Manual to EATC Air Conditioning
 

I had explored the possibility of changing the manual AC in my 2001 F150 to EATC last year. Now that winter is past, I'm going to proceed. I know it's difficult, but I think that with the use of Ford/Lincoln shop manuals and junk yards and eBay, it is do-able.

Somewhere in this great country of ours, or maybe in Canada or elsewhere, some other fool must have tried this. If you are that fool, or know him, please advise your experience.

I think wiring loom will be your biggest head ache as they are largely different, and in some cases even the plenum is different. You would need an ambient air temp sensor outside, an incar temp sensor, sunload sensor, incar sensor hose and a place to attach it to the airbox, mounting point for the sensors as well. Also would need blower speed controller for the vairable speed blower, and a place to mount it, EATC control head, EATC blend door controller (they are different than the manual air controller. I believe there is also a water temp sensor. Plus all the wiring loom pigtails and wiring to the appropriate locations. And of course the control head has possibly other features like rear defroster switch. Ill look in my manual to see what else there may be that you would need, like maybe a Climate control module,

Just some things to start you off here. Would be a very big job indeed if the wiring isnt present which dont think it will be. I believe EATC equipped vehicles have thier own special vehicle wiring loom.

I appreciate the response.

I thought I could get the wiring ends off a donor and interconnect as required, but maybe I'd be better off getting a loom. There was a new/unused 2001 Navigator dash harness (part # 1L7T-14401-AJ) on eBay. It did not sell, but hopefully is still available.

I'm not too concerned about the add on sensors, but need to find how to tap into the existing vehicle speed and coolant sensors, and without affecting existing components.

I understand that the blower speed control module is different, but it seems to control the same (existing) blower. Likewise it seems that the plenums and actuators are the same, but the EATC control applies vacuum instead of me twisting a knob. Logically, the Ford engineers would design this way, but who knows? Actuators wouldn't be too big a deal, but if the "inards" are different, it would be.

I'm also assuming that steering wheel remote control and rear defroster circuits can be left open. I hope it won't trigger the SES light.

Thanks again,
Brian

Turns out that Navigator harness is still available. I'm going to try to get it; seems like it might make the job possible.

Can anyone confirm that part number includes the EATC control and sensor plugs? The person on eBay claims it does.

Well I've gotten the EATC control panel (from eBay). I knew the trim panel around it was different, but was surprised to find the mounting structure behind it is also different. I think I can modify that to make it work.

There is no rear defrost on this EATC control, which is what I would want. Now I need to see how the stub ends of the electrical wires mate up with what the shop manuals show and what exists. Then the vacuum lines. I'm hoping the vacuum actuators are the same; just activated automatically instead of manually. Homer, I think you said some were different; can you be specific?

I appreciate any advice!

The vacuum actuators are probably the same, but the electronic blend door actuator will be different, due to resistance values reading differently for the EATC control head. When I get home tonite Ill try to dig up some schematics and pigtail views for you. Since posting this I have aquired an 00 EB Expedition with EATC so I should have a better birds eye view of what you need.

OK, to start with here are the schematics for a 2002 F150 with EATC since 2001 was not equipped.

http://www.clubfte.com/users/homerwinzlow/EATC1.jpg
http://www.clubfte.com/users/homerwinzlow/EATC2.jpg
http://www.clubfte.com/users/homerwinzlow/EATC3.jpg

THANKS!

Brian

That Data Link Connector part is a little scary!

Well thats how the techs can communicate with the EATC module to pull codes and do tests with thier scanners. It probably isnt really necessary to tap into it unless you want to have it acessible to dealer techs for diagnostic. The control head still will do its self test operations without a data link, Im pretty sure.

Well that would be good!

Ive taken some photos from my Expy to be somewhat of a guide to some of the items you will need.

This first pic is of the aspirator tube routing for the inside air temp sensor from the blower plenum.
http://www.clubfte.com/users/homerwinzlow/Project.jpg

The second image is of the slots in the dash where the inside air temp mounts behind.
http://www.clubfte.com/users/homerwinzlow/project2.jpg

This third image is of the sunload sensor mounted into the large removable oval panel on top the dash. Next to it is the slots for the sunlight sensor for the autolamps.
http://www.clubfte.com/users/homerwinzlow/project3.jpg

Image 4 is of the mounting point at the plenum for the aspirator tube for the inside air temp sensor. You will likely have to fabricate this part into the housing.
http://www.clubfte.com/users/homerwinzlow/project4.jpg

Image 5 is one of two of the blower speed controller for EATC which gives continous variable speed rather than the standard 4 speeds of the manual AC system.
http://www.clubfte.com/users/homerwinzlow/project5.jpg

Image 6 a different angle of the same controller
http://www.clubfte.com/users/homerwinzlow/project6.jpg

And finally image 7 is a view from under the bumper up at the outside air temp sensor also known as ambient air temp sensor.
http://www.clubfte.com/users/homerwinzlow/project7.jpg

Hope this helps somewhat.

Thanks very much. I'm sure the pictures will help.

Im going to try a little mod of my own. Im going to try to pick up a wood steering wheel from an 02 Navigator with the climate control and radio switches in the wheel. Should be an interesting attempt.. :) First goal is to try to pick up the wheel.

I was thinking of doing that too. There are some on eBay. One seller claims that the Navigator units won't work on the F150's and Expy's, but it may just be that the EATC controls wouldn't work if you have regular AC. It doesn't make sense that Ford would change the basic design.

I had found a seller on eBay who seems to be an OEM supplier. They had wood and leather units available. I think they were about $200. They also said they could do the wood in an ebony finish for an extra $75. I thought this would look better in mine since I have the dark graphite interior. I haven't done it though. I suppose you can find a used one for much less, but if you don't find a good one, you might want to do a search on eBay.