1982 Bronco XLT

[Weberman]

Got some pics finally and some updates.

The controls for the vent seem to have a leak. I did see the rod move, from where I have no idea. Then I tried recording it to see what it would do in each position and then nothing. I got out and took the hose off and tried to suck on it and it never built vacuum so.

I guess my headlight switch may be out. Dash lights don't work in pulled all the way out but do pushed in once. May try one off the parts truck and see what goes on

[grumpin]

Looks nice! Did you use LED’s?

Sorry, if you said I don’t remember.

[Gary Lewis]

Gauges and lighting look great!  

On the vacuum, there's a connector roughly behind the glove box.  Pull it apart and check for leaks from that point.

[Weberman]

Didn't truly say but yes, cool white LEDs.

I'm going to do a smoke test on just that today and see where it's from. I tried all the connectors and they seemed to be on but I guess we'll see from the test.

[Weberman]

Can there be a leak within the module itself? It looks like it's coming from the middle of it. I did press the connector on the back to see and I didn't see anymore so I started it up to see if it would move but no luck and I think I heard actually the slight leak.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, it can be within the module itself.  I once took one apart, cleaned it, lubed it, and then glued it back together - and it worked!

[Weberman]

Might have to try that. Do you remember how hard it was? I just feel like there probably aren't that many AC, mix, rear window Bronco heater controls out there.. I looked up some and didn't realize that there was just AC, vent, and Defrost ones too.. I have vent, AC, Max, Mix, Floor, Defrost

I would think that would work since mine works sometimes.

[Gsmblue]

 Mine was gunked up and cracked. I think I got my replacement valve assembly from Dennis carpenter. You keep the existing facia.

[Gsmblue]

It was from LMC.

Under heater components it is item 28. I have the same options you do.

[Gary Lewis]

I don't think it was all that hard.  I think I had to cut off or drill out some melted-over plastic rivets, and then probably drilled and tapped them and used small screws to put it back together.  And silicone spray as the lubricant.

[Weberman]

So I was reading a bit about the wipers and did a quick skim. The wipers have to go all the way down? Whenever I got the bronco home, I started testing lights and wipers, I remember they had no problems. Whenever I turned them on, they worked but never shut off so I just unplugged the motor. They've been unplugged since. Since I swapped the dash(I'll post pics in a bit) I took the switch out of the other truck but they still do it. I did notice last night though, that they never went all the way down, or at least like an inch away from where the dust line is from where they've been sitting.

[Gary Lewis]

"All the way down" is determined by where the arm is put on the serrated shaft.  Once you get the wipers to shut off properly you can pull the wiper arm off the shaft and reposition it so they rest just above the windshield trim.

As for getting them to turn off, try the troubleshooting instructions on the page at Documenation/Electrical/Windshield Wipers.

[Weberman]

Took the Bronco out for its maiden voyage today! Got about 75 miles today. Everything was fine before the trip and then as soon as I started it to leave it didn't really wanna idle. Would go super low and die. Off idle was fine though so took it anyways. Had a bit of a scare with MPG. Knew it wasn't gonna be amazing but when I filled up before I left and when I got there, it said I got 4.4 MPG!! That really shocked me. I noticed on the way back there was kinda some popping whenever I'd downshift and have some higher RPMs and a load(going up hill). Noticed it in 3rd a couple times too. Ignition too far ahead?? I'll have to check timing but also, it never did it until it didn't want to idle either so.. idk.

Filled up at the station back home and only filled up with like 1.2 gallons and knew that was wrong. I guess this filler neck might be wrong for the newer 33 gal tank?? Anyways I remembered the one up there had 3 notches on the pump and this one only had 2. Up at the other one, the lowest setting was slow enough to actually fill the tank without setting off the pump. The 2nd setting on the one back home was still too fast so I used my hand for the rest. After I filled up slowly and it stopped, it equaled 12.1 MPG. Not bad with in town driving, trying to die at every stop. Otherwise all highway for most of those miles with 1 stop sign about halfway through the trip.

Big take away: even though doesn't stay running in gear all of a sudden, still got me to there and back.

[grumpin]

Super! That’s a great first drive!

[Gary Lewis]

Congrat's!!!  Glad it made the trip, and that's decent MPG.

In my experience there are always little things to sort out after a lot of work, so I'm not surprised that you have some minor issues.  Maybe the idle speed is too low, causing it to try to die at each stop?

[Weberman]

Yeah I have no idea. When I started it to move it over to the parts truck to get a few parts out that I had behind the seat, idled in gear fine, sat there idling for a minute fine. Also when it did a two mile round trip to a big parking lot nearby to turn around and head back in never had any problems, with that popping noise or in gear.
I started it and pulled it around again and put it in park and it started idling real low and try to fight through it. A few times it got through it and got to where it should be for 5 seconds and then just go back down again. I bumped up the idle and didn't really change it either. Then through the trip. It started idling high in park(since I bumped it) but still nothing in gear.

[Weberman]

Here is the dash swapped over. The pad needs to go down some more still but still not bad overall.
And there was the fill up before the 45 min drive

[Weberman]

I believe it may have been the ignition module again.. I took the old one in since it has a lifetime warranty. Put it on and it had trouble idling at first, but also it was still 'cold' and I have the choke open. After a bit. It idled fine, even when I hit the throttle real quick. Usually stumbles until warmed up when I do that. Put it in reverse and it idled fine. I started it with the other and all was fine until a little bit in. I guess when it warns up it acts up.

I'll be ordering a heat sink today. I knew these gave off a lot of heat and not sure why I never thought about it again since that's why the first probably failed. I guess because all was well.

[Gary Lewis]

If the ignition module is failing it can do weird things.  Sometimes they just turn off.  Others won't rev above a certain RPM.  Just wonky.  So if it is different with one module than the other it is surely the module.

How are you going to use the heat sink?  You have a DS-II module, right?

[Weberman]

I may try something within that, not sure yet. For now I ordered a heat sink that most others use. But I may try and hollow out and use the DS housing for a cool effect/factory look.

But it makes sense to me. It starts and acts like it usually does then after a minute, I guess from it getting hot after working for a bit, and the idles real low. I guess I can go turn it on and let it go for awhile to double check.