 she had owned and that POS nickel and dime the hell out of her, i just said one of your best friends told you not to buy it, you decided not to listen to your friend , so its your baby, no appreciation or sense of humour , we separated early the next year and i never had to listen to the complaining again , although i did see the car parked at my mechanics yard and yes it was hers, chuckle, chuckle i asked what is that doing here, he told me there was a bill of $1200 outstanding on it and that she hadn't kept up the maintenance , what a surprise, it had a new rad, water pump, almost whole new ignition system and it ran good, just never paid the bill so he kept it and eventually sold it and got his money out of it.the car is gone and so is she 😂
Why a bad terminal can cost so much? The drive to save money. The system is broken. The dealerships are only concerned with one thing, Not getting sued. Anyone can work on a 2009 Chevy truck, But if you want it fixed you need a pro. If you find one listen carefully and be truthful, his time is valuable, he is a investigator using all of his senses and years of knowledge to help you get down the road in a safe and reliable ride. I have been watching form the inside 30 years and I don't see it getting any better with new stuff rolling 30 or 40 computers and made from plant based plastics with powertrains that won't last 100k. That's one LUCKY customer! Pat yourself on the back for me.
great vid ,happy new year ,something simple takes years of experience ,love the shop you working in sending blessings to you andall at R.A.S from South Africa
That was fantastic diag with a scope! I think I might have figured that one out but after moving coils and injectors around, it would have taken me a lot longer. Got me itching for a scope now.
Great work. I would have liked to see you hook up a current probe to the wire controlling that coil. I think you would have been able to see the current dropping out? One of the few channels that I can make it through the whole video, no BS.
Intermittent problems are the hardest to find…. Been there, done that. Great job! Problem is even if you are good it takes hours to figure out sometime. Costs lots of money for customer cause you can’t work for free.
I've noticed that those Topdon scanners are really capable! Would really need to get one one day. That, or a Snap on Verus Edge. The mobile scope would be so handy for me.
Really appreciate the video and the diag process it’s awesome to see. I’ve had it a couple of times now where part way through a diag through disturbing something, assuming the harness or a connector, the vehicle fixes itself and the fault never returns. Check through everything I’ve touched and for the life of me can’t find the original fault and the vehicle never comes back for the same issue. Have you guys ever had this / how do you deal with something like this? Keep up the great content it’s awesome! All the best for the new year!
Reminds me of a shop i was at, a fellow mechanic put a new engine in a Ford van because of white smoke out the tail pipe, the white smoke was found to be caused by trans fluid being sucked in and combusted by the engine do to a ruptured transmission vacuum modulator diaphragm.
Ciekawe kiedy w Polin będą takie prawdziwe warsztaty, gdzie podstawą diagnozy jest oscyloskop i analizator spalin. Bo na razie to 99% mechaników to wieśniaki, co tylko potrafią podstawiać części, zgadywanka.
Great logical troubleshooting, Sherwood. I think the only other thing you could have done besides wiggling all the other coil connector would be to do a drag test on all the other connectors to CYA - just my 2-cents.
Same exact concern with pin fit issue, all pins passed the drag test in the connector! Used the female side on the component and no shit the male pin in the actuator was undersized! 5 out of 6 pins were good #6 was undersized and was on the feedback circuit to the pcm. Oil control actuator was of "unknown" origin AKA amazon. Replaced actuator with OEM, Fixed! Pin fit tests for the win!
If you EVER find a source for all of the pins and sockets,keep it a secret. The electrical engeneers CLUB will spead the word and come up with a DIFFERNT, NOT BETTER DESIGN.
You guys are great. I figured you’d be close to 1M by now. For the give away how about you rate/diagnose/repair a customers vehicle. I just broke my arm and my van needs an oil change and some misc work. I can’t do anything for probably 6 weeks. I’d drive from SC for that!!! 👍🏻
One thing I have learned about Dc current, poor contact is like having no contact at all. I was a copier tech for over 40 years and most low dc voltage problems in certain brands were caused by connectors to boards.
Several years ago, I was at a shop, they had some version of GM diagnostic and wiring diagram software. They could click on the connector on the schematic and a box would pop up and it would show the GM part #'s of each part of the connector. It had part #'s of the terminals and the silicone seals in packs of ten.
I think the first connection problem that comes to mind is a Cadillac ABS controller connection. One pin would "back out" when closing the latch, Ended up the blue connector wire retainer was broken where the one wire would push back slightly, Of course you can't get eyes on this connector! Since I work for a good used car lot I see LOTS of connection issues. PS I still have that broken retainer on the side of my tool box and see it every day!
