Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

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.

Makes sense. But I'm not running EGR, so there's no hot tube.

I'll need to find that bracket, for sure.

[salans7]

Makes sense. But I'm not running EGR, so there's no hot tube.

I'll need to find that bracket, for sure.

I had one from my 86 parts truck but I think I threw it out because I didn't think anybody would want/need it. I'll check my scrap pile tomorrow in case it might still be in there but I doubt it.

It bolts to the dash frame between the radio opening and the instrument cluster.

Here's a listing with one in the picture.

Computer bracket

[Gary Lewis]

I had one from my 86 parts truck but I think I threw it out because I didn't think anybody would want/need it. I'll check my scrap pile tomorrow in case it might still be in there but I doubt it.

It bolts to the dash frame between the radio opening and the instrument cluster.

Here's a listing with one in the picture.

Computer bracket

Thanks, Shaun. Now I know what I'm looking for.

[85lebaront2]

Thanks, Shaun. Now I know what I'm looking for.

Once you find one, hopefully in a junkyard with the EEC still in it and enough of the harness to have the grommet, you can see about running your EFI harness through it. You have a fuel pump relay on your firewall, and the mystery one is probably the tank selector relay. I would consider changing the two on the firewall to more readily available Bosch relays in an enclosed socket (covered) or relocating them to the PDC. The inside EEC mount also has a place for a PCM power relay, I would change that socket for a normal Bosch and use one of the fog/headlight relays with a mounting tab. The other option would be to have a socket that can be mounted to the EEC bracket so a regular "cube" relay can be used.

[Gary Lewis]

Once you find one, hopefully in a junkyard with the EEC still in it and enough of the harness to have the grommet, you can see about running your EFI harness through it. You have a fuel pump relay on your firewall, and the mystery one is probably the tank selector relay. I would consider changing the two on the firewall to more readily available Bosch relays in an enclosed socket (covered) or relocating them to the PDC. The inside EEC mount also has a place for a PCM power relay, I would change that socket for a normal Bosch and use one of the fog/headlight relays with a mounting tab. The other option would be to have a socket that can be mounted to the EEC bracket so a regular "cube" relay can be used.

With Scott's help I think we've figured out that I have the fuel pump, tank selector, and trailer lights relays on the firewall. And I do have two 4-relay Ford boxes that I could use, maybe one on the side of the air box bracket? I'll just have to wait until I get closer to doing it to lay it all out and figure out where things can go, physically.

But I think I want the ECU's power relay to be in the PDB. That's 'cause many of the engine functions need power from it, so it would be easier to have it in the PDB and then send power into the cab rather than have it in the cab and send power back out.

[Gary Lewis]

With Scott's help I think we've figured out that I have the fuel pump, tank selector, and trailer lights relays on the firewall. And I do have two 4-relay Ford boxes that I could use, maybe one on the side of the air box bracket? I'll just have to wait until I get closer to doing it to lay it all out and figure out where things can go, physically.

But I think I want the ECU's power relay to be in the PDB. That's 'cause many of the engine functions need power from it, so it would be easier to have it in the PDB and then send power into the cab rather than have it in the cab and send power back out.

When you are intending to drain the swamp it is so easy to get side tracked by the alligators!

I was planning on seeing if there's enough slack in the big yellow wire coming across the radiator support from the other PDB, but to do that I needed to pull the main battery and tray out. And in doing so I found that the dummy that put the later model tray in slipped a nut inside the fender to hold the top of the support arm. After a lot of work figuring out where to put what wrench to hold the nut I finally got it off. Given that I decided to put an 8mm nutsert in there.

Let me say that in spite of my previous problems with nutserts, I'm in love with this tool! My guess is that I didn't properly "set" the ones I installed earlier. But with this tool it is easy to tell - you just keep tightening and pulling until the movement stops - and then I give it just a bit more. And the results are quick and solid.

After installing the one for the main battery box I installed 8mm nutserts for the EFI air box, so it is ready to go. Then I made two of the spacers to hold the air box properly on the fender. The third one will have to wait until I know if I'm going to need the plate to mount the battery isolator. But it looks like there's enough slack to mount it where I want it, I just have to take apart the run across the radiator support.

And, along the way I took this pic. Looks like the hole is already in use, so I'll have to do some re-routing:

[85lebaront2]

When you are intending to drain the swamp it is so easy to get side tracked by the alligators!

I was planning on seeing if there's enough slack in the big yellow wire coming across the radiator support from the other PDB, but to do that I needed to pull the main battery and tray out. And in doing so I found that the dummy that put the later model tray in slipped a nut inside the fender to hold the top of the support arm. After a lot of work figuring out where to put what wrench to hold the nut I finally got it off. Given that I decided to put an 8mm nutsert in there.

