Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

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.

Well Houston, we have a problem. As part of my paring out un-needed "stuff" yesterday I cut most of the wires to the ignition control module. So this morning I was going to put them back, but I can't find most of them - yet. And I'm headed off to a funeral in a bit, so will document where I am and maybe it'll solve itself before I get back?

And, what I have does NOT match the EVTM. Not even close. Here's what I've found in wire colors, and so far I've only matched up two of the six wires. The info on the left is what the EVTM says, even in the 7.5L California section, and that on the right is what is actually there.

And here's a pic that shows the CA-spec ICM connector on the left and the 49-State connector on the right. Notice that the colors on the right match the spreadsheet above for the EVTM - not what I have.

And here's what the EVTM shows for ignition connections in the 7.5L California section. Note that the colors match what the spreadsheet shows, and they match the only page in the Ignition section that shows that connector.

 

[85lebaront2]

Well Houston, we have a problem. As part of my paring out un-needed "stuff" yesterday I cut most of the wires to the ignition control module. So this morning I was going to put them back, but I can't find most of them - yet. And I'm headed off to a funeral in a bit, so will document where I am and maybe it'll solve itself before I get back?

And, what I have does NOT match the EVTM. Not even close. Here's what I've found in wire colors, and so far I've only matched up two of the six wires. The info on the left is what the EVTM says, even in the 7.5L California section, and that on the right is what is actually there.

And here's a pic that shows the CA-spec ICM connector on the left and the 49-State connector on the right. Notice that the colors on the right match the spreadsheet above for the EVTM - not what I have.

And here's what the EVTM shows for ignition connections in the 7.5L California section. Note that the colors match what the spreadsheet shows, and they match the only page in the Ignition section that shows that connector.

I have some wires, plugs and even the shielding for the modules. I will grab them and bring them in.

[Gary Lewis]

I have some wires, plugs and even the shielding for the modules. I will grab them and bring them in.

Thanks, Bill. I hope to be back around 1ish CST and will check in.

Here's a shot of the ICM from a '96 Canadian 5.0L with EEC-V MAF/SEFI. The Y/BK wire on Pin 3 says this is like the connector the EVTM shows. And, I forgot to say, the one in the previous picture is from Huck, the 1990 460 with SD & BF.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, Bill. I hope to be back around 1ish CST and will check in.

Here's a shot of the ICM from a '96 Canadian 5.0L with EEC-V MAF/SEFI. The Y/BK wire on Pin 3 says this is like the connector the EVTM shows. And, I forgot to say, the one in the previous picture is from Huck, the 1990 460 with SD & BF.

Forget 1:00 CST. That's when the funeral starts. So, maybe more like 3:00.

Anyway, I'm thinking I may need to use that '96 5.0L Canadian main wiring harness. A cursory look at the EVTM seems to say they are wired the same way - at least my spot checking was the same. And, that harness is intact from what I can tell, meaning the ECU's connector hasn't been cut off.

Having said that, I'd really like to figure out what this one is. If I can find the wires that are cut maybe I can figure it out. But so far only the one wire has been found, and the others are either in a harness that was deleted by someone else or are well hidden.

[Gary Lewis]

Forget 1:00 CST. That's when the funeral starts. So, maybe more like 3:00.

Anyway, I'm thinking I may need to use that '96 5.0L Canadian main wiring harness. A cursory look at the EVTM seems to say they are wired the same way - at least my spot checking was the same. And, that harness is intact from what I can tell, meaning the ECU's connector hasn't been cut off.

Having said that, I'd really like to figure out what this one is. If I can find the wires that are cut maybe I can figure it out. But so far only the one wire has been found, and the others are either in a harness that was deleted by someone else or are well hidden.

Well, I have found one difference. The 5.0 harness has the oxygen sensors going through C101 and therefore out to the engine harness and then down to the sensors. But the 7.5L harness has them going out through C110 instead.

So if I use the 7.5L engine harness, as has been the plan, I'll need to strip out the O2 sensor wires from the feed to C101 and tie them into C110 that I take off of the 7.5L harness. And since I doubt the 5.0L harness will reach on the larger engine I think that will have to be the plan.

Unless we figure out what I have and can make it work.

[85lebaront2]

Well, I have found one difference. The 5.0 harness has the oxygen sensors going through C101 and therefore out to the engine harness and then down to the sensors. But the 7.5L harness has them going out through C110 instead.

So if I use the 7.5L engine harness, as has been the plan, I'll need to strip out the O2 sensor wires from the feed to C101 and tie them into C110 that I take off of the 7.5L harness. And since I doubt the 5.0L harness will reach on the larger engine I think that will have to be the plan.

Unless we figure out what I have and can make it work.

