Big Blue's Transformation

[85lebaront2]

Thanks, Bill. That helps.

So the '96 PDB will have the PCM and fuel pump relays.

But I'm confused about what relays I have on the firewall right now. I've been saying there is a "trailer relay" but from my run through the '85 EVTM just now I don't see one. Instead the brake, turn signal, and backup lights run off of the same wiring that the truck's lights do. And the only relay I find associated with "trailer" is the aux battery relay that ensures when the engine is off a trailer or camper can only drain the aux battery.

Tomorrow maybe I can figure this out, unless one of y'all know what I'm missing.

Gary, I have a complete 1995 front harness that I used when I first did the EFI conversion, it is wired for a MAP sensor, but has the PDC with all the correct relays in it. However, since you do not have the factory location for the EEC in the left kick panel area, you might want to see if you can use the 1985/86 EFI 5.0L location and the EEC power relay mounts next to it. The issue is, those relay sockets were specific to the Ford proprietary relays, I would recommend using the Bosch relays, but I do have a pair of EEC and Fuel Pump sockets from a 1991 harness if you want them, no relays, they were toast. You will still have to get an EEC-V 104 pin plug to replace the 60 pin EEC-IV one on the harness. I don't think the O2 sensor portion is there, I had the O2 sensor wires in the transmission harness for that one as that was how Ford ran them (they are still there, just with blanking plugs where the O2 sensor and speed sensor used to go.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, I have a complete 1995 front harness that I used when I first did the EFI conversion, it is wired for a MAP sensor, but has the PDC with all the correct relays in it. However, since you do not have the factory location for the EEC in the left kick panel area, you might want to see if you can use the 1985/86 EFI 5.0L location and the EEC power relay mounts next to it. The issue is, those relay sockets were specific to the Ford proprietary relays, I would recommend using the Bosch relays, but I do have a pair of EEC and Fuel Pump sockets from a 1991 harness if you want them, no relays, they were toast. You will still have to get an EEC-V 104 pin plug to replace the 60 pin EEC-IV one on the harness. I don't think the O2 sensor portion is there, I had the O2 sensor wires in the transmission harness for that one as that was how Ford ran them (they are still there, just with blanking plugs where the O2 sensor and speed sensor used to go.

Bill - Thanks, a bunch. But I think I have everything needed to put the '96 harness in save for where to put the EEC. And while I do have the connector for the EEC, its wires are cut. So obviously I will have to do some splicing. Given that, I could put it under the dash. Or, I could put it under the seat.

Is there an unused hole in the firewall? If so I could put it where the center speaker would have gone. Just have to remove the dash pad to get to it, but that's not to difficult. How hard is it to get to yours?

Or, where did it go for the 85/86 5.0L EFI? Maybe the same bracket would work?

Would be nice if it could go under the hood, but as you've seen it is FULL!

[Gary Lewis]

Bill - Thanks, a bunch. But I think I have everything needed to put the '96 harness in save for where to put the EEC. And while I do have the connector for the EEC, its wires are cut. So obviously I will have to do some splicing. Given that, I could put it under the dash. Or, I could put it under the seat.

Is there an unused hole in the firewall? If so I could put it where the center speaker would have gone. Just have to remove the dash pad to get to it, but that's not to difficult. How hard is it to get to yours?

Or, where did it go for the 85/86 5.0L EFI? Maybe the same bracket would work?

Would be nice if it could go under the hood, but as you've seen it is FULL!

The nutsert tool came in today, on Sunday, 20 hours after ordering it. Amazing.

Anyway, I tried it out on a piece of "floor" from when I cut the floor out of Dad's truck. That tool sure makes it EASY!

Here's a table I made after measuring the nutserts that came with the tool, although other brand nutserts could vary. In the table I chose a drill bit slightly undersized to ensure the hole won't be too big. Then I tried installing a 1/4-20 nutsert. Sure enough it wouldn't go into a hole drilled with an 11/32" bit, but it did go, albeit tightly, into that hole after I angled the bit slightly and swirled it around.

And here's the result:

[85lebaront2]

Bill - Thanks, a bunch. But I think I have everything needed to put the '96 harness in save for where to put the EEC. And while I do have the connector for the EEC, its wires are cut. So obviously I will have to do some splicing. Given that, I could put it under the dash. Or, I could put it under the seat.

Is there an unused hole in the firewall? If so I could put it where the center speaker would have gone. Just have to remove the dash pad to get to it, but that's not to difficult. How hard is it to get to yours?

Or, where did it go for the 85/86 5.0L EFI? Maybe the same bracket would work?

Would be nice if it could go under the hood, but as you've seen it is FULL!

First, Ford engine computers of that era are not weatherproof, they are mounted inside the body either with an inside plug or just the connector sticking through the firewall. The 1985/86 EFI computer is mounted on the inside of the cab to the right of the steering column near the firewall. Page 65 in the 1986 EVTM shows roughly where it sits. There is (or should be) an oval rubber plug in the firewall near the back of the left valve cover, that is where the harness went through on the 1985/86 EFI trucks, 1987 up it resides in the area of the left airbox. If you have room between the parking brake pedal and the inner cowl, you can get the EEC rack from a later truck and put it there, this also puts the TFI module close to it where it was moved to away from engine heat.

