For those about to scope , We salute you, But...

[Witsend]

So far I have been back probing where the backs of the connectors are accessible to be backprobed using straight pins that have little colored balls on the end so I don't pierce my finger. I will give the connector back probe method 3 chances and then out comes A Big Honkin Easy Hooks.
I like to Cocoon any hole I can see daylight through with a half a tube of Ultra Grey

[DrDiesel1]

T-Pins work great

[David Green]

Aren't WE Doctors of automobiles-???"

Some in our trade are not even capable of passing their 11 plus exam

[David Green]

Sliding the safety pin or sewing needle down the side of the wire is probing the same way the probe kits do.....

Just connect your meter lead alligator clip and test away
Nothing damaged.
Might take a wee bit longer as Maven says but in the long run the tortoise wins the race

Disconnecting the circuit like that LOL you might loose the faulty connection that caused the fault in the first place

[Witsend]

T-Pins work great
Reply With Quote

I bet they do. Besides being easier on your finger tip back probing the connectors, after in place ,the T provides a good spot to clip the probe onto.
I had one years ago but it seemed to becoming a little too fat for pack probing most of the connectors with the weatherpacked smaller diameter terminal connectors .
I think back probing a connector instead of piercing the wire might actually hide a problem of a poor connection at a component connector if you are wiggle checking the harness triing to reproduce a concern, but a better choice for checking component output.

[David Green]

Exactly , so as a car nurse poking something like a needle or IV into the back of a connector that is never going to heal by itself if I miss the vein , I figure this is about the nicest looking set I have seen so far to probe and check car vitals with.

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-64900-17.../dp/B00AUIAVXI

I found them over here at a cost of £129.99 against your $40, searched again and found them at £42, rip off Britain

[David Green]

I peirce, because sometimes you can't get to a connector in a reasonable amount of time. However I ALWAYS use this stuff to cover the "wound".

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Gardner-Bender-4-fl-oz-Liquid-Electrical-Tape-LTB-400/100119178

$5.99 over here different bottle same stuff £14

[Crusty]

Disconnecting the circuit like that LOL you might loose the faulty connection that caused the fault in the first place

That picture was from an old connector. I just used that to illustrate how a sewing needle or a safety pin would easily slide down and not damage anything.

A pack of 50 safety pins of various sizes costs a whopping $1.89 in beaver bucks-!!

[pmcpherson]

just use liquid electrical tape! I always back probe the connector if I have to pierce I always use liquid electrical tape (cost about 7 dollars a can lasts all year if not longer) problem solved !!!

[maven]

July 2013, 2010 Buick Lucerne, $200 diag charge, $100 labor charge, $600 suspesnsion pump/valve replaced
April 20, 2015 same car gets valve replaced again. Only $175diag this time , still $700 install
April 21, 2015 same car is in my bay because new valve doesnt work again.... $100 diag, $50 wire repair.

No power to valve, wire rotted off inside insulation where original tech pierced wire to test valve circuits Which was just pure laziness as a test light does the job with ZERO damage.

There was some sort of goo(dime store rtv?) attempting to cover hole in insulation and harness was properly taped up and showed no signs of moisture inside EXCEPT where the wire was pierced.

[Crusty]

July 2013, 2010 Buick Lucerne, $200 diag charge, $100 labor charge, $600 suspesnsion pump/valve replaced
April 20, 2015 same car gets valve replaced again. Only $175diag this time , still $700 install
April 21, 2015 same car is in my bay because new valve doesnt work again.... $100 diag, $50 wire repair.

No power to valve, wire rotted off inside insulation where original tech pierced wire to test valve circuits Which was just pure laziness as a test light does the job with ZERO damage.

There was some sort of goo(dime store rtv?) attempting to cover hole in insulation and harness was properly taped up and showed no signs of moisture inside EXCEPT where the wire was pierced.

I have tried the "liquid electrical tape" AND THAT STUFF SUCKS-!!!.

Up here corrosion is rampant and any kind of "piercing" WILL end up with a BAD CIRCUIT-!!!!!!!!!

It's not IF it corrodes....it's WHEN will it corrode-!!!

DO NOT PIERCE WIRES-!!!! It's a very poor, and NOT a professional technique-!!!

I can not count the number of times I have had to repair the results of this practice of "piercing wires" and it goes all the way back to the 1970's-!!!

Again, and again, and again it shows up later. Since the 1970's-!!! GEEZES-!!! Don't people EVER learn-???? No wonder this trade gets a bad name when people keep making that same mistake.....

[Sir Obi Bob]

Something different

I know this violates the "Do Not Disturb the Connector" rule but if you need to monitor a circuit without damage this will work. Just strip a 12 gauge (or wire of your choice) and insert it between the two halves of the connector for the circuit in question.

[Witsend]

I know this violates the "Do Not Disturb the Connector" rule but if you need to monitor a circuit without damage this will work. Just strip a 12 gauge (or wire of your choice) and insert it between the two halves of the connector for the circuit in question.

On larger terminal wire connectors like that you can also easily back probe with a T-pin and not damage anything as well as placing a single "thin" strand of wire placed inside the female terminal and shoving the male side in, might not damage anything, but to do it with a tiny gauge terminal connectors of PCM would spread and damage the terminals .