Junkyard Musings and Questions...

[Rembrant]

I grabbed the cluster today and it's in nice condition with only 44,000 original kms (27k miles). It was in a rural community volunteer fire department truck, so it wasn't out beating the roads like a regular work truck would have been.



PS: Gary, I didn't grab the other parts from the dash, but will be going back later. When I stopped by today, I landed just when the guys were leaving for lunch, so I only had a few minutes (and it was only 15F degrees besides...lol). I'll go back on a warmer day and grab the dash pieces and a-pillar trim, etc.

[Gary Lewis]

Looks good!  And, no worries about the other parts for me.  I'm in no hurry and don't really need them.  Let it warm up some first.  

[kramttocs]

Funny timing. I just happened to go into the 'big truck' section of the jy today and had the exact same thought when I saw the under-column switch cluster. My hope was to modify it to hold my brake controller. Glad I ran across these posts but a shame that it isn't bolt-on.

[Gary Lewis]

That would be a neat place for a brake controller.  

[85lebaront2]

I had my brake controller (an old Kelsey-Hayes hydraulic one) mounted under the steering column on Darth before I changed everything to the 1996 interior. Circled in picture, toggle switch was to disable the brake circuit for towing an empty trailer.

[Gary Lewis]

That's basically the same place mine is on Big Blue.  But I have to think about it when I tow as the integrated one on Blue is on the opposite side.

As for towing w/o a load, both my controllers have an adjustment for braking, and I just back it off until the tires don't slide.

[Rembrant]

Ford F834 wrote

Were the caps by any chance 2wd ones with the center disc removed?

I came across this for sale ad during my usual Ford junk searches, and I remembered that you guys were discussing the center openings in the Ford center caps. Kinda gives a visual of the openings.

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-auto-body-parts/cambridge/87-to-96-f150-bronco-center-caps/1358114169?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true



Seems like there's a bunch of them popping up for sale lately....in Canada at least. People are bored and cleaning out their garages I suppose...

This looks like a pretty clean set for $40 CDN (about $30 USD):

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-other-auto-parts-and-accessories/oakville-halton-region/1980-96-f150-and-bronco-center-caps/1407015813?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true



And a dirty set for $25 bucks...

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-other-auto-parts-and-accessories/mississauga-peel-region/ford-bronco-centre-caps/1407237877?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true



That's a lot of center caps to all pop up in the last couple days;).

[Gary Lewis]

Wow!  That's a LOT of center caps!

[Steve83]

The chrome with black centers are rare ('94-96/7 only), which makes them slightly more-valuable, but also MUCH less-sought-after.

That "clean set" isn't actually a set - there are 2 red-centers for the rear wheels, 1 open-center for a 4WD front, and one missing its center (which won't fit a 4WD front).

[Rembrant]

Ford F834 wrote

You are right regarding the grounding in the truck harness for 6 vs 8 cylinders... however the medium duty 4,500 rpm gas tach was only engineered for 8 cylinder applications. The printed circuit inside the tach itself is only configured for 8 cylinder truck harnesses.

Hey Jonathan, I assume the answer to this question is yes, but will this medium duty cluster I have (w/ 4500 RPM tach) plug right into a V8 Bullnose and work without mods? I assume it works it's just that it's a 4500 RPM tach instead of a 6000 RPM tach?

[NotEnoughTrucks]

For some reason, I recall the red centers were on the 4WD trucks, (rear only, of course) and the black centers were on the 2WD trucks.

Could be wrong, my memory ain't what it used to be.

[Gary Lewis]

The center medallion color is confusing.  Here's an excerpt from the page on Driveline/Wheel Covers for the 1980 Bronco, first, and then the F-Series trucks.  But, all years are shown on that page.

I get lost in this, so I'm hoping someone can help sort through it.

[1986F150Six]

Rembrant wrote

Ford F834 wrote

You are right regarding the grounding in the truck harness for 6 vs 8 cylinders... however the medium duty 4,500 rpm gas tach was only engineered for 8 cylinder applications. The printed circuit inside the tach itself is only configured for 8 cylinder truck harnesses.

Hey Jonathan, I assume the answer to this question is yes, but will this medium duty cluster I have (w/ 4500 RPM tach) plug right into a V8 Bullnose and work without mods? I assume it works it's just that it's a 4500 RPM tach instead of a 6000 RPM tach?

Not Jonathan [David], but the answer is yes.

[Rembrant]

1986F150Six wrote

Not Jonathan [David], but the answer is yes.

Thank you sir. The 4500 RPM tach cluster might be getting a temporary home in an 85 Bullnose for troubleshooting purposes;).

[1986F150Six]

Although its range is too low [when wound up!], you will be impressed by the movement! The 6K original tach, when used with my 6 banger, would barely move as @ 45 mph, the engine is turning 1250 RPMs.

With the 4.5K tach, the tach is @ slightly less than mid range when cruising @ 70 mph.

[Steve83]

Gary Lewis wrote

The center medallion color is confusing.

I think that refers to either "chrome metal cap w/red medallion" or "black plastic cap w/red medallion", regardless of the various wordings.  My '83 Bronco originally had black plastic w/red.  I never saw a black medallion until '95, at which point all F-series got that color.

[Gary Lewis]

Steve - It is certainly confusing.  So I started a new thread, called Center Cap Identification, where I'm asking for ID #'s of the caps that people have so we can figure it out, for sure.  I have a cross reference that will let me come up with the part # for anything in the Bullnose era as well as up to 1991, so we should be able to figure this out.

Then I'll update my master parts catalog with accurate descriptions and replace the info on the website with it.  And, speaking of that, I revised the page today because I realized that I didn't have the cross reference that the MPC includes on the page.  But, it is there now.  

[LARIAT 85]

That is a cool idea.  That is how Ford *should* have done it with the straight six engine.  And, I like the fact that you made a real improvement to your truck using Ford parts.

I like the way you think, 1986F150Six!  

[1986F150Six]

Thank you!

[85lebaront2]

Ok, I know this is off topic from the main purpose of this site, but on the recommendation of the owner, I am posting this for a number of you who prowl junkyards. I found yesterday that the engine computer I was going to use on my project (1986 Lebaron convertible) is bad, something is wrong in the board causing it to fire all 4 injectors at once, as a result I need to find another one. It needs to be from a 1990 or 1991 Chrysler product with a 2.5L turbocharged 4 cyl. engine and automatic transmission.

I have a list of compatible numbers I can use: 4639246, 4639248, 4639250, 4672121, 4672125, 4672149, 4672161, 4672162, 4672163, 4672164, 4672165, 4672466, 4672520, 4672649, 4686592, 5234681, 5234791, 5235195, 5235225, 5235227, 5235249, 5235477, 5235613, 5236479, 5276347, 5276349, 5276371, 5276373, 5276383, 5276392, 5276399, 5276407, 5276409, 5276411, 5276413, P4529998, P4529999 The last two are probably unlikely as they were Mopar Performance ones.

Thanks for any help on this.