Gary Lewis

You have it figured out correctly. And the 30A fuse is correct as you fuse for the ampacity of the wire and #10 can carry 30 amps for 10' with only about a 2% drop in voltage. EDIT: Bill beat me, but just barely.

I agree! Well done, Dave! Both for the work as well as the writeup.

That's a good question, but I think in 85 they still had an eccentric on all the engines. Or at least a place for the pump on the block as the eccentric can be added. Haystack - You have to decide up front if you want to go with the EFI-style tanks and fuel delivery modules as the FDMs have a tab that goes into a slot in the tank, and it is in a different place on the EFI tanks. But if you do you can still run a carb. I ran the FDMs with two fuel pressure regulators. First I had a return-style regulator, but by itself the pressure was bouncing all over the place and I worried that the carb couldn't handle that. So I added a dead-head style regulator and that smoothed the pressure out nicely. And I also had to install a MeterMatch to convert the sending unit range to something that works with the Bullnose gauges. But now I have a system that is tried and true, AND is available off the shelf at many parts stores.

Yes, you are on the right track. Transmission: Don't forget that the E4OD is about the length of an aircraft carrier and you'll need new front and rear driveshafts as well as a new crossmember. But the 4R70 is the same length of the C6 and AOD. And speaking of the AOD, my preference would be to go with an upgraded 4R70 if you are going EEC-V since you then have the ability to change the shift and lock/unlock points via programming in the ECU. As for the gear ratios, go to the page at Documentation/Driveline/Calculators and you'll see that spreadsheet is loaded with the gear ratios of all of the transmissions but the 4R70. And you can load them into the Other column where the numbers are blue. Then you can compare RPMs with each of the transmissions at any MPH or RPM. Programming: Speaking of that, how au fait are you with computers? I ask because you may want to do your own "programming" since otherwise you'll have to be shipping computers back and forth to Bill to get simple little things changed. And that will cost both money and time. To do it you'll need a Windows laptop with at least two, and preferably three, USB ports. And you'll have to buy both Binary Editor and the Mongoose cable. But once you have that Bill and/or I can walk you through how to use it. That would allow you to tweak the tune to fit your needs, like shift points and lock/unlock points. But you'd still probably want Bill to set the ECU up initially. As for the VIN, having the ECU tell someone the correct VIN might save a lot of explanation at some point in time. Otherwise the ECU will give the VIN of a different vehicle, which might raise a lot of questions. EEC-V: You can use the same air filter, add the MAF, and then use stock EEC-V tubing to the throttle body - assuming you put the air filter in the stock location. But I don't know for sure if your EGR-faking box will be needed, or even work, with EEC-V. However you can turn that off in the setup. But there is going to be a fair amount of rewiring. You'll have to add the wires to the MAF. And you'll have to add the OBD-II port. Plus the conversion to the 104-pin connector, and the pins are much smaller so you'll have to change them out or have an adaptor. But you did what you have now and it works, so you can do it.

So they are now requiring another token. No big deal, but good to know.

Please email him directly at midtec2005@hotmail.com. That's the email he used to join here, so hopefully it'll work.

I also heard the same thing but about a week later it was posted they were hanging in there and will for as long as they could. I was vary happy with my Blue Top box and would go with them again if I needed a box. Dave ---- Dave - How about writing a review of them? Blue Top Steering Gears

Sounds like good progress! Looks like 3 out of 4 of the things you attempted worked out well. On the delay module problem you should look at the page at Documentation/Electrical/Windshield Wipers. Then go to the Troubleshooting tab followed by the Delay Module Fix tab. As for the gauges you could use the procedures shown below from the FUEL TANK SELECTOR & GAUGES (GAS) page of the '85 EVTM. Just replace the sending unit with the appropriate resistor. However, the gauges can pull .2A to reach full scale. And since wattage is I*I*R you are looking at about .4W of heat on the 10 ohm resistor. So a standard 1/4 watt resistor is going to get very hot and may burn up if you keep the current on it for very long.

Strange, I put my VIN in w/o another token. It is cool! The thing says it is a '96 F250 w/a 460 but it gives an '85 VIN.

What is there to say about Blue Top Steering Gears?

Yes, John, it is good news that they are still out there. We need the competition for Redhead, and given the service others have gotten they may be the better of the two. Which is one reason I wanted to buy from them. They say they are going slowly but hanging in there. But they don't have any of our boxes on the shelf and are waiting on cores. So I sent them my spare box today and primed the pump.

Welcome back, Kotter! Glad you are doing so well. For the rest of y'all, I was just picking up the phone to check on John when he posted this. So I called him and we had a good chat - about pickups, and Mustangs, and doing things w/o getting caught.

I don't believe it is necessary to change, or "flash", the ECU if you start with the right one - and if you have all the bits it is expecting. You effectively have a 351 so if you found an ECU for a 351W/E4OD combo that would work. However, it is going to expect you to have all the emissions equipment, like EGR and vapor recovery. So if you don't have that then you will have to reprogram the ECU. I don't have EGR or the vapor recovery so I had to reprogram an ECU. And I'll do that for Dad's truck also. Plus Steve/Foxford33 will have me do one for his Wagoneer. Bill - Could you flash one for Rene? Is that ok with Core Tuning? You'd obviously have to buy a token, but...

