Dash electricals
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2001
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Dash electricals
Greetings all. I was installing a new CD player in my 71 F250 360 ci when i noticed that my truck once had a major short circuit once in its life as I'm not the original owner. I looked under and behind the dash and saw some crispy burnt wire. I also saw some dubious wiring from someone.
What I would like to know is if the gauges are supposed to work in the accessory key positon. Mine do which is kinda strange since the newer cars don't do that.
Also does anyone have a little red light (LED?) on the bottom left corner of their dash almost right above the brake release handle of their 71's? I do and don't know what it does yet and it looks stock.
What I would like to know is if the gauges are supposed to work in the accessory key positon. Mine do which is kinda strange since the newer cars don't do that.
Also does anyone have a little red light (LED?) on the bottom left corner of their dash almost right above the brake release handle of their 71's? I do and don't know what it does yet and it looks stock.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Dash electricals
The gauges on my 79 work with the key in the accessory position so I guess it's normal. As for the light in the dash, my 79 doesn't have one but my 73 mustang does. It indicates that the parking brake is set.
'79 F150 Stepside 4x4
351C-2V, 4 speed, 32/11.50 BFG MT's
'73 Mustang Grande
351C-2V, c-6
'79 F150 Stepside 4x4
351C-2V, 4 speed, 32/11.50 BFG MT's
'73 Mustang Grande
351C-2V, c-6
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,130
Likes: 8
From: Brea CA
Dash electricals
Yes, the gauges are supposed to work with the key in the accessory position. What, the newer cars don’t, that’s kinda strange. 
The little red light is the brake warning light. It’s not an LED but an incandescent bulb. The braking system is split between the front and rear. If either system has a hydraulic failure, the remaining system still works and that warning light should come on.
Barry
The little red light is the brake warning light. It’s not an LED but an incandescent bulb. The braking system is split between the front and rear. If either system has a hydraulic failure, the remaining system still works and that warning light should come on.
Barry
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 170
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Dash electricals
I have a '68 F100 360. I too had a crispy crunchy wire under my dash. It was one that was run in the same harness as the big ol' pink resistor wire between the switch and the coil. As far as I know there had never been a short, the wire just behaved as any resistor with current running through it--it got hot. I don't know why Ford used a resistor wire for this application instead of a discrete resistor under the hood--not a better idea in my book.
Dan Blackwell
Dan Blackwell
New User
Joined: Apr 2001
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Dash electricals
I have a '69 and the guages work while in the ACC position. The little red light is the brake warning light when there is NOT equal pressure between the rear and front. There is a fairly simple correction if the light stays on after startup that will equalize the presure between the axles that is in most maintenance manuals. If you need the procedure, just holler.
BTW, how hard was it to install the CD as I am thinking of doing the same.
Wade
BTW, how hard was it to install the CD as I am thinking of doing the same.
Wade
Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,415
Likes: 3
From: Comox Valley, Canada
Dash electricals
>I don't know
>why Ford used a resistor
>wire for this application instead
>of a discrete resistor under
>the hood--not a better idea
>in my book.
I think the same guy designed the resistor wire and that stupid power assisted steering system
Both of which I replaced on my truck.
Sparky
>why Ford used a resistor
>wire for this application instead
>of a discrete resistor under
>the hood--not a better idea
>in my book.
I think the same guy designed the resistor wire and that stupid power assisted steering system
Both of which I replaced on my truck.
Sparky
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 33
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Dash electricals
>I have a '69 and the
>guages work while in the
>ACC position. The little
>red light is the brake
>warning light when there is
>NOT equal pressure between the
>rear and front. There
>is a fairly simple correction
>if the light stays on
>after startup that will equalize
>the presure between the axles
>that is in most maintenance
>manuals. If you need
>the procedure, just holler.
>
>BTW, how hard was it to
>install the CD as I
>am thinking of doing the
>same.
>
>Wade
It was pretty easy to install my Pioneer CD player. I first bent the original tabs for the original radio shaft in at almost 90 degrees; just so it's the same width as my cd player. Wire up the player, then put it in the slot. Then i just screwed in a metric screw with a flat washer through the hole for the shaft to the threaded hole on each side of the cd player. There will be gaps on all sides of the front but it looks pretty cool cause it looks suspended in the slot.
>guages work while in the
>ACC position. The little
>red light is the brake
>warning light when there is
>NOT equal pressure between the
>rear and front. There
>is a fairly simple correction
>if the light stays on
>after startup that will equalize
>the presure between the axles
>that is in most maintenance
>manuals. If you need
>the procedure, just holler.
>
>BTW, how hard was it to
>install the CD as I
>am thinking of doing the
>same.
>
>Wade
It was pretty easy to install my Pioneer CD player. I first bent the original tabs for the original radio shaft in at almost 90 degrees; just so it's the same width as my cd player. Wire up the player, then put it in the slot. Then i just screwed in a metric screw with a flat washer through the hole for the shaft to the threaded hole on each side of the cd player. There will be gaps on all sides of the front but it looks pretty cool cause it looks suspended in the slot.