I just read through a bunch of the comments. As a recently retired service manager for a heavy truck dealership, I was immediately drawn to the poor wiring harnesses on the right side. A good tech would have those properly wrapped and secured. Looked like flat rate work. We did not use flat rate and that is one of the reasons.
This is going to piss people off. I do not care. I knew at about 2 minutes in and looking at maybe the second comment post that it was a $10 connector.... what the problem was. GM has been long notorious for poor connectivity in its fuel injection and ignition systems. The decades long practice of using a dozen different designs of "single cantilever" female, Weatherpack terminals.....in order to not have to pay the royalties to Tyco/AMP to use the world class "dual cantilever" female terminals that EVERYONE has been using since 1974.....and I mean EVERYONE.....is what has done this. I had heard that since the early 00's that GM had entered into a mfg agreement with AMP and had been using many AMP terminals in their systems (and reliability is WAY up) but I would be interested to find out which terminal set was used. The Weatherpack terminals and plug system is built as good as anything. It has some of the best plug bodies in the business. It has the best weather sealing hands down. But this is about the DESIGN of the female terminals. The single cantilever...meaning only inde side is sprung and the other is static...sucks. I work in a broad spectrum of electronics, aerospace, medical and automotive production enviroments (mostly printed electronics) and have been watching this connectvity debacle across all of these industries. Medical device and aerospace learned a long time ago. By the way, the "drag testing" you are doing is excellent. It is why the original Bendix EFI system from the late 50's, bought by Bosch and reworked into D-jet injection in about 1965, had so many lifespan connection issues that it spawned the design of the original "dual cantilever" spring micro-terminal for L-jet injection for debut in 1974. Since then, everyone (except GM and a few others) use a variant of that terminal on all "millivolt" sensitive connectors. The problems that cause the really old terminals as well as single cantilever Weatherpack styl;e terminals to fail are a combinatrion of all of these things: 1. Plugging/unplugging cycles 2. Vibration 3.Heat cycling of the metal terminals 4. Moisture. 5. misalignment Without having both sides of the female terminal spruing loaded to grip the male terminal, your female terminals will almost always succumbat some mileage point to a combined group of those issues.
What about inserting couple hair peaces of copper wire into the connector slot making tighter. Or just loop around the connector with a wire with easy disconnect plug 😊. GR8 vídeo clip sir
Great diagnostic work - thank you for sharing. Watching the video at 11:37 and looking to the right and slightly up from the blue scope connection there appears to be a blue colored wire in the exposed wires from the loom that has been sliced / nicked as it looks like the bare copper of that wire is exposed. Given the condition of the wiring loom on the other side and seeing that blue wire I am thinking this truck will have many electrical issues in the future - just my opinion. For those that do not have the wiring kit from ASE wave or a similar set of pins another method to test for pin drag on a terminal might be to use the finer wires in a torch tip cleaner or if someone has a set of number drill bits the non fluted chuck end could be used - just have to be careful to select one that is appropriately sized so the terminal is not forced as you mentioned.
@@TravelWithTheHs I would not fault anyone for missing it - the only reason I noticed it was because I watched on a 27" PC monitor and had the video in full screen mode. Someone watching on a tablet, phone, tv, etc. might not notice what I would say is a nick in the insulation and allowing the conductor to be exposed.
Sherwood current ramp current lamp, go to the fuse box, get all the injectors, and all the coils hook to the school. I will watch them any part of the video. I don’t know what the fixtures I stopped at 21 minutes. Have to get to work. See you tonight, my friend.
Im an auto tech student and this is very helpful videos. Thank you. edit: I also think my car is misfiring at start then gaining fuel pressure and running normally.
Around 7:00 minutes in your video said you solved the problem and you wanted us to give answers in the comments about the possible answers. Your testing focused on cylinder 1 because of the misfire count cylinder 2 when you disabled the fuel injection started shaking the engine. Since the dealership replaced all the injectors the only thing left was electrical power to each injector and maybe some problems with electrical wiring. Some of the comments are talking about a connector but I don’t know how they got the answers unless they watched to the end of the video.
