Progress Thread HeHateMe gets bent

I only have severe OCD with some things and a pedal held out of the way is not one of them, I never want to change that assembly out again. so here comes the ziptie squad to get er done.
unless it keeps messing with my foot when I have to fidget or twitch, which i do more often then i like to admit... then it will have to come out, or i will have a nervous breakdown whilst driving
For someone else that has extreme OCD that is exactly what I did and put it under the carpet. You would never know it's even there and if I ever decided to go back to a manual I can
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
  • Sponsors (?)


It's just about hot enough to start piddling with the 85 again. It's in the low 90's with 60%+ humidity and rain showers in the afternoon almost everyday, that take the humidity to the same as about 1000 feet below the surface of the South Pacific.

I have all kinds of big ideas for the 85. With my kid starting at the University of Tennessee in 6 short weeks, I see an epic drought of money for the next 4 years...or so. I told him finishing in less than 4 years would be looked upon more favorably than finishing in MORE than 4 years.

Of course, I still need to get his PHUKIN POS Volvo fixed. I should give credit where credit is due. The phuking POS control arm from Rock Auto. I know it was in the ECONOMY section. But the rubber bushing is so soft, I can deflect it with my hand. That's why it crabs. I had the kid drive at me and jam on the brakes. (had the wife online ready to take his name off the $200k life insurance policy if he didn't hit the brakes!!) I can see the passenger wheel tuck and turn left, even though he actually is turning the wheel right.

So who knew, Autozone (control arm on the driver's side) is better quality. So I'll get one from AZ for the passenger side. They should be better. You can get 2.5 of the POS ones from RockAuto for the price of one from AZ. I also bought new loaded front struts since it sounds like my knees and ankles when you turn the streering wheel. At that point the only things not replaced on the front end will be inner tied rods and sway bar frame bushings.

I did have a chance a few weeks ago to take all the wheels off and check the rear bushings and the brakes. The brakes ARE new. Back suspension is fine. Bled the brakes and got like 1 bubble out of the passenger front caliper, but the peddle is 50% firmer. Weird.

I was thinking about working on the 85 tomorrow. My problem is I can't decide if I want to leave the C950 in it and just get it running and sell it. OR put the HP in get it running and maybe sell it. I'll probably do the HP. Sell the C950 and if I ever get another project, go with a Sniper. Much easier to wire since the ECU is on the throttle body.
 
So I worked on the Swedish Fish again. Replaced the passenger side control arm, again. And replaced the struts. I bought loaded struts from1A Auto and they seem fine. It does seem to have almost completely solved the creaking and groaning when turning at slow speeds or just turning the wheel while stopped.

The control arm made a huge change to the steering angle, so it has to be aligned again. But now, instead of diving left under initial braking, it dives right, although not as bad. I am hoping it is just the toe is way out, hence the steering wheel turned about 1/4 to the right now.

Could be loose inner tie rods, although I can't feel slack, loose rack bushings or just a worn out rack.
 
Turns out you need to get the longest breaker bar you have and then stick a 4 ft long pipe on the end of that and tighten the dog phck outta the bolt going vertical thru the frame and lower control arm. They weren't tight enough and moving around under braking. After that it aligned perfectly and drives like a real car.

Now back to the 85. I am getting it in running condition to sell. Get busy living or get busy dying. My brother and I are going to build a Fox low buck drag car to play around with and hopefully in 4 years when kids are out of college and I buy my last house with a pool and a shop, we will finally build another hard core Buick 455 powered ride.

And if I can't sell the 85 in a timely fashion, I may just part out what won't be needed and go from there. Look for a lot of for sale ads. LOL
 
Turns out you need to get the longest breaker bar you have and then stick a 4 ft long pipe on the end of that and tighten the dog phck outta the bolt going vertical thru the frame and lower control arm. They weren't tight enough and moving around under braking. After that it aligned perfectly and drives like a real car.

Now back to the 85. I am getting it in running condition to sell. Get busy living or get busy dying. My brother and I are going to build a Fox low buck drag car to play around with and hopefully in 4 years when kids are out of college and I buy my last house with a pool and a shop, we will finally build another hard core Buick 455 powered ride.