Here are some pictures of what I did on Darth:

First, inside the cab, EEC, front harness plug and rear harness plug holes in a back plate from a Kenmore washing machine.

Second, the area adjacent so you can also see how I did the steering column.

Third, front side, the hex heads are self tapping screws I installed with my DeWalt cordless drill/driver. Note the two small "clips" flanking the EEC opening. Those keep the "rack" in place when the cover is removed.

Fourth a view looking down at the two harness plugs and the empty EEC rack.

[Gary Lewis]

First, Ford engine computers of that era are not weatherproof, they are mounted inside the body either with an inside plug or just the connector sticking through the firewall. The 1985/86 EFI computer is mounted on the inside of the cab to the right of the steering column near the firewall. Page 65 in the 1986 EVTM shows roughly where it sits. There is (or should be) an oval rubber plug in the firewall near the back of the left valve cover, that is where the harness went through on the 1985/86 EFI trucks, 1987 up it resides in the area of the left airbox. If you have room between the parking brake pedal and the inner cowl, you can get the EEC rack from a later truck and put it there, this also puts the TFI module close to it where it was moved to away from engine heat.

Here are some pictures of what I did on Darth:

First, inside the cab, EEC, front harness plug and rear harness plug holes in a back plate from a Kenmore washing machine.

Second, the area adjacent so you can also see how I did the steering column.

Third, front side, the hex heads are self tapping screws I installed with my DeWalt cordless drill/driver. Note the two small "clips" flanking the EEC opening. Those keep the "rack" in place when the cover is removed.

Fourth a view looking down at the two harness plugs and the empty EEC rack.

Bill - I don't want to do the surgery to get the ECU beside the e-brake pedal. That looks like WORK! (I'm seeing Maynard G. Krebs.) Instead I think I'll look into placing it where it would have gone in '85 or '86 - especially if the hole is there.

Here's what's on Page 65 in the '86 EVTM. Not sure I understand exactly where that is, though. Looks like it is up against the firewall?

[kramttocs]

Bill - I don't want to do the surgery to get the ECU beside the e-brake pedal. That looks like WORK! (I'm seeing Maynard G. Krebs.) Instead I think I'll look into placing it where it would have gone in '85 or '86 - especially if the hole is there.

Here's what's on Page 65 in the '86 EVTM. Not sure I understand exactly where that is, though. Looks like it is up against the firewall?

If I recall correctly it saddles up with the speed control amplifier.

[Gary Lewis]

If I recall correctly it saddles up with the speed control amplifier.

Interesting. There is room just in front, meaning between the speed control amp and the firewall. So I need to look for that hole in the firewall. Tomorrow!

[kramttocs]

Interesting. There is room just in front, meaning between the speed control amp and the firewall. So I need to look for that hole in the firewall. Tomorrow!

You should have a blank plug there although a PO may have poked holes in it for add on wiring (very common).

I referenced this grommet here but now realized I don't think I threw it in the last package

Once cleaned out, they work great for getting wiring to either fender. Have to lean way over the engine but there are places to clamp them out of the way (spent a lot of time doing this the past couple of days).

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Big-Blue-s-Transformation-tp28014p81778.html

[Gary Lewis]

You should have a blank plug there although a PO may have poked holes in it for add on wiring (very common).

I referenced this grommet here but now realized I don't think I threw it in the last package

Once cleaned out, they work great for getting wiring to either fender. Have to lean way over the engine but there are places to clamp them out of the way (spent a lot of time doing this the past couple of days).

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Big-Blue-s-Transformation-tp28014p81778.html

I suspect that is where the wiring and tubes for the aftermarket gauges go. I'll look tomorrow, but I'm pretty sure that is where they go.

And there is plenty of time to get the grommet. Who knows, we may bring the speed control tester back - after we get our 2nd round of the vaccine. (But we'd still socially distance from you.) Anyway, I don't plan to do the EFI until next winter.

[85lebaront2]

Bill - I don't want to do the surgery to get the ECU beside the e-brake pedal. That looks like WORK! (I'm seeing Maynard G. Krebs.) Instead I think I'll look into placing it where it would have gone in '85 or '86 - especially if the hole is there.

Here's what's on Page 65 in the '86 EVTM. Not sure I understand exactly where that is, though. Looks like it is up against the firewall?

The dotted oval would be where the hole and rubber plug on the dash would be. You need to find the EEC mount from a 1985/86 5.0L EFI truck and maybe enough of the through the dash harness you can pull it out of the rubber and put your wiring through it. I did Darth the way I did for several reasons, the existing dash was full of cracks, I was originally going to use the 1990 dash, but when I found the later dash, I liked that style even better and once I went to the 1995/6 design I had to adapt the parking brake and column support which made room for the EEC. The 1990 is half into the left airbox and unless it was put there the 1990 parking brake wouldn't fit. I didn't want to run the harness like the 5.0L and have it close to the EGR tube, so that ruled out putting it there.