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Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 33
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Dash electricals
>>I don't know
>>why Ford used a resistor
>>wire for this application instead
>>of a discrete resistor under
>>the hood--not a better idea
>>in my book.
>
>
> I think the same guy
>designed the resistor wire and
>that stupid power assisted steering
>system
> Both of which I replaced
>on my truck.
>
>Sparky
I'm not too familiar with my power steering system...what's wrong with the power assisted steering?
>>why Ford used a resistor
>>wire for this application instead
>>of a discrete resistor under
>>the hood--not a better idea
>>in my book.
>
>
> I think the same guy
>designed the resistor wire and
>that stupid power assisted steering
>system
> Both of which I replaced
>on my truck.
>
>Sparky
I'm not too familiar with my power steering system...what's wrong with the power assisted steering?
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,415
Likes: 3
From: Comox Valley, Canada
Dash electricals
>I'm not too familiar with my
>power steering system...what's wrong with
>the power assisted steering?
I think that the power assisted steering was an April Fool's joke that snuck out of the factory
It has a typical power steering pump but instead of the regular power steering box it has a selector valve built into the pitman arm. Then to top it all off there is a power cylinder ,in front of the axle, feed from the selector valve. So the pitman arm moved the selector valve which sent fluid to the power cylinder,which moved the tie rod back and forth, which turned the wheels. The more the pitman arm moved the more fluid went to the cylinder, so the more the tie rod moved, and the more the wheels turned.
The ones I have had leaked alot, were expensive when it came time to replace parts, and didnt work that great when they were working. Plus all the extra hoses and fittings seem to catch on everything, especially when I was 4 wheeling.
Best thing is to replace the whole system, in my opinion.
Sparky
>power steering system...what's wrong with
>the power assisted steering?
I think that the power assisted steering was an April Fool's joke that snuck out of the factory
It has a typical power steering pump but instead of the regular power steering box it has a selector valve built into the pitman arm. Then to top it all off there is a power cylinder ,in front of the axle, feed from the selector valve. So the pitman arm moved the selector valve which sent fluid to the power cylinder,which moved the tie rod back and forth, which turned the wheels. The more the pitman arm moved the more fluid went to the cylinder, so the more the tie rod moved, and the more the wheels turned.
The ones I have had leaked alot, were expensive when it came time to replace parts, and didnt work that great when they were working. Plus all the extra hoses and fittings seem to catch on everything, especially when I was 4 wheeling.
Best thing is to replace the whole system, in my opinion.
Sparky
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 33
Likes: 0
Dash electricals
>>I'm not too familiar with my
>>power steering system...what's wrong with
>>the power assisted steering?
>
> I think that the power
>assisted steering was an April
>Fool's joke that snuck out
>of the factory
> It has a typical power
>steering pump but instead of
>the regular power steering box
>it has a selector valve
>built into the pitman arm.
>Then to top it all
>off there is a power
>cylinder ,in front of the
>axle, feed from the selector
>valve. So the pitman arm
>moved the selector valve which
>sent fluid to the power
>cylinder,which moved the tie rod
>back and forth, which turned
>the wheels. The more the
>pitman arm moved the more
>fluid went to the cylinder,
>so the more the tie
>rod moved, and the more
>the wheels turned.
> The ones I have had
>leaked alot, were expensive when
>it came time to replace
>parts, and didnt work that
>great when they were working.
>Plus all the extra hoses
>and fittings seem to catch
>on everything, especially when I
>was 4 wheeling.
> Best thing is to replace
>the whole system, in my
>opinion.
>
>Sparky
What did you do to replace it? Swap it from a newer truck? Is there a kit?
>>power steering system...what's wrong with
>>the power assisted steering?
>
> I think that the power
>assisted steering was an April
>Fool's joke that snuck out
>of the factory
> It has a typical power
>steering pump but instead of
>the regular power steering box
>it has a selector valve
>built into the pitman arm.
>Then to top it all
>off there is a power
>cylinder ,in front of the
>axle, feed from the selector
>valve. So the pitman arm
>moved the selector valve which
>sent fluid to the power
>cylinder,which moved the tie rod
>back and forth, which turned
>the wheels. The more the
>pitman arm moved the more
>fluid went to the cylinder,
>so the more the tie
>rod moved, and the more
>the wheels turned.
> The ones I have had
>leaked alot, were expensive when
>it came time to replace
>parts, and didnt work that
>great when they were working.
>Plus all the extra hoses
>and fittings seem to catch
>on everything, especially when I
>was 4 wheeling.
> Best thing is to replace
>the whole system, in my
>opinion.
>
>Sparky
What did you do to replace it? Swap it from a newer truck? Is there a kit?
