Just received this AutoForce Ford EEC-IV Breakout Test Box: eBay Motors (item 170546962378 end time Oct-11-10 13:52:56 PDT) from the seller. It was sort of a pain installing it in my truck. Ford didn't provide much room to even R/I the connector, let alone install this tester.

The large box that you connect the vehicle harness to is bulky and took some effort to install the connector onto it. Would be nice to have some sort of extension harness. Anyone know where to get one?

When the Emissions manual says to measure voltage between pins, it doesn't specify which connector (+ or -) from the DVOM to connect to the pin slots. Does it matter which way it gets connected?

Thanks,
Ed

 

Yes I have one and use it a lot.
Yes I have an extension harness for it. Bough both off of ebay.
The DVOM NEG (-) lead goes to either pin 40 or 60.
The charts in your 1991 PCED OBD1 manual Section 6A, EEC-IV Pinpoint Test Procedures will tell you where to put the leads for the test it is telling you to run.

 

Good old BOB (Breakout Box). What a waste of time that thing is. I worked at several Ford dealers over the years, and I don't ever remember seeing anybody use that thing. What a pain in the a$$. It was faster to test at the part then fiddle with BOB.

Only thing I could think of a use for BOB is an intermittent electrical problem and you need to keep a DVOM hooked up on different circuits while driving a car hoping it will act up so you can see what is going on.

As to your question about +or - hookup. The DVOM will not care which way it is connected, if it is backward it will just show a negative reading instead of a positive reading. If you hook it up to a battery and put the leads on the opposite sides, pos on the neg side and neg on the pos side, the DVOM will show "-12.00v". No big deal really, just move the connections around and it will just show "12.00v"

Hope you have fun with BOB!!

 

What exactly is it?

 

Thanks both of you for your replies.

subford, I was in that part of the manual but didn't realize that when they referred to "Test Pin" they were implying that it is the pin number on the box. When I was searching this forum I came across your post re. an extension cable, but it was an old thread and the link to the Ebay item is no longer available to view. Here is something similar but is used for the EEC monitor Ford Rotunda EEC-IV Monitor Adapter Processor Ignition: eBay Motors (item 140454639047 end time Oct-16-10 15:08:25 PDT) Not sure if it can even be used and may be even bulkier than what I already have. Edit: I found this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-...#ht_500wt_1182 listed on Ebay. Ouch, hope you didn't have to pay that much for yours.
buck_, I totally see your point about it being a pain to use, but if it was easier to install and remove, I feel it would be easier than crawling all over the engine trying to get to the connector, and then keeping the DVOM cable in place while performing a secondary procedure as outlined in the service manual. My el cheapo DVOM only comes with one set of test cables with ends that are too large to use for probing the connectors. Thanks for clarifying the DVOM connection issue.

Ed

 

It is used to perform voltage and resistance test on EEC components. The box is plugged between the vehicle harness and the EEC module and you use a DVOM to take the readings. Someone may come along and expound on my vague description.

 

Your vague description does just fine..thanks a ton!

 

Yes this is the one I have and it will work with both the monitor and the BOB. The plug is not as large as the plug on the BOB. You can also hook and use all three at the same time along with the recorder.

I have a setup that I use a SUN distributor tester to turn the distributor and I then plug a complete wiring harness for a 1989 or a 1995 PU truck into the distributor from trucks I have striped with its computer and ICM. I hook all four testers I have (BOB, Monitor, Recorder and Ignition Tester) into it along with a scope to find answers to questions I have or other posters ask.

I have found the BOB is easier to to use and saves a lot of time looking at sensors, signals and so on on my F53 motor home.

Yes I know Ford dealerships do not use the BOB, Timing Lights, Scopes and so on. I have seen them just use a crow bar to set the timing on engines without loosening the hold down bolt. Saves time but I have also noticed they do not fix many deep problems either. I do not let them work on any of my Fords.

 

Just ordered it and should have it in a few days. Hopefully I will find a monitor and recorder for a sweet price too.

Thanks,
Ed

 

Sweet Deal on the B.O.B. Ed! I really need to look into purchasing one for my 2 Fords. I never thought about Ebay for it..LOL I did purchase the Emissions and Powertrain Book from there though. It's been a life saver since receiving it!

 

Interesting this thread started just as I joined this forum!

Yes, a breakout box is a wonderful window into your truck computer controls. It is a joy to watch the O2 sensor activity and see with your own eyes the health of the system.

Somewhere in the past Ford decided to embed self test diagnostic routines into their computers and leave us poor slobs to wait for the test results. I find that somewhat insulting. And shortsighted.

Which is precisely where I am at the moment, grappling with a truck that has no scanner communications. See my thread titled: "Severe driveability: Dead ECM?"

Rick

 

Yeah, although this is a aftermarket brand, I got lucky since there have been Rotunda BOBs going for a lot more on Ebay. You can certainly get some great deals, but you have to catch it at the right time, and when there is very little interest in the item you want. The seller of this one had more than one available, and I got the last one. It was on my Watch List for a week or so.

I think I got all my Ford factory service and parts manuals off of Ebay and still looking for anything specific to my truck.

Ed

 

Hi Rick,

Welcome to FTE. I've been around a long time, although I don't have very many posts to prove it. I went away for a while since I have other interests that kept me glued to other Forums. Hopefully you will get replies to your problem that will help you with fixing it. Lots of knowledgeable folks on here that are more than willing to help.

I like your thought process with regards to being able to see what is happening with your vehicle in real time. To me, part of the fun is trying to figure out what I am seeing and using that information to make an educated guess as what is going wrong.

Ed

 

I just bought a complete set of wiring diagrams for 91 ford trucks if anyone needs something I can scan it to pdf.