T42 Pin removal

[Lakegoat]

I am trying to remove a pin from the T42 plug and move it. I have removed the top plastic cover and the little retainer fork. i bought a set of pin removal tools and used the smallest one to fit in the tiny hole between pins. It goes in about 3/4 way and then with a little push, it inserts all the way. Pin will not release. I tried other pins and they will not release. I tried pulling on the wire and wiggling it around and still no luck. Any idea how to get these pins out ??

[blindsquirrel]

You are doing it right but if the release tool is too small it won't push the locks out far enough. Use the biggest that will fit. When you have the right size one it's effortless.

[04silverado6.0]

After the fork is removed the whole block that holds the pins will lift out. I have been into one recently but cannot remember more steps.

[Lakegoat]

04Silverado6.0, That must be a ECM plug. The T42 is not like that.
I got a pic from another guy that said to remove the blue and gray wire retainers on the top of the plug, but removing the gray retainer removes all of the wires from the black shell. Don't want to fight putting back all of those pins in the right holes. I am going to order the correct GM pin release tool and see if that works. Maybe these china tools are not long enough. This is a bunch of trouble!!! Who designed that plug anyway??? If I had another pin, I would cut the wire and put another pin on it. Well, crap---that might be cheaper if I can find them

[blindsquirrel]

Back in the day there used to be these things known as 'paperclips', used for bundling sheets of paper together (kids, ask your parents what 'paper' was). The jumbo paperclips are about the perfect diameter for this, you should not have to buy special tools. Use anything. Even copper wire will work. Sand down the O.D. of a wooden toothpick.

Don't pull on the wires, instead push them in to bottom them in the connector. Then insert the release tool/pin/stick/thing you found on the ground that looks about the right size. Only pull on the wires after the tool is in place. When the lock tabs are pushed back far enough the terminals come out real real easy.

[gtstorey]

Sometimes a magnifying glass helps to.

[Lakegoat]

gstorey, LOL, You are right.
Blindsquirrel, A jumbo paperclip is bigger than the pin that I am trying to extract. It would not even be close to going in the release hole. I can insert the pin that I have, and move the wire up and down and it still has the latch contacting something, so I think the tool is not long enough to release the latch. I ordered the GM tool J-38125-21 that is made for this plug. I will see if I can find a copper wire the right size---if not, the tool will be here tomorrow. That friggin' hole is tiny. I haven't had a problem on any other plug, just this one.

[Lakegoat]

I used a key ring wire that a spare key was on. I straightened it out and used that to try and release the pin. It is a little too large but it bottomed out, still no release. The wire is .040 and should be .038 to go in easily. I guess that I have to wait until tomorrow. Thanks for the idea though.

[04silverado6.0]

Every t42 plug ive had ive removed the entire pin block out of the plug, just went and checked one off the shelf. Remove the blue tab surrounding the large pin(ground)? Take a screw driver and work the remaining tabs and the block will slide out and you have full access to the locking tabs. No other way to release the pins on these. Edit: The grey part circled in red will remove.

[blindsquirrel]

No other way? Bull. It's the same as the ECM connectors for every other Gen 4. Remove the locks, poke a release tool into the 'third hole', that releases two terminals at a time.

[Lakegoat]

https://gmtis.ntweb.ru/tis/en/docume...166400.en.html

GM process
I don't want to pull the gray clamp---that removes all of the pins.

[gtstorey]

Some of those are almost impossible to get everything back together in the right spot. The only time I’ve done it was with a thinned out BCM harness and it still took a LONG time to get everything lined up. I think these are similar where pulling the grey cover let’s everything get out of place and if so I would avoid it if at all possible.

[blindsquirrel]

pointedstick.jpg

[gtstorey]

pointedstick.jpg

And handling the little pig tails are probably easier than dealing with them still connected to the harness. I had a lot of trouble since moving one its location would try and pull out ones I had already installed.

[Lakegoat]

Got it !!
Finally----right tool and it almost fell out.