Gary Lewis

It's only open to the HVAC system, so the air isn't "FROM" below; it's "TO" below, which is why I chose to put the filter there. This is the where to begin: http://supermotors.net/getfile/723279/thumbnail/07done.jpg ...but it may not be the end because there are other known problems... Except that I've done all that and then discovered that there's a problem somewhere in the red/light blue wire 'tween the switch and the solenoid. When this happens there's no juice to pull the solenoid in. But everything in the cab works, including the blower. When I first got the truck it happened frequently, but I did a lot of diagnostic work, including moving the wires, and it went away. This is the first time it has come back in probably a year, and I wasn't in a position to troubleshoot it at that point in time. Now it is gone again, only to return at the worst possible time. But when I take everything apart for the EFI upgrade, including taking the pedal assembly out to install the hydroboost pedal, I'll have a chance to check the wiring closer. Some really poor "mechanics" have worked on this truck, and somewhere they've done something that isn't apparent. One possibility is in the clutch switch. It's been wired around, so it may be there.

I actually did something to Big Blue today - I replaced the horn pad with one Chris/ctubutis gave me. Thanks, Chris! Yes, I know it is a Rosewood pad (from a van) and my bezels are burled wood, but the original burled wood pad fell apart. So I'm happy to have it. Plus, in the long run I doubt that I'll keep the burled wood bezels since they are turning purple, as most of them do. Also, today I drove the truck to a meeting at the church building and when I left it didn't want to turn over. The solenoid didn't engage. I was able to get it to hit quickly one time by pulling on the steering wheel, but only once and not long enough to actually start. So I had to use the jumper I carry as a backup and the truck started. And after that it started with the key every time.

I haven't, but with that info I will. The cousin and her husband aren't there, but her daughter and SiL are. I'll check. Thanks!

And why is the rubber cold?

Nice truck. I wonder if the "newer engine" got a straight-up timing set, which makes a big difference on the 351M's and 400's. $8K may seem a bit much, but that's the starting point and it is a lot of truck for the money. Really clean and seemingly no rust. That alone will save you several thousand dollars on bodywork and paint on another truck.

The new stuff is never, at least in my mind, going to look as good as the older stuff. But technology has come a long, long way and right out of the box the new stuff is more capable than the old. However, when the tech goes bad it'll be really, really expensive to fix.

Now that you have it where you want it maybe things will go a little faster. At least it is secure. Good job removing the auxiliary battery. Do you think you might want to put it back some day? If not you might consider removing the mount, tray, relay, etc and selling them as someone else might want an auxiliary battery.

That's an ingenious solution. I'll have to remember that one.

Yes. The e-brake attaches to a blister on the firewall (dimple viewed from the engine side), so the folded metal is perpendicular to the FW so it comes back out to flush. That's where I cut it off, and then FG'ed the notch closed & flat so the foam seal of the EEC retainer plate would have a flat surface. Then I'd recommend a 5.0L MAF EDIS OBD-II Explorer/Mountaineer as your donor since it's the highest technology on a smallblock engine. It's a common swap among early Broncos, so you can find more details on http://classicbroncos.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=42 , but lots of people have problems because they try to "clean up" (eliminate necessary components from) the wiring. Or they try to bolt the EFI hardware onto their old worn-out 302ci blocks. Or they do other crazy hacks that cause ongoing problems, instead of just letting it all work the way it's designed to (including all the emissions systems). Ok, I think I understand on moving the e-brake. But you used a later model one. Why? I have a '90 unit - would that work? (I'll have to lay the two side by side and see what the differences are.) And I'll work the mounting out for the computer, now that I know it can be done there. But essentially the computer is all I'm missing. Big Blue is a 460 and I have a 1996 CA-spec 460 harness, mass air flow meter, air cleaner housing & hoses, etc. Unfortunately, Mark/Dyn Blin didn't find the computer at that salvage, so I'll use one from a small-block and change the parameters using Core Tuning's package. Bill/85lebaront2 has already been down this road on Darth and I'm hoping to use his setup as my starting point. But, I'll need to tell the computer that I have a manual tranny and no EGR, which means my timing map will have to be different than his. Anyway, that's the plan. Thoughts?

