How to Probe & Back probe a automotive electrical connector.

Just a Quick video showing you how I probe these newer connectors since the pins are so small.

[@gregiles908]

Amazing. A sweet video that answered all of my questions. Nice work.

[@FixyourNissan]

Thank you for watching!

[@beckanddavid12]

I just wanna day this is awesome stuff. A lot of people wouldn’t take the time to explain something like this to someone with probably little to no electric background. Great explanation and exactly what I wanted to learn. Good stuff!

[@FixyourNissan]

Your welcome and thanks for watching!

[@damianmelvin5401]

pro trick: watch series at Flixzone. I've been using it for watching a lot of movies these days.

[@mikelarson4]

@@FixyourNissan My check engine light comes on with a po601 code but then a few minutes later my check engine light goes off could this be the pcm unit itself which is bad or a connectional problem

[@timgorzynski5850]

Excellent description of what a 'back probe' is and how to perform it. Thank you

[@godsavenger5599]

Very good explanation, and demonstration. Great idea with the use of t-pin to probe small connector pin holes.

[@madmacc040]

Caveat to this excellent informational vid. Take caution to the relative size of the probes. Otherwise connectors may get stretched out which will result in a faulty connection

[@rvnmedic1968]

I'm learning how to do continuity and voltage tests on my Corvette, thanks to KZbin channels like yours. Wish I had T-pins to do the back probe as I didn't know what that meant! LOL Cheers, Bob

[@artbyrobot1]

Just what I needed. Scannerdanner is always using t-pins and I didn't know what they were called to buy them.

[@BoxSpringMotors]

I was worried at first at this video wasn’t going To answer the question that I was looking for, but it indeed did thank you so much. This is super helpful. I assume you can also use a paperclip and bend it around to do the same.

[@FixyourNissan]

You can, but the T-Pin is best and you never want to force it into the connector. You should feel just a slight resistance.

[@ricky12811]

Thank you sir I was trying all day with no results now am good

[@FixyourNissan]

You're Welcome and thank you for watching!

[@trentmozingo7176]

Good video. Thanks for sharing!

[@FixyourNissan]

Thanks for watching!

[@wiliam5082]

Hey I'm checking for my brake light wiring because I want to install a trunk led emblem and seeing what's my positive and I'm probing it but nothing gives then I use a paper clip and still nada... does it have to be specifically t pin? What am I doing wrong

[@kevinjohnson9736]

Nice! Very helpful.

[@ooPHOENIXoo]

Thanks a million, this helps a great deal!!!

[@FixyourNissan]

You are very welcome

[@aodhmacraynall8932]

just what I was looking for.

[@zoomjoo]

thank you! I am having an issue with a chevy aveo, I cannot remove the key from the car, it stays in ACC. Everything else (brake lights, shifter) works. I'll give this a try on the lock solenoid and make sure its getting power.

[@mpcp27]

Nice clear explanation

[@FixyourNissan]

Your welcome and thanks for watching

[@cincinnatislider]

“Just answer” sent me here. So helpful.

[@FixyourNissan]

Thank you for watching.

[@francpez7564]

You are a genius , my friend. Thank you for the tip.

[@FixyourNissan]

You are very welcome, Thank you for watching

[@arfaniautos4314]

Nice work 😍❤️😋

[@ccsluf]

Nice explanation. What about back probing at the ECM? How the heck do you get the back cover off of the harness? A nice video of that would be great!

[@davidlopez991]

Thanks so much for that tip! clever idea.

[@FixyourNissan]

You are very welcome. Thanks for watching

[@chabat124]

I stretched some female connectors to my ECM by front probing. You have to be really careful and mindful of your probe size vs. the female size. My ECM connector is on a 37 year old Porsche 944 and they deformed easily. Back probing is likely better in most cases, maybe not 100% of cases, but most. Also, there are many newer modern automotive connectors with tiny females and almost any probe can deform them by front-probing. People be aware of this as a possible issue -- damaging connectors.

[@FixyourNissan]

Very true. You never want to force in a probe into the front of a connector. It can stretch it. I agree

[@Aviator013]

The black probe from the multi meter needs to be attached to a ground point on the car?

[@juliustay2541]

Thanks for video. I'm trying to troubleshoot a persistent P0713 on my 2004 Toyota Rav4. Repair manual suggests checking the voltage between 2 wires from 2 connectors of the ECM with 1 serving as the ground wire. The voltage between the 2 wires should be less than 1V when engine reaches operating temperature. How do I approach this?

[@maryreed2280]

How would you jump the male side of a connector to battery and ground to test a component when the connector is too small for two alligator clips?

