Tech Thread

[KA9MOT]

This is the new Tech Thread that I have been graciously allowed to post. This area is for you to share your knowledge with others. Your submissions should be accurate and very detailed. If you can include pictures or drawings please do so.

Disclaimer and Rules:

• The forum owners and moderators are not responsible for any bad info.
• Erroneous or Dangerous ideas will be deleted.
• Contact the person who submitted the article by PM or email if you have questions.
• No fighting or comments (this one is for me).
• So that you have an idea what this thread is about, I'll go first.
• I would like to thank BigBry for allowing this and Ray and C&S for agreeing to moderate this.
  

The thing is with this thread, it is for tried and true repairs or alternations. Carsandcycles, BigBry or myself will be the ones to lock or unlock the thread. At this point I am thinking of making it a read only post for FAQ's. We can unlock the thread anytime someone has something to enter into it or we can leave it open and that way members can post in it. Info or post that are not ON topic will be deleted. If you use something and it works for you, PM the person that wrote it and express your thanks there, as I will delete it if it is posted in this thread. I want this thread to be a rewarding part of this forum. We have members here that can really contribute alot.

[KA9MOT]

The Red wire in the drawing goes to the BAT terminal on the ALT. Also, do not attach it directly to the battery; Instead connect it to the battery side of your starter relay (solenoid).

Use 10 gauge wire minimum. I saw a .6 volt drop between an 8 gauge and a 10 gauge wire. And a 10 gauge wire can only handle 30 Amps without heating up. The factory used 10 gauge. I used 6 gauge amp wire. Hopefully you know how to solder as this will offer less resistance and last longer. Don't know how? How to solder. Don't forget to use heat shrinkable tubing.

Any 12V light bulb will do. It will only come on when you have the key in the on position with the engine not running. If the alternator ever goes bad it will light up even with the engine running. You can mount it in the dash or leave it in the harness like I did.

If you do not use this bulb (a LED will not work) your ALT will charge but the engine will not shut off.

For the two blade terminals get the proper plug-in from Advance. They have it and it is very cheap. It will have the proper sized wires on it and just plugs in.

If you have an Ammeter in your dash, do not use it. It is a fire hazard. A voltage gauge is safer, and more informative.

Go to the parts store and tell them you want an ALT for a 1983 OLDS 98 with the 5.0. That will net you a 100 Amp 12Si Delco ALT with the correct pulley.

You'll have to locate a 1 inch long piece of pipe to use as a spacer and depending on the size of your bolts you may need to drill out the bottom mount of the ALT a little. After that you wire the thing up and bolt it in.

Don’t forget to strip the old wiring out of the harness. It will look better if you do.

Your buddies will stand in awe of your great mechanical abilities when you show them your new ALT. LOL

BTW, try not to explain what you are doing to the dude/dudette at the parts counter. They will argue with you, call you a nut, say it cant be done........better yet....... tell them what you are doing and then go back later and show them how great you are. They will worship you.
Not really but it is fun to watch 'em eat crow.

Kudo's go to Daniel Wood for cleaning up the drawing!

[KA9MOT]

This has been floating around the internet for a couple of years now. It was originally shown to me in the early 80's when one of my buddies set his Harley up with it. I have used it on several Fords and used 2 on a GoldWing I used to own. You can use this with virtually any distributor, points or electronic. If you are using points to trigger the module you will never burn your points up again. The GM HEI Module is very dependable and is said to be good to about 400 HP (I have not confirmed this). The module needs to be mounted to some metal so that it does not overheat and burn up (Be sure to use the supplied dielectric grease). You can drill holes for the plastic locating pins on the back or just cut/break them off. Please be sure to solder and heat shrink all connections or you may find yourself on the side of the road with a bunch of junk wires..
The next one I do I will attempt to mount the module to the distributor itself. All you need is a distributor, GM 4 pin module and your existing coil or a new one. The drawing is for the Ford Duraspark distributor.
Simple enough....eh?

[KA9MOT]

Posted for 1fatcat. He gets all of the credit.

Originally Posted by 1fatcat

ATF (automatic transmission fluid) will cure that anoying whine that Ford P/S systems are so well known for. You will need to drain the system and fill with ATF, run for 10 minutes, then drain and fill again with ATF.

TIP: After the last fill with ATF, jack up the front end and manualy move the wheels from lock to lock with the engine off, then refill the resivior with ATF and start the engine WITH THE FRONT WHEELS STILL OFF THE GROUND! Turn the wheel from lock to lock a few times and recheck the fluid.

Top off the P/S with ATF, lower the car to the ground and you are done...nice and quiet!

Check the level again after a few days of driving.

I have used this method and it works very well!

