Big Blue's Transformation

[85lebaront2]

My Chrysler PDB, from a Dodge Stratus or Chrysler Sebring has a gaggle of 40 amp Maxi Fuses.

It isn't fully populated in this picture, the box was apparently used in a number of vehicles as I have two, one from a 1996 Stratus and one from a 2000 Sebring convertible. They are physically the same but the relay strip on the right side has different functions, many are the same though. The interior fuse box (junction box to Chrysler) has a load of smaller fuses, individual headlight low and high beam, left and right for one example.

The four large relays are for low and high speed fans, ASD (automatic shut down) which powers the fuel pump, coil and injectors and starter.

The stud on top was due to the battery location on the Stratus/Sebring, under the LF fender, forward of the wheel so + and - studs were provided, it is an M10 X 1.5 or slightly bigger than a 3/8" bolt. I have my + battery cable (real short) alternator fusible link and starter main cable on it with the factory red plastic cover.

[Gary Lewis]

First, the L&L headers are at Jet-Hot and I've approved the work.  The guestimated date for us to pick them up is April 6th.

As for the PDB's, thanks, Bill.  The Ford boxes are similar.

The one I think I'll use is from a mid-90's F-Series truck.  Here's what it looks like in position with its bracket/stand on it.  More on it in just a bit, but note where the connections are for the 3G that I got from Jim - thanks again, Jim.  Brandon said his son's 3G is clocked the same way, and it looks to us like it should be re-clocked to put the connections basically on top.  What do y'all think?

[Frank Wyatt]

Yes Gary, I agree that the alternator needs to be re-clocked. The PDC looks good where it is, right close to the battery. Nice work Gary. I like that stand-off under the PDC.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, Frank.  I, too, like the position as it gives easy access to both the battery and the alternator, as well as the wiring into the cab.  And the stand came with the PDB from the mid-90's F-Series truck.  If fits very nicely there, and about all I need to do is to bend up the two tabs on the front so they don't dig into the fender liner, and then drill holes through the bracket to match those in liner.  Then I'll bolt it in using large fender washers.

Here's how it'll be wired, although it has a choke relay and that's not needed.  And it has only two fuses for fuselink replacement.  Plus, it doesn't show Fuselink T, the one that goes to the fuel pump with a pink wire w/a black hashn from the starter relay.  But I'll fix all three of those issues.




Here's a shot of the PDB from the bottom, showing the bottom cover and the stand, both of which snap into the PDB.




And to Scott's question, here's a shot that shows the bus.  Note the Megafuse connects to it, so the battery and starter will connect to the lug on the top in the pic, which will be the one on the left or front when looking at the top pic.  And the alternator will connect to the rear stud.

Also note the yellow wire that crosses over the shield I'm prying out of the way so you can see the bus.  That wire, and a few others like them, are the power to the relays.  All six relay positions are pre-wired and it just takes connecting to their trigger and output circuits to use them.

[Gary Lewis]

Made some good progress today.  First, I found the TurboCAD file!  It was lost in the new-computer setup, but I found it, and then spent a lot of time editing it today.

I realized that the circuit from the starter relay that gives the fuel pump full voltage in Start has a fuse link in it.  But I'm replacing fuse links with fuses.  However, all the fuses in the PDB are powered off the bus, so I had to use another relay to power that circuit.  Unfortunately I forgot to put a label on Relay 2, but that's the relay.

And I'd forgotten to include the diode to protect from the EMF when the starter's relay discharges, so I added it.

And, I have a bit more cleanup to do, but here 'tis:




Then I started thinking about how I'm going to document the wiring for posterity.  Here's the page from the EVTM that all of these components are shown on:




And here's that page with all the things I'm replacing or changing erased.  My hope is that I can figure out how to drop the schematic for the PDB onto this page and show it hooked up.  Thoughts?

[Gary Lewis]

Hopefully y'all are following the discussion re fuses vs fuse links in the other thread.  Most of my day was spent on that, but I did try re-clocking the alternator - and it didn't work.  Does anyone have any tricks for getting the windings out?  They don't want to budge, and if I can't get them out I'll just leave the clocking alone.

