Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

Scott - I seriously doubt you can get oversized wires through that hard shell, nor two #14's. But I'll check tomorrow.

Frank - I doubt this will be a wiring lesson. My plan is to put pigtails on the passenger's side connector and use them to join the run from the PDB to the driver's side. On the driver's side the wires will go directly in.

We shall see how that goes.

Ok, mid-day report and a minor change in plans. First, the "new" later style battery tray and brace came in, so I had to test fit it. Perfect! Bolts right to the radiator support, as Shaun said it would. And it supports the battery tray very solidly. This is certainly the way to do it. I'll even be able to provide some support to the fender liner via the hole in the lower right corner of the brace.

And now for Scott's question about wire sizes into the headlight connector's shell. Hopefully the pic answers it. But, just to make sure, the #10 conductor goes in but the insulation won't. The #12 is a good fit, and the #16 is big enough you aren't going to get two of them in.

So since I'm running #10 as the high beam hot and #12 as the low beam hot (what I had on hand), I'll put pigtails in of smaller wire and make joints outside to the larger wires that run across the radiator support. (I'm not running a ground across the radiator support, but will have separate grounds tying the cab, fenders, and radiator support together - as Ford did in the later years.

[kramttocs]

Ok, mid-day report and a minor change in plans. First, the "new" later style battery tray and brace came in, so I had to test fit it. Perfect! Bolts right to the radiator support, as Shaun said it would. And it supports the battery tray very solidly. This is certainly the way to do it. I'll even be able to provide some support to the fender liner via the hole in the lower right corner of the brace.

And now for Scott's question about wire sizes into the headlight connector's shell. Hopefully the pic answers it. But, just to make sure, the #10 conductor goes in but the insulation won't. The #12 is a good fit, and the #16 is big enough you aren't going to get two of them in.

So since I'm running #10 as the high beam hot and #12 as the low beam hot (what I had on hand), I'll put pigtails in of smaller wire and make joints outside to the larger wires that run across the radiator support. (I'm not running a ground across the radiator support, but will have separate grounds tying the cab, fenders, and radiator support together - as Ford did in the later years.

Good to know on the sizes. Since I joined my two headlights in the passenger side terminals with 12awg looks like they won't work for me unfortunately.

Rather than a short jumper and join on the high beam, what about just slightly enlarging the hole with a drill bit?

[salans7]

Good to know on the sizes. Since I joined my two headlights in the passenger side terminals with 12awg looks like they won't work for me unfortunately.

Rather than a short jumper and join on the high beam, what about just slightly enlarging the hole with a drill bit?

I forgot to mention that the inner fender liner will bolt up to the support as well, but I'm glad you figured that out.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Good to know on the sizes. Since I joined my two headlights in the passenger side terminals with 12awg looks like they won't work for me unfortunately.

Rather than a short jumper and join on the high beam, what about just slightly enlarging the hole with a drill bit?

Ceramic is pretty hard and brittle, even if you could get a good crimp in the terminal.

If the terminal is too full to fit the retainer in the ceramic socket how can you use the 12 or 10Ga wire?

[Gary Lewis]

Ceramic is pretty hard and brittle, even if you could get a good crimp in the terminal.

If the terminal is too full to fit the retainer in the ceramic socket how can you use the 12 or 10Ga wire?

Jim has a really good point - it isn't the hole in the outer shell but the opening in the inner insulator into which the terminal has to go. I think 14 gauge wire is about the max that you can get in the terminals and get the terminal into the connector. Here's a pic of a #14 wire laying in the terminal and it looks like when you crimp the arms over the insulation, if you do that, it'll just fit.

But here's a #12 wire laying in there, and I seriously doubt that it would fit if the arms are crimped over the insulation. And while you could crimp the arms over the wire itself and not the insulation, and then use heat-shrink over the arms, I'm not sure that would go in.

As for what I did today, I got the radiator support fully installed. I realized that some of the fasteners for it will be difficult to get to after wiring and other things are done, so I needed to get them in and tightened now.

Toward that end, the first job was getting all the nuts off the old radiator support and installed on the new one. Then I positioned the fenders and tightened the fasteners to them down. But since the driver's fender was a bit high I loosened the bolts at the cab, sat on the fender, and tightened the bolts down. (Dad used to say "Use your best asset", and grin.) Not sure I gained much, but I tried.

