Glowplugger, I edited my post because of my bad eyes lying to me, so it looks much simpler.

Yes, that relay that is missing only operates the AIH. Many people delete the AIH and put a fitting and boost gauge in that hole on the spider. By no means is the AIH absolutely necessary, but I do think it will set a soft code if its deleted. Nothing to worry about though.

Baatzy

I'll tape that little sucker up then. Hopefully tomorrow morning my start will be smooth as butter.

On a separate note, how long does the fuel pump generally run at key on?
Mine's running about 20 seconds. I used the gold (medium) spring in my FPR when I rebuilt it, but I'm thinking of changing it to the higher one.


EDIT: Found out 20 seconds is normal.

The AIH is rarely needed and really just to reduce smoking in cold weather. Disconnect it and make sure the glow plugs are connected and have a low resistance to ground. You may need to check each glow plug to see if one or more is open. Replace the open ones. Another way to verify the glow plugs aren't helping like they should is plug the truck engine heater in for a coupla hours. If it starts quickly...glow plugs or associated cktry are a problem. If you have to replace glow plugs, use only ????. I'm old and not getting the word I need, but, cheap glow plugs are a disaster waiting to happen. They swell up and break off causing big problems. So get the recommended glow plugs. Surely someone that doesn't have the Alzheimer kickin' in will tell you the brand...

Here you go plugger, its the least I could do. After reading all this I want it to crank to!
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.for...90fed3ddb9.jpg

Thanks Lartross! The brand is Motorcraft, I heard you should never use Autolite or others. I just replaced all the GPs though so I'm pretty sure they're working. Though for fun I might just check them all anyway. It wouldn't be the first time I messed something up, LOL! :-X19






Thanks Lamaman! I think mine are the same as yours now. I would think I'd have loose wires hanging around other than the AIH one. IDK what happened to those little suckers. I may try to hunt them up to see if they're doing something bad somewhere :-X22

A little side-tracking from the starter issue. Because life needs successes.

http://i58.tinypic.com/1zmnt6p.jpg








While I was pondering the starting issue I loaded up the little Blonde in Skippy and we took a ride to the title place to put the final touches on his title work (inspections). On the way home we stopped at a red light and that brand new ac system I charged up quit working entirely. :-arrgh


The little Blonde caught fire, I melted into the seat fabric, and skippy turned into a second sun.

So....sorry about blowing up the planet. I didn't know 7.3s got that hot. :p

http://i57.tinypic.com/23rk0uq.jpg








Anyway, we sloshed our way home with two extra buckets of sweat tagging behind. I had meant to do the Max AC mod but this one is good for a quick 15 minute mod writeup too.

You see, after a while the clutch on our AC compressors wears thinner. You can buy a new compressor (haven't looked about a new clutch) or you can remove the factory spacers in the clutch and boom- you're back in business. That's what I did today.

To tell if the clutch mod will fix your problem, run your truck till the AC quits on its own. Then take a look at the compressor. See here? Clutch isn't engaged. It's just freewheeling!

http://i57.tinypic.com/fn4b2o.jpg











Then take a screwdriver and - this is what I did - just pry against the overflow tank quickly (don't lose an arm!) and it'll pop backwards against the compressor and engage again, and begin spinning at 900000 mph, so be careful!

http://i57.tinypic.com/fs3kx.jpg












Spinning again! WEEEEE!!!!

http://i58.tinypic.com/p1x13.jpg













I shut Skippy off and checked the clutch gap with my feelers. When I had all of 015, 016, 017, and 018 shoved in there with more room to add more I figured yap, that's the problem. That totals 066! Way off of the 025 it's supposed to be!

http://i61.tinypic.com/1hqhwo.jpg










I tried getting the nut off but I couldn't get the socket wrench in there so I removed the overflow tank. It's just 3 bolts, one up top and two by the battery on the bottom. I never saw any posts about anyone else doing this so maybe I just have fat sockets lol.

http://i57.tinypic.com/qqzi1c.jpg
http://i59.tinypic.com/35n0oif.jpg












Then I just hiked it up out of the way. There's a hose on the bottom too so you can't just pick it up out of the area entirely.

http://i59.tinypic.com/992p81.jpg












Now my socket fit with its 8mm self. I had trouble with the clutch spinning with the bolt until I stuck a screwdriver in the side of it. It finally broke loose. It wasn't super tight either.

http://i61.tinypic.com/ioj61c.jpg











With the nut out I pried it off. It got stuck here...

http://i60.tinypic.com/2v3intd.jpg















but wiggling it back and forth got it out.

http://i58.tinypic.com/2chpb1v.jpg

Then I looked all over that compressor for some washers, shims, anything that could be removed. There was one snap-ring, but I figured if I touched that all heck would break loose.

http://i60.tinypic.com/2zsy7t1.jpg












Then it dawned on me. Idiot, look at the clutch!

http://i62.tinypic.com/2n6dgnn.jpg











I grabbed my booger picker and guess what? One single shim/washer thingy was hiding inside.

http://i60.tinypic.com/2cmq2hf.jpg











If that's not good enough I guess I can drill out the hole a little go make it go deeper into the compressor. Or I could weld more material on the clutch plate itself maybe. Things for future thoughts.....I tossed the clutch back on there.

http://i58.tinypic.com/2zdq4v4.jpg











And used my trusty two handed tightening mechanism to get it back to gutentite. (good n' tight).

http://i57.tinypic.com/fokpvr.jpg












Then I re-checked the gap! Much better! 025 plus 006. We're at 031 instead of 60 something. We'll see how that works!

http://i58.tinypic.com/a427x4.jpg











Then I just had to re-mount the overflow tank and not tighten it down too much. Good to go.

http://i61.tinypic.com/2qvfrs5.jpg












While in there I also taped up that stupid AIH wire. Can you believe while driving that goofy thing worked its way back over to the glow plug relay and laid against the top of the nut? Like it was saying "You can't make me not work. I demand to be on the GPR!". Little bass turd.




http://i59.tinypic.com/m12fc.jpg













And that was the day. I won't have any more free time until Saturday. (not that I had any today, just got a serious bug on my butt!)