Gary, first item, I used a 5.0L engine harness on Darth to build his engine harness. It worked quite well as the 5.0 & 5.8L engine harnesses run along the inside of the valve covers and the 7.5L harness runs inside the injectors so roughly 90% is a drop on. Just be sure your 8 injector control wires stay with the correct injectors.

TPS, IAC and EGR position (which you aren't using) will fit, IAC & EGR are probably too long, TPS may or may not fit exactly. If you start with Huck's engine harness as a pattern, then switch the injector control wires in from the 5.0L one it should work.

On the ICM, the different wire is on pin #4 of the TFI module (wiring diagram shows it as #3) instead of the R/LB wire it is a Y/BK and it goes to pin #48 of the 104 pin EEC connector.

Here is a plug for a distributor mounted 2.9L Ranger:

Here is one for a remote mounted gray module from a 1990 F250 (big ugly):

Here are the other ends, big terminals are both on the R/LG wire probably Power relay and Fuel pump relay, other six are to one or more of the four engine to front harness eight pin connectors:

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, first item, I used a 5.0L engine harness on Darth to build his engine harness. It worked quite well as the 5.0 & 5.8L engine harnesses run along the inside of the valve covers and the 7.5L harness runs inside the injectors so roughly 90% is a drop on. Just be sure your 8 injector control wires stay with the correct injectors.

TPS, IAC and EGR position (which you aren't using) will fit, IAC & EGR are probably too long, TPS may or may not fit exactly. If you start with Huck's engine harness as a pattern, then switch the injector control wires in from the 5.0L one it should work.

On the ICM, the different wire is on pin #4 of the TFI module (wiring diagram shows it as #3) instead of the R/LB wire it is a Y/BK and it goes to pin #48 of the 104 pin EEC connector.

Here is a plug for a distributor mounted 2.9L Ranger:

Here is one for a remote mounted gray module from a 1990 F250 (big ugly):

Here are the other ends, big terminals are both on the R/LG wire probably Power relay and Fuel pump relay, other six are to one or more of the four engine to front harness eight pin connectors:

Bill - Thanks for the pics and the circuit identification. Just got back and am not ready to start on this hands-on until tomorrow. But let me ask a question or two, make some observations, and lay some plans in prep for tomorrow.

Question: Are you are saying that the ICM is wired the same way but uses different wire colors?

Plans & Observations:

• Tomorrow I'm going to do my best to figure out where the other four wires from the ICM go/come from. It is really bugging me! One wire is ground and it wasn't cut. The one wire I figured out today was cut as it came off of the PDB, and the other wires are cut in roughly the same spots. So that implies I cut them yesterday. But so far nothing even close to the same wire colors and gauge is showing up.

• I do have what appears to be the full harness for the '96 5.0L, but I may not have the O2 harness. I'm not sure of that and need to confirm it - tomorrow.

• The 5.0L engine harness has plastic supports or stays wrapped in it, and if I use it I think I'd want to remove those so the harness could be attached to the fuel rails. But I could lay the harness over the engine and see what would fit and what wouldn't.

• It might not be bad to have the O2 sensors coming off of the engine harness. That would get down close to the sensors while staying away from the headers as far as possible. And it would get the wires out to the engine via the bit I'm going to put heat protection on.

[85lebaront2]

Bill - Thanks for the pics and the circuit identification. Just got back and am not ready to start on this hands-on until tomorrow. But let me ask a question or two, make some observations, and lay some plans in prep for tomorrow.

Question: Are you are saying that the ICM is wired the same way but uses different wire colors?

Plans & Observations:

• Tomorrow I'm going to do my best to figure out where the other four wires from the ICM go/come from. It is really bugging me! One wire is ground and it wasn't cut. The one wire I figured out today was cut as it came off of the PDB, and the other wires are cut in roughly the same spots. So that implies I cut them yesterday. But so far nothing even close to the same wire colors and gauge is showing up.

• I do have what appears to be the full harness for the '96 5.0L, but I may not have the O2 harness. I'm not sure of that and need to confirm it - tomorrow.

• The 5.0L engine harness has plastic supports or stays wrapped in it, and if I use it I think I'd want to remove those so the harness could be attached to the fuel rails. But I could lay the harness over the engine and see what would fit and what wouldn't.

• It might not be bad to have the O2 sensors coming off of the engine harness. That would get down close to the sensors while staying away from the headers as far as possible. And it would get the wires out to the engine via the bit I'm going to put heat protection on.

Question: Are you are saying that the ICM is wired the same way but uses different wire colors?