[KA9MOT]

Remember that a code only points to the faulty circuit NOT necessarily to a faulty component. Loose, damaged or corroded connections may contribute to a fault code on a circuit when the sensor or component is operating properly. Be sure that the components are faulty before replacing them, especially the expensive ones.

The Assembly Line Diagnostic Link (ALDL) connector or Data Link Connector (DLC) may be located under the dash and sometimes covered with a plastic cover labeled DIAGNOSTIC CONNECTOR.

The diagnostic trouble codes can be read by grounding test terminal B. The terminal is most easily grounded by connecting it to terminal A (internal ECM ground). This is the terminal to the right of terminal B on the top row of the ALDL connector.
Once the terminals have been connected, the ignition switch must be moved to the ON position with the engine not running.
The Service Engine Soon or Check Engine light should be flashing. If it isn't, turn the ignition OFF and remove the jumper wire. Turn the ignition ON and confirm that light is now on. If it is not, replace the bulb and try again. If the bulb still will not light, or if it does not flash with the test terminal grounded, the system should be diagnosed by an experienced driveability technician. If the light is OK, proceed as follows.
The code(s) stored in memory may be read through counting the flashes of the dashboard warning lamp. The dash warning lamp should begin to flash Code 12. The code will display as one flash, a pause and two flashes. Code 12 is not a fault code. It is used as a system acknowledgment or handshake code; its presence indicates that the PCM can communicate as requested. Code 12 is used to begin every diagnostic sequence. Some vehicles also use Code 12 after all diagnostic codes have been sent.
After Code 12 has been transmitted 3 times, the fault codes, if any, will each be transmitted 3 times. The codes are stored and transmitted in numeric order from lowest to highest.
The order of codes in the memory does not indicate the order of occurrence.

If there are no codes stored, but a driveability or emissions problem is evident, the system should be diagnosed by an experienced driveability technician.
If one or more codes are stored, record them. Refer to This site
Switch the ignition OFF when finished with code retrieval or scan tool readings.
After making repairs, clear the trouble codes and operate the vehicle to see if it will reset, indicating further problems.

I modified the picture some time ago to make things a little easier.

[KA9MOT]

Origionally posted by Kit Sullivan and used with his permission....

Originally Posted by Kit Sullivan

The Lincoln Mark VII, Mark VIII, and the Town Car have all had air spring suspension on them for quite a while.
The Mark VII was the First Lincoln with air suspension, and it was a four-corner set-up, as was the later Mark VIII suspension.
The Town Car has had the rear air suspension set-up for a few years now.

A true air spring suspension is not to be confused with a simple set of air shocks. No, they are quite different. Air springs are inflatable rubber air bladders that take the place of the vehicles actual metal coil springs. An air suspension still utilizes conventional shock absorbers.
There are many advantages to an air spring set-up. A conventional metal coil or leaf spring can only give a specified ride quality when the vehicle is loaded at a specific weight. Extra weight compresses the spring, increasing its stiffness and 'rate', making the ride harsh and 'out of range' of the designer's intent. It also dramatically alters the handling.
An air spring, however can be set up to add air when extra loading is present, compensating for added weight and to maintain ride control and comfort.
Drive any Lincoln with a normally functioning air suspension and you will be surely impressed with both the ride quality and controllability of the vehicle.

Ahh, 'normally functioning'...that’s the real trick, right? As with any vehicle that has the more complicated and sophisticated options, age and mileage take a toll. Sometimes stuff just stops working. On a Lincoln, when an air suspension fails, it is usually a leaking or burst air spring(or 2), a non-functioning air pump, or corroded individual air-spring solenoids that prevent the normal filling and venting of the individual springs.
Let's say a typical Lincoln owner has a 1992 Mark VII that he bought brand new. They retailed for about $32,000 just about fully loaded back then.
Our owner took typical care of his car, putting about 100,000 miles on it over the years.
The crappy Ford clear coat paint has started to peel and fade (as all Ford paint jobs did from that era), so the car has lost some of its 'visual appeal', which of course relates to resale value.
And Lincoln just doesn’t have a lot of resale value anyway.
Now...the air suspension malfunctions, and the back of the car is dragging tail down the road, totally un-drivable.
Most Lincoln owners are not 'wrench turners', so a trip to the dealership is what they do when the car needs something.

So when the typical customer has his 1992 Mark VII towed to the dealer for service, his experience goes something like this:

Tow bill $150
Service estimate:
Diagnostic $100 $100
Ford replacement air springs $285 each x 2 = $570
Labor to install $185 each x 2 = $270
Ford replacement air compressor $315 $315
Labor $125 $125
Air spring solenoids $55 each x 2 = $110
Labor included

Total $1640


When the customer is presented with this repair estimate, he usually has a heart attack!
The car is usually only worth around $1000-1500, and there is no way they will spend that kind of money on them.
What do they do? Well, since they can't drive em, and won't fix em...the only thing left to do is sell 'em! And they usually sell em pretty cheap knowing how much expensive work is needed. Maybe around $500-750 for an otherwise excellent condition car.
The beauty of all this is that these cars are unbelievably easy to work on if you just know the tricks!

