Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

I did get the alternator back together, and I did get the retainers in PDB out, save for the retainer holding the diode terminals in.  And since I am using one of the diodes, that means I'll just have to roll the wires to the other one up in the PDB.

Then, with the retainers out, I pulled out the wires and terminals that I won't use.  And, in doing so, I worked through the diagram shown previously for the PDB.  Sure enough, there were several problems.  I now have those sorted and I think the diagram is correct.

Tomorrow I'll tie together the fuse, relay, and diode connectors inside the PDB and then populate it and test it.  If it works properly I'll re-install the retainers and call the PDB good.  And at that point I'll pull out the partial harness I have, remove the fuse links, and extend the wires to reach the PDB.

Speaking of the retainers, here's a shot of the PDB with the retainers in place.  I've circled where the clips are that have to be released in order to get the retainers out.  Most of them are easily released, but the two inside the circle in the upper left were particularly tough.  The retainers are buttons made of the black plastic of the PDB itself, and they face each other.  I finally got the released by pushing a screwdriver in there that was just the right width to push to the two buttons apart and got the retainer out - without breaking anything.





And here's what the PDB looks like w/o the retainers:




The shot on the left is of the bottom with all the wires in, and the one on the right is with the extraneous ones removed:

[ArdWrknTrk]

At least everything is color coded???

I'm glad I have only a few fuses and relays, even if that means keeping the fusible links (that have been good for the past 456k miles)

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, all the wires have a base color and then two stripes.  And if I didn't have the PDB going in the perfect spot I'd probably leave the fuse links in place.  But I do so I won't.  

[ArdWrknTrk]

I'm kinda glad mine is as small and unobtrusive as it is, even if it doesn't have room to replace the three fuse links.
Hopefully, I can get the last relay wired up to the blower, call it done, and do a small write-up with links to products used.

[Gary Lewis]

I think your way and Scott's way are easier.  But I've been wanting to do this "upgrade", if indeed it is, for years on a Bullnose.  And with the 1G-to-3G plus ammeter-to-voltmeter swaps, I needed to get into the wiring.  But I didn't want that shunt still there, so....  And I needed relays.  And.....  things mushroomed as they always do with me.  

I'm going to be happy - when it is done.  And the big FORD oval on the lid to the PDB is going to have people asking questions.  As will the dual snorkel air cleaner, at least until the EFI goes on.  

[kramttocs]

I wasn't going to say anything but seeing all those wires coming out of the bottom of it did make me want to  post another link to the ssVEC

I do agree - having the Ford oval on there will be a nice touch.

[Gary Lewis]

There are a number of wires.  But each fuse is on the bus, so there's just the wires from the fuses.  And most of the relay slots didn't have the 5th wire, the one on the normally-closed connection, but some did.  And there were lots more fuses than needed.

So I cleaned out probably 10 or 12 wires today, and then taped the ones for each relay together, making it much more manageable.  Tomorrow I'll run the wires from the fuses to the relays, which will make it even simpler looking.  Then, all I'm left with are the wires that connect to the harnii.  We are on the home stretch!

Once installed it won't look custom.  It'll look like it belongs.  And it won't look big as the battery will dwarf it.  

[kramttocs]

Speaking of batteries. You're using the factory aux battery mount, right? If so, do you know what battery you are using there? I was testing mine out the other day to ensure I had room to run the 1/0 wire but the 65 type battery has a lip on the bottom that would have to be trimmed to fit. I haven't gone so far as to take measurements and check out the optima's or such yet.

[Gary Lewis]

I'll check tomorrow.  I don't remember what it is.

As for your 1/0 wire, I'm a bit worried that the #10 yellow wire isn't going to cut it to tie the two batteries together.  As I get into this I'm going to see if I can install the EFI harness that goes across the radiator support during Phase 1.  That way I'd have the large wire that ties the EFI PDB to the PDB I'm working on now, and I could install the Cole Hersee smart relay at the end of that wire and connect up the aux battery.

[kramttocs]

That sounds like the best plan to me. The #10 seems awfully small especially at that length.

[Gary Lewis]

I agree that it is too small.  So I really need to think through this BEFORE finalizing the plan.

One reason is that the trailer feed now goes from the passenger's side across the radiator support to the trailer brake controller.  But that makes no sense when there will be a large PDB on the driver's fender with a serious feed to it from the main battery.  So, if there is a Trailer fuse in the '96 PDB then why not use it and dispense with the fairly-large wire running across the radiator support.  I'll check that out.

Also, there's a wire in the harness running across the radiator support that triggers the starter relay.  I need to figure out what it does and if it is needed.  If so, I probably need to connect it as I'm doing this PDB.

[Gary Lewis]

kramttocs wrote

Speaking of batteries. You're using the factory aux battery mount, right? If so, do you know what battery you are using there? I was testing mine out the other day to ensure I had room to run the 1/0 wire but the 65 type battery has a lip on the bottom that would have to be trimmed to fit. I haven't gone so far as to take measurements and check out the optima's or such yet.