However, I did discover that one of the brushes is rather worn, so I want to replace them.  Anyone know a good place from which to get them?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Clocking is just a matter  of cracking the case halves far enough to clear the locating nubs.

You don't want to split it in half or anything like that.

The shaft shouldn't be too tight in the bearing to bind up like that.

[Gary Lewis]

I've been using this how-to.  I can't get the windings out of the front to turn them.  And since the rear case has to go down in alignment with the windings, they have to come out of the front half and then turn.  Right?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Note post #2.
It's no lie.
I hold the case and give the shaft a whack with a rawhide mallet.
Spin the rear around to where you want it and reinsert the screws.

Not going there on #4, 6, 8, 10 whatever... we all know.

[Gary Lewis]

Hadn't read the posts.  Interesting.  

As for whacking with a mallet, I'll try that.  The stator hasn't wanted to come out, but I haven't whacked the shaft.  

[Gary Lewis]

Ok, I'm officially "stuck" on the re-clocking of the alternator.  (Pun intenteded.  Or, maybe 2/3 of a pun?
 )

Whacking with a mallet didn't work.  Heating it to 150F in the oven and then whacking and prying didn't work.

The issue is that the windings are stuck in the front case half.  And there's no good way I can see to pry them out with the diode bridge installed.  If you pry where the top/vertical yellow arrow is, which is pretty much where they are stuck, what you are doing is moving the black heat sink (red arrow) back.  And since it carries the diode bridge you are then using the soldered joints (4 yellow horizontal arrows) and the copper wires to pull the windings out. I've done that all I dare do for fear of breaking the solder joints.

The only way I can see to do it is to un-solder the bridge, which will allow the heat sink to come out as it is fairly loose.  That will then give me access to the windings and I might be able to tap & pull to get them out.

Help!  

[ArdWrknTrk]

Sounds like the shaft is locked in the front bearing.
I wouldn't be afraid to smack it good.

What have you got to lose?

[ArdWrknTrk]

I apologise.
I didn't think that alternator was corroded inside.  

[Gary Lewis]

Jim - NO!  There is nothing wrong with the alternator.  Or, at least nothing that a new set of $6 brushes won't fix.

As I've stepped back and thought about it, I have no business re-clocking this thing.  I say that because of my intent to hand off something that can be easily maintained.  And apparently Ford thought that these trucks ought to have their alternators clocked the way this one is.  In fact, Brandon/Bruno2 said his son's is clocked the same way.

So, if I re-clock this one and cut the harness down to match then it won't be long enough with any other clocking.  Given that, I'm going to put the alternator back together just the way it is - but with new brushes, which should come in from Rock in a couple of days.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Honestly, I started it up and saw 14.6V.
I never thought to open it up, or i would have known.

[Gary Lewis]

Trust me, I'm a happy camper.  I got a good deal on a LOT of parts.  

As for what I did today, I spent some time trying to take the PDB apart.  If you haven't played with one, there are red pieces of plastic that retain the connectors.  So, you take out the relays, fuses, and diodes and pull the red pieces.  Then you can pull the individual connectors by releasing their tabs.  And, since I'm not going to use all of them I want to pull some of them out.

But, I've not figured out how to get all of the retainers out.  There are some tricks somewhere that I've not discovered.  So if anyone knows, please educate me.  But once I figure it out I'll post a video or something.

[salans7]

The retainers themselves probably have tabs that need to be depressed before they'll come out.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, there are tabs.  But apparently some of them are hidden as one piece has a tab at one end and yet when it is released the retainer still won't come out.  Still working.....

[1986F150Six]

Gary Lewis wrote

Yes, there are tabs.  But apparently some of them are hidden as one piece has a tab at one end and yet when it is released the retainer still won't come out.  Still working.....

Coffee in hand?

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, sir!  Sumatra for the first cup.  French to come.  Then assemble an alternator and figure out where the little tabs are hiding.  

Would really love to get the PDB apart and the extra contacts out to make it easier to work on.  And then cut into the harness to remove the fuse links and solder the extensions.  At that point I'm committed and there's not turning back.  

I guess I could just cut in and do the soldering.  Then I am truly committed.