Beyond spark plugs, coils, injectors, and wires, potential causes of multiple cylinder misfires include: • vacuum leaks, • faulty sensors like the Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) or Manifold Actual Pressure (MAP sensor), • issues with engine timing (like a failing timing belt or sensors), • low fuel pressure, • a failing fuel pump, • a faulty oxygen sensor, and or electrical connectors or wiring signals. • a blown head gasket causing compression loss, •worn valve seals, and • issues with the intake manifold. It still never amazes me that dealerships just throw the parts cannon at it when all they did was check codes and a mediocre visual inspection without proper O-Scope and Voltage/Ω's testing on all wires and sensors. Codes only narrow down the potential cause of condition, they don't diagnose it for you. Thos was a clear, fire thevparts cannon moment "ohh two misfires, it must be plugs, coils, injectors" and going two 2 different engines was wild
Great video! I have to admit, when I saw at the beginning that this was a Chevy made after about 1984 with a persistent problem, I immediately thought "electrical." Replacing hard parts did not fix it? Definitely the Chevy electrical problems they have failed to fix for literally decades. If anything, they're worse in the last 5 - 10 years, and it's always a nightmare to find and fix, because it's something intermittent in a connection or loom somewhere.
I had a peach of a connection issue. Working on armoured vehicles, one of the lads I work with asked me to help him on a non-starter that was kicking his ass. He knows what I'm like, so he already had a wiring diagram marked up with all his findings. We were losing voltage at the TCU. Zero volts on one pin and an intermittent connection on another pin. These went back to an in-line fuse mod on the battery (via a few other bits), where he was getting the expected 24v. The wiring diagram threw us off the scent a little because it shows fuses that were not present in this vehicle, which could also supply the TCU. I finally decided to start pinning the wires. This is a last resort for me because we deal with a lot of moisture and corrosion, even sea water. I traced it pretty quickly to a splice just downstream of that fuse. Absolutely no reason to suspect it, looked perfect, covered in thick adhesive lined heatshrink from the factory. I cut it open, and the wire inside was just white powder. I've never seen anything like it so far into an unbroken wiring harness. That was one in a million. The problem now is... if there's another non-starter, they go straight for that splice 😂
I really enjoy your new diagnostic shop no more background noise, clean and professional... It's every man's dream
This is why I come to your channel. I love all your videos, but this kind of in depth diag is what I love. You and you guys should be proud of the work you do, because I believe this is how an automotive shop should conduct itself. Accurate, fair and honest. That's what we try to achieve in our shop.
Great job. Unbelievable that a 10.00 connector cost this dude 2 engines and a set of heads along with a parts house. That's some poor work by the other shops. Live watching these vids. You guys are awesome!!!!
It seems unbelievable that they changed the engine and didn't catch that it was just a bad connector!
They changed the engine and left the old harness on? Wild.
That's the truth. Sounds like they just wanted to make that money to me. I live in Jacksonville where this happened and I am sure they would do it. They are sorry around here....
Sadly....dealer techs are often the least able to actually diagnose a problem because they spend their time doing new car prep and warranty work. When something shows up that needs a little thinking....well...'We don't get paid to think! We get paid to replace things'!!! Sad...but true.
You are the master...I have seen many engines done over for misfire but not checked the way you did it to prove out...awesome...true professional!
Y'all are definitely the best RUclips MECHANICS EVER!!!! I've watched from the beginning & have learned so freaking much it's crazy. Idc what u give away but I want it, lol.
Always worth doing a quick wiggle test on looms and connectors especially when a fault is intermittent. Takes almost no time but can save hours of head scratching.
Totally agree every diagnostic procedure should start with a visual inspection (hands on harness wiggle if safe) and a voltage check if electrical systems are involved.
I fell the same way but if you listen to Eric O or Ivan PHAD, they’re both deathly afraid of touching anything for fear of “accidentally fixing it”.
Connector experts for connector terminals! Great find appreciate the videos Sherwood Squared
These guys - Eric O at South Main Auto used them on one of his recent videos for one that the dealer doesn't make anymore or it was ridiculously expensive or something like that.
Why not just put the hyper link :)
@douglasphillips1203 they're looking for pins not the entire connector like Eric O. Eric needed and entire connector built
@ RUclips blocks links in comments to prevent spam. It's easily found via the search engine of your choice however ...
Too expensive. May as well design a universal one and 3D printer them. Sell the design to recoup some of your money for the time designing. I bet you will have guys printing them.
Excellent diagnosis guys, this is how dealership mechanics should operate.
Only 5% of dealer techs know this.😊
True
Not gonna happen on flat rate.
Sadly the dealers dont train and only take on those that can hold a parts canon...