Plans & Observations:

Tomorrow I'm going to do my best to figure out where the other four wires from the ICM go/come from. It is really bugging me! One wire is ground and it wasn't cut. The one wire I figured out today was cut as it came off of the PDB, and the other wires are cut in roughly the same spots. So that implies I cut them yesterday. But so far nothing even close to the same wire colors and gauge is showing up.

The ICM wires may have varied in color between the Ranger and the F series. I do know that the cars (Crown Vic Grand Marquis) have different colors at the EEC-V than the trucks. On the truck one, the difference would be Y/BK in place of R/LB with Y/BY going to pin #48 on the EEC.

I do have what appears to be the full harness for the '96 5.0L, but I may not have the O2 harness. I'm not sure of that and need to confirm it - tomorrow.

I used a 5.0L harness but used the 7.5L O2 sensor wiring as it runs through the front harness rather than the engine harness, Since I do not have headers, my O2 sensors are in the down pipes from the manifolds and plug in to the front harness on each side.

The 5.0L engine harness has plastic supports or stays wrapped in it, and if I use it I think I'd want to remove those so the harness could be attached to the fuel rails. But I could lay the harness over the engine and see what would fit and what wouldn't.

I did that if I remember correctly, I may have untaped and moved them to get in the correct location on the supports.

It might not be bad to have the O2 sensors coming off of the engine harness. That would get down close to the sensors while staying away from the headers as far as possible. And it would get the wires out to the engine via the bit I'm going to put heat protection on.

I seem to recall that due to the width of the 460 and where they end up it would be messy. Maybe if you run them over the back of the heads so they won't have to go through the snakes nest of header tubes that might work and give you a place to anchor the wires and connectors, left side could be secured to the fuel lines.

[Gary Lewis]

Question: Are you are saying that the ICM is wired the same way but uses different wire colors?

Plans & Observations:

Tomorrow I'm going to do my best to figure out where the other four wires from the ICM go/come from. It is really bugging me! One wire is ground and it wasn't cut. The one wire I figured out today was cut as it came off of the PDB, and the other wires are cut in roughly the same spots. So that implies I cut them yesterday. But so far nothing even close to the same wire colors and gauge is showing up.

The ICM wires may have varied in color between the Ranger and the F series. I do know that the cars (Crown Vic Grand Marquis) have different colors at the EEC-V than the trucks. On the truck one, the difference would be Y/BK in place of R/LB with Y/BY going to pin #48 on the EEC.

I do have what appears to be the full harness for the '96 5.0L, but I may not have the O2 harness. I'm not sure of that and need to confirm it - tomorrow.

I used a 5.0L harness but used the 7.5L O2 sensor wiring as it runs through the front harness rather than the engine harness, Since I do not have headers, my O2 sensors are in the down pipes from the manifolds and plug in to the front harness on each side.

The 5.0L engine harness has plastic supports or stays wrapped in it, and if I use it I think I'd want to remove those so the harness could be attached to the fuel rails. But I could lay the harness over the engine and see what would fit and what wouldn't.

I did that if I remember correctly, I may have untaped and moved them to get in the correct location on the supports.

It might not be bad to have the O2 sensors coming off of the engine harness. That would get down close to the sensors while staying away from the headers as far as possible. And it would get the wires out to the engine via the bit I'm going to put heat protection on.

I seem to recall that due to the width of the 460 and where they end up it would be messy. Maybe if you run them over the back of the heads so they won't have to go through the snakes nest of header tubes that might work and give you a place to anchor the wires and connectors, left side could be secured to the fuel lines.

Yes, down the back of the engine the sensor wires could be attached to the fuel lines. Will have to take a look at how best to run the sensor wires tomorrow.

But I'm going to do my best to figure out what I have first. I'd really like to use this California wiring harness, for a number of reasons. First, because Mark got it for me. Second, I've gotten everything identified. Third, it is stripped down to just what I want to use. Last, I'm going to have to cut the harness going to the ECU anyway, and since this one is already cut I'd like to use it and not cut the other one.

Anyway, wish me luck tomorrow. I sure hope I can figure out where the other wires go. And, how to use this harness.

[85lebaront2]

Yes, down the back of the engine the sensor wires could be attached to the fuel lines. Will have to take a look at how best to run the sensor wires tomorrow.

But I'm going to do my best to figure out what I have first. I'd really like to use this California wiring harness, for a number of reasons. First, because Mark got it for me. Second, I've gotten everything identified. Third, it is stripped down to just what I want to use. Last, I'm going to have to cut the harness going to the ECU anyway, and since this one is already cut I'd like to use it and not cut the other one.

Anyway, wish me luck tomorrow. I sure hope I can figure out where the other wires go. And, how to use this harness.

Here is mine, keeping in mind that I pretty much used the stock EEC location. This is looking forward, so left and right are as it goes into the truck.