If you look around, you can buy the new air bags, same as the ones from Ford for $140 each. Aftermarket replacements, which are better quality that the Ford units are about $69 each.
The solenoids? $15 each. New aftermarket compressor? $99.

Installing the air springs is literally easier to do than removing the tire to get to them. It takes about 15 minutes per corner, including removing and reinstalling the wheel! Special tools needed? Just one...a flat head screwdriver!
Installing the compressor/dryer assembly is under hood and takes about 15 minutes also. No special or tricky stuff there.
Almost every component of the air suspension can be purchased for less than $450 total. It could all be installed in less than an hour with no special skills or tools. Of course, never would you have to replace every single component, so the parts expense will always be considerably less than that.

So, don't be afraid...go get a good condition but 'needs work' Lincoln from a 'stressed' owner somewhere for a real cheap price.
Just keep your eyes peeled...you'll see 'em. Spend a couple of bucks on parts, and a couple hours installing them, and you'll have one heck of a nice ride for cheap!

And, Part 2.

Originally Posted by Kit Sullivan

There are individual height sensors at each wheel. The car has a computerized self-test diagnostic mode that can individually cycle/check each part of the system independently from other components. No tools are required. It is simply a matter of turning off the air suspension by a switch in the trunk, grounding the exposed pigtail, and executing a series of 'key-on, key-off' maneuvers in conjunction with opening and closing the drivers door. The door action is what ends one test and progresses to the next one. The results are both obvious by the action of the vehicle, and a code is flashed out on the 'check suspension' light on the dash. This test will most likely tell you exactly what the problem is.
The procedure is in the appropriate shop manual, or can be found on line at various Lincoln sites.
It is very easy to do.

Edited by Beefy

[fotw]

I have access to a number of information on ford with the school program and my new job so if you need anything let me know and I will dig up at much as I can.

[Trader Ray]

Just about every year about this time or earlier someone wants to know about storing their car or truck for the winter, or even what steps to take to make it winter proof to drive. Any of our experts have some good sound tried and true advice for these topic's?

[Kit Sullivan]

My 1990 Lincoln Mark VII was not blowing cold air, so I decided to do something about it.
There were no obvious leaks, and because the machine at my shop showed 'no charge', I didn't want to invest in $70-100 worth of Freon (R-12) only to have it possibly leak out.
So, after much consternation...I decided to retrofit it with the 'Interdynamics' kit from Wal-Mart ($28). It has all the R-134A, PAG oil, hoses, gauges and fittings needed, plus easy instructions and even a CD Rom to show you the way. A pretty good set-up.
First of all, and I believe this to be of utmost impotance, I vacuumed the system down real good, for 45 minutes. (three cycles on the machine). Nothing like over-kill, right?
The installation is very simple:

1) Determine how many ounces of 134A refrigerant and PAG oil to add to your system. There is a label underhood that tells you the original factory-filled amount of R-12 (Freon). Mine said "System filled with R-12 refrigerant: 2LBS, 10 OZ.". Because R-134A operates at a higher pressure than R-12, you only add a total of 80% of the original amount of refrigerant and oil to the system. In this circumstance more is definately not better!. Mine originally had a total of 42 ounces, so my new total was rounded to 34 ounces. This is a total of both the refrigerant and the oil needed. The 15 ounce cans of 134A in this kit have 12 ounces of refrigerant (R-134A) and three ounces of PAG oil in each one. This is the proper ratio of oil to refrigerant needed.

2)Screw on the adaptor fittings to the appropriate coinnectors under the hood.

2) Start the engine, turn on A/C to coldest temp and high fan speed and let idle for three minutes.(the compressor clutch will not engage at this time since there is no refrigerant in the system. This is designed to protect the compressor)

3)With engine still running, screw the hose/gauge assembly to one of the three cans of 134A, and use the quick-connector to attach to the low-side port on the A/C line. Only the low side port has a fitting that will connect to the hose, so it is unlikely you will get the wrong line hooked up. The directions in the kit have very explicit and explanatory steps that accuratly show you how to tell the high side fitting from the low side fitting.

4) With the engine still running, open the valve on the can and allow the contents flow into the system. Shake the can vigorously a couple times to mix it well, and hold it upside down to ensure that the oil gets in the system quickly. As the contents enetr the system, the can itself will become cold to the touch, which is perfectly normal. It may take up to 4-5 minutes for the can to completely empty, so be patient. Once the system starts to be able to build pressure because of the new refrigerant and oil being added, the compressor clutch will start to kick on and off, in about 1 or 2 second intervals at first. As more refrigerant is added to the system, the compressor will stray engaged for longer periods.

