Big Blue's Transformation

[85lebaront2]

Jim - So I could use my master and the harness below as well as a new deactivation switch and go with the electronic speed control that Bill has?

Bill - Are you saying that speed control plugs into my existing harness and uses the existing speed control switches? Does it plug into the steering column's harness the way the existing module does? Maybe I should upgrade?

Gary, the electronic speed control wasn't introduced until 1993, but there are two wires from the steering wheel switches to the underhood servo and amplifier. They are LB/BK which is the switch input and DG/O which is the switch return. The DG/O appears to coincide with the BK wire on yours, DB is the power in from the horn relay coil. The DG/O probably serves to ground the switches through the module. The electronics and cable seem to be the only differences between applications. I have several, Truck, T-bird, V10 Excursion. Here are some pictures, FWIW, the plug has 10 pins of which only 7 are used and if the emergency cancel switch is a concern, I don't see why it couldn't be ignition switched power rather than straight off the battery.

I have (somewhere) an electronics module from one that was a ball of corrosion inside, when I find it I will dissect it for you.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Doesn't matter where it's located: tip, top or bottom.

What matters is that the diaphragm doesn't rupture to let current pass to ground of the MC body through corrosion and flammable brake fluid.

Nothing about the MC (of any design) contributed.

And the new deactivation switches are fine.

Plus, the blue tagged harness retrofits are properly fused.

Gary has the CYA version that is fused on both sides of the switch.

If yours has only one fuse Shaun, you might go to the dealer and get the upgraded one.

Yes, Gary.

I think that harness is fine (safe)

Ford just doesn't want some idiot popping in a 30A fuse and setting their garage on fire,

I see Bills point about using 'Key On' power so unattended vehicles can't go up in flames.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, the electronic speed control wasn't introduced until 1993, but there are two wires from the steering wheel switches to the underhood servo and amplifier. They are LB/BK which is the switch input and DG/O which is the switch return. The DG/O appears to coincide with the BK wire on yours, DB is the power in from the horn relay coil. The DG/O probably serves to ground the switches through the module. The electronics and cable seem to be the only differences between applications. I have several, Truck, T-bird, V10 Excursion. Here are some pictures, FWIW, the plug has 10 pins of which only 7 are used and if the emergency cancel switch is a concern, I don't see why it couldn't be ignition switched power rather than straight off the battery.

I have (somewhere) an electronics module from one that was a ball of corrosion inside, when I find it I will dissect it for you.

Ok Jim, I understand. Thanks.

Bill - If I understand what you are saying I'll need to do some minor rewiring. But I want to get my head around that first so will lay the '85 and '95 EVTM's side by side and see what needs to be changed. Will do that in a mo.

However, my tale for the day: Decided to get the windshield wipers scoped out and the windshield washer working. On the former, see a new thread I've created on the subject of Windshield Wipers - Pin Vs Hook Style. But let's talk about my findings on the washer.

The nozzle, which appears to have come on the pin-cushion cowl, had very small orifaces and a #60 .040" bit wouldn't come close to going in. So I used a .025" strand of a copper wire and cleaned them out. Then they'd work, albeit briefly. Clean again and they might work, but only for a bit.

So I decided to pull the nozzle off and inspect it but I couldn't even get the hose to come off much less reach up in there to release the nozzle. So I pulled the hose off the reservoir and ran the contents into a pan. Then I realized the contents were Rain-X washer fluid, and in the back of my mind I remembered stories of others having clogging problems. So I ran several rounds of hot water through with the hope that something would dissolve and all would be well. No such luck.

Given that, I put 120 psi to the hose. Not only did the hose come off, but the nozzle launched and I can't find it. So now Big Blue is sporting a Bullnose nozzle, and a #60 bit will almost go in, but not quite. Anyway, I now get two large streams of water in the middle of the windshield.

[salans7]

Yes, Gary.

I think that harness is fine (safe)

Ford just doesn't want some idiot popping in a 30A fuse and setting their garage on fire,

I see Bills point about using 'Key On' power so unattended vehicles can't go up in flames.

Just checked my 2002, it only has one fuse.

I need to do more research however because I don't remember Rangers being as prone to combusting as other vehicles so maybe they weren't wired the same way? I have the factory wiring diagrams for it so will go read those first.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Ok Jim, I understand. Thanks.

Bill - If I understand what you are saying I'll need to do some minor rewiring. But I want to get my head around that first so will lay the '85 and '95 EVTM's side by side and see what needs to be changed. Will do that in a mo.

However, my tale for the day: Decided to get the windshield wipers scoped out and the windshield washer working. On the former, see a new thread I've created on the subject of Windshield Wipers - Pin Vs Hook Style. But let's talk about my findings on the washer.