Then I put the fasteners in for attaching the fender liner to the radiator support and tightened things down there. That only left attaching the fender liner to the battery tray brace. But, the u-nut is supposed to clip into the fender liner and the bolt come through the brace into it. However, the hole in my fender liner is enlarged such that the nut won't stay in place, so I put the u-nut on the brace and brought the bolt in from the wheel opening side with a fender washer.

So, here's what it all looks like. The wiring is run below the battery tray, and I'm happy to say that the convolute can still be moved so it isn't being pinched. But, I have yet to lengthen the wires to the marker light, so the battery tray will have to come out so I can get to the wiring. But the brace doesn't have to, so the fender liner bolt can stay in.

[salans7]

Jim has a really good point - it isn't the hole in the outer shell but the opening in the inner insulator into which the terminal has to go. I think 14 gauge wire is about the max that you can get in the terminals and get the terminal into the connector. Here's a pic of a #14 wire laying in the terminal and it looks like when you crimp the arms over the insulation, if you do that, it'll just fit.

But here's a #12 wire laying in there, and I seriously doubt that it would fit if the arms are crimped over the insulation. And while you could crimp the arms over the wire itself and not the insulation, and then use heat-shrink over the arms, I'm not sure that would go in.

As for what I did today, I got the radiator support fully installed. I realized that some of the fasteners for it will be difficult to get to after wiring and other things are done, so I needed to get them in and tightened now.

Toward that end, the first job was getting all the nuts off the old radiator support and installed on the new one. Then I positioned the fenders and tightened the fasteners to them down. But since the driver's fender was a bit high I loosened the bolts at the cab, sat on the fender, and tightened the bolts down. (Dad used to say "Use your best asset", and grin.) Not sure I gained much, but I tried.

Then I put the fasteners in for attaching the fender liner to the radiator support and tightened things down there. That only left attaching the fender liner to the battery tray brace. But, the u-nut is supposed to clip into the fender liner and the bolt come through the brace into it. However, the hole in my fender liner is enlarged such that the nut won't stay in place, so I put the u-nut on the brace and brought the bolt in from the wheel opening side with a fender washer.

So, here's what it all looks like. The wiring is run below the battery tray, and I'm happy to say that the convolute can still be moved so it isn't being pinched. But, I have yet to lengthen the wires to the marker light, so the battery tray will have to come out so I can get to the wiring. But the brace doesn't have to, so the fender liner bolt can stay in.

I believe I did the same for my inner fender liner mount as mine was also enlarged.

The nice thing about your PDB being mounted on that inner fender is that it's no different than all the solenoids, vacuum hoses, and wiring that is on the 85-86 EFI trucks. Looks almost factory.

[kramttocs]

Ceramic is pretty hard and brittle, even if you could get a good crimp in the terminal.

If the terminal is too full to fit the retainer in the ceramic socket how can you use the 12 or 10Ga wire?

Yeah, I wasn't talking about drilling ceramic - I could only see that ending poorly That comment was only for the orange plastic part.

If the terminal is too full to fit the retainer in the ceramic socket how can you use the 12 or 10Ga wire?

We may have interpreted that post differently. I didn't see any mention of the terminal not fitting into the ceramic part so I may have been focusing on a different part of the problem.

The terminals are likely 16-14 as you said. From the looks of it, I would say with the right gauge terminal and some txl 12awg wire you wouldn't have any issues. With txl, even that 14awg terminal would likely get it done. At 10awg though, even with txl, it might be pushing it.

On my drivers side I have 12awg txl in each of the three terminals with heat shrink over them and they fit with no issue at all. Not having the ceramic one I can't say if the slots are thinner or not.

On my passenger side I have a 'double' terminal (posted the number in the latest headlight relay thread) in each of the three slots with two 12awg txl's in each AND heat shrink. Those do bulge the plastic housing a bit at the back. Not enough for any concern and without the heatshrink I don't believe it would but I would be very skeptical about that setup working with the ceramic.

I know it's what you have on hand but I might pass on the 10awg and pick up some 12 - it would still satisfy your overkill requirement

Also, I have the 12awg txl and 10awg txl on hand and can get OD measurements if interested.

