Rethinking The 3G Conversion Pages/Process

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yes, I'd forgotten about that. But given the problems he's had I don't know that he's getting much profit from it.

R&D is never free in the real world. 💡

If someone doesn't have a business plan and hobbles themselves with inadequate equipment it doesn't mean a product can't be profitable.

There's a reason Shapeways charges what they do.

It's better process, better equipment, better material, all the overhead of a shop and staff to fettle them and package for shipment.

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

R&D is never free in the real world. 💡

If someone doesn't have a business plan and hobbles themselves with inadequate equipment it doesn't mean a product can't be profitable.

There's a reason Shapeways charges what they do.

It's better process, better equipment, better material, all the overhead of a shop and staff to fettle them and package for shipment.

Hasn't Deren bought a bunch of switch bezels from the Blue Truck guy there in the PNW?

Isn't he a member here answering questions about some of his offerings?

Maybe you should tag him about the possibility of creating a plug n play 610 to 3G harness?

[grumpin]

It would be great if someone would make them. I designed the adapter that Tim Meyer is selling to put a ZF5 behind the M-block and am happy he's doing that. And I'd be thrilled if someone started making a 3G harness for the Bullnose trucks. I don't need nor want any recognition from it.

But I need to make a proof-of-concept first. Hopefully I can get the two projects I'm doing on Big Blue at present, the new seats and relays for the HVAC blower, done soon and turn to this.

However, I'm drawing a blank on the Blue Truck guy. Can someone remind me who that is?

I can't remember his user name, dang it!

He is Blue Truck Parts on eBay.

 

[dirtymac]

That's why I was talking about options. If the C610 harness is good, then you could... But if it isn't then...

I think I have a harness that is good and much prefer soldering on the bench than in the truck, so would go that way. But if the reader's harness isn't good then they'll have to do it another way.

Jeff said he loves "plug’n play upgrades", and I think he is probably typical of truck owners. So if we can get it down to just unplugging the C610 harness and plugging in a replacement then I think a whole lot of people will want to do it.

I'm liking the idea of dealing with this in the engine bay versus in the dash. My harness is not great, but if I could source or make my own replacement harness, I would probably opt for that. The dash is a very tight space and on an older truck that's just asking for things to brake, the less I open the dash, the better.

Another observation I've made is that the wiring going into my cab around the brake booster doesn't look that bad. The further you get from there the worse things get, especially anything going over or around to the battery side. I don't know how many folks are in the same position. I can certainly see myself splicing new wires from the booster area to the starter relay well before I took the dash apart for the nth time.

[dirtymac]

Hasn't Deren bought a bunch of switch bezels from the Blue Truck guy there in the PNW?

Isn't he a member here answering questions about some of his offerings?

Maybe you should tag him about the possibility of creating a plug n play 610 to 3G harness?

I bought his gear shift cable and have been very happy with it. I've already had to disconnect it 4-5 times and it goes back just right each time. I did have some issues with the included 3-D printed clip but it worked well enough with my one original clip that I've made no complaints.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I'm liking the idea of dealing with this in the engine bay versus in the dash. My harness is not great, but if I could source or make my own replacement harness, I would probably opt for that. The dash is a very tight space and on an older truck that's just asking for things to brake, the less I open the dash, the better.

Another observation I've made is that the wiring going into my cab around the brake booster doesn't look that bad. The further you get from there the worse things get, especially anything going over or around to the battery side. I don't know how many folks are in the same position. I can certainly see myself splicing new wires from the booster area to the starter relay well before I took the dash apart for the nth time.

Perhaps it was you that I tried to help by pointing out C-610 on the EVTM diagram.

It would be great if I could locate the right connector (for 610) in the Motorcraft pigtail catalog.

Then it would just be a matter of figuring out the correct lengths to reach the fender relay stud for Y 37 and the 3G for the LG/R exciter* wire. (Damned autocorrect)

Unfortunately my truck never came with a plug like that, because it never came with an ammeter.

Gary???? 😉

[Gary Lewis]

Perhaps it was you that I tried to help by pointing out C-610 on the EVTM diagram.

It would be great if I could locate the right connector (for 610) in the Motorcraft pigtail catalog.