The nozzle, which appears to have come on the pin-cushion cowl, had very small orifaces and a #60 .040" bit wouldn't come close to going in. So I used a .025" strand of a copper wire and cleaned them out. Then they'd work, albeit briefly. Clean again and they might work, but only for a bit.

So I decided to pull the nozzle off and inspect it but I couldn't even get the hose to come off much less reach up in there to release the nozzle. So I pulled the hose off the reservoir and ran the contents into a pan. Then I realized the contents were Rain-X washer fluid, and in the back of my mind I remembered stories of others having clogging problems. So I ran several rounds of hot water through with the hope that something would dissolve and all would be well. No such luck.

Given that, I put 120 psi to the hose. Not only did the hose come off, but the nozzle launched and I can't find it. So now Big Blue is sporting a Bullnose nozzle, and a #60 bit will almost go in, but not quite. Anyway, I now get two large streams of water in the middle of the windshield.

Are the Bullnose squirters adjustable?

With my Bricknose I can stick a pin or something in the jet and point them anywhere I like. (Which reminds me to adjust them a bit higher)

It's way too cold to have water in my reservoir up here.

Would destroy the pump when it froze.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Just checked my 2002, it only has one fuse.

I need to do more research however because I don't remember Rangers being as prone to combusting as other vehicles so maybe they weren't wired the same way? I have the factory wiring diagrams for it so will go read those first.

Shaun, I can't speak definitively about Rangers.

It might be a good idea to unplug it until you have a concrete answer on the switch that's installed.

Or, it may be a later variant of the harness that is actually fused on the hot side?

Sorry I don't have a better answer for you...

[Gary Lewis]

Are the Bullnose squirters adjustable?

With my Bricknose I can stick a pin or something in the jet and point them anywhere I like. (Which reminds me to adjust them a bit higher)

It's way too cold to have water in my reservoir up here.

Would destroy the pump when it froze.

I don't know if the squirters are adjustable on the Bullnose nozzles, but I'll see.

[salans7]

Shaun, I can't speak definitively about Rangers.

It might be a good idea to unplug it until you have a concrete answer on the switch that's installed.

Or, it may be a later variant of the harness that is actually fused on the hot side?

Sorry I don't have a better answer for you...

The replacement/updated switch is only $30, so I think I'll just go that route so I won't have to worry about the red switch. But for now, I'll unplug the red top switch until I replace it.

[Gary Lewis]

Shaun, I can't speak definitively about Rangers.

It might be a good idea to unplug it until you have a concrete answer on the switch that's installed.

Or, it may be a later variant of the harness that is actually fused on the hot side?

Sorry I don't have a better answer for you...

The replacement/updated switch is only $30, so I think I'll just go that route so I won't have to worry about the red switch. But for now, I'll unplug the red top switch until I replace it.

I think that's wise, Shaun. You'll sleep better at night.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, the electronic speed control wasn't introduced until 1993, but there are two wires from the steering wheel switches to the underhood servo and amplifier. They are LB/BK which is the switch input and DG/O which is the switch return. The DG/O appears to coincide with the BK wire on yours, DB is the power in from the horn relay coil. The DG/O probably serves to ground the switches through the module. The electronics and cable seem to be the only differences between applications. I have several, Truck, T-bird, V10 Excursion. Here are some pictures, FWIW, the plug has 10 pins of which only 7 are used and if the emergency cancel switch is a concern, I don't see why it couldn't be ignition switched power rather than straight off the battery.

I have (somewhere) an electronics module from one that was a ball of corrosion inside, when I find it I will dissect it for you.

Bill - I've done some comparing of the vacuum and electronic speed controls and it does look fairly easy to use the electronic in place of the vacuum, with one exception. There's this statement in the EVTM about how the electronic unit works: "Utilizing a vehicle speed sig­nal from Programmable Speedometer/Odometer Module, increases or decreases vehicle speed to maintain set speed." I ain't go no PSOM.

But, before I realized that there's a transducer input on the vacuum system and none on the electronic version I created a spreadsheet to compare the use of the three wires in the horn pad as well the one to the horn relay. As shown below, there is only one difference, and that is the BK wire on the vacuum side and LB/BK on the electronic one.

And I'm not sure what to think of that. As you can see in the schematic below for the electronic speed control, they don't show the LB/BK wire as grounded. But there are only three connections for the horn pad, and one of those is ground. Right? So, how could the LB/BK wire not be grounded?

In any event, since I don't have a PSOM I'll continue on with the vacuum speed control for the time being. But thanks for the offer.