@@MonkeyDelicious under 1%
Brought back my days in the Navy in electronics school…my instructor was also telling us to always check the obvious things first….does it have power etc.
GREAT job and true diagnoses! I can’t say that enough!
Awesome! I'm 65yo old schooler and diy'er, I love watching your videos chasing issues using the your scope. I learn so much, not that I need it. When I was young working around the Gas Station Douglas the owner had one of those massive Sun Scopes. They sure have come a long way.
Thanks
lol I remember a massive sun scope in the ford dealership way back in the day. Also a paper manual for every vehicle. Wasn’t nothing to walk into the file room and see 15 guys with books in their faces. Lord help us if a GM came in. Luckily we traded information. We drove to their shop and they came to ours. A lot more efficient now days with alldata.
You just demonstrated what it takes being an excellent technician v. a parts changing mechanic/monkey. Long but excellent video. Thanks Sherwood!
After you said they swapped to a 2nd engine and the same issue followed I knew it wasn't an engine issue. Knowing they changed engines, then the misfire is likely caused by a bad injector, coil, plug, ECM or harness/connector. The scope tells you that the ECM is fine, you can then swap coils with another cylinder to see if it follows, then swap plugs, even swap injectors. If the misfire stays on the same cylinder, then the only thing left is the wiring harness or connector. I've worked on various electronics and have found bad connections like this by moving the wires one way then another and you can usually find them.
Good find!
Now on my Hemi... swapped coils, plugs, and it stayed the same. In this case, it's most likely it's a bad lifter roller which ate the cam. Once weather warms up, I can verify, but those are a common issue with the Hemis.
connector experts is one place to check for terminals
You can even send them a picture and they'll get it for you.
$85 for a single connector? Yeah it saves from buying a harness but that's robbery!
@@jakeandrus690 You're not paying them for the connector. You're paying them for storing the connector for the last two years waiting for you to need it.
Love your channel Sherwood! I've been watching for a couple of months and learned quite a bit. I admire how your brain works, it's obvious how knowledgeable you are when you say your going to "do this" and then you decide to do "that", because "that" is a proven way from something you tried in the past. I love figuring things out and it gives me great satisfaction to not be at someone's mercy! Thanks! As far as the giveaway, i think maybe the same diag tool/scope you gave away the last time would be great
Fantastic video! Thank you so much for the time you invest to make these. I really appreciate it. Kind regards from Belgium.
Toyota technician from Canada here. For Toyota, under the connector view in the electronic wiring diagrams it will list the part numbers for pigtails that can be bought individually. I've used this method a few times to save a customer some money.
I wish there were more mechanics out there like you. Nice job! I learned a lot.
Once again reinforcing the basics. It's easy for us to skip! Great approach, and great video.
Wow, what an excellent diagnostic, well done, thank you.
Yep, another just graduated tech school master technician that poked their test light through the connector, and messed it up. I did this for over 40 years at Chrysler, and I can't count the times I had to go behind someone that made more of a mess of a vehicle than when they first got ahold of it.
Yes, by testing connectors with standard multimeter tip or probe (bulb/LED, doesn't matter), pushing it hard into plugs/sockets, you're actually damaging probably good contacts... 🙂
Basic test can be Destructive. Trap for young players.
I have a 96 Chevy Lumina van, 312K miles, and one of the biggest problems I'm starting to have is electrical connectors losing their spring tension. This video is a big help, especially that drag test.
I’m so glad you were able to figure this one out. Definitely would’ve had me confused. Only thing that made me question the connectors or harness was when you probed it, misfire went away. Another reminder to think basic
For your question about connectors:
Try a company called
Aeromotive
All sorts of different connectors and sources for making custom harnesses or repairing them .
"Remember what I am here for" AMEN!
Most excellent find! As a technician for Chevrolet, this would suck to learn; all the work done at the dealer didn’t solve anything. Something so simple caused all this. But I’m glad I can always learn something from you and my shop foreman too (when he’s willing to help/teach). He’s always having us test the basic’s. Terminal tension/drag test being one of them. Luckily, I’m stubborn enough to always try exhausting all my tests/resources before recommending heavy line work, reaching TAC, or even bother my shop foreman with my repair order. I’m really hoping to buy an eScope this year. Have been trying to get it since I started watching your channel. 30:48 if I can remember, I’ll look for our trays of terminals and if they can still get ordered. Will try to update you guys.
Connector Experts has everything you need. They are spendy but they have it so totally worth it.
