Big Blue's Transformation

[salans7]

I think I'll start phrasing the questions differently. Something like "If no one disagrees I'll take that as concurrence."

Anyway, I think I've almost gotten all of the connectors on the harnesses ID'd and hope to finish that up today. But, I want to confirm my understanding of the O2 sensors and their usage. There are 3 of them in the EEC-V system: #11 - upstream right; #21 - upstream left; and #12 - downstream/after the cat. My notes tell me that since I won't have a cat I can't run the one that is after it since it will always throw a code - and there's no reason for it anyway. Does anyone disagree?

So, looking at the Rock Auto site I find these three Bosch sensors. And since I know that only the CA-spec 460's had EEC-V/MAF/SEFI then I think I need #15717 (upstream left w/CA emissions) and #15716 (upstream right w/manual trans and CA emissions). Disagree?

Most of us don't think like an engineer, so that may explain the lack of replies. Most of us just wing it and figure it out along the way.

I have no basis for disagreement.

[Frank Wyatt]

Most of us don't think like an engineer, so that may explain the lack of replies. Most of us just wing it and figure it out along the way.

I have no basis for disagreement.

I agree with Salans7 as that's my usual approach, dive right in and figure it out as I go. It works for me since I have been wrenching on cars and trucks since i was 13 or 14 years old so at least I have some mechanical experience to back me up. I also have all the great minds on this forum to look to for advice on things I'm not familiar with when I get stumped. Good job Gary, and I thank you for this forum of knowledge you have brought together for us all.

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

I agree with Salans7 as that's my usual approach, dive right in and figure it out as I go. It works for me since I have been wrenching on cars and trucks since i was 13 or 14 years old so at least I have some mechanical experience to back me up. I also have all the great minds on this forum to look to for advice on things I'm not familiar with when I get stumped. Good job Gary, and I thank you for this forum of knowledge you have brought together for us all.

Somebody, the other day said "It's not the Space Shuttle"

I guess they've never met Gary!

[Nothing Special]

I think I'll start phrasing the questions differently. Something like "If no one disagrees I'll take that as concurrence." ....

As long as you don't hold us liable if it doesn't work out like you'd hoped!

Seriously, if I do have concerns I will reply. If I agree that it's a good plan I will probably reply. If I don't really have many thoughts about it I likely won't reply.

So with that said, I think this is a good plan (the "I'll take that as concurrence" that is, I'm not speaking to the wiring)

[Gary Lewis]

I think I'll start phrasing the questions differently. Something like "If no one disagrees I'll take that as concurrence." ....

As long as you don't hold us liable if it doesn't work out like you'd hoped!

Seriously, if I do have concerns I will reply. If I agree that it's a good plan I will probably reply. If I don't really have many thoughts about it I likely won't reply.

So with that said, I think this is a good plan (the "I'll take that as concurrence" that is, I'm not speaking to the wiring)

Ok guys, I guess I'll take your jabs as concurrence.

Anyway, I had a bit of a setback today as I, foolishly, did an "upgrade" to the BIOS to my Win 8 shop computer. In the back of my mind I knew I shouldn't, but HP said it is a critical update for security. It is now very secure - the network controller and many other controllers aren't working. The drivers are bad and I have no way to get new drivers save put them on a thumb drive. But when I tell it to update the drivers it can't install them.

In some ways I've been needing a new computer as this one will just decide to shut down w/o warning. So anything I was doing is gone unless I save FREQUENTLY. But I really don't want to spend the time to migrate to a new computer. Plus, I have two large monitors so any new computer has to have two HDMI ports on it. But I guess now I'll need to upgrade. Any suggestions?

Now, for Big Blue. I'm almost to the end of ID'ing the connectors on the 1996 CA-spec harness. But I had to pull out the '95 F450 Fed-spec harness I got from Jim as some connectors were missing on the CA harness and I needed to figure out where they go. And, in doing that I proved, yet again, why you get multiple of whatever you are doing - the Fed harness has pretty much the connectors that are missing from the CA harness. Like, the ignition module one.

Along the way I compared the two PDB's - which appear to be the same. The '96 CA PDB is on the left and the '95 Fed harness is on the right:

And, you may be asking what the differences are between the two. Here's a shot of the CA-spec ECU connector on the left and the Fed-spec connector on the right. Notice there are a few more pins on the CA-spec connector? Because that goes to the EEC-V ECU while the other goes to an EEC-IV ECU. The EEC-V ECU's have 104 pins and the IV's have 60. Part of the extra pins go for things like 8 separate injectors instead of two sets if four, the MAF sensor, etc.

So, now I'm going to start mapping the PDB. As you can see in the PDB pic above, I have extra connectors so can populate the unused relay and fuse positions - if I need them.

[Gary Lewis]

Ok guys, I guess I'll take your jabs as concurrence.