Heard back from Blue Top at 8:02 this morning regarding my questions on ordering. (Boy, they are RESPONSIVE!) The reason the dropdown on the core charge has only the one option is that they want you to know what the cost will be if you don't return one. And the reason I can't put one in my cart is that they aren't available at the moment, but they hope to have them Wednesday - if they get some cores in. So since I have a spare core I'm shipping it off to them today. But as I pulled the pitman arm I realized that my SiL (TJ/tjmac) and I'll need the 1 5/16" socket and puller, so I've started a to-take tote for tools as he has a new Blue Top to install. (We are headed to their place in December and he and I'll do some work on his 83.) And I also looked at the tag on this box. As you can see it says SPA DC. Oddly enough the MPC says that is for a 1980, but I've never had an '80 in the shop nor parted one out. I'm reasonably sure that one came off of Dad's truck and I am pretty sure it was original to the truck, so there's another issue with the MPC. It isn't perfect.

Yes, it is certainly possible to go to EEC-V w/o changing out the heads. And you could change the heads later if you thought you needed to do so. But there are other things beyond the MAF sensor that need to be added and the injector wiring. As Bill said, the IV has 60 pins in the connector and the V has 104. So the connector and pins have to be changed. However, you said your setup will take EEC-V so maybe there's a conversion interface? And back to the discussion about the desire and economic feasibility for a better transmission, I do understand. Been there, did that, and got the tee shirt. But I just wanted to make sure that you've thought through it. I really like the ZF5 and am glad I did it. Driving Big Blue as I do it sure is nice to get the RPM down to 1900 or so on the highway. It make for a much quieter and relaxed drive. Plus I am getting better MPG than I did with the other tranny.

First, I'm pretty sure a 4R70 also requires electronic control. So you'd be required to find another ECU or convert to EEC-V. Second, while I spent the money and changed to a ZF5 in Big Blue and an E4OD in Dad's truck, I'm not sure I'll ever save enough money to make it worthwhile. However I realize that your price of fuel is far higher than ours, but so is the price of a new transmission. Still, the quieter operation by reducing engine RPM is worth something. So the finances aren't the only consideration. As for the aluminum heads, MAF, and EEC-V, if you are going to do that then I'd do that before doing the transmission. That way you could go for a 4R70 or an E4OD instead of the AOD. But again, I seriously doubt any of this will pay out via fuel savings in any reasonable timeframe.

If the goal is to have a warm cabin before you start the truck then one or even two block heaters won't do that, even with a rear heater. That's because a block heater won't get the coolant up to something like 180 degrees, nor will it circulate the coolant. As for the E-Series rear seat heater, it isn't an electric seat heater but a heater core like the front one through which coolant is circulated. As shown below.

Well, we have a match and it isn't what you wanted. That ECU works with a C6, not an E4OD. In fact, since the C6 doesn't require electronic controls I'd bet yours doesn't have that capability as Ford left things that weren't needed out to save money. Here are the two calibration parts lists that used it:

Wow! That's quite a project. I don't have time to fully comprehend it right now as I'm headed off to church. But I don't have several questions: What is the overall goal? Have a warm engine when you are ready to go? Have a warm interior then? Or have more heating capacity for the rear of the Bronco? Have you thought about the fact that the HVAC system's doors won't move to the proper position w/o the engine running? They take vacuum and w/o vacuum the air defaults to the defrost position. Have you considered a block heater? With one or more of these you can have the engine quite warm when you are ready to go somewhere and heat from the HVAC system will come on quickly. Also, have you considered a rear seat heater? The E-Series vans had those as an option and you'd have a lot more heat in the cabin.

Thanks, Cory. Yes, I remember that. And thought about a Redhead, one of which I have in Dad's truck. But I'd really like my money to go to Blue Top to keep them in business if possible, so have started the order process with them. By "started" I mean I ticked the boxes but then came to one about core charge and on it you can pick "Select core charge" or "Core charge $150". That didn't make any sense to me as there's no option to the option, so I emailed them. On Friday I'd emailed them and got responses w/in 5 minutes of each question, but this was on Saturday and they were obviously out and didn't answer. So I'll wait until tomorrow and am sure I'll get a response. But not to worry 'cause the boxes won't be in stock until Wednesday. As for the lower shaft, I already have a Borgeson in there, courtesy of the previous owner. But I am also ordering the lower steering column bearing as mine is a bit loose and I want to fix everything while in there. And that created another problem with ordering. I've put the bearing in my cart but see no way to put the box in my cart. So I can't figure out how to check out ordering both things at the same time. Tomorrow!

I hope you marked where the screw was initially because, in my experience, you'll want to put it back. When I've tightened that screw up at all, and I mean "at all", it has taken both the slack and the feel out. And you have to pay attention at all times because the truck won't come back to center on its own. And that's with only a teeny bit of tightening. But a full 1/2 turn may cause a bind. From what I've read you can actually break the box if you go too tight. Be careful!

It is a bummer that you can't take Paxlovid. It really really worked magic for me. Hope you get over this quickly, but I still have a bit of a cough a week after getting "well", and my chest is still tight at times. On the truck, hopefully the pickup will be the last problem.

I'm not sure "What the truck said" means. Did you mean to say that the previous owner said that he'd replaced the master cylinder? If so, then either the "new" one was dry in the rear chamber or defective. Did you check that it had fluid?

I don't think you've missed anything, but I'll tag Keith to see what he has to say.

I think Bill said that GM came out with a TSB that some vehicles needed to have a larger wire put in for what they'd installed in the factory. Maybe he will comment?