TPS Connector Replacement

[Blue Flame Restorations]

Learned something this weekend about the TPS (throttle positin sensor).

My car had one with a broken snap tab for holding the connector to the TPS. Evidently, the voltage would not stay consistent due to the broken snap tab. The car ran "ok" but had developed a small "burbble", I call it. You could feel it and hear it in the exhaust. It started last Friday. It had ran 100% after the engine work and it really dis-appointed me to have what felt like a "miss".

After discussing it with Pete, we determined that the connector with the missing snap tab may be the issue. I ordered a new pigtail from O'Reiley's and spliced it into the harness today.

Walah! Runs like a champ. The cams sound amazing and the exhaust tone is smooth, although pretty loud. I have pretty good neighbors and hope to keep it that way. The B&B with X pipe eliminates me from sneaking into or out of anywhere. LOL

With the age of our cars, and plenum pulls, disconnecting and re-connecting, it's really no surprise that this happened on my car. Plastic gets brittle, sepecially in a heated environment.

[4-cam]

Great information, I need to replace mine as well.

[scottfab]

Do you recall the O'Riley part # ?

[VetteMed]

Better option than cut and splice, is to get a pin release tool, to allow you to reuse the stock wires and pins in a new connector housing. These tools are sold as a 3-pack, I think I paid about 9 or 10 bucks from jeg's a while back.

Tool and bare wire with pin:

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv163/agchoset/1991%20ZR-1/IMG_0385-1.jpg

pin inserted into tool, almost to the point where locking tabs are depressed.

http://i680.photobucket.com/albums/vv163/agchoset/1991%20ZR-1/IMG_0386-1.jpg

Obviously you can't see this when the connector is assembled -- but the process is the same.

[VetteMed]

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS+Performance+Products/555/10769/10002/-1

http://www.jegs.com/images/photos/500/555/555-10769.jpg

[VetteMed]

http://images.oreillyauto.com/parts/img/medium/bwd/pt300_1.jpg

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/BWD0/PT300/01533.oap?year=1991&make=Chevrolet&model=Corvette&vi=1041297&ck=Search_throttle+position+connector_1041297_2425&keyword=throttle+position+connector

[oricale]

YEP me too..!

[Blue Flame Restorations]

Do you recall the O'Riley part # ?

BWD
PT300

If I had known about the tool, I would have refrained from splicing the wires and heat shrinkng them.

[Pete]

The OE pins go weak/break.

The 2 i had were broken/weak pins.

It's not the plastic plug that makes contact it's the pins and if they're weak or broken you can change the plug and still have the issue.

Pete

[VetteMed]

Good point. I had many connectors with brittle, cracked plastic, but no problems with any broken pins.