Thank you for another great video! Seen this a lot over the years! My mentor when I first started told me most things are simple just finding it! Thanks again great explanation and great video!
I thought the majority of the guys in the comments would be telling you to use crimp connectors. I'm cool with either, though I've really fallen in love with my Thomas and Betts crimp terminals as they're way quicker than dragging out the soldering iron and heating it up. A nice dual walled heat shrink goes a long way too. Nice catch on the bad connector.
Hello, Sherwood. Former master tech here. I have a 2015 Express with the L96 motor. Along with some needed maintenance on this truck, which is approaching 200k miles, I got some intel that my cyl 2 miss could very well be a coil harness problem. I found a new OEM harness on line, and I will be replacing it soon. Cost was $85.85. Apparently from my source, these coil connectors are a chronic failure mode, and the replacement harness gives you a new connector for each of the coils on one bank. I wasn't going to all of the trouble of removing the dog box and fixing #2, only to have to go back in a month and do one of the others. The previous owner said he never had a plug change either, so a new set of Iridiums is going in, as well. They are supposed to be good for 100k miles, so they are overdue. I do wish I had a scope setup like that when I was doing engine performance diags. My scope was the Sun cabinet from 1998 that you would roll from bay to bay. Good video. BTW, I fix commercial HVAC systems now.
Why'd you get out of it?
Make sure to get your plugs from a reputable source for the expected price. NGK double iridium are well known to be widely counterfeited.
That's was a great catch wish I was closer I would bring everything to your shop been watching for a long time
Lovin the new diagnostics/studio room! Awesome job there!
The Professor is wright!RC Test to rule out engine mechanical.Keep teaching Professor I enjoyed your new video on this
Man this takes the parts cannon to a whole new level; great find.
Well done Sherwood 👏
Thank you for the tutorial along the way. Love your new work space! 200k right around the corner...
Had a real similar situation on a Jeep Wrangler 3.6l here a few months ago. Did a valve cover gasket and got it back together. Test drive went perfect. Customer gets it starts misfiring later that day. Fuel injector had poor pin fitment. Guess I was the lucky one to plug it in last or something not sure but it definitely has had hands in it prior to my repair. Took care of that no further issues.
Great job, I was thinking a connection problem when you asked what we thought since they threw so much at it. New bay looks great.
a trick from the saltbelt , tvist the male connector a couple degres , then it takes up the slack in the connector.
Tap and wiggle for the win!
Erick O mentioned a good source for terminals, I think.
Yes he did, its in the last 6 months, I wrote it down but can't find it now.
Don’t think, know
yup: ruclips.net/video/ZwXtFEXwds0/видео.html
Great job. Always fun watching you diagnose the true issues.
I have the same aes wave kit. Very high quality stuff. Enjoy your videos. Can’t wait til your website launches so I can learn more about using a scope. Till then I’m lucky to have Eric o right down the road 😂
Always appreciate your time guys, keep it up!
Sherwood, that was excellent troubleshooting to find the correct solution. Unlike you the previous individuals that “worked” on this truck as my late Dad would say were blacksmiths.
Also thank you for sharing your experience with us! It’s so hard to find quality content without being charged so much money.
Good vid . When you solder the connections hold the gun under the wire and let the solder run through the wire. Need to get one of those pin kits for our shop
Nicely done, my guess was electrical and that is what you found, i had back in the 90's something similar on my wife's Volvo 240 4 DR and it was a 4 cylinder and they kept telling me it was the control pressure regulator and i said no that was replaced, then their service said to me well then its a big bill you need 4 new injectors and i said no, i tested thee pattern myself on a tester at my work in our engineering dept, and they are all good, I said maybe one injector, so i guessed it was a connection to one of the injectors, so i did the same as you and pushed on each injector plug , but first i tested each one to make sure they all got the right voltage and used the Bosch diode test tool and on #3 got an intermittent flash, then pushed on it and right away it would change as soon as you touched it, shut it off and opened the connector to find a pin had backed out of the holder and found out the connector was cracked, no biggy, i replaced it with a new one and made sure the plastic holder was good and it was, put it back together and it ran fine no faults or rough running or hesitation on acceleration either and it even got about 2 mpg better in city and highway almost 3 mpg , i also changed plugs cap, rotor and wires, myself and she drove that car for another 9 yrs and never had that issue again and to this day that dealer doesn't believe i