96 3.0 acting weird

[CamsmdS]

So today I noticed that the radio would turn off then back on, battery light flickering somimes, abs light on, and my brights flickering, along with the rmp needle doing the same. Lately the trucks been acting strange I just rebuit the engine and it runs fine but the electricAL stuff is trippen out, and it sometimes acts like the fuel filter is dirty the truck idling weird as well on starts , but usually it will be fine after I drive for a little. I know that's a lot I'm going to put a code reader on asap but I wanna know what might be trippen this this up i can give more details upon request PLS HELP lmao

 

[RonD]

Welcome to TRS

Reads like you either have a charging system problem or a Ground problem

You will need a Volt Meter

Check battery voltage, key OFF
12.3 to 12.8volts is what is expected

Start engine
13.5 to 14.9volts is expected


Battery Negative(Ground) needs to be connected to the engine/block
This is for starter motor AND Alternator

There also needs to be a Ground strap from drivers side head to the Cab firewall, this is the Ground for all the electrics in the cab, without it instruments will be intermittent.
This is often left off after a rebuild, double check it is there, and that the engine Ground is clean and tight

All the body parts, like the cab, are painted FIRST, then bolted to the frame which was also painted, so these bolts are NOT grounds, paint on paint doesn't pass electricity.

And the engine and transmission sit on rubber mounts so no connection to Frame or body, so no Ground passing to frame or body

There should be larger Negative cable to engine, smaller one to Rad Support, for headlight ground.
Then a ground from engine to firewall, and a ground from engine to frame, for tail lights
If you can't find them, ADD them, can't have too many Grounds

 

[CamsmdS]

96 3.0 intake hose??????

so i come to find out that my intake boot has a hole from the alternator pully and a hose that goes from the oil filler cap to the boot, this does not look like the original intake boot and i cant find any pictures or info on what my 96 intake set up would look like im going crazy right now does anyone have a 96 with the stock set up, the ford OEm website doesnt even have the damn thing

 

[ratdude747]

so i come to find out that my intake boot has a hole from the alternator pully and a hose that goes from the oil filler cap to the boot, this does not look like the original intake boot and i cant find any pictures or info on what my 96 intake set up would look like im going crazy right now does anyone have a 96 with the stock set up, the ford OEm website doesnt even have the damn thing

They're hard to find, I'll give you that.

The 3.0 intake snorkel (and the 4.0 for that matter) has two auxillary connections besides the in and out. One is for the non-vacuum side of the PCV (near alternator, goes to oil cap neck) and the other is for the IAT sensor.

Pictures would be nice here. If worst came to worst I have a wrecked 1995 3.0 with a somewhat good (has some dry rot starting) snorkel that I haven't quite scrapped yet. Same thing as what you have (1995-1997 use a specific one, as 1990-1994 IIRC used a different air box and 1998-2008 used a different intake and throttle body).

 

[cbxer55]

On my 98 3.0, the alternator pulley is really close to the intake tube, of which mine is a 3 inch polished steel tube. Fortunately I can left up on it and tighten the clamps at the sleeves, to get it high enough that the pulley doesn't hit the tube when revving up or decellerating.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

My choptop I had a hole in the intake tube, ended up replacing it with ABS pipe. I used 3" pipe with Fernco couplings and for the attachments I drilled and glued in what fittings I needed.


Sent from my kite using a trebuchet

 

[cbxer55]

On my three inch aluminum tube, it only had a hole for the PCV tube. For the Air Inlet Temperature Sensor, it doesn't have to be in the tube. I've had mine tie-wrapped to the bracket the cone filter is on for many years. Had to extend the wires a tad, but just cut and re-soldered them and put heat shrink tubing over the connections. Never been a problem and no codes for the sensor, except for one sensor that went bad back in 2007 or 8. My Lightning is the same way, the CAI had no place for the sensor. It's tie-wrapped to a wire harness very near the filter.