And if I can't sell the 85 in a timely fashion, I may just part out what won't be needed and go from there. Look for a lot of for sale ads. LOL
See, this is what happens to the hobby...

Life gets in between, and the hobby gets pushed. Kids come along, the car gets sold. If another one gets purchased when they get a little older and we make more money, it only lasts until something else gets put before it more important.
And it gets sold.
A car gets converted to a race car, it becomes the mega money pit, takes time away from the spouse, and it gets sold.

I've said it before. 8 out of 10 here will sell off the hobby car and either never return, or tell themselves that they're still in it when they purchase a belly button late model.
Once the late model romance cools,...that car too will get sold.

I think we're the last generations that are the stewards of the hobby. Out of however many active members that are here that have a hobby 79-93 fox... Between the ages of 35-60 ( let's say 20) 4 of them will still have something in 20 years.
Everybody else will have a Lexus.

I've went through all the life iterations, had a car, had a kid, sold a car. Bought a car, raced a car, tire of being with a bunch of guys on Saturday night instead of out with my wife, sold it. Bought a late model, got quickly bored with the sameness, sold it.
And now I got the monster. And it's only a matter of time......

It'll get the 2j,...whether that makes it more or less desirable, or more or less reliable I can't say. I'll drive the thing. I'll probably sell it one day sooner than later, for a crushing loss. Until then, I'm one of the 4.

Then,.... I'll buy a Lexus.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Then,.... I'll buy a Lexus.

What, No Beemer??

I like piddling on cars, just wish I had enough space. My 2 car garage is extra small....what was I thinking when I bought this house 20 years ago!? I have 2 roll around tool boxes, side by side in front of the 85. And pretty much have to decide, to I want to be able to walk in front or behind the car, because there's not enough room to do both with the door down. My wife is grumping more and more that she would like to park inside the garage. So I am trying to get room for her. That will limit me further. However, she has said, when we by the next house (last house) if she gets a pool, even if it is above ground, I can build a 50x50 shop for all she cares! think 30x30 or maybe a tad bigger would be enough. With a high ceiling for a lift. I don't want to be Richard Rawlings, but told my brother we could buy old chit, clean it, put some wheels and mufflers on it and probably make some decent side money. People can't do chit themselves, but spend their money on 60's and 70's stuff all day.

I actually miss all the rednecks at the Saturday night bullrings. But you know the feeling of building and tuning something and taking it out and running it and winning. I miss that...a lot. We had so much fun when we had our Buick. We spent half the time drunk off our asses, but we're especially tight because of all the time we spent working on that hooptie. I wish my son had shown some kind of interest in it. But my brother's kid is all over it. Maybe in 3 years when he gets out of college, he will be the heir apparent to the driver's seat.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
You know when you do something really good and it turns out as least as good as you thought? And then because it looks so good, you realize how nasty everything else around is?

Yeah, that's me. I took off the billet low mount alt bracket and sold it. I cleaned up and painted my stock bracket and alternator black. I also remembered in my stash is a polished tensioner. I put all that on and the rest of the crappy pulleys look 10x worse now. I have to move that big ass piece of ribbed tubing back over...I just now noticed how far out of place it is.
:loser: :suicide:

IMG_20190829_181945.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Ok, so the engine just turned over for the first time in what, 3 years. The Holley computer and ignition aren't wired up though. BUT, I need an Ed U Ma Ca Shun. Educate me.

I am tucking the wires and doing a lot of cleaning up and removing wires I don't need. I've wired in headlight relays. I am getting ready to wire in the TFI coil (I have TFI with the Holley C950). The underhood connector that the factory coil connections come out of, along with the oil and temp sending and some other stuff, is roasted, so I am going thru all of that. Red/Light green is coil +. But if you trace it back, it goes to a splice and connects the Red/Light green wire to a brown/pink wire. I thought, cool I can get rid of the splice and have 2 wires hot in start and run.

WRONG!

I tested each wire. It's hot in key on/run position. Dead in crank. Each one individually.