5) When the first can is empty, with the engine and A/C still running, close the can valve and remove from the low-side fitting. Attach another can to the hose and reattach to the low side fitting and again allow the contents of this can to enter the system. At the end of this can, you will probably be approaching a full charge, so the compressor will start to stay engaged for up to a minute or so each time before it kicks off again. This is normal. There should be cold air flowing from the vents at this point.

6) you will probably not need to add the entire amount of the third 15-oz can to achieve a full charge, and this is where the in-line pressure gauge comes in handy. It is very clearly marked as to where the operating pressure should be and when you reach that amount the pressure should be right. Regardless of your own mathematical calculations however, do not add any more refrigerant to the system once the correct pressure is achieved. Overcahrging actuilly reduces its ability to cool, and will prematurely wear out the A/C system components. The pressure must be read with the can valave closed, so open and close it frequently towards the end to get an accurate reading.

7) Once you are satisfied that the proper amount of refrigerant has been added to the system, close the can valve and remove the quick-connector from the low side fitting. If there is any refrigerant left in thecan , leave the hose attached until needed in the future for possible top-offs.

8) drive the car immediately, or leave idling for at least 15 minutes to ensure a good spread and application of the oil throughout the A/C system.


I did this exact procedure to my 1979 Mark V in 1999, and when I sold this car in early 2004 with 60,000 additional miles on it, it still was blowing cold, with no problems or top-offs needed!
I did this to my 1991 Cutlass over a year and a half ago, again...no problems.
I did this to my 1990 Mark VII a few weeks ago, and so far...no problems.

It was far more work and effort to write this down than it was to just do the retrofit, so don't be afraid! Just do it!

[KA9MOT]

I know this will shock some of you but I was too darn cold to solder and heat shrink so, crimp-ons until spring!

I performed the above modification to my 1984 Bronco II.
The required parts were:

• New Duraspark Distributor (1983 Ford Ranger with 2.8 Liter V6).
• Ford 2 barrel non-feedback (not electronic controlled) Carb (1979 Mustang with 2.8 Liter V6).
• Ford TFI style coil (Accel or MSD is even better). The square one.
• GM HEI 4 pin Module (1978 Camaro with 350 V8).
• Piece of steel or Aluminum to mount module too.
• A fist full of wire.

Now the PICS!

The Mounted HEI Module


The new Carb:

[KA9MOT]

The Wrong Coil: I've since used the square TFI coil with much better results.



And the hard to see distributor:




Previously this engine was computer controlled and was starting to lose power and run badly. It runs like a brand new engine now and all of the lost power has returned.

[Troadster]

Here is also the same set up on my 1970 4X4. The heck with point's .The only trouble with this set up is you need a longer coil wire.

[Troadster]

This was asked for in another section but thought it would be good here a good tip to build on to git out of your floor.


If anyone need help please PM me will help were I can.

[Saltmine]

One thing....

Doing R-134a conversions.

Be VERY careful adding refrigerant to your converted system. First, the longer and "harder" you can pull a vacuum on the system, the better. Moisture is death for refrigerant. Second; weigh your cans of refrigerant! A friend of mine works for an aftermarket A/C supplier and was sent out in the "field" to determine why there were so many A/C repairs and conversion jobs failing. What they found out was almost every system they looked at, that had failed, was undercharged, and low on oil.

A great deal of detective work revealed that some guys still think those cans of refrigerant are 1 pound cans. Wrong! each can of R-134a is a 12 oz can. This is roughly 3/4 of a pound. They also discovered the majority of the 12 oz. cans were "low" on content. On an average, most 12 oz. cans were weighed out at 8-10 oz. of product. Allowing for refrigerant lost in connecting up, and filling hoses, not a lot of refrigerant gets into the system. Low charge in a 134a system can make the duct temperature nice and cold, BUT, not enough refrigerant inside the system causes the refrigerant to "superheat". Remember, refrigerant carries the oil through the system. "Superheating" causes the oil to drop out of suspension, usually nowhere near the compressor, where it's really needed. The compressor, without enough oil, burns up, simple as that.

I use a professional charging and recovery station. I know, not everyone has access to professional equipment, but a small digital scale from Wal-Mart will serve to determine the proper amount of refrigerant and oil. Take the extra time and save yourself a lot of cash.

[Kit Sullivan]

Good tips!
My above post about retrofitting from R-12 to R-134A was 8 months ago, and I have used the system daily continuously and have had zero problems so far. It has been well over 15,000 miles and it still blows nice and cold.