[@Chriscast-vt4yo]

So quick question, i will be trying to install ambient lighting to a door panel and using the power window harness. I get the red voltage but i also have to ground to a pin as well. How would i know if the pin is a good ground?

[@AF1MIDS]

Good evening sir hope your day is going well! Are you able to film a video to show me how to backprobe with a t-pin and zoom in close so i can see how you probe the t-pin inside the connector correctly?

[@kevinclancy.]

great video thanks.

[@FixyourNissan]

Thank you for watching

[@MiggyCW]

Wow! Minute 0:55. Where did that T pin come from? This guy is amazing.

[@FixyourNissan]

HaHa..

[@harisjamil3127]

is there something like front probing or side probing?

[@soloado5084]

What is the exact T-pin you did used? Do the T-pin comes in different sizes ?

[@ArunKumar-vf4nv]

Thank u.god bless.peace.

[@paradoxdea]

Awesome 👌

[@abduljameelshaik3751]

Do u actually mean to pierce the pin into the red wire or slide it in the gap to back probe ? And could plz explain about continuity and variAble voltages and ground wire as well.

[@FixyourNissan]

You don't need to pierce the wire when back probing. You are pretty much just laying a pin next to a connector pin to check voltage. If you would like to learn how to check wire Continuity, there is plenty of video's on it.

[@MarzNet256]

Great. For weather packing, do you keep T Pin right up against the wire when inserting? I want to backprobe an 18 year old coil...carefully. ..for the labscope.

[@FixyourNissan]

Coil you want to only check power and ground with a volt meter. When you use the T-pin, you will feel it when it's inserted

[@MarzNet256]

@@FixyourNissan I have a 20:1 attenuator to protect scope from high voltage. Thanks.

[@oudomkosaketh40]

Im trying to test for power on a connector for a camshaft position sensor connector. What setting on the multimeter should i use??

[@FixyourNissan]

You want to monitor Voltage

[@joeg7969]

Can also use the regular continuity tester with those T-Pin...?

[@FixyourNissan]

yes

[@jamespn]

Where do you connect or probe with the black wire on the multimeter? I thought it may be a nearby metal ground on the body or chassis of the car.

[@FixyourNissan]

Depends on what you are checking. If you are checking for voltage, you would use the Red Lead to connector or pin that you are checking for voltage, and the black lead to a known good ground

[@jamespn]

FixyourNissan thanks for the reply. This really helps.

[@FixyourNissan]

@@jamespn You are very welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@juliustay2541]

@@FixyourNissan what about when checking resistance in the same instance?

[@RiffinMaddness]

Nice 😎

[@byronbesherse3071]

Thanks

[@FixyourNissan]

You're Welcome! Thanks for Watching

[@deebee812]

What do you set the multimeter at?

[@corysturgis6660]

Put meter at lowest setting closest to what your measuring. For example 5 volt circuit use the 20 volt selection on volt meter aka multi meter. Ohm measure a resistance. No resistance faulty part usually

[@Aisap77]

WHAT are dont's when doing probing wires?

[@FixyourNissan]

Never use to big of a pin and force it in. It should take very little pressure to slide the pin in to back probe. When you front probe the wire, if the pin does not fit, find one that does. That should have very little resistance to insert to test. If you use to big of a pin, you can expand the electrical connector which can cause pin fit issues.

[@michaelabeyta2454]

Bro, this is a great explanation on fundamentals of electrical circuit integrity checks but its not the best idea to front probe any terminal, it may lead to a splayed terminal and high resistance.

[@FixyourNissan]

Back Probing is actually the most affective when measuring signals in a completed circuit

[@ieripoi]

Hello, thanks for your video. Can you even use a needle or a little metallic piece? And also, please, when you test a pin on a connector for continuity, do you just need to test the red wire? For voltage, also the ground wire important and why? What's the purpose of "back probe" if the end of the connector has continuity, please? Thank you.

[@FixyourNissan]

Back probe is when you can leave the connector plugged in and test the connector. That is the benefit of back probing. You can check power , Ground and Ohm wires in any of the ways needed with how I showed you in the video

[@ieripoi]

@@FixyourNissan thanks for your reply. Well, a specific example: I need to test a fan into an ECU box, so if power comes to that connector from the ECU. Do I need to insert a t-pin or something like that on the back of the connector, then ignition on and by V-- on the multimeter can I see the voltage coming or not? And is irrelevant the wire color to point the tips? Thanks

[@FixyourNissan]

@@ieripoi Yes , you would back probe the connector to check for power while it's plugged in

[@ProvacativeAcorn]

Can you use safety pin instead of the t pin?