Anyway, I had a bit of a setback today as I, foolishly, did an "upgrade" to the BIOS to my Win 8 shop computer. In the back of my mind I knew I shouldn't, but HP said it is a critical update for security. It is now very secure - the network controller and many other controllers aren't working. The drivers are bad and I have no way to get new drivers save put them on a thumb drive. But when I tell it to update the drivers it can't install them.

In some ways I've been needing a new computer as this one will just decide to shut down w/o warning. So anything I was doing is gone unless I save FREQUENTLY. But I really don't want to spend the time to migrate to a new computer. Plus, I have two large monitors so any new computer has to have two HDMI ports on it. But I guess now I'll need to upgrade. Any suggestions?

Now, for Big Blue. I'm almost to the end of ID'ing the connectors on the 1996 CA-spec harness. But I had to pull out the '95 F450 Fed-spec harness I got from Jim as some connectors were missing on the CA harness and I needed to figure out where they go. And, in doing that I proved, yet again, why you get multiple of whatever you are doing - the Fed harness has pretty much the connectors that are missing from the CA harness. Like, the ignition module one.

Along the way I compared the two PDB's - which appear to be the same. The '96 CA PDB is on the left and the '95 Fed harness is on the right:

And, you may be asking what the differences are between the two. Here's a shot of the CA-spec ECU connector on the left and the Fed-spec connector on the right. Notice there are a few more pins on the CA-spec connector? Because that goes to the EEC-V ECU while the other goes to an EEC-IV ECU. The EEC-V ECU's have 104 pins and the IV's have 60. Part of the extra pins go for things like 8 separate injectors instead of two sets if four, the MAF sensor, etc.

So, now I'm going to start mapping the PDB. As you can see in the PDB pic above, I have extra connectors so can populate the unused relay and fuse positions - if I need them.

Ok, here's a question probably best addressed to Bill, but I'd be happy if others chimed in as well.

The question is where to interface between the '85 and '96 regarding the fuel pressure relay. On the '85 the FPR is an unusual type of relay and hangs by itself on the firewall looking like an afterthought. But it is there and works. On the '96 the FPR is a standard Ford/Bosch style relay and is in the power distribution box. So, which to use?

To use the '85 Bill came up with a slick way of having the ECU provide the ground to the '85 FPR, and presumably also ran a wire back to the ECU to let it monitor the output of the FPR.

But, I could use the FPR in the power distribution box and eliminate the '85 FPR on the firewall as well as the oil pressure switch on the back of the engine. This would preserve the '96 system and would only require running the output of the '96 FPR to the '85 inertia switch and then jumpering the wires where the '85 FPR was.

I lean to the latter as the '96 engine harness doesn't have any wiring for the oil pressure switch. Yes, I could integrate the wiring that is there, but it seems cleaner to use the whole of the '96 system and interface after it.

Thoughts? Would wiring diagrams help you get your head around it?

[salans7]

Ok, here's a question probably best addressed to Bill, but I'd be happy if others chimed in as well.

The question is where to interface between the '85 and '96 regarding the fuel pressure relay. On the '85 the FPR is an unusual type of relay and hangs by itself on the firewall looking like an afterthought. But it is there and works. On the '96 the FPR is a standard Ford/Bosch style relay and is in the power distribution box. So, which to use?

To use the '85 Bill came up with a slick way of having the ECU provide the ground to the '85 FPR, and presumably also ran a wire back to the ECU to let it monitor the output of the FPR.

But, I could use the FPR in the power distribution box and eliminate the '85 FPR on the firewall as well as the oil pressure switch on the back of the engine. This would preserve the '96 system and would only require running the output of the '96 FPR to the '85 inertia switch and then jumpering the wires where the '85 FPR was.

I lean to the latter as the '96 engine harness doesn't have any wiring for the oil pressure switch. Yes, I could integrate the wiring that is there, but it seems cleaner to use the whole of the '96 system and interface after it.

Thoughts? Would wiring diagrams help you get your head around it?

Your pros outweigh the cons on that. Keeping the 96 wiring/system relatively complete, Bosch style relays, all relays in the same spot, etc.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Your pros outweigh the cons on that. Keeping the 96 wiring/system relatively complete, Bosch style relays, all relays in the same spot, etc.

I tend to agree.

Stick with one thing that works, and KISS.

Of course, it's you... and not me.

So, I did something similar in my PDC today, re; a self contained feedback loop.

Man, I would never flash a bios or kernel on a box that was crashing at random.

Although, I don't think I'd ever run Win8 either.

Did a 7-10 for Tom last week.

He's got a dog slow 5k hard drive and 'only' 8G of RAM.

Ugh!

Yet I can remember computers with kilobytes of RAM and Meg's of HD space...

** Old man shaking fist at clouds 😂

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

Would wiring diagrams help you get your head around it?

While I like 'being the electron' when components are labeled "Solid State" it's like "There be Dragons here!".

If the gates OF the component were there I could easily navigate.

[Danny G]

On the '96 the FPR is a standard Ford/Bosch style relay and is in the power distribution box. So, which to use?

sounds more than likely if there is an issue in the future this is also an easier relay to get you hands on.