adsm08's Ranger build up

[chrwilkins30]

Have you figured out any of the 89+ turn signal switch since it wont fit under the gen 1 column covers? It will bolt on but it has the hazards on switch and not at the bottom like first gen.

 

[adsm08]

Have you figured out any of the 89+ turn signal switch since it wont fit under the gen 1 column covers? It will bolt on but it has the hazards on switch and not at the bottom like first gen.

I am working on the turn signals tonight actually. Probably won't have them online until Thursday.

At the end it is going to be the same as everything else I am doing. I'm just taking the 89 harness, cutting the pig tails off, and putting the 88 plugs on them, so it's just rearranging wires. This is actually much easier that my first attempt.

 

[adsm08]

Have you figured out any of the 89+ turn signal switch since it wont fit under the gen 1 column covers? It will bolt on but it has the hazards on switch and not at the bottom like first gen.

The signals were the easiest part of this job. All the wires stay the same color. It is literally as simple as cut the plugs off each harness and splice color to like color.

I will say, much of this would be much harder going the other direction because of all the doubled up wires.

 

[rich060685]

lol your kitchen reminds me of mine on a daily basis

 

[doorgunner]

Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrgggghhhhhh.........wiring flashback!

 

[chrwilkins30]

The signals were the easiest part of this job. All the wires stay the same color. It is literally as simple as cut the plugs off each harness and splice color to like color.

I will say, much of this would be much harder going the other direction because of all the doubled up wires.

Good to hear.! Im doing that once I get off work today! Thanks man.

 

[jhammel85]

I didn't know that about the 89+ Signals.

Stuff like that should help anyone undertaking the wiring up of a 1st gen dash. It's good stuff. It's something I will most likely be doing one day. The wiring is the part that worries me the most. I'm good at it, it's just making sure I know what everything does and I put it in the correct spot...

 

[chrwilkins30]

Got the turn signals and wipers wired in. Have you tackled the cluster yet? I cannot even understand the 1st gen wire schmatics, it looks like scribles connecting. I got the 89 no problem Though.

 

[adsm08]

The wiring is the part that worries me the most. I'm good at it, it's just making sure I know what everything does and I put it in the correct spot...

ROFL. You think I know where all this stuff goes or what it does? I'm guessing at least half of it. I'm just going slowly and testing things carefully. This time.

Got the turn signals and wipers wired in. Have you tackled the cluster yet? I cannot even understand the 1st gen wire schmatics, it looks like scribles connecting. I got the 89 no problem Though.

I do have the cluster wired up. I am not sure of a lot of it though.

I know my lights work, the CEL works, and the tach should work, but it was funny before. I fed power and ground to one set of pins and the temp and fuel gauge both came up to full, so I have no idea what they will do when I plug it in and turn it on, but I can't test that yet. I have some other wires to hook up before I can do that.


The cluster was the worst part so far. A lot of time sitting with a meter and test leads finding where the circuits go and then testing it to make sure I was right. I still don't know I was right on a lot of it, and won't until I put it all back together. That is why I have a second cluster I'm using as a guinea pig.

The problem is that there is no pin-outs for the gen 1 cluster. None that I have found yet anyway. Once I know for sure that my cluster wiring is correct and that the whole thing is working correctly I will post up the wiring for the cluster.

The great part of wiring the cluster from new to old is that actual pins are the same between the two sets of connectors, so there is no splicing. Just pull and plug.

 

[SenorNoob]

Don't the Fuel and Temperature gauges work on resistance in the ground circuit? So without the sender connected to them they would read maxed out..

 

[adsm08]

Don't the Fuel and Temperature gauges work on resistance in the ground circuit? So without the sender connected to them they would read maxed out..

Yes, you are correct on both points. My concern is that I hooked up one power and one ground and both gauges went up.

 

[SenorNoob]

That's interesting. While a common power seems right. Should definitely have 2 grounds.

 

[adsm08]

Well, the way I hooked up and had it sitting it is possible I was in contact with two ground pins.

 

[adsm08]

Progress!!!

I spent all morning and part of the afternoon re-pinning and re-arranging the Explorer harness. Put it back in, cleaned my battery terminals, hooked everything up and started testing stuff.

First I have headlights. I don't have markers, because they aren't hooked into the harness yet. I do know the marker circuit works though because I had the cab lights working. Also, despite the issues in bench testing my high beam indicator works now.

The blower works, but no medium-low speed. Must have a loose connection.

The radio is completely inop. Not sure why, but I haven't really looked yet.

Most excitingly though, I had it cranking over with the key.

It won't start yet because I don't have the coil pack, plug wires, or fuel pumps hooked up yet, but it turned over all by itself.

 

[adsm08]

Well I poked, and jumpered, and put the radiator and fan and some coolant in tonight, and hit the key.

It ran. For one second.

Then it stalled out because I was off the throttle and have some open vac ports after the MAF.