Gary Lewis

If you don't find one I'm sure I have an extra and it'll be easy to ship.

Sorry about that. But, at least you were carrying a spare coil and box.

Jonathan - I’m not going to be in the shop tomorrow, but can try to answer your questions on Thursday. However, I’m pretty sure the defroster vent is all plastic. Also, do the pictures here help any? http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/integral-ac.html

This shows how it is supposed to go: Driveline/Rear Axles/Rear Axle Vents.

Rick - There are only two automatics that will bolt to a 400: a C6 and an E4OD. I don't want the C6, so that leaves me with an E4OD. And that requires a controller, which start at $800. So I decided to go MAF SEFI. It will take more time, but it is what I want to do, and to me these projects are about the journey of building them, not just about driving them. In fact, this truck may not be driven a lot. But it will sure turn heads at the shows. As for driving it to the mountains, Big Blue is more likely to go the mountains right now. But, our son and DiL would dearly love to move to CO, and the truck is probably going to be his at some point. So, with the EFI it'll handle that well. Anyway, I understand your arguments. I've been through all of them myself. And I've made my decision on what I want to do. So, I hope you'll be along for the ride.

I'm going with an E4OD, and have to have a computer to control it. Why not do it with Ford's computer, which just happens to do EFI as well? Also, I'm 70 years old and this truck will get handed down. But finding someone that could work on it is getting harder and harder. However, if they can plug into an OBD-II port and find out what the problem is then it can be maintained.

Bill - Can I move this to the E4OD thread? And I would LOVE to have the '96 EVTM scanned! That would help so very much. Or, send it to me and I'll have it scanned and send it back with some pretty parts?

Houston, you have a problem. Here's how my defroster duct sits down - on the pieces in the attic.

Talking with Adam reminds me of talking to Tim - they are both easy to talk to and have a wealth of knowledge. So the conversation can go on and on. But I'm worried about using up too much of their time, so usually am ready to get off before they are. As for the PDC, I am going with a later model one, maybe the one I have or the '95 one that Jim is sending me, so it'll have the fuse. But why a maxi fuse for keep-alive? Anyway, that bench setup sounds good and makes sense. On the parts to PC, send 'em on. Dunno when I'll get the first batch going, but I'll work them in. Last, this isn't even getting started! Unfortunately I've not found the book entitled For Dummies: How To EEC-V Your 400 In A 1981 F-Series. But we are writing it, albeit disjointedly, topic by topic. And when it is done I plan to consolidate it into a true How-To. Adam said he's intended to do it, but just hasn't found the time. I think something like that would be a huge help to people. Perhaps it could be done in sections, with one about the choice of PCM. And another about the choice of wiring harnesses. Then intake manifolds, intake plumbing, etc.

Bill - The hole is 3 3/4" in diameter. But John put a plate over it, so I can cut that down to take whatever right-angle grommets you can find.

Just had an excellent 40 minute conversation with Adam of Core Tuning. The bottom line is that he agrees with the plan. In other words, the PCM we've been talking about will work fine. The only issue is that it needs to be E4OD compliant. We can change essentially anything else, but can't or shouldn't change that. Their package is $629 (+tax) and that gets their version of Binary Editor, which supports all strategies from '96 up. Plus, it includes their Direct Flash cable, which connects to the computer's USB port and the PCM via the OBD-II port instead of the J3 port like some do. Their cable allows reading the PCM's code, writing to the PCM, data logging, and troubleshooting. In addition, the package includes one USB dongle, which you have to have connected to the PC you are using in order to validate that PC. Also I'll need their $80 A/D box that takes analog outputs, like from my AEM 30-4900 Wideband Failsafe Gauge and converts it to digital. The only downside is that this box is also USB, and with the Direct Flash cable and the dongle the PC needs to have three USB ports. Unfortunately this laptop only has two, but Adam told me about inexpensive laptops that have 3, so that should be simple. Then we talked about the application - Dad's truck. I explained about the Tim Meyer-built 400 and Adam said that we can turn off the crank trigger in the PCM so I won't have to add a crank wheel and pickup, and the PCM will use the info from the distributor. Apparently the crank signal was for mis-fire diagnostics and they aren't needed. Also, he volunteered that with this application he would use Trick Flow's R-Series intake. Bolts right onto the 400 using the Cleveland to M-block adaptors. Hmmmm, has he been listening to my call with Tim? Or reading this thread? (He said he hasn't been reading this thread, but I invited him and he may.) And, he said "Do not use the Edelbrock intake!" Apparently it won't flow enough and someone he knows had the flow go flat way too early in the RPM range. Last, we talked about the All-Ford Truck Show. He said he may come down for that next year. That would be great as I plan to have Dad's truck there with the engine and tranny in and the EFI system installed. So at least he could tell people about how it all works.

Jonathan - That doesn't look right. I'll see if I can put my spare parts together to compare. Bill - I save all the old harnesses as well. But, for the EFI project my guess is that the harnesses I have won't have the colors I need. Perhaps the huck's harness will, although probably not as it is EEC-IV and I'm using EEC-V.

