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Fuel Switch Wiring

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Old Mar 11, 2014 | 02:46 PM
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Fuel Switch Wiring

I have a 1987 Ford F-150 4x4 with a 351 motor. It has the manual fuel pump on the block.
Here is my problem: When checking the Fuel tank selector swith on the dash. Everything I read gives the wiring for the tanks and gauges.
When I get under mine. This is what I found. From the back of the switch there is a short pig tail maybe 5 inches long. That plugs into a wiring harness. The wires in the harness are all that everone talks about. Red Blue/White -Yellow/White -Red -Red/White- Yellow and Blue.
Now from there to the short pig tail the wires are Red -Blue/White -Yellow/White- Red(again) Red/White -Yellow and Blue.
When the tank is on the front. I have power to both reds (at the switch) When switched to the rear I do not have power except one red.
How do you check this switch. I've checked it at rhe wire harness and still do not have power on the rear tank
 
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Old Mar 11, 2014 | 03:18 PM
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From: Easton,Ks
The diagram below should be how your truck is wired:


/
 
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Old Mar 11, 2014 | 03:58 PM
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There is no brown and white at the switch. The colors at the switch are 2 reds a yellow and white a blue and yellow and a yellow and blue. That is all the wires at the switch
At the selonoid on the frame rail the wire are a black wire and a red wire .
 
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Old Mar 11, 2014 | 05:49 PM
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Originally Posted by reno138
There is no brown and white at the switch. The colors at the switch are 2 reds a yellow and white a blue and yellow and a yellow and blue. That is all the wires at the switch
At the selonoid on the frame rail the wire are a black wire and a red wire .
So one of two reds you do have at the switch takes the place of the brown and white wire shown in the diagram. Might have a thin tracer on it you're just not seeing it designating it as a different circuit from the red power supply wire, say a thin pink or yellow line but the wire itself is just to dusty/dirty to see it.

Diagrams do not always exactly match what you find on a truck regardless who published said diagram.

Wire colors can match yet two swapped circuit for circuit for example, verify same circuit serviced as shown in diagram for each one a minute, can really cut down on the "head scratch" time take a moment to verify at least the first few.
 
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Old Mar 12, 2014 | 06:48 AM
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Thank you for the input. As the head scratching on this project leaves me thin haired. What you explained is what I figured was happening.
But now my question still remains. If one of the reds are hot, and the other red is hot with the switch in the foward position. No other wires have juice except one red when switch to the rear position. So am I looking at a bad switch ? Or if the Red wire runs to the solenoid vaulve does it active the vaulve when it has juice going to it( front tank position) and deactivate it when switched to the rear. And the deactivation allows it to draw from the back tank ?
 
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Old Mar 12, 2014 | 07:07 AM
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Originally Posted by reno138
Or if the Red wire runs to the solenoid vaulve does it active the vaulve when it has juice going to it( front tank position) and deactivate it when switched to the rear. And the deactivation allows it to draw from the back tank ?
That appears to be the intention, looking at the schematic... and it makes sense because a solenoid would fit the bill perfectly for that purpose.
 
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Old Mar 12, 2014 | 08:08 AM
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From: Easton,Ks
Originally Posted by reno138
I've checked it at rhe wire harness and still do not have power on the rear tank
The only power that goes to either tank is the fuel gauge power.
The fuel gauge power would be an AC voltage of about 6-8VAC.
 
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Old Mar 12, 2014 | 08:35 AM
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AC voltage? I take it the cluster has an oscillator circuit to provide this? Only time I've seen AC voltage on a truck outside of the alternator is from an inductive pickup like the VSS.

Sorry for the thread hijack OP.
 
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Old Mar 12, 2014 | 08:52 AM
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From: Easton,Ks
Originally Posted by dixie460
AC voltage? I take it the cluster has an oscillator circuit to provide this? Only time I've seen AC voltage on a truck outside of the alternator is from an inductive pickup like the VSS.

Sorry for the thread hijack OP.
It is an voltage regulator that switches battery voltage to an pulse off and on to regulate the voltage for the fuel gauge. It is more of a square wave.



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Old Mar 12, 2014 | 11:36 AM
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Ah, a voltage regulator. Don't think I have one of those in my cluster (96) but to be honest I never looked for one.

Thanks for the clarification!
 
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Old Mar 12, 2014 | 02:26 PM
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No you do not. I think the last years to have them was the 1987 trucks & 89 vans.



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