did the work myself or found the problem and i saved myself almost $1000 that they would have charged me for new injectors with labour/taxes and it only cost me about $200, when she got rid of that car it was close to a 250k miles and still ran awesome, she did not need a new car she just wanted something different and new, so she bought a late Model Grand- Am and i saw it when i came home that day and i laughed my ass off, my friends wife told her not to buy one from the bad experience she had with the 2 she had owned and that POS nickel and dime the hell out of her, i just said one of your best friends told you not to buy it, you decided not to listen to your friend , so its your baby, no appreciation or sense of humour , we separated early the next year and i never had to listen to the complaining again , although i did see the car parked at my mechanics yard and yes it was hers, chuckle, chuckle i asked what is that doing here, he told me there was a bill of $1200 outstanding on it and that she hadn't kept up the maintenance , what a surprise, it had a new rad, water pump, almost whole new ignition system and it ran good, just never paid the bill so he kept it and eventually sold it and got his money out of it.the car is gone and so is she 😂
Why a bad terminal can cost so much? The drive to save money. The system is broken. The dealerships are only concerned with one thing, Not getting sued. Anyone can work on a 2009 Chevy truck, But if you want it fixed you need a pro. If you find one listen carefully and be truthful, his time is valuable, he is a investigator using all of his senses and years of knowledge to help you get down the road in a safe and reliable ride. I have been watching form the inside 30 years and I don't see it getting any better with new stuff rolling 30 or 40 computers and made from plant based plastics with powertrains that won't last 100k. That's one LUCKY customer! Pat yourself on the back for me.
great vid ,happy new year ,something simple takes years of experience ,love the shop you working in sending blessings to you andall at R.A.S from South Africa
I was so close to the cure, by applying Scotty's logic I was instinctly thinking about bad coil or connection, and, it's a Ford :)
That was fantastic diag with a scope! I think I might have figured that one out but after moving coils and injectors around, it would have taken me a lot longer. Got me itching for a scope now.
You actually soldered it. Very Impressive!
Great work. I would have liked to see you hook up a current probe to the wire controlling that coil. I think you would have been able to see the current dropping out? One of the few channels that I can make it through the whole video, no BS.
Intermittent problems are the hardest to find…. Been there, done that. Great job! Problem is even if you are good it takes hours to figure out sometime. Costs lots of money for customer cause you can’t work for free.
Great troubleshooting!
New shop is sweet. Thanks for sharing
Great diagnostics.
Thanks for the video.
I've noticed that those Topdon scanners are really capable! Would really need to get one one day. That, or a Snap on Verus Edge. The mobile scope would be so handy for me.
Connector Experts has a good selection of connectors,great video
Eric from South Main Auto recomends them !!!!!!!!
@doug4834 that's how I found them.
Really appreciate the video and the diag process it’s awesome to see. I’ve had it a couple of times now where part way through a diag through disturbing something, assuming the harness or a connector, the vehicle fixes itself and the fault never returns. Check through everything I’ve touched and for the life of me can’t find the original fault and the vehicle never comes back for the same issue. Have you guys ever had this / how do you deal with something like this? Keep up the great content it’s awesome! All the best for the new year!
Reminds me of a shop i was at, a fellow mechanic put a new engine in a Ford van because of white smoke out the tail pipe, the white smoke was found to be caused by trans fluid being sucked in and combusted by the engine do to a ruptured transmission vacuum modulator diaphragm.
Pozdrawiam z Poland i życzę szczesliwego nowego roku.
Ciekawe kiedy w Polin będą takie prawdziwe warsztaty, gdzie podstawą diagnozy jest oscyloskop i analizator spalin. Bo na razie to 99% mechaników to wieśniaki, co tylko potrafią podstawiać części, zgadywanka.
Great logical troubleshooting, Sherwood. I think the only other thing you could have done besides wiggling all the other coil connector would be to do a drag test on all the other connectors to CYA - just my 2-cents.
Same exact concern with pin fit issue, all pins passed the drag test in the connector! Used the female side on the component and no shit the male pin in the actuator was undersized! 5 out of 6 pins were good #6 was undersized and was on the feedback circuit to the pcm. Oil control actuator was of "unknown" origin AKA amazon. Replaced actuator with OEM, Fixed! Pin fit tests for the win!
If you EVER find a source for all of the pins and sockets,keep it a secret. The electrical engeneers CLUB will spead the word and come up with a DIFFERNT, NOT BETTER DESIGN.