Still pondering that starting issue though. :'(

It was warm this morning (59*) so IDK if that made 10 cents worth of difference, but Skippy started right up in 5 seconds of crank. It was magical.

Monday morning it'll be 47 here so we'll see how that works out. Until then I got other things that need to get did. :-X22

And on a positive note, I found that rattle on the front end.

http://i60.tinypic.com/oardzp.jpg











Looks like Skippy's getting new shocks soon!

I piddled a bit today. The Blonde was in a mood and The Powder Puff had track today so my time was intermittent. Being kinda OCD I hate breaking up a job at all. It ticks me off to get started on something only to have to 3 or 4 times because of other distractions. So I just did a bunch of little jobs.

I changed out that ICP that had oil in it. It seemed to be working OK but that's the rule. Oil in the ICP = change it. It didn't change my startup times though. And I still have white smoke, even thought it was warm today. Grr :-arrgh


I started by taking off my CAC tube on the driver's side again. Looked for another way to get a wrench in there. Didn't find it.

http://i59.tinypic.com/2mbsy9.jpg











Then the air breather tube to the valve cover.

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The OEM ICP was 5/8" instead of anything metric. Pick a side, Ford!

http://i58.tinypic.com/2iw8x9t.jpg












It broke loose pretty easily. To clean up the plug I blew air into the plug's ports - and all over my face. Doh!

http://i57.tinypic.com/4uvt48.jpg












Then I screwed the new ICP into the slot. It comes with a big fat nut instead of the little 5/8" one. I couldn't figure out how to tighten it up at first. Fuel lines were in the way on the back, engine hoist mount thingy on the sides...

http://i59.tinypic.com/30xhbmd.jpg












Then I figured out I could slip a massive 1 1/8" socket in from the side and get it on there. Boom baby! Good n' snug, but not stripping a gear.

http://i62.tinypic.com/2dsmoli.jpg











That finished, I put my air intake stuff back together and piddled with the electricals. The cab lights didn't work so I pulled those off and replaced them. They take the same bulbs as the license plate lights. I used LEDs.
The cab lens comes off with a philips screwdriver.

http://i59.tinypic.com/2n6hiea.jpg












It took forever for me to figure out why the left one didn't light up. The middle and right worked fine.

http://i58.tinypic.com/2v7xlzk.jpg











Then I realized one was for the BRAKE and someone had stuck it in the wrong hole. Doh! I put them all in their proper place and tada!

http://i61.tinypic.com/eiqhi1.jpg

Next job, Dome Hole!

http://i57.tinypic.com/335fbf9.jpg











I had two wires in my dome hole. One green (hot?) one black (ground?). With the door open or the panel light set to ON nothing was working.

http://i62.tinypic.com/2a92xxk.jpg











SO I pulled all of my fuses. They all seemed OK.

http://i60.tinypic.com/35bz2gn.jpg












Then it hit me. The ground might just be the stupid metal roof. I tried green to roof, no lights. Black to roof? BINGO!

Apparently my green light does nothing. I mounted up my new LED dome light. It works now, but I don't like the look of it. I'll find a better one later.

http://i62.tinypic.com/28kjc4m.jpg











Finally I fixed my headliner problem. All along the front of Skippy his headliner was falling down. I grabbed my trusty Shoe Goo.

http://i62.tinypic.com/drbccw.jpg











My current headliner

http://i60.tinypic.com/11ay6x5.jpg












Gob of Shoe Goo on a used corn dog stick. Only the freshest sticks will do.

http://i59.tinypic.com/afkc5u.jpg












Givin' it a good thick schmear

http://i62.tinypic.com/16k3rdf.jpg











Unroll the nasty, old rolled up and falling headliner before pressing and sticking. Goo dries fast so you gotta get on it within a few seconds. I worked in about 7 inch increments.

http://i60.tinypic.com/2hygh8m.jpg











And TADA again. Nice, stable headliner. No more embarrassment driving down the road. At least not from that.

http://i61.tinypic.com/2h4mipz.jpg











And that was the day. :-down

Cool story mate! Just read it all the way thru.

Glad you liked it! Thanks for reading :)






A little update for fun or profit...We took Skippy to church today (because I'm concerned about his immortal soul) and on the way back he started surging at the red lights. Only at idle, and I'd have to mash the gas and wait a second for it to "wake up and go". I wonder if that's my new ICP acting squirrley? It's a new symptom.

Yep, it's that ICP. If I unplug it (making it default to 750 PSI) then all the surging goes away and he runs great. Plug it back in? Surge, almost die, surge, almost die, lather, rinse, repeat. What the heck?

http://i59.tinypic.com/b8jxub.jpg

They say Ford parts only for sensors. Is the ICP?

You make us all look bad with your speed and quick updates of your progress.

Troe day Ole ICP back in and sea wat happen