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Mustang5L5 · Nov 21, 2021

Started the car up today, and idle was more or less the same. It idles well, but has a shake like a cylinder is misfiring. No fan on the car, so couldn’t warm it up and then run the CBT until I get that on. I did pull injector plug number 1 and the idle quality changed, so that cylinder is firing fine it seems.

New tensioner pulley is on, but wasn’t the cause. I found out what is making my accessory “knock”. Seems I have a slight misalignment of my pullies causing the belt to ride up and down on the WP pulley making a knock sound and chewing up the belt.

These are all Ford pullies, so I’ll need to mess with this to see where the issue is.

Mustang5L5 · Nov 21, 2021

Also wanted to get the check engine light functional. As some folks may know, 86-88 speed density 5.0s didn’t have a working CEL.

According to the EVTM, the wiring should exist on the car sonewhat.

So here’s the wiring at the cluster.

The wiring with the diode is the bulb check. This is missing in ‘86, and exists in 1987 but without the diodes.

Pulled my cluster, and the blk/blue wire and the tan wire are present.

According to the EVTM, the wire goes to connector C135 in the pass kick panel. From there it should plug into the ECU harness on pin 17.

My guess is the wire dead ends over in C135 and all I need to do is install a pin 17 connection in the ECU plug and connect it to c135 in the right spot.

And functional CEL.

Let’s go see if that’s the case

Mustang5L5 · Nov 21, 2021

And lo and behold It’s exactly what I thought.

Found C135 and there’s our tan wire. Checked continuity to the cluster and had it.

Amd the other side. As predicted it’s empty. Further evidence that all these harnesses had minor changes that can cause issues (not that this is a huge issue) when mixing and matching.

Just need to connect this to pin 17 and my CEL should work.

I might make a how-to thread on this. Seems this is never covered in MAF swaps. (Because who cares right?)

Mustang5L5 · Nov 21, 2021

pulled the ECU out and there is a single yellow/black wire on pin 17.

So about 4” from the ECU connector I tapped into the wire. I then tapped into the tan wire on the green connector. I used this style connector because in the future if the light is ever on, I can just disconnect it here for inspection and play the “ no CEL in 1988” card. My inspector doesn’t give a crap now, but who knows what the deal will be in the future.

And then viola! Functional CEL. Even tested it by dumping codes. I know this is not a nov deal to some, but this has bugged me for years that Ford never wired the SD cars for a CEL.

Kid wita 5oh · Nov 22, 2021

Mustang5L5 said:
....in the future if the light is ever on, I can just disconnect it here for inspection and play the “ no CEL in 1988” card. My inspector doesn’t give a crap now, but who knows what the deal will be in the future.....

Oh this wonderful state we live in... but It doesn't matter for inspections since it more than 15 yrs old. Exempt from emissions at that stage

CarMichael Angelo · Nov 22, 2021

Kid wita 5oh said:
Oh this wonderful state we live in... but It doesn't matter for inspections since it more than 15 yrs old. Exempt from emissions at that stage

Meh…. that is a complete double edged sword. I live in a state where inspections aren’t……..period. Doesn’t matter what year, or how old the car is, Alabama thinks it’s just fine to let the smoking choking slashers bounce in and out of interstate medians when it rains because they’re driving on bald assed tires.

Because of no winter road salt, cars in Alabama don’t rot…They die of old age or neglect. And as has been proven many times, you can neglect a car pretty regularly and it will still run until it seizes, burns, or crashes into somebody else.

General karthief · Nov 22, 2021

I also live in a no real inspection state, the regulation here says basically that when a vehicle is sold it has to have the emissions stuff installed and functional but
Can't count how many creaking (brand x) squeaking, clunking cars/truck that I know the ball joints and front end bushings are falling out. Smoking is another subject, unless it looks like a James Bond smoke screen they don't care.

Mustang5L5 · Nov 22, 2021

Kid wita 5oh said:
Oh this wonderful state we live in... but It doesn't matter for inspections since it more than 15 yrs old. Exempt from emissions at that stage

I know. On paper it sounds like a terrible thing, but in reality inspections are easy with this car. I go to a guy i know, but for the most part they just check the tires, lights, wipers and make it look like they actually care. It's supposed to retain all the emmissions gear, but the inspector is not allowed to pop the hood. You could have a Coyote or a 351 under the hood and they wont be able to tell or do anything about it. I have cats on the car, and they only comment I get about the exhaust is "sounds good". I'm in and out in 10 min or less. My DD's are even quicker because it's just the OBD check. Part of it is because the inspectors just want to get cars in and out and onto the next car. If they actually checked everything they had to, it would be a 1 hour process all to make $20 or so.

It's kinda a BS money-making scheme, but compared to what potentially could happen like in CA, it's easy so I'll just shut my trap about it and pay the $35 or so.

CarMichael Angelo said:
Meh…. that is a complete double edged sword. I live in a state where inspections aren’t……..period. Doesn’t matter what year, or how old the car is, Alabama thinks it’s just fine to let the smoking choking slashers bounce in and out of interstate medians when it rains because they’re driving on bald assed tires.

I had a coworker from NH, where there inspections are pretty much "Did it drive in on it's own power? Ok it passes then". He had an old toyota celica that was a rotting heap. The rear brake calipers were leaking, so he took a pair of vicegrips and crimped the rear brake lines shut. No rear brakes at all and he drove 50miles each way on the highway with this. The car had so much rot and neglect I am amazed it drove. Duct-tape here, screwed in strapping holding a bumper on, etc. One day on his way home, on the on-ramp to a highway the rear wheel fell off. Id didn't just come off the lugs, but the entire hub separated from the bearing. He was adamant it was sabotage and for a week was trying to get a peek at security footage around the company parking lot to see who sabotaged the wheel. I saw the video. Nobody touched the car. It was just a POS that fell apart finally.