BUT if you hook them together, it has battery voltage in crank. Obviously, this is the way it was and it worked, but I am CORNfused!

:confused:

I've got a EVTM and the wiring schematics. Both the R/LG and B/PK wires go back to the ignition switch.

What am I missing here? :lcoff::bs:


Any who, I am rewiring the connectors for my digital cluster and I am pushing forward. I'm sure the gas in this thing is sludge...maybe just maybe I'll need to go get some fresh gasoline tomorrow and try to crank it.
 
The stock Mustang had a red/blue wire for the starter relay and the TFI module cranking input. It was only energized when the key was in the Start position. The red/green wire (coil & computer relay power) was energized in both Run and Start positions.

The following are diagrams courtesy of Tmoss & Stang&2birds

Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 88-90 Mass Air Mustangs
88-91_5.0_EEC_Wiring_Diagram.gif


Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 91-93 Mass Air Mustangs
91-93_5.0_EEC_Wiring_Diagram.gif



5.0 wiring diagram for Fuel Injectors, Sensors, and Actuators
fuel-alt-links-ign-ac.gif


See the following website for some help from Tmoss (diagram designer) & Stang&2Birds (website host) for help on 88-95 wiring; http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/ Everyone should bookmark this site.


TFI module wiring for 94-95 Mustang GT
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/Mustang-94-95-IgnitionControlModule.gif

Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 94-95 Mustangs

Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 91-93 Mass Air Mustangs

Complete computer, actuator & sensor wiring diagram for 88-90 Mass Air Mustangs

5.0 wiring diagram for Fuel Injectors, Sensors, and Actuators

Ignition switch wiring

O2 sensor wiring harness

Vacuum diagram 89-93 Mustangs

HVAC vacuum diagram

TFI module differences & pin out

Fuse box layout

Mustang 5.0 Lights and Radio schematic, by TMoss:
http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/mustangFoxLights-Radio_diag.gif

87-92 power window wiring

93 power window wiring

T5 Cutaway showing T5 internal parts

Visual comparison of the Ford Fuel Injectors, picture by TMoss:

Convertible top motor wiring http://www.veryuseful.com/mustang/tech/engine/images/mustang88VertTopMotorCkt.gif

Engine mounted fuel injector harness

Location of the TPS, IAB, and the 10-pin connectors on a 5.0, picture by TMoss:

Starter circuit

Alternator diagram for 94-95 Mustangs.
 
@jrichker Thanks for replying! I already googled and found several other of your posts with these links. But my car is an 85 that was originally carb'd. Like I mentioned the red/green wire worked fine for coil power before, I just never peeled back the onion and found that two wires were spliced together for it. I still can't figure out how neither has power in crank, but BOTH together do. I have my cluster out. It still has the turn signals and a few other factory lights working, so it has some grounds going to it. I can't find anything though, that shows the cluster (stock) completes any of the ignition circuits. Best I can tell is a stock 85 would run with the cluster removed.

This isn't a roadblock, but rather an educational exercise. I tied these two wires back into one to feed the coil. Tomorrow I have to route and solder up the negative coil/tach lead. Then reconnect the ecu to the battery and see if it still works and if the program is still on board. We shall see.

Oh, one other weird, or maybe AHA thing. There is no voltage on either of those wires whether you push the clutch in and actually engage the starter, or just turn the key to crank, without actually engaging the starter. I always thought the voltage drop off was due to the starter, but I guess the ignition switch is wired that way to prioritize power to the ignition and starter when cranking.
 
@droopie85gt
There are 3 separate circuits inside the ignition switch.
1.) ACC or Accessory that provides power to the turn signals, radio, windshield wipers, A/C & heater blower motor, etc.
2.) Ignition that provides power for the ignition and computer. When the Ignition is on, so is the ACC.
3.) Starter provides power for the starter relay. When the starter is on, the Ignition is also on. The ACC is off and things that the ACC provides power to like the turn signals, radio, windshield wipers, A/C & heater blower motor do not have power. That's why the OEM radio shuts off when you crank the engine with the ignition switch.