Yes, I'm using the factory aux battery mount, at least for now although with the EFI air cleaner housing and PDB that may be too much for the driver's fender area.

And the battery I have there is an Odyssey Extreme 34-PC1500.  And the LWH is 10.86 x 6.77 x 7.88".  But that's overall, so if you need different measurements let me know.

[kramttocs]

Appreciate that. So that 6.77 width is the max?
For my test I was using an Everstart 65 that I use for the trailer winch. The problem with it are the kickouts at the bottom take it to 7.1875". The battery tray is ~6.75" wide so the 6.77 would work as you reported.


Are you using the same Odyssey model for both the main and aux?

[Gary Lewis]

No, I have an Odyssey Extreme 31M PC2150 for the main battery.  I had one of those for the aux battery, but then just before I shut the hood I realized it wasn't going to clear.  

[Gary Lewis]

Got the new brushes in the mail today, which have now been installed so the alternator is ready to go.

And the following notes as I find things:

The red/light blue wire in the wiring harness coming from the driver's side in the EFI harness isn't needed.  It is essentially the same as the Bullnose one as it comes from the ign switch, through the clutch switch, and then to the start relay for a manual.

Fuse Link F, which goes to the brake controller, doesn't need to come from the PDB on the passenger's side.  There's a 30a fuse, #21, in the EFI PDB that just serves the brake controller.  So for the interim either roll up the wire and keep it on the driver's side and put the ring connector from the fuse link on the to-be smart battery isolator where the big yellow wire will terminate.

The only wires that I think needs to come across the radiator support are those to the driver's side headlight and the big yellow wire hot wire between the PDB's.

Having said that, there are three connectors and their wires that come from the driver's side and end on the passenger's side that I have not been able to identify.  The one with the yellow insulator has a red wire and a green/black/black wire. (Two black stripes.)  The one in the middle has a green/brown (orange?) wire.  And the one on the right has a brown/yellow/yellow wire.




And, I realized today that I almost have twin PDB's.  Here's they are, with the EFI one on top in both pics.  The EFI one only has one stud, and that's to take the large yellow cable from the other side.  And the other PDB has two studs, which allows for a megafuse between them and the alternator goes to one and the battery and big yellow cable to the other.

[85lebaront2]

Gary the three mystery plugs, what did that harness come from? Could the middle have been light green with red? If so it is the alternator light to alternator. The right hand one is probably a dirty red and is possibly the starter control. The left hand one if it could be red and light green with black is the canister purge control (called a vapor management valve) it was used on the 460 CA spec vehicles instead of the plain solenoid valve.

[Gary Lewis]

Bill - It is a '96 CA-spec harness, the one Mark/Dyn Blin found in Sonoma.

Yep, that's the purge solenoid connector, C171.  

And, the middle one does appear to be C139, which the EVTM says is a 4-pin connector.  So I'll bet you are right - it is the charge indicator light.

But, I don't know what you mean by "The right hand one is probably a dirty red and is possibly the starter control."  Do you mean the red/light blue that pulls in the starter relay?  It isn't that as I also have that.

Thanks!

[85lebaront2]

Could it be red with yellow? That would be C106 and is the AC cycling switch connection to the harness, it will go across to C101 (42 way engine connector near PDC) and to the high pressure cutout switch on the compressor. When it goes through C101 it becomes black with yellow. I can look at Darth tomorrow for you if it isn't raining.

[Gary Lewis]

Bill!  You did it!  It really does look like it is red/yellow and C106 is said to be black 4-pin connector.  Exactly what this one is.  

It ties the A/C Clutch Cycling Pressure Switch to the A/C High Pressure Cutout Switch, and they collectively tie the A/C on/off switch on the dash to the clutch.  But since I'm going to use the 85's controls I don't need that one either.

Given all that, the only wires that need to cross the radiator support are the large yellow wire that ultimately will tie the two PDBs together, and the wires from the passenger's side to the driver's side headlights.  Yippee!  That simplifies things a bunch.  THANKS!

[85lebaront2]

You may eventually need it, the wire from there also goes to the EEC so it knows the AC compressor is running. The VMV, if Adam can turn it off completely (on Darth he originally had the purge valve). The 1996/7 CA spec EEC-V and evaporative emission is unique in the fact that it is not a sealed system like Blue Jeans uses. It still uses atmospheric vents at the tanks, but does have a nice evaporative system, still has the dual cannisters, but instead of a 3/16" line from the tanks, uses a 3/8" line probably due to the heating of the fuel being returned to the active tank.

I know that before I converted Darth to EFI if I filled both tanks in hot weather I needed to run on the front tank first, or at least long enough to pull some fuel out of it. If I didn't, the tank would "burp" some fuel out of the filler neck. Since I went to EFI and added the plumbing for the larger evaporative system it hasn't happened.