You guys are great. I figured you’d be close to 1M by now. For the give away how about you rate/diagnose/repair a customers vehicle. I just broke my arm and my van needs an oil change and some misc work. I can’t do anything for probably 6 weeks. I’d drive from SC for that!!! 👍🏻
One thing I have learned about Dc current, poor contact is like having no contact at all. I was a copier tech for over 40 years and most low dc voltage problems in certain brands were caused by connectors to boards.
Several years ago, I was at a shop, they had some version of GM diagnostic and wiring diagram software. They could click on the connector on the schematic and a box would pop up and it would show the GM part #'s of each part of the connector. It had part #'s of the terminals and the silicone seals in packs of ten.
I think the first connection problem that comes to mind is a Cadillac ABS controller connection. One pin would "back out" when closing the latch, Ended up the blue connector wire retainer was broken where the one wire would push back slightly, Of course you can't get eyes on this connector! Since I work for a good used car lot I see LOTS of connection issues. PS I still have that broken retainer on the side of my tool box and see it every day!
Give Connector Experts in Chicago a shot. I’ve never used them but I’ve heard good things.
I just read through a bunch of the comments. As a recently retired service manager for a heavy truck dealership, I was immediately drawn to the poor wiring harnesses on the right side. A good tech would have those properly wrapped and secured. Looked like flat rate work. We did not use flat rate and that is one of the reasons.
This is going to piss people off. I do not care. I knew at about 2 minutes in and looking at maybe the second comment post that it was a $10 connector.... what the problem was.
GM has been long notorious for poor connectivity in its fuel injection and ignition systems. The decades long practice of using a dozen different designs of "single cantilever" female, Weatherpack terminals.....in order to not have to pay the royalties to Tyco/AMP to use the world class "dual cantilever" female terminals that EVERYONE has been using since 1974.....and I mean EVERYONE.....is what has done this.
I had heard that since the early 00's that GM had entered into a mfg agreement with AMP and had been using many AMP terminals in their systems (and reliability is WAY up) but I would be interested to find out which terminal set was used.
The Weatherpack terminals and plug system is built as good as anything. It has some of the best plug bodies in the business. It has the best weather sealing hands down. But this is about the DESIGN of the female terminals. The single cantilever...meaning only inde side is sprung and the other is static...sucks.
I work in a broad spectrum of electronics, aerospace, medical and automotive production enviroments (mostly printed electronics) and have been watching this connectvity debacle across all of these industries. Medical device and aerospace learned a long time ago.
By the way, the "drag testing" you are doing is excellent. It is why the original Bendix EFI system from the late 50's, bought by Bosch and reworked into D-jet injection in about 1965, had so many lifespan connection issues that it spawned the design of the original "dual cantilever" spring micro-terminal for L-jet injection for debut in 1974. Since then, everyone (except GM and a few others) use a variant of that terminal on all "millivolt" sensitive connectors.
The problems that cause the really old terminals as well as single cantilever Weatherpack styl;e terminals to fail are a combinatrion of all of these things:
1. Plugging/unplugging cycles
2. Vibration
3.Heat cycling of the metal terminals
4. Moisture.
5. misalignment
Without having both sides of the female terminal spruing loaded to grip the male terminal, your female terminals will almost always succumbat some mileage point to a combined group of those issues.
What about inserting couple hair peaces of copper wire into the connector slot making tighter. Or just loop around the connector with a wire with easy disconnect plug 😊.
GR8 vídeo clip sir
Great diagnostic work - thank you for sharing. Watching the video at 11:37 and looking to the right and slightly up from the blue scope connection there appears to be a blue colored wire in the exposed wires from the loom that has been sliced / nicked as it looks like the bare copper of that wire is exposed. Given the condition of the wiring loom on the other side and seeing that blue wire I am thinking this truck will have many electrical issues in the future - just my opinion. For those that do not have the wiring kit from ASE wave or a similar set of pins another method to test for pin drag on a terminal might be to use the finer wires in a torch tip cleaner or if someone has a set of number drill bits the non fluted chuck end could be used - just have to be careful to select one that is appropriately sized so the terminal is not forced as you mentioned.
Good catch. That could turn into a problem in the future.
i came in to say the same thing and did post too, then found you are the only other one that caught the same thing i did.
@@TravelWithTheHs I would not fault anyone for missing it - the only reason I noticed it was because I watched on a 27" PC monitor and had the video in full screen mode. Someone watching on a tablet, phone, tv, etc. might not notice what I would say is a nick in the insulation and allowing the conductor to be exposed.