[Gary Lewis]

Yeah, I wasn't talking about drilling ceramic - I could only see that ending poorly That comment was only for the orange plastic part.

If the terminal is too full to fit the retainer in the ceramic socket how can you use the 12 or 10Ga wire?

We may have interpreted that post differently. I didn't see any mention of the terminal not fitting into the ceramic part so I may have been focusing on a different part of the problem.

The terminals are likely 16-14 as you said. From the looks of it, I would say with the right gauge terminal and some txl 12awg wire you wouldn't have any issues. With txl, even that 14awg terminal would likely get it done. At 10awg though, even with txl, it might be pushing it.

On my drivers side I have 12awg txl in each of the three terminals with heat shrink over them and they fit with no issue at all. Not having the ceramic one I can't say if the slots are thinner or not.

On my passenger side I have a 'double' terminal (posted the number in the latest headlight relay thread) in each of the three slots with two 12awg txl's in each AND heat shrink. Those do bulge the plastic housing a bit at the back. Not enough for any concern and without the heatshrink I don't believe it would but I would be very skeptical about that setup working with the ceramic.

I know it's what you have on hand but I might pass on the 10awg and pick up some 12 - it would still satisfy your overkill requirement

Also, I have the 12awg txl and 10awg txl on hand and can get OD measurements if interested.

Shaun - That was the plan, to look like Ford did it. Maybe I'll get the 7.5L HO decal done to go on that dual snorkel air cleaner and finish off the look.

Scott - I will measure the slot and the material in the terminal then you can do the math to see what will fit.

But I learned today that the kids will probably be here next weekend, so I need to get the last bit of the wiring done ASAP. I'm going to look for smaller wire around the shop, but if not I'll press on with the #10 for the high beam and #12 for the low beam. I'll put #14 pigtails on and solder and heat shrink to the larger wires. Sort of a bus with drops to the headlights, with local grounds.

That will let me get the run across the radiator support done, which then let's me put the auxiliary battery tray in, place the smart battery isolator, and terminate the supply from the passenger's side. Then the batteries could go in, the starter in, and I'd have the electrical system finished. I think.

Well, no. I just had a thought about the fuel system, which has electric fuel pumps. The question is whether I put the '85 system back in or go with the later system with the fuel delivery modules. Here are some thoughts:

• 1985 System: It'll go right back in as I have all the parts. But, I'll only be able to have one tank as I don't have the electric switch and valve combo and don't want to spend the money on something that is both expensive and would be eliminated when I go to EFI. And, I'd want to clean up the horrible twists and bends in the lines and pull out the hot fuel handling system as well as the dead-head style fuel pressure regulator and go with the return style regulator I have. But why put all that work into it?

• FDM's: This is the EFI system and has the pumps, sending unit, and switching valves in the tank, so the supplies and returns are just wye'd at the back of the engine, and I have the hoses from Huck. If I did this now I could install the return-style pressure regulator I got from Vernon, assuming a Holley 12-803BP can handle the pressure that the FDM's put out. And the only electrical changes would be to eliminate the dropping resistor in the feed to the pump, as Bill said I have to do, and to eventually come up with the Arduino solution as the FDM's sender is the later style that won't work properly with a Bullnose.

Thoughts?

[Gary Lewis]

Shaun - That was the plan, to look like Ford did it. Maybe I'll get the 7.5L HO decal done to go on that dual snorkel air cleaner and finish off the look.

Scott - I will measure the slot and the material in the terminal then you can do the math to see what will fit.

But I learned today that the kids will probably be here next weekend, so I need to get the last bit of the wiring done ASAP. I'm going to look for smaller wire around the shop, but if not I'll press on with the #10 for the high beam and #12 for the low beam. I'll put #14 pigtails on and solder and heat shrink to the larger wires. Sort of a bus with drops to the headlights, with local grounds.

That will let me get the run across the radiator support done, which then let's me put the auxiliary battery tray in, place the smart battery isolator, and terminate the supply from the passenger's side. Then the batteries could go in, the starter in, and I'd have the electrical system finished. I think.

