Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

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.

Yes, that's what I did on the test I ran. But today I decided to be a bit "cleaner" in my approach and employed the round file. It is tapered and I can turn it by hand to both clean up the hole from the bit as well as to enlarge it. Makes for a very tight fit.

[Machspeed]

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.

When I was researching this for drill size, I noted tolerances up to .015" over the O.D. size of the nutsert. I'm good with drilling equal to or just a little over (.002").

Good idea on the anti-seize!

[Gary Lewis]

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.

When I was researching this for drill size, I noted tolerances up to .015" over the O.D. size of the nutsert. I'm good with drilling equal to or just a little over (.002").

Good idea on the anti-seize!

A twist drill doesn't leave a round hole, and from what I remember of shop class the thinner the material being drilled the more triangular the hole. So my thinking has been that by using the round file, rasp actually, I'm making the hole more round and improving the grip.

Having said that, if the hole was triangular and the nutsert filled in the corners of the triangle then there might be even more grip.

[85lebaront2]

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.

Gary, a couple of items, first, the injector harness from a 302 fits nicely on the 460, but certain items like the throttle body connections and coil wiring need to be moved. Second, how much room is there near the existing grommet? Would one of those Lincoln Continental 40 way connectors work for the EFI feed to the engine? This would give you a single main connector for the engine close to the EEC and you could possibly raise it slightly.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, a couple of items, first, the injector harness from a 302 fits nicely on the 460, but certain items like the throttle body connections and coil wiring need to be moved. Second, how much room is there near the existing grommet? Would one of those Lincoln Continental 40 way connectors work for the EFI feed to the engine? This would give you a single main connector for the engine close to the EEC and you could possibly raise it slightly.

Bill - Sorry I missed this last night.

On the engine harness, I have the '96 CA-spec 460 harness so I'm good there.

But on the Lincoln Continental 40 way connectors, my plans for the wires to the ECU are shown below. And that seems to say that I need 43 connections. But that includes 5 regular grounds and 1 case ground. So, maybe I could cut that down to 2 grounds and 1 case ground = 40 pins?

So, can you measure those connectors? Maybe I could make a plate that is attached to the firewall to cover the hole and have one of those connectors in the middle?

Also, are the wires straight into the outside connector or is there a 90?

[85lebaront2]

Bill - Sorry I missed this last night.

On the engine harness, I have the '96 CA-spec 460 harness so I'm good there.

But on the Lincoln Continental 40 way connectors, my plans for the wires to the ECU are shown below. And that seems to say that I need 43 connections. But that includes 5 regular grounds and 1 case ground. So, maybe I could cut that down to 2 grounds and 1 case ground = 40 pins?

So, can you measure those connectors? Maybe I could make a plate that is attached to the firewall to cover the hole and have one of those connectors in the middle?

Also, are the wires straight into the outside connector or is there a 90?

Gary, if you look at the EEC diagrams, all 5 of those #570 wires and the MAF ground are all tied together, so 45 - 5 = 40. Case ground goes to a different ground point, but they all end up the same place and if you use the 1985/86 location, you can ground it right to the firewall. Circuits 676, 679 and 784 should be available inside the cab. - 3 more, now we are down to 37. 511, 107, 914 and 915 will also be inside the cab, - 4 more or now down to 33 circuits needed to go through the firewall.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, if you look at the EEC diagrams, all 5 of those #570 wires and the MAF ground are all tied together, so 45 - 5 = 40. Case ground goes to a different ground point, but they all end up the same place and if you use the 1985/86 location, you can ground it right to the firewall. Circuits 676, 679 and 784 should be available inside the cab. - 3 more, now we are down to 37. 511, 107, 914 and 915 will also be inside the cab, - 4 more or now down to 33 circuits needed to go through the firewall.

Bill - Thanks for pointing out which signals won't need to go through the connector. I've noted that in the spreadsheet.

So I agree that the connector will be plenty big enough. Could you get me some dimensions so I can see if it'll fit in the opening?

As for what I did today, I think I finally drained the swamp and dispatched most of the alligators. I got the big yellow wire from the PDB on the passenger's side to the PDB or battery isolator on the driver's side re-routed. The dummy that installed it last time () ran it out the back of the passenger's side PDB and over to the fender, then forward to the radiator support and across.

Instead, I ran it from the front of the PDB forward to the radiator support and across. Now I have way more than enough wire to put the battery isolator or driver's-side PDB basically anywhere I want it.

And I used a spare PDB mount to determine where it might go, and it looks like it'll fit nicely right about where the DS-II ignition modules have been. So since I don't want to go through the hassle of relocating the ignition modules in order to get the PDB in, I'm going to wait to mount the PDB until next Fall when I start the EEC-V installation.

So tomorrow I hope to mount the battery isolator and start making the cables.

[85lebaront2]

Bill - Thanks for pointing out which signals won't need to go through the connector. I've noted that in the spreadsheet.

So I agree that the connector will be plenty big enough. Could you get me some dimensions so I can see if it'll fit in the opening?

As for what I did today, I think I finally drained the swamp and dispatched most of the alligators. I got the big yellow wire from the PDB on the passenger's side to the PDB or battery isolator on the driver's side re-routed. The dummy that installed it last time () ran it out the back of the passenger's side PDB and over to the fender, then forward to the radiator support and across.

Instead, I ran it from the front of the PDB forward to the radiator support and across. Now I have way more than enough wire to put the battery isolator or driver's-side PDB basically anywhere I want it.

And I used a spare PDB mount to determine where it might go, and it looks like it'll fit nicely right about where the DS-II ignition modules have been. So since I don't want to go through the hassle of relocating the ignition modules in order to get the PDB in, I'm going to wait to mount the PDB until next Fall when I start the EEC-V installation.

So tomorrow I hope to mount the battery isolator and start making the cables.

Naturally you want dimensions after I took all three of them back out to the garage. If the weather you are sending us doesn't get too nasty tomorrow I will bring them back in and get you good measurements and trace an outline for you with a scale marked so you can verify dimensional accuracy. They would have the base (inner portion) inserted from the inside to where it snapped into the metal wall with a gasket between the flange and metal so it was watertight.

[Gary Lewis]

Naturally you want dimensions after I took all three of them back out to the garage. If the weather you are sending us doesn't get too nasty tomorrow I will bring them back in and get you good measurements and trace an outline for you with a scale marked so you can verify dimensional accuracy. They would have the base (inner portion) inserted from the inside to where it snapped into the metal wall with a gasket between the flange and metal so it was watertight.

There's no hurry, Bill. I won't be doing this until late this year.

But, it is feeling good to work through some of the issues, like placement of the ECU, placement of the EFI PDB, getting the yellow wire properly routed, etc. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

[85lebaront2]

There's no hurry, Bill. I won't be doing this until late this year.

But, it is feeling good to work through some of the issues, like placement of the ECU, placement of the EFI PDB, getting the yellow wire properly routed, etc. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Just make sure it's not a train coming at you