Good points. I agree that people aren’t going to get notices of whiteboard updates. I’m sure that’s true as I’m subscribed to everything and don’t get notices of my own updates. But, people will get notices of new posts to a locked thread. Let’s give it a try and see what we think. We can change the rules as we go. 😉

Ray - Thanks for the links. I’ll follow up. Bill - If the offer to send the spreadsheets was to me, please do so. But, guys, I don’t know that I have the time to delve too deeply into the EEC nether regions. Running this forum has taken more time than I expected. Fortunately the change we made on the joining process has apparently helped as the Nabble support forum is getting hit several times a day with spam - and we aren’t. And then there’s the whole of the website, with adding to it as time permits and the need arises. On top of that, there’s Big Blue. I just walked down the driveway to the shop and I’m embarrassed by the oil drops he’s leaving. But, pulling that 460 to fix the leaks is a big job since so many jobs need to be done at the same time. So, I’m looking for the EEC-V For Dummies book.

3 AM? Ouch! But, well done! Bill - I’ll check the hole size later - working on my 2nd cup at the mo and catching up with the early risers.

I know you are pushing to get ready for your trip, so the how-to can wait. But it may help someone down the road. And if it had info about the vacuum differences so much the better.

David - Sorry for your loss. Travel safely. You are in my prayers.

Jonathan - You and I are thinking of slightly different purposes for this. I was thinking of having one post that serves as a simple whiteboard on which someone can keep track of his/her plans in one place, and probably on one page. My plan was to edit the single post as I learn things that change or add to the plan, but keep it succinct so the info is easily found. You are thinking of a project where someone can record his/her progress without the to and fro that happens in an open thread. A way to condense the mega-page threads that some people are infamous for () into a true document of a project. Both are good ideas and I’d like to accommodate them. Unfortunately the way the Nabble options are set up I don’t see a straightforward way to do that in the Projects folder where we heretofore have been allowing to and fro. But here are a couple of ways we can do it, at least for a test: Single Folder: The Projects folder is now set up to allow the author of a topic to lock it, meaning that no one, including himself, can reply to it but he can still edit his post. But, to reply to it an author could unlock the topic, reply, and then lock it again. And if the author is worried about someone else replying while it is unlocked s/he could prepare the reply elsewhere and paste it in quickly. Or, s/he could ask an administrator to remove a post that snuck in while the topic was unlocked. Another Folder: We could have a single folder for “whiteboarding” and for “documenting”. I can set a folder up so that only the author can reply to any topic s/he creates. That would serve both your purpose as well as mine. You can add replies without worry that someone will sneak in, and I can edit my one post to my heart’s content. So, what do you think? We can try either approach and change later if we want.

Just got another FB message or two from Allen at Core Tuning. Here’s the conversation. I’m confused and need to talk with them as I’m having a hard time understanding what an F250 PCM from the same year with the same engine and transmission is better. He hasn’t responded yet.

Dad's truck is an '81, but the cab was rusted badly. Ford didn't seal the transmission cover and it had been leaking since new. So the passenger's floor was gone. And the cab corners were gone. But, I had the cab from Brownie, the '82, and it was in good shape. So, we used it. And it originally had an early EEC system with feedback carb and maybe even TFI, although I'm not sure. But it must have had some computer-controlled dizzy as by the time I got it the carb had been literally thrown away and a points-type dizzy installed. But the EEC was still under the driver's seat.

Hmmmm, Ray's pic shows the tranny code of "E", which he said is for the E4OD and that's what I'm finding online as well. And this post on FSB says "1996 5.0L E4OD ML1-442 TAD4 F6TF-12A650-JE".

Ray - I missed your email before the last post, but have now responded. So, I'll just need the driveline harness, which should connect to both the transmission and transfer case. Cool! Bill - Looks like I'll have my own EEC-V computer. May talk to you about a spare, but need to talk to Core Tuning to understand the issues, advantages, etc of using this one vs the F250 one.

Bingo! According to this fancy VIN decoder, "T" in the 10th digit means 1996. The only issue is that the 5 - 7th digits say F15 and that is a 2wd. But, you did say it was an E4OD - right? Perhaps I just need to run another wire for the driveline harness to bring in the transfer case connection? Ray - I don't want you to go to the trouble of teasing out all of those other wires - even if you did write the directions. I'm not worried about the little bit of shipping costs. But, what do you want for the harness and computer? And, what else of that truck do you have, like upper and lower intakes, sensors, fuel rail, etc?

Dave - Got it. Thanks for the explanation. And, by the way, those "silver dots" sure look uniform. Jim - You are one busy guy. That F450 is going to a whole bunch of good homes. As for what I did to my "huck", I removed the driver's door. Had forgotten how heavy a full-loaded door, with glass and power window/lock mechanisms, is. Or, maybe I'm getting old? Also pulled the 'puter and its mounting bracket out of the truck, along with the parking brake mechanism. Bit by bit....... Then, I actually did a bit of test-fitting on Dad's truck. Looks like there's an absolutely perfect spot for the 'puter under the seat base that'll hold the Bronco buckets. Right next to the hole in the floor where the original computer wires came through.

From the instructions: