Big Blue's Transformation

[85lebaront2]

Yes, the resistance is there. But all that circuit is doing is pulling in the PCM relay, and that relay will pull about 250ma. So the voltage drop will be ~.3v. And since those relays pull in at about 6 volts the relay won't know the difference between 14.4 volts and 14.1 volts.

The power to pins 30 and then 87 of the relay comes via the always-on power, and that comes via the #2 wire coming from the PDB on the other side of the engine compartment. So there's no shortage of power to the relay. All the R/LG wire is doing is pulling the relay in.

So, why do I need other wiring? I'm not trying to be difficult, I'm just trying to understand.

I was just pointing out how Ford did it along with all the other strange wiring on these trucks. R/LG under hood is one item, what else does it or the W/LB-H power? The later ignition switches I believe have a start and run combined feed. Looking at 1990 it does, at the ignition switch plug wiring. Just splice the two wires together in the harness under the dash, that's what Ford did as the 1990 ignition switch appears very similar to the 1985/86 one.

The resistance wire might be plugged in the way it was on my Shelby and Falcon, in which case it ends where it plugs in will plug together to bypass it.

[Gary Lewis]

I was just pointing out how Ford did it along with all the other strange wiring on these trucks. R/LG under hood is one item, what else does it or the W/LB-H power? The later ignition switches I believe have a start and run combined feed. Looking at 1990 it does, at the ignition switch plug wiring. Just splice the two wires together in the harness under the dash, that's what Ford did as the 1990 ignition switch appears very similar to the 1985/86 one.

The resistance wire might be plugged in the way it was on my Shelby and Falcon, in which case it ends where it plugs in will plug together to bypass it.

With the DS-II ignition and the carb circuit removed there's nothing under the hood supplied by the R/LG wire. And, as shown below, it is only those circuits that run through the resistor. The other circuits tap off before the resistor so aren't impacted.

So I'm confident that the R/LG wire will work.

[85lebaront2]

With the DS-II ignition and the carb circuit removed there's nothing under the hood supplied by the R/LG wire. And, as shown below, it is only those circuits that run through the resistor. The other circuits tap off before the resistor so aren't impacted.

So I'm confident that the R/LG wire will work.

Gary, since you seem to like over engineered and overbuilt systems, maybe you need this PDC:

It might barely have enough fuses and relays for you.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, since you seem to like over engineered and overbuilt systems, maybe you need this PDC:

It might barely have enough fuses and relays for you.

I like it! Almost enough relays.

What's it out of? An old computer?

[85lebaront2]

I like it! Almost enough relays.

What's it out of? An old computer?

2002 Chrysler T&C 3.3L. It is called an IPM Fuse & Relay Center. It is pivoted so it can be unplugged then removed.

[Gary Lewis]

2002 Chrysler T&C 3.3L. It is called an IPM Fuse & Relay Center. It is pivoted so it can be unplugged then removed.

Wow! I wouldn't have thought that would have so many relays.

I'm actually not adding any relays this round. I'm just cleaning things up for the most part.

There is a new one - the PCM power. The fuel pump relay is moving into the PDB from the fender. And the fog and backup lights relays are also coming into the PDB from hanging on the air box bracket. The offset to the PCM relay is that the two horn relays, the factory one and the Bosch one I added with the security system, get consolidated into one in the PDB.

As part of my documentation I'm going to come up with a high-level view of what I've done. Here's a back-of-the-envelope stab at it, but this was done on Paint and what I'll do for real will be in CAD. And, this one is no where near done as it doesn't have a number of things, like a distributor or ignition module - and probably several other things. But the actual one will have all of the connectors shown so people can get a high-level view of the system. And then there will be documentation for the items w/in the system.

Speaking of the ignition module, where does it mount?

[85lebaront2]

Wow! I wouldn't have thought that would have so many relays.

I'm actually not adding any relays this round. I'm just cleaning things up for the most part.

There is a new one - the PCM power. The fuel pump relay is moving into the PDB from the fender. And the fog and backup lights relays are also coming into the PDB from hanging on the air box bracket. The offset to the PCM relay is that the two horn relays, the factory one and the Bosch one I added with the security system, get consolidated into one in the PDB.

As part of my documentation I'm going to come up with a high-level view of what I've done. Here's a back-of-the-envelope stab at it, but this was done on Paint and what I'll do for real will be in CAD. And, this one is no where near done as it doesn't have a number of things, like a distributor or ignition module - and probably several other things. But the actual one will have all of the connectors shown so people can get a high-level view of the system. And then there will be documentation for the items w/in the system.

Speaking of the ignition module, where does it mount?

Speaking of the ignition module, where does it mount?

Inner rear of the left front fender on a heat sink. Ford moved all of them there starting in 1990. It is almost under the Speed Control. There should be a picture in the 1996 EVTM.

[Gary Lewis]

Speaking of the ignition module, where does it mount?

Inner rear of the left front fender on a heat sink. Ford moved all of them there starting in 1990. It is almost under the Speed Control. There should be a picture in the 1996 EVTM.

I'll check more closely in the '96 EVTM today. So far all I've seen is the whole underhood area view and an arrow that says the module goes sorta kinda over here.

As for a heat sink, here's what the ignition modules I have look like. Is that the heat sink you are talking about? I'm guessing so 'cause I see screw heads holding the module to the heat sink. I assume there's some kind of thermal paste between the two, which is why I didn't the module off the heat sink when I media-blasted it.

 

[85lebaront2]

I'll check more closely in the '96 EVTM today. So far all I've seen is the whole underhood area view and an arrow that says the module goes sorta kinda over here.

As for a heat sink, here's what the ignition modules I have look like. Is that the heat sink you are talking about? I'm guessing so 'cause I see screw heads holding the module to the heat sink. I assume there's some kind of thermal paste between the two, which is why I didn't the module off the heat sink when I media-blasted it.

There is thermal paste between the module and the heat sink. One minor issue, there are two styles of modules as far as the way they function. That one is called a "push start" as it uses a signal from the starting circuit to "push" the dwell. The other is called a"CCD" for Computer Controlled Dwell and is black. That is the one the EEC-V uses.

Here are the 4 different variations (2 are distributor mounted and 2 are remote mounted):

As far as location, since your EEC box will be where the 1985/86 ones were mounted, the TFI can go where ever it is convenient. The inner fender location was probably chosen as there is enough air exhausting from the engine compartment to keep it from overheating. The only thing I would do is come up with a heat shield between the module/heat sink and the headers to block the radiant heat at highway speeds. FWIW, when I blew a heater core in my Shelby, I had to drive it a couple of times with the heater casing out. Those Hooker headers were orange at the heads, going down to red and finally fading at 60 mph. A lot of heat!

[Gary Lewis]

There is thermal paste between the module and the heat sink. One minor issue, there are two styles of modules as far as the way they function. That one is called a "push start" as it uses a signal from the starting circuit to "push" the dwell. The other is called a"CCD" for Computer Controlled Dwell and is black. That is the one the EEC-V uses.

Here are the 4 different variations (2 are distributor mounted and 2 are remote mounted):

As far as location, since your EEC box will be where the 1985/86 ones were mounted, the TFI can go where ever it is convenient. The inner fender location was probably chosen as there is enough air exhausting from the engine compartment to keep it from overheating. The only thing I would do is come up with a heat shield between the module/heat sink and the headers to block the radiant heat at highway speeds. FWIW, when I blew a heater core in my Shelby, I had to drive it a couple of times with the heater casing out. Those Hooker headers were orange at the heads, going down to red and finally fading at 60 mph. A lot of heat!

That module is actually black, but the media blasting has left it grayish. I think I do have a gray one and it really is gray.

Anyway, there's no good "picture" of the ignition control module in the '96 EVTM. However, one of component location views under the hood shows the SPOUT connector aft of the PDB and the ICM aft of that. So that gets me close enough as there's not going to be the mounting holes for it given it is an '85 fender. And I like the shield idea.

As for the headers running red, maybe not since these are Jet Hot coated. But, I do understand what you are saying. Dad and I took their mini-motor home for a spin to dial in the Q-Jet late one evening. It was the van conversion style and we had the doghouse off. That 400 had the cast iron manifolds glowing red.

Which reminds me, I have to find some high-heat insulation to replace that bit of fabric/foil that was supposed to protect the engine harness where it crosses over the exhaust. The stuff I took off is toast, and I do know the exhaust gets HOT. Maybe some of the ThermaShield stuff like I used on the dipstick. The convolute measures ~3/4" so the 3/4" stuff might work well. Or this Thermo-Tec 13575 Adhesive Backed Aluminized Heat Barrier. That would fit any size convolute.