The past week in Car repair

[Briano1234]

By the way, ever notice you hear more pump noise with the tank full? My theory is the sound from the in-tank pump couples to the outside better when there's more fuel in there.

I am thinking that I have the new fuel hose a tad longer than it should be as the filter screen is hitting the steel of the tank. This would be why there is more noise as in a vibration to the in-tank pump. So the next time I will shorten the hose about 1/4 inch so that the screen has to suspend itself in the tank.

[Briano1234]

1996 Ford Crown Vic Police Package with Cruise and traction control.
Replace the Master Cylinder... It took me 2 days to get as it is made out of Cast unobtanium. Only Car Quest had it...And they had to ship it from Austell.

[gull]

Yeah, every time I get an American car I think it'll be easier to get parts for it...but it turns out they're often just as bad, sometimes worse. The VWs have much more of a specialty aftermarket following, which helps.

The '88 automatic stranded the wife (briefly) with a hot start issue on Thursday, so I decided the hot start relay had to go to the top of the list this weekend. I did that today. It's a simple job but it took me a little while because, since this is a "mission critical" circuit, I wanted to do everything first class with soldered connections and heat-shrink. No crimps and black tape this time. This car once had cruise control, but a previous owner ripped it out, so I mounted the Ford starter solenoid (NAPA ST82) to the cruise control pump bracket. It fit perfectly; I didn't even have to drill any new holes. With it right on the firewall like that it makes a very satisfying *thok* when I turn the key. (BTW, I don't know why Ford calls this thing a "solenoid." It's clearly a relay. Industrial electricians would call it a contactor.)

This car seems to eat tools. When I bought it, I found a 3/4" box-end wrench lodged between the radiator and the A/C condensor. Then today I dropped my good stubby Philips screwdriver down next to the brake booster, and never did find it again.

[sixsracing]

New Beetles seem to eat extended 5mm allen sockets as well. I have dropped and failed to retrieve 2 of them so far. I am going to braze a small cable to the next one I purchase and attach it to my belt. Never again. Hate losing tools.

[Briano1234]

New Beetles seem to eat extended 5mm allen sockets as well. I have dropped and failed to retrieve 2 of them so far. I am going to braze a small cable to the next one I purchase and attach it to my belt. Never again. Hate losing tools.

I lost a 11mm combo wrench, couldn't find it for spit.
One day as I was under the car there it was right where I left it 5 months earlier.... it was stuck on the bleeder nipple of the front caliper...ooopsy.

So far this car eats 13mm sockets, and my 13mm articulating speed ratcheting box wrench, I finally broke down and bought a replacement that is about 1 1/2 inch longer.

[Briano1234]

Well it looks like my Daughters car ate the Digifant Controller. She called me today as I was laying down this morning to take a nap..." Daddy my car won't start.. It goes grrrr grrrr grrrr but nothing."

I get over there and try to start the car, and can only get it running if I apply gas the whole time. The ISV isn't buzzing, and it will not idle at all, but dies with no gas, as I drive it home, the
warmer it gets the better it stays at idle, but the isv isn't humming.

Get it home and in the Garage, and pop the hood, I unplug the CTS sensor and it didn't effect idle at all it was as if it was unplugged.

Looking at the Bentley, there are two fuses to check, some resistance, and then the controller... I will try replacing the ISV with a spare.. but don't think that is the issue.

Yes the fuel pumps prime, and I haven't checked the pressures yet, but since the ISV don't buzz and the CTS doesn't effect the idle when disconnected. I'm betting the ECU.

Soooooooooo.... I am going to check all the grounds, and place my spare controller on it.

[gull]

Sure it's not just a bad ISV?

[Briano1234]

Thought about that, but I plugged in my spare, and it don't buzz at power on either, and the signals are coming from the ECU. That is a cold engine too.

[Briano1234]

Well fuse 5 and 17 are good, ecu changed still no ISV. Soooo I mean it was working last week? Changed out the CTS sensor too, so breaking out the bentley.... Checked all grounds and have .005 ohms every where I check.

[gull]

Ugh, could be a broken wire in the wiring harness. My '88 had a couple. The engine compartment wiring in that car is all very stiff and brittle, for some reason.

[Briano1234]

That is my thinking.... So that is for another day....tomorrow....

[sixsracing]

ISV has no power right? Is is + or - that has been interrupted? Whichever you are missing cut the appropriate wire and supply it from the battery. Does the car run well now? If it does, find a suitable on/off source from ignition side of switch and forget about it. You can look a long time for broken wires.

[Briano1234]

ISV has no power right? Is is + or - that has been interrupted? Whichever you are missing cut the appropriate wire and supply it from the battery. Does the car run well now? If it does, find a suitable on/off source from ignition side of switch and forget about it. You can look a long time for broken wires.

Getting ready to go ohm out some wires, and the ISV pulses from the ECU, you can't power it directly from the b+ .... So that is out of the question.

If I have to cut and splice so be it, if I have to tear apart a harness so be it.
Years ago, I had to cut in a pin on a lower instrument cluster in the cockpit of a air/craft, dam near upside down, and ass backwards with a magnifying lamp.

It took 5 hours of cutting with a scalpel but I got it done, only took 3 folks to get me out of that position when I was finished.

Wiring doesn't bother me at all....

[Briano1234]

Well, the answer is:
From the ISV the black/white wire is broken between the Digifant connector and the ISV plug, it is in the wire bundle as I have surgically removed the insulation off of the wire at where it joins the main harness. Now that wire is subject to heat off the Manifold as the way it runs so I will be running new wires over to the digifant connector.

On a side note, if you ever take the Digifant Connector apart, pain in the ass, as you have to cut most of the insulation and heat shrink to peal it back to get to the wires, you will see a black shielded wire that appears to be broken... But if you look at it and the connector there is no place for it. So digging out that the Violet wire is in the same bundle, that is the shield wire for the o2 sensor (it isn't connected to anything at all.).

Now I am on my great wire hunt looking for my stash of wire to solder in and heat shrink, and yes I am doing both ISV wires.

[Briano1234]

All fixed and runs great again. The wire to the isv broke right at the bundle entrance. (found it when I was pulling the old to clip it off...