DIY: Installing a 4-way waterproof wire connector When my ECU failed a few months back and the car had to be towed to KHT, the initial diagnosis was that the fuse box under the steering had failed. When I explained patiently that this component was just a stack of metal sheets, cut to form circuits with zero electronics and zero moving parts, the next culprit was the cruise control wiring I had done.
Though I was unconvinced, out of sheer frustration, I agreed for the wiring to be cut. That the issue was not resolved and the ECU was eventually replaced to rectify the problem is a matter for a separate discussion. The cut wires were wound back together and insulated and I was unhappy with this setup, though the CC worked fine. I wanted to tidy it up.
Decided to install 4 way waterproof connectors. Ordered from here
The installation is straight forward.
Step 1 - Cut all wires to equal length and remove about 5 mm of insulation
Step 2 - Slide the small yellow seal onto the wires and crimp male pins to one set and the female pins to the other. The inner flaps on the pin crimp the wires, while the outer flap crimps the yellow sleeve to the wire.
After these steps, you will be left with this -
Now slide the pins into the respective connectors. Make sure you follow the right sequence in both plugs. If you manage to get it wrong, taking the pin out can prove to be harder than one would imagine. Straighten the wires and apply insulation tape a few inches apart to keep the wires together.
Now slide a piece of corrugated plastic tube (with a slit cut through its length) over the wires to protect them from the harsh engine bay environment
Now connect the plugs together, tie up the piping to the firewall and you are done |