[@darenleiter9490]

I don't know why a small safety pin wouldn't work.

[@ProvacativeAcorn]

@@darenleiter9490 yea it did work lol

[@JackRR15]

But when you push the T pin in like that from the rear, aren't you making a hole into the watertight seal?

[@FixyourNissan]

the t-pin is small enough that you are pushing the rubber seal out of the way to probe. But when removed the rubber seal just bounces back and seals.

[@JackRR15]

@@FixyourNissan Ok thanks! I was also about to think even if it did a hole, the hole is very very small

[@darenleiter9490]

Great question, possibly a little silicone if you accidentally expose the wire. You don't want to create a future problem with corrosion,

[@FixyourNissan]

@@darenleiter9490 Your not exposing any wires doing this. You are simply accessing the electrical pin of the connector to check what ever voltage or ohms you are needing to do

[@seamushyland8199]

How do you used the probe to trace wires?

[@FixyourNissan]

What do you mean exactly? I use the t-pins like this to back probe connectors when plugged in or unplugged.

[@maaseace]

Now do a drag test with correct terminal size pin in the terminal that you stuck the t pin into on the front side......lol

[@FixyourNissan]

I did front and back of the connector

[@bleebleblahble8833]

B Squirrel how do front probe correctly? particularly how do you identify the pin size using something like the AESWave kit

[@likinit121]

where do you ground it?

[@FixyourNissan]

You are looking for a good metal ground if you are grounding one lead while back probing and checking for power.

[@juliustay2541]

@@FixyourNissan when checking for resistance too, you ground negative lead to a good metal part on the chassis right?

[@SurferJoe46]

Why-o-why are you shoving something into the female side? That can ruin the spring of the connection and ruin that circuit. That's just wrong even with a T-pin. ALWAYS back probe --- never front probe.

[@FixyourNissan]

I agree with you. But the pin I am using will not stretch these style pins. Yes pins are much smaller, and those are the ones you really have to be care of doing this to. But this is just an example

[@SurferJoe46]

@@FixyourNissan I really posted my statement for others who might not know such things. Thanks.

[@marianorubio9578]

Front-probing with a T-pin! Yikes! Not a good way to check for voltage at the pins. I've fixed quite a few terminals that were spread open by other technicians. I recommend finding the male terminal of the same size with a short length of wire to clamp the alligator clip to. Better yet, just stick with back-probing with a T-pin.

[@FixyourNissan]

It depends on if you Jam it in there or not. There is different size T-pins.

[@marianorubio9578]

@@FixyourNissan yeah, but consider the fact that T-pins are not designed or manufactured to the specification of the terminals. If they are too big, they will over stress the terminal, making it loose. If they are too small they will just slide out when clipping your alligator clip to them. Also, the ends of the T-pins can become bent from use or can easily tilt in the female terminal simply from the weight of the alligator clip and lead, again causing excessive strain on the terminal and making it loose. In fact, I noticed the T-pin in your video is bent at the end. There are a couple of other reasons I prefer not to front probe, namely, front probing means you've disconnected the connector and if you are checking for voltage, you'll simply be checking open circuit voltage. Most diagnostics are better performed by performing a voltage drop test or an available voltage test with current flowing. That way any resistance in the circuit will show up during diagnosis. One can argue, that a check with an ohmmeter can be performed to check for resistance, but what if the terminal you are probing from is the cause of the excessive resistance because it is a spread terminal. You'd never know it by front probing with a T-pin; or what if a wire has broken strands and still has a couple of strands touching. The low voltage from the ohmmeter may not be enough to heat the wire causing excessive resistance like it might when the full 12V is applied and normal current tries to flow through the circuit. One other item to think about, whenever I front probe, I try to use a terminal of the same size or a tool like OTCs terminal test kit (No. 3587). That allows the terminal tension to be checked while testing with a DMM.

[@ginobean737]

@@FixyourNissan What size t-pin do you recommend for this?

[@FixyourNissan]

@@ginobean737 I have 3 different sizes. It depends on the connector I am probing. I don't want to stretch the pins of the connector

[@JosepGee]

Mariano Rubio idk that’s a pricey kit… might as make your own connectors off old pigtails

[@jasonhunter6125]

bar Staples, don't Fluke have needle probes that'll fit in there?

[@FixyourNissan]

There is all sorts of Fluke pins that are out there. This is just an alternative option for people at home or repair shops.

[@eagletran9]

Thanks

[@FixyourNissan]

You are very welcome