Hey all, noobie here.

I have a 1986 Econoline (class-C MH) with a 460 carbed engine.

Beneath the air cleaner, there are two small diameter hoses, one goes to vacuum, the other goes to the air inlet duct valve. (hot air?)

My problem is, when removing the air cleaner, these hoses became disconnected from air cleaner, now I do not know which goes where.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Sometimes if you look carefully, you will find one hose is larger than the other. If that is not apparent, then just hook them up, and on a cold morning make sure the flapper door in the inlet duct is shut, and then after driving it and it's fully warmed up, make sure the flapper door is open. If it's not working, swap the hoses and then test it again on another cold morning start-up.

 

I'm not sure how it's set up in a van (MH) but on my truck the vacuum connects to the passenger side rear of the air cleaner housing right near the AIR crossover's vacuum actuated valve.

 

Thx for the reply, but here in the lower AZ desert would have a long wait for cold mornings and don't want the hot air to be a constant coming into the air cleaner. I am slightly urinated at myself, before I always remembered which was which when removing the air cleaner, but guess this time old timers disease kicked in.

On the bottom of the air cleaner there is a small block with two hose connectors of same diameter. Not exactly sure how it works, but suspect there is a thermo device which allows (or not) a vacuum to the duct valve, which opens and allows the warm air to flow into the main air duct. But once the air gets hot, the thermal device closes (or opens) and removes (or allows) vacuum to the duct valve, which then closes and allows only outside air into the air intake.

Chilton's shows both hoses, but not which connectors they go to.

 

You are correct on how it works. All you have to do is take the aircleaner lid off and you can see the sensor. I have had to fiddle with most of mine, taking the plastic cover off and messing with the adjustment to make it work. You can manually work the little valve thing and make the flapper door work back and forth.

I believe they try to keep the air coming in at about 100 degrees so it might come on when you first start it. Where you live you will not need it as much as someone up north.

And of course like you said, if it stays shut and doesn't work, then reverse the hoses. Sorry, I am not sure which way the hoses go.

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArdWrknTrk

I'm not sure how it's set up in a van (MH) but on my truck the vacuum connects to the passenger side rear of the air cleaner housing right near the AIR crossover's vacuum actuated valve.

Thanks, looks like location on air cleaner is same for this one, so will hook up like yours and monitor. As Dave posted, will either be 100% right, or wrong, so just reverse them if wrong.

And thanks again guys.

 

Welcome to the forum Palehorseman!

When I get a chance later today I can take my housing off and post a picture if you'd like.

 

That would be great and much appreciated.


I haven't put the cover back on that goes over the engine/tranny, still trying to locate an electrical problem for no dash panel/cluster lights.

 

Well, it's raining now that I'm back home. I'll try and send a pic from my cell phone at lunch tomorrow.

Do you have a regular Ford light switch?
In a Ford harness the dimmable dash lighting is a brown wire.
Sometimes the plug going to the switch melts from the heat of the nichrome rheostat at the back of the switch, and sometimes the nichrome wire itself breaks from the heat.
It looks like a circular spring on a ceramic support.

 

No problem on not getting the pic today.

So far as I know, wiring is all Ford OEM, unless Tioga changed some of it. Will pull and check out the switch.

Thanks, Roland

 

Pulled the panel section for light switch and wipers from dash. All wiring (including the brown one) appears all OK, I could see the rheostat and no visible damage, the contact (looks to be carbon) which rides on back of rheostat (coil spring) is intact and when rheostat is turned left to stop, it makes contact and switches the overhead light on. The switch itself, appears to be a sealed unit with no discernable way to disassemble.

I have tried different 3 amp fuses for the cluster, but to no avail.

 

The instrument lights are on the same circuit as the tail lights.
My '87 is different than your '86, but it's the #3 fuse for me.

If you don't have tail lights it could just be the 15A fuse in the fuse panel.
If you do have tail lights then either the wire is severed (open) between the panel and the switch or the switch plug may be corroded at the contacts.


Can you probe for power coming out at the brown wire?

I will see if I can find a schematic for the switch wiring.

 

Tail lights etc are working fine, they are on a 15 amp fuse, but the instrument cluster lights are on a little 3 amp (old style glass) fuse.

But, BINGO, you were right on, it was corrosion. When I stuck the multimeter probe into the brown wire connection on switch, the cluster lights all came on.

Tried to pull the wire connector, but didn't want to come, so I resisted getting western with it, just manipulated it around a bit and lights came on and stayed.

You have been a great help Jim and can't thank you enough, Roland