It takes a drawing of the ignition switch to see the arrangement of the separate switch contacts inside the switch to make this really understandable.
Unfortunately, I am too busy at this time with honey-do projects to try and draw one...
 
Earlier today I really thought I would have a chance to start it today, but it wouldn't and I would spend a day or two running down some random screwup. NO, that was NOT the case. It took a second to prime and it smells like ASS, but it runs. The gauge on my LC-1 says 22.1 like it's not hooked up, but the Holley reads 17.1 and it idles ok....I just remembered...I have a vacuum line off. I use an output off the LC-1 to feed wideband info to the Holley. I need to hook up the oil pressure gauge to see if it works. I have oil pressure because there's no lifter clatter. Then I need to let it get hot and see if the fans come on. I might call it a day. It's 92 in the garage.

The best thing this means, is as you can see in my Avatar, I have a sloped driveway. If it will run, I can get this beotch out and clean all the :poo: that's collected under it over the last 4 years. ANd maybe wash this nasty POS.

85 Lives Again!
 
  • Like
  • Winner
Reactions: 1 users
And I think this bitch is out of gas. It won't start any more...it will try but dies. I guess next weekend I'll go get 4 or 5 gallons of fresh gas. But it ran long enough for me to see that the alternator is working. I'll let it get hot and test the fans then.

Now the DAUNTING part starts. Tidying all that wiring up into nice bundles and putting this hooptie back together. One thing I noticed, my nordskog temp gauge still messes up. If you turn the key right to crank and crank it up, it works fine. If you turn the key on for a second or any longer, then crank, the temp gets brighter and stuck on one digit, like 0 or 9. Oh well. It works...I don't care about that right now!

:spot::banana::cookie::taco::poo:
 
Last edited:
  • Like
  • Winner
Reactions: 2 users
@droopie85gt
There are 3 separate circuits inside the ignition switch.
1.) ACC or Accessory that provides power to the turn signals, radio, windshield wipers, A/C & heater blower motor, etc.
2.) Ignition that provides power for the ignition and computer. When the Ignition is on, so is the ACC.
3.) Starter provides power for the starter relay. When the starter is on, the Ignition is also on. The ACC is off and things that the ACC provides power to like the turn signals, radio, windshield wipers, A/C & heater blower motor do not have power. That's why the OEM radio shuts off when you crank the engine with the ignition switch.

It takes a drawing of the ignition switch to see the arrangement of the separate switch contacts inside the switch to make this really understandable.
Unfortunately, I am too busy at this time with honey-do projects to try and draw one...
If you have the time, I am still trying to figure out how 2 wires have power in RUN, but not crank, but if you twist them together, they have power in RUN AND CRANK. Of course this is in an 85, with no computer to power up.
 
So a little progress tonight. Rerouted most of the wires that run to the passenger side, including the alt. harness. Looks like a TINY harness. I got them all in the fender well and will put some braided wrap on them. Just have to put the A/C wiring in there, in case I want to make it work.

:hail:

The driver's side, however, will require some astro lube.

:bang::suicide:

IMG_20190904_175148.jpg
IMG_20190904_175206.jpg
IMG_20190904_175209.jpg
IMG_20190904_175216.jpg
 
I was high. Actually there is one yellow wire that is the factory rear defroster. I only had the other 12g wire in yellow. I have wire labels on all this crap and am making a diagram for myself or someone else. This is largely the mess of factory wiring. There are STILL unused wires in there that went to pollution controls. I think there's more wiring in this factory carb'd car than there is in a 86 EFI car!!!!

The red (or pink because of my led headlamp) wire will be run inside the car, to the fuel pump. I think right now it has a 16g wire feeding it, so I wanted to bulk that up. Or actually feed to the relay then from the relay to the pump.

Actually, this is hopefully, preventing the fire. When I initially unwrapped the rat's nest of factory wiring over by the solenoid I was shocked. The entire bundle of fusible links and the alt feed came together with a :poo:load of splices and ended up that ONLY ONE 14 gauge wire was connecting the 130amp alt to the solenoid AND feeding power to the car. I've still got the rat's nest...I'll take a pic of it and show you @CarMichael Angelo .