Sherwood current ramp current lamp, go to the fuse box, get all the injectors, and all the coils hook to the school. I will watch them any part of the video. I don’t know what the fixtures I stopped at 21 minutes. Have to get to work. See you tonight, my friend.
Great diagnosis!
man that was some good diagnostic work .
It cracks me up, that they threw an engine at it twice before compression testing or verifying electrical 😂😂😂
Love your videos very professional and you explain things well
Thanks so much for sharing your know how it really helps us green horns.
This is why i take my vehicles to a professional. Worth every dime if you have a good shop.
Thanks for the video !
Good vid. Cant believe engine replaced and had same issue and someone thought must be a bad engine lets slap another one in lol. Thats insane
love your thought process.
To get the pins try AMP they supply the OEM shops in the area we used them at Ford Experimental garage
Man, I know you have a real headache at the end of the day! Enjoy your videos, Thanks!
Im an auto tech student and this is very helpful videos. Thank you.
edit: I also think my car is misfiring at start then gaining fuel pressure and running normally.
Great diag and repair video. Keep up the great work.
Good work guys.
Have you tried Connector Experts? Another Great Video!
Hard to believe they replaced to engines for that !! nice find though !
You would think they would have done some diagnostics BEFORE pulling out 2 different engines??? No one thought to do a compression / leakdown test???
@@pzm958 thats why some mechanics are called OIL TECHS
A old fashioned compression test with a gauge is the most accurate method of measuring compression
Around 7:00 minutes in your video said you solved the problem and you wanted us to give answers in the comments about the possible answers.
Your testing focused on cylinder 1 because of the misfire count cylinder 2 when you disabled the fuel injection started shaking the engine.
Since the dealership replaced all the injectors the only thing left was electrical power to each injector and maybe some problems with electrical wiring.
Some of the comments are talking about a connector but I don’t know how they got the answers unless they watched to the end of the video.
Saving harnesses from engine swaps with salvage for years ,mt harness is a tangled mess but saved a butt many times ,if that fails ,conector experts 👌
Beyond spark plugs, coils, injectors, and wires, potential causes of multiple cylinder misfires include:
• vacuum leaks,
• faulty sensors like the Mass Airflow Sensor (MAF) or Manifold Actual Pressure (MAP sensor),
• issues with engine timing (like a failing timing belt or sensors),
• low fuel pressure,
• a failing fuel pump,
• a faulty oxygen sensor, and or electrical connectors or wiring signals.
• a blown head gasket causing compression loss, •worn valve seals, and
• issues with the intake manifold.
It still never amazes me that dealerships just throw the parts cannon at it when all they did was check codes and a mediocre visual inspection without proper O-Scope and Voltage/Ω's testing on all wires and sensors.
Codes only narrow down the potential cause of condition, they don't diagnose it for you.
Thos was a clear, fire thevparts cannon moment
"ohh two misfires, it must be plugs, coils, injectors" and going two 2 different engines was wild
Great video!
I have to admit, when I saw at the beginning that this was a Chevy made after about 1984 with a persistent problem, I immediately thought "electrical." Replacing hard parts did not fix it? Definitely the Chevy electrical problems they have failed to fix for literally decades. If anything, they're worse in the last 5 - 10 years, and it's always a nightmare to find and fix, because it's something intermittent in a connection or loom somewhere.
I love tha ATS scan tool but it's definitely not priced for the DIY group. Nice diag and video.
Hey Sherwood - Eric at South Main has a source for various auto connector pins. I saw it in one of his videos, not sure which one.
Toyota sells individual connectors and pins, great video
Brilliant as always!
I had a peach of a connection issue.
Working on armoured vehicles, one of the lads I work with asked me to help him on a non-starter that was kicking his ass.
He knows what I'm like, so he already had a wiring diagram marked up with all his findings. We were losing voltage at the TCU. Zero volts on one pin and an intermittent connection on another pin. These went back to an in-line fuse mod on the battery (via a few other bits), where he was getting the expected 24v.
The wiring diagram threw us off the scent a little because it shows fuses that were not present in this vehicle, which could also supply the TCU.
I finally decided to start pinning the wires. This is a last resort for me because we deal with a lot of moisture and corrosion, even sea water.
I traced it pretty quickly to a splice just downstream of that fuse. Absolutely no reason to suspect it, looked perfect, covered in thick adhesive lined heatshrink from the factory. I cut it open, and the wire inside was just white powder. I've never seen anything like it so far into an unbroken wiring harness.
That was one in a million. The problem now is... if there's another non-starter, they go straight for that splice 😂