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I picked up another truck today, 89, F250, IDI, 5speed.
The most pressing issue is that it had a little dash fire with the PO. Looks like the headlight switch caught fire.
I got it running today just enough to drive it up the street a bit and into my driveway. Did that just by jumping the fuel shutoff solenoid, jumping the starter solenoid, and energizing the glow plugs with jumper cables. Didn't want to energize any other wiring in case it's still shorted.
My first task is going to be to simply rewire the engine to simple switches and buttons. I think I have it largely sorted out what is what, only real question is does the wait to start light wire on the GP controller switch to ground or power? I need to sort out alternator wiring but that shouldn't take more then a quick search.
Next however is the bigger task, replacing the dash. I have most of another dash out of an 88 diesel. It was hacked up a bit when I got it but between it, the one in the truck, and another one in another gas parts truck I think I have all that I need.
That said I want to remove every wire I don't want/need to simplify it. It seems to me there are a lot more wires in this dash then I really need/want. For example I'll be removing everything having to do with the RABS and the annoying key buzzer.
This leads me to my next question, what are these 3 boxes? I know the black one in the middle is the RABS controller, but what are the other two? Is the small black one the wiper delay control? But what on earth can the gold metal one with all the wires be? The truck this came out of was a 88 IDI/C6(I think).
While I'm at it anyone got any tips on painting the plastic dash?
While I'm at it anyone got any tips on painting the plastic dash?
There is a lot of good info on how to paint the interior plastics in a way that will last. The key is in preparing the plastic (which almost certainly has had Armorall applied to it at some point or another), using the correct adhesion promotor for the type of plastic, and using a quality paint with the correct additives for use on vinyl ABS etc., high elasticity, low shine etc., you will want to read this thread, particularly post #14 from Luke76:
If you are keeping that red interior color, you will find that there is not a common color match for it. It has to be custom mixed, but some mustang restoration suppliers carry it custom mixed from SEM. The cheapest place I have found it is National Parts Depot. It looks to be either Canyon Red, or possibly the brighter Scarlet Red which NPD carries:
I know for sure the bullnose body style used the Canyon Red, but some of the brick nose era trucks look brighter and may be something else. Someone on the 87-96 forum might know the interior color code from the door jam sticker.
Hope this helps, good luck with the wiring project. I hate wiring! This should be a lesson to all of us to do the headlight relay mod.
Point out where if you're so F'n insistent, it's like you think I'm illiterate.
What do you think the picture proves? I didn't ask what wire is what, I know what wire is what. I asked if the WTS wire switches to ground or power.
waldrop4,
Welcome to FTE and the IDI diesel forum.
Voltage drop will have the voltage on the glow plug side of the relay lower when the glow plugs are heating.
200 amps through rather small AWG wire.
That said, there are two places you need to look.
First look at the chassis to engine connector, circled in red in this picture.
That picture is on a 6.9 engine, so your is a little different.
In the picture the large AWG wires, orange color will be either yellow or tan on yours.
There will be two, both on the same end of the connector, You connector will be either black or white if I remember right.
Anyway, look for signs the connector has been hot, deformed or burnt looking plastic.
If you see that, the connector terminals are not making a good connection.
The only fix is to splice the wires aroung the connector, very common problem.
Caution, the wires are always hot, direct connection to the battery positive post.
The other possibility is the relay contacts have burnt up.
The relay from an 86 6.9 engine will bolt right on top of your controller, just make sure you get all the wires back in the same locations.
1986 6.9 glow plug relay, about 30 dollars at NAPA.
Incase you don't see them, the small green controller wire is on the terminal at the end of the metal strip labeled GLOW PLUGS, the small yellow wire in under the other end of the strip on the large terminal of the relay opposite the battery terminal.
There is a lot of good info on how to paint the interior plastics in a way that will last. The key is in preparing the plastic (which almost certainly has had Armorall applied to it at some point or another), using the correct adhesion promotor for the type of plastic, and using a quality paint with the correct additives for use on vinyl ABS etc., high elasticity, low shine etc., you will want to read this thread, particularly post #14 from Luke76:
If you are keeping that red interior color, you will find that there is not a common color match for it. It has to be custom mixed, but some mustang restoration suppliers carry it custom mixed from SEM. The cheapest place I have found it is National Parts Depot. It looks to be either Canyon Red, or possibly the brighter Scarlet Red which NPD carries:
I know for sure the bullnose body style used the Canyon Red, but some of the brick nose era trucks look brighter and may be something else. Someone on the 87-96 forum might know the interior color code from the door jam sticker.
Hope this helps, good luck with the wiring project. I hate wiring! This should be a lesson to all of us to do the headlight relay mod.
Thanks a lot, and no I won't be painting it red, never liked the red anyway, but like the blue less. I'll be going with a satin black.
Got it all hotwired up today, took apart the bulkhead fitting to insure no power to the dash. Used the stock power wire to the GP solenoid, took power from there and went to town. Worked out well, set some of it up to keep a manual override for the GP controller and fast idle even after I have it all fixed.
Main goal was to just insure that I have a good runner and so it's not blocking my driveway. Ran well, started easy, but a fair amount of blue smoke, and didn't seem as crisp as my other one. Tires felt flat spotted but that's par for the course and tells me a little about how long it sat.
Thanks a lot, and no I won't be painting it red, never liked the red anyway, but like the blue less. I'll be going with a satin black.
If you just want black then I would use the Duplicolor vinyl and fabric paint that they sell at Autozone. It is way cheaper than SEM and many claim it is as good or better quality. Autozone sells the Duplicolor adhesion promotor as well. Definitely follow the prep procedures if you are changing colors.
What do you think the picture proves? I didn't ask what wire is what, I know what wire is what. I asked if the WTS wire switches to ground or power.
sorry, i did not see that question.
if i remember correctly the WTS light is switched to power, like most other lights.
on my 88 i have a 12 volt led hooked to the glow plugs feed, and the other side to ground because the WTS light panel died years ago. for a while i just had a red light in place of the original, but i updated it to a LED around 4 years ago when i put the LED in the 02.
this way i see when the glow plugs have power instead of when controller is sending power to the relay.
09-27-2015, 10:11 PM