Well, no. I just had a thought about the fuel system, which has electric fuel pumps. The question is whether I put the '85 system back in or go with the later system with the fuel delivery modules. Here are some thoughts:

• 1985 System: It'll go right back in as I have all the parts. But, I'll only be able to have one tank as I don't have the electric switch and valve combo and don't want to spend the money on something that is both expensive and would be eliminated when I go to EFI. And, I'd want to clean up the horrible twists and bends in the lines and pull out the hot fuel handling system as well as the dead-head style fuel pressure regulator and go with the return style regulator I have. But why put all that work into it?

• FDM's: This is the EFI system and has the pumps, sending unit, and switching valves in the tank, so the supplies and returns are just wye'd at the back of the engine, and I have the hoses from Huck. If I did this now I could install the return-style pressure regulator I got from Vernon, assuming a Holley 12-803BP can handle the pressure that the FDM's put out. And the only electrical changes would be to eliminate the dropping resistor in the feed to the pump, as Bill said I have to do, and to eventually come up with the Arduino solution as the FDM's sender is the later style that won't work properly with a Bullnose.

Thoughts?

Hmmm, no thoughts on the fuel system?

Anyway, I got the passenger's side headlight connector wired up today. But in order to do that I had to install that headlight, which took a while as I had a hard time finding all the parts. (Note to self: Do a better job of filing things away.) I did find enough parts to get that headlight on, but will need to find more to get the driver's side headlight on.

And, along the way I realized that now is the time to put the ground between the radiator support and the passenger's fender. In the pic below you can see the radiator support end of the ground jumper above the orange headlight connector. And, you can tell that I have a bit left to do to neaten up the wiring to the marker light and turn signals by adding some convolute, but I'll do that tomorrow.

Now, here's how I did the headlight connector itself. Here you can see a #12 black wire for the ground, which I think is about the max you can get in, and what I think are #14's, but might be #16's, from my spare harness. That gives me the factory wire colors, and the smaller wires are only about 9" long so I don't think the voltage loss will be enough to worry about.

As for how I spliced into the #10 and #12 headlight feeders, I did that by cutting about 1/2" of insulation off the heavier wire, wrapping the smaller wire around it and soldering it, and then slipping the adhesive-lined heat-shrink over it. Here is a shot of the #12 having already been spliced and the heat shrink on it, and the #10 having been soldered but the heat-shrink not applied yet.

[kramttocs]

Hmmm, no thoughts on the fuel system?

Anyway, I got the passenger's side headlight connector wired up today. But in order to do that I had to install that headlight, which took a while as I had a hard time finding all the parts. (Note to self: Do a better job of filing things away.) I did find enough parts to get that headlight on, but will need to find more to get the driver's side headlight on.

And, along the way I realized that now is the time to put the ground between the radiator support and the passenger's fender. In the pic below you can see the radiator support end of the ground jumper above the orange headlight connector. And, you can tell that I have a bit left to do to neaten up the wiring to the marker light and turn signals by adding some convolute, but I'll do that tomorrow.

Now, here's how I did the headlight connector itself. Here you can see a #12 black wire for the ground, which I think is about the max you can get in, and what I think are #14's, but might be #16's, from my spare harness. That gives me the factory wire colors, and the smaller wires are only about 9" long so I don't think the voltage loss will be enough to worry about.

As for how I spliced into the #10 and #12 headlight feeders, I did that by cutting about 1/2" of insulation off the heavier wire, wrapping the smaller wire around it and soldering it, and then slipping the adhesive-lined heat-shrink over it. Here is a shot of the #12 having already been spliced and the heat shrink on it, and the #10 having been soldered but the heat-shrink not applied yet.

On the fuel, I'd say it depends upon how quickly you want it on the road right now before taking it down in a few months.

The fastest would be the bullnose setup and don't mess with the bends or remove the hot fuel or anything like that. That would get you running with a known config quickly.

Or you can do the efi stuff and either take the time now to get the sending unit and such converted or run it with the bare minimum. Either way this would be the best labor/time wise in the long term as you aren't having to remove the bullnose stuff later. *Disclaimer: I don't have a good idea of what all this change entails beyond the items you just mentioned*

Personally I'd lean toward the bullnose setup to get it running for this summer and enjoying it in nice weather but it's definitely a 'your call' situation.