It is a double-edged sword because I hate the idea of inspections, but understand the purpose.

Mustang5L5 · Nov 22, 2021

Here’s the next problem to solve

View: https://youtu.be/eH2chXArArE

The noise is strictly from the belt riding up and off the rear lip of the pulley.

Ford crank, WP, and PS pulley. new balancer, new WP. Easiest solution would be to have the WP pulley go in slightly, but I can't actually do that. I'm wondering if I pull the PS pulley out a tiny bit if that will correct it.

If i flip the belt, it rides perfect for a short while and then starts up again. Belt is getting chewed up, so obviously I need to correct this

General karthief · Nov 22, 2021

I think the belt is broke. I would think a mis alignment would not bounce around like that, I've had a new belt on the dump truck, gates?? that had a perpetual squeak and after rebuilding nearly all the pulleys I put the old belt back on and silence, another crappy replacement part.

Mustang5L5 · Nov 22, 2021

The belt is failing, but what caused it? It is a Gates belt

Here is how it wants to sit. As you can see it sits to the rear of the pulley and the edge of the belt is riding up on the lip. As the belt tears on the edge, it seems to grab the pulley more and wants to ride up. I flipped the belt but now both sides are torn up so i'll need to replace it, but only after finding out the root cause.

I think what i'll try is to grab a PS pulley remover and back the PS pulley out a tiny bit. No idea if that will cause too much misalighment with the AC pullley though. Can't hurt to try.

An aftermarket WP pulley without a lip, that had an edge that extended back might also solve it to. I'll need to see what aftermarket options are available. I could machine one up but that seems extreme.

BlakeusMaximus · Nov 22, 2021

Mustang5L5 said:
pulled the ECU out and there is a single yellow/black wire on pin 17.

So about 4” from the ECU connector I tapped into the wire. I then tapped into the tan wire on the green connector. I used this style connector because in the future if the light is ever on, I can just disconnect it here for inspection and play the “ no CEL in 1988” card. My inspector doesn’t give a crap now, but who knows what the deal will be in the future.

And then viola! Functional CEL. Even tested it by dumping codes. I know this is not a nov deal to some, but this has bugged me for years that Ford never wired the SD cars for a CEL.

Hey Mike, pretty cool on getting that check engine light to work. My car is a 88 as well, GT though. I have a "check oil" light, but its in the cluster just to the right under the gauge cluster. I wonder why yours is different. Not that is matters, just curious.

General karthief · Nov 22, 2021

You don't have some kind of 'straight edge' thing like a level or a carpenters square (that L shaped thing) to check alignment?
the harmonic balancer could also be out of alignment but less likely.
I 'd like to see a side view of the accessory drive.
Belts have strands of rope like materials covered with whatever material on the out side similar to radial tires, they can break on the inside causing it to bounce back and forth, I've seen this once before.

Mustang5L5 · Nov 22, 2021

General karthief said:
You don't have some kind of 'straight edge' thing like a level or a carpenters square (that L shaped thing) to check alignment?
the harmonic balancer could also be out of alignment but less likely.
I 'd like to see a side view of the accessory drive.
Belts have strands of rope like materials covered with whatever material on the out side similar to radial tires, they can break on the inside causing it to bounce back and forth, I've seen this once before.

I've got one. I'll be trying it in the next few days. Stay tuned

Mustang5L5 · Nov 22, 2021

BlakeusMaximus said:
Hey Mike, pretty cool on getting that check engine light to work. My car is a 88 as well, GT though. I have a "check oil" light, but its in the cluster just to the right under the gauge cluster. I wonder why yours is different. Not that is matters, just curious.

Mine is an LX, so it never came with that little warning pod on the right. That was GT only. On the 87-89 Non-GT cars, Ford put it in the cluster.

I did add the GT warning lights to my car, so now both lights work. They are wired in parallel, so all you need to do is put a bulb it the spot in the cluster and both “check oil” lights will work.

BlakeusMaximus · Nov 22, 2021

Ah! I wasn't aware the LX didn't have those.

Mustang5L5 · Nov 22, 2021

BlakeusMaximus said:
Ah! I wasn't aware the LX didn't have those.

Nope. Was always a peeve of mine. I hate when things don't work so having nonfunctional lights drives me up a wall.

Mustang5L5 · Nov 22, 2021

So I took advantage of LMRS 8% off Black Friday sale to order a bunch of little stuff I need to finish the car. Nothing major, but little odds and ends I need.

I needed a new radiator air deflector. My original was toast. The repro is what you would expect. Shinier than original and a lighter feeling plastic. Oh well.

Also picked up one of these, but it doesn’t fit the SN95 wiper motor perfectly. Will need to do some trimming at the connector end.

I still need to actually wire in the proper wiper motor plug.

Trogdor · Nov 25, 2021

Did you replace your water pump? Could it be sticking out just enough to mess up the pulley alignment?

Mustang5L5 · Nov 25, 2021

Trogdor said:
Did you replace your water pump? Could it be sticking out just enough to mess up the pulley alignment?

Yes, it’s an edelbrock. Sticking out a tiny bit dod cross my mind.

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That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

I'm definitely not in the original hole

my rearend will smell so minty fresh,

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Still got to try a little lube on my speedo head

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Still got to try a little lube on my speedo head

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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