Good idea! I was expecting you to go from the rag joint to ground. But instead you went across the rag joint and use the steering box as ground. Right?

Blue has a higher GCWR than Big Blue. F150 vs F250HD. And I'd much rather tow with Blue. The 3.5L has a lot more power than the 7.5L. And it rides better. And the A/C is much colder. The seats much more comfortable, and are heated, cooled, and will massage you. But I still like Big Blue.

Oh! But isn't the cavity open on the bottom end to air from below?

Unfortunately, the M-Block and Clevelands use different brackets for everything. Different than Windsor or 385 Series. So no factory serp brackets, and I can't figure out how to easily mod others to fit.

I was calling the servo the vacuum diaphragm - and BB doesn't have one of those. But, I have one or more in the attic.

Well, if I didn't have several of the modules I might want to borrow that for Big Blue, who's speed control doesn't work. But, that might have something to do with not having a vacuum diaphragm. Would that have anything to do with it?

Same bore and stroke, but 33% more cylinders. And the one with 1/3 more cylinders spun about 1/3 more revs per mile. Hmmmm, I'm getting a faint, fuzzy picture here. Wonder how much oil he used?

Yuppers! But you got home at 5:30 and Chris got home at 9:15. I wonder who got the best MPG?

You'll have to have a wire that will wrap around the rag joint. But it might work. And my other idea will work if you want to explore it. Just requires you to pull the light blue/black wire out of the connector on the pigtail coming out of the steering column and placing a light bulb on it to ground. (Don't take it directly to ground.) The current going through it will be enough to pull the horn relay in. And, if you decide to fix the speed control you can put the wire back in the connector.

David - It certainly was FUN! Such a good turn out, including from our international members. As for your MPG, here are my observations, which are based on the 2015 #'s as they should have the majority of the engine changes - right? Driving ~10 MPH, or about 15%, faster decreased the average MPG by 8.6% and the high tank by 8.8% Driving ~15 MPH, or about 24%, faster decreased the average MPG by 17.7% and the high tank by 17.2%

Yes, the EVTM is absolutely the best thing for working on one of these trucks. Followed by the master parts catalog, and then by this forum. Thanks!

Looks good, but blurry. I'm sure it is excellent, like everything else you are doing. But, it is hard to tell.

I agree. I don't remember specifically because it's been so long since I used that column & cruise system, but I think the steering shaft grounded either through the column's top bearing (near the wheel) or the rag joint (which should have steel mesh embedded in the rag). I might still have one of those old columns here to check, but I doubt I have that kind of rag joint. In the meantime, read this caption & follow the links: http://supermotors.net/getfile/491917/thumbnail/cruisetroubleshooting.jpg Ok, I WAS WRONG! What I thought was the ground brush is, indeed, the pin for the turn signal cancel cam. And ground goes through the hub of the steering wheel. Now, for my findings with chasing the ground on my two spare columns. One of them does not have connectivity from the shaft to anything. But, I do get a capacitor effect when I try to check for connectivity from it to the mounting bracket, which tells me that there are surfaces that are probably quite close but not touching or have a very high impedance between them, like grease. However, I don't get the capacitor effect on any other surface, nor on any of the wires coming from the column. On the other column, the one from Dad's truck, there is connectivity from the hub of the steering wheel to the aluminum mounting bracket - most of the time. But if I move the wheel just right I lose the connectivity and get the capacitor effect. And, when I have connectivity to the mounting bracket there's no connectivity to anything else, like the ignition switch, its mounts, or any of its terminals. Nor the wires coming out of the column, nor to the mount that goes to the firewall or the rag joint or lower shaft. So, I surmise that the ground goes through the aluminum mounting bracket. And it must go through the upper bearing, like Steve suggested. ScubaSteve - Do you use the speed control? If not, you could make a slight wiring change and the horn should work properly.

Good catch. It should be fixed now.

Bummer! Thanks.

Steve - I've looked at all the pics and read the captions, but I'm not sure where you used the air purifier filter. Can you elaborate?