Let me say that in spite of my previous problems with nutserts, I'm in love with this tool! My guess is that I didn't properly "set" the ones I installed earlier. But with this tool it is easy to tell - you just keep tightening and pulling until the movement stops - and then I give it just a bit more. And the results are quick and solid.

After installing the one for the main battery box I installed 8mm nutserts for the EFI air box, so it is ready to go. Then I made two of the spacers to hold the air box properly on the fender. The third one will have to wait until I know if I'm going to need the plate to mount the battery isolator. But it looks like there's enough slack to mount it where I want it, I just have to take apart the run across the radiator support.

And, along the way I took this pic. Looks like the hole is already in use, so I'll have to do some re-routing:

Now you see what I meant about the location of the grommet in relation to the 460?

Now back to our regularly scheduled program

Gary asked me to post some pictures of the 2 and 4 socket relay boxes I have. Either of these can be mounted behind the truck PDC as they have two screw holes for small horizontal screws, the 4 socket one also has two vertical holes for a different mounting location (back of the air filter bracket?)

Each has two plugs, a gray one with 4 wires, one large orange one, one small black/light green one, one small purple/orange one and one small black/pink wire. The black plug has only 3 wires, one large yellow wire, one large yellow with red hash wire and one small black wire. The affiliated circuits from the trailer tow diagram are:

Yellow w red hash, 37 from fuse 16, 30 amp maxi fuse

Yellow, 37 from Fuse 4, 25 amp fuse

Purple/orange, 298 from fuse 5

Orange, 49 to trailer battery charge

Black, 57 to ground

Black/light green, 963 to trailer backup lights

Black/pink, 140 from backup light circuit

The black connector is C105, the gray is C112. On the diagrams C105 is detailed, but C112 only has one of it's four connections noted.

On the two relay box, the wiring harness has F4TB-14A346-AC on a label, the four relay seems to have had one that is missing.

Plugs on end of harness.

Inside of the box, still had 2 relays in it!

This also seems to be a modular unit with a two relay block, one short tab and one long tab.

The four relay box is wired the same way, but only uses slots 1 and 2 with 3 and 4 being empty and no wires.

With the red interlock plate removed you can see the inside and the terminals. If you look between the two sockets there is a small black "hook" there is another one between sockets 3 and 4. these hold the red plate on and can be released with a small pick while carefully lifting the red portion one end at a time.

On the unpopulated end you can see the small tabs that retain the terminals. They are the strip visible from the bottom of the slots. To remove a terminal, this has to be carefully pried over just far enough for the terminal to slide out while being careful not to break it.

Top red cover, the slot between the two relay areas is where the hook retains the top. On the top view following you will see the opening to insert a small pick to release the top. If you break these it isn't as critical as breaking one of the terminal retainer tabs, the top won't come off as long as there are relays plugged in.

[Machspeed]

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n86593/Nutsert_Drill_Sizes.jpg

Am I reading that right in that you drilled the hole .004 to .006" smaller than the O.D. of the Nutsert? I don't know how you got the nutsert in the hole without beating on it. I drilled as close to the O.D. of the Nutsert as possible but never under.

[ArdWrknTrk]

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n86593/Nutsert_Drill_Sizes.jpg

Am I reading that right in that you drilled the hole .004 to .006" smaller than the O.D. of the Nutsert? I don't know how you got the nutsert in the hole without beating on it. I drilled as close to the O.D. of the Nutsert as possible but never under.

Gary said (above) he used an undersized bit and wobbled it around until the insert fit through.

Of course this doesn't leave a parallel sided hole, or any meat where the insert grabs.

But that is to be expected.

[Gary Lewis]

http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n86593/Nutsert_Drill_Sizes.jpg

Am I reading that right in that you drilled the hole .004 to .006" smaller than the O.D. of the Nutsert? I don't know how you got the nutsert in the hole without beating on it. I drilled as close to the O.D. of the Nutsert as possible but never under.

Bill - Thanks for the pics. And I fully understand about getting the red plate and the terminals out w/o breaking the catches. Did that on the PDB I put on the passenger's fender as it didn't have the 5th relay spot populated with terminals and had way too many fuses.

One of those boxes might be a good option as they'll attach to at least the PDB if not the air box. Not sure either of my 4-relay boxes will. I appreciate knowing what the options are.

And, I see what you mean about the wiring and the proximity to the engine. I may have to use some of the high temp loom to protect things. But placing the ECU near the firewall looks easier than cutting on the kick panel. As said, I have to solder wires to it anyway, so what matter how long they are?

John - Yes, I'm drilling undersized. But the step I didn't tell you about is the round file I then use to open the hole up so the nutsert is a tight fit. It takes a bit more time, but ensures that I don't have a bigger hole than I want. And, the nutserts get a very tight grip that way.

One thing I didn't say about my use of nutserts is that I will always use anti-seize on bolts going into them. I don't want to take a chance of the bolt seizing and then spinning the nutsert.