Then it would just be a matter of figuring out the correct lengths to reach the fender relay stud for Y 37 and the 3G for the LG/R exciter* wire. (Damned autocorrect)

Unfortunately my truck never came with a plug like that, because it never came with an ammeter.

Gary???? 😉

His screen name is thisoldpart and I've sent him an email asking if he'd join us in this discussion. And I'm going to tag him in this post to give him a link right here so he doesn't have to read everything.

But what we are looking for is someone to make up a replacement cable to plug into the C610 spot and connect to a 3G alternator. That would make converting to a 3G much easier and require the user to only source: a charge cable; a megafuse holder & fuse; a voltmeter converted from a Bullnose ammeter by Rocketman. In fact, whomever makes the cable could sell the other bits as well.

We should note that this only works on the trucks which actually have gauges, which was an option on Broncos up through 84 and on pickups through 85, and became standard thereafter. But that's a whole bunch of trucks. (We haven't addressed the trucks w/o gauges, but it looks like going to a 3G on one of those would be easy.)

If we can find someone willing to do this, and if we can find a source for the C610 connector, then I'm willing to make a prototype, although it may be made out of an existing harness for simplicity.

And I'll try to get a closeup of the connector later today and see if I can find it in the pigtails catalog.

[ArdWrknTrk]

His screen name is thisoldpart and I've sent him an email asking if he'd join us in this discussion. And I'm going to tag him in this post to give him a link right here so he doesn't have to read everything.

But what we are looking for is someone to make up a replacement cable to plug into the C610 spot and connect to a 3G alternator. That would make converting to a 3G much easier and require the user to only source: a charge cable; a megafuse holder & fuse; a voltmeter converted from a Bullnose ammeter by Rocketman. In fact, whomever makes the cable could sell the other bits as well.

We should note that this only works on the trucks which actually have gauges, which was an option on Broncos up through 84 and on pickups through 85, and became standard thereafter. But that's a whole bunch of trucks. (We haven't addressed the trucks w/o gauges, but it looks like going to a 3G on one of those would be easy.)

If we can find someone willing to do this, and if we can find a source for the C610 connector, then I'm willing to make a prototype, although it may be made out of an existing harness for simplicity.

And I'll try to get a closeup of the connector later today and see if I can find it in the pigtails catalog.

Look at pgs 20-23 of the 2016 catalog for 4 cavity connectors.

The later 2020 catalog does not include many of the older ones

[ArdWrknTrk]

His screen name is thisoldpart and I've sent him an email asking if he'd join us in this discussion. And I'm going to tag him in this post to give him a link right here so he doesn't have to read everything.

But what we are looking for is someone to make up a replacement cable to plug into the C610 spot and connect to a 3G alternator. That would make converting to a 3G much easier and require the user to only source: a charge cable; a megafuse holder & fuse; a voltmeter converted from a Bullnose ammeter by Rocketman. In fact, whomever makes the cable could sell the other bits as well.

We should note that this only works on the trucks which actually have gauges, which was an option on Broncos up through 84 and on pickups through 85, and became standard thereafter. But that's a whole bunch of trucks. (We haven't addressed the trucks w/o gauges, but it looks like going to a 3G on one of those would be easy.)

If we can find someone willing to do this, and if we can find a source for the C610 connector, then I'm willing to make a prototype, although it may be made out of an existing harness for simplicity.

And I'll try to get a closeup of the connector later today and see if I can find it in the pigtails catalog.

Having a spare ammeter sitting with RCCI (like Cory said he did) would make it so members could do this all at once, rather than shipping the instrument out and waiting for it's return.

[Gary Lewis]

Look at pgs 20-23 of the 2016 catalog for 4 cavity connectors.

The later 2020 catalog does not include many of the older ones

Thanks, Jim. I was using the 2015 catalog (we have both the 2015 and 2016 on the page at Documentation/Electrical/Connectors), but it looks to have the same options, just starting on a different page. I'll look to see if I have a harness and get a good pic of the connector when I go out to the shop in a bit.

As for the ammeter, whomever builds the cable could have a deal with Rocketman. But I actually sent him a spare years ago, although he won't remember it. Still, I'm sure something could be worked out.