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1988 Bronco II Virginia Trail Build


Uncle Gump

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Ottawa IL
Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
Yeah... I think it's gonna be a problem. Two wire sender or mechanical gauge... no issue. Single wire sender... problem.

I'm gonna try to drill and tap a hole in one of the pipe plugs to add a ground. Unless there is enough meat on the adaptor to drill and tap.
 


RumPunch

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Location
Walkerton Va 23177
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ford Bronco II
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
3"
Tire Size
31x10.50R15
Yeah I mean in theory the threaded adapter should provide a ground but I am sure there is resistance. I could check with a meter tonight and see what it is from sender threads to g post I bet it's a decent amount.

In fact I believe I will test that, and start by removing my sender and I am going to run a tap into the thread holes and retest. If that doesn't clean up the reading enough I will then debate on how to add a better path.
 
Last edited:

Uncle Gump

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Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
Well... my thoughts were that the threaded adaptor should provide enough ground too... but... it tightens up against the powder coated surface of the sandwich adaptor. Not knowing how conductive powder coating is why I figure it would be a problem.

I just pulled my adaptor out of the package and had a look. It appears on mine that there is a ring around the threaded adaptor bore that has no powder coating. That itself should provide a path to ground once the threaded adaptor is tight. But... always a but... all the drilled pipe thread holes are all completely covered in powder coat. So... with a wrap of pipe thread tape and the powder coated threads the sender might not get good contact with the sandwich adaptor. So I'm going to run a 1/8 pipe tap down the hole that I will use for the sender and see where that gets me.

20221013_075012.jpg
 

Uncle Gump

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Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
I just run an 1/8" pipe tap down a sender hole and cleaned up the powder coating.

I also lightly hit the adaptor fitting hole to define that a bit. I think I will test it before it ever goes on with my ohm meter.

20221013_115058.jpg
 

RumPunch

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Ford Bronco II
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2.9 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
3"
Tire Size
31x10.50R15
Hex nut flange of the sending unit to ground is 10.3M ohms. Removed it chased the threads with a tap covered in grease cleaned the port new thread tape reinstalled sender 10.3m to ground.. Gauge doesn't work. Hooked an alligator clamp to the body of sender and ground instant pressure. So no @Uncle Gump that's not enough, maybe yours with the cleaned bung will but mine does not. I would certainly suggest doing something prior to installation as it's quite tight to work on. Good catch!!! 👍
 

Uncle Gump

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Location
Ottawa IL
Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
Hex nut flange of the sending unit to ground is 10.3M ohms. Removed it chased the threads with a tap covered in grease cleaned the port new thread tape reinstalled sender 10.3m to ground.. Gauge doesn't work. Hooked an alligator clamp to the body of sender and ground instant pressure. So no @Uncle Gump that's not enough, maybe yours with the cleaned bung will but mine does not. I would certainly suggest doing something prior to installation as it's quite tight to work on. Good catch!!! 👍
Does your sandwich adaptor fitting have a clean/free from powder coat surface to contact? I haven't put an ohm meter to mine yet... maybe after dinner.
 

RumPunch

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Location
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Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ford Bronco II
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
3"
Tire Size
31x10.50R15
I don't recall.. I wasn't the happiest with it's installation seemed like it always wanted to leak so I Loc-Tited the inner threads. I came up with a "solution". I can't say it's one of my more proud moments but I think it'll work fine. No name calling for this either! I got a hose clamp that fit nicely around the sender body. I then stripped back about 1/2" of insulation on some 16ga wire and fed it through one of the thread slots of the clamp and soldered it back together then shoved heat shrink down as far as it would go and sealed up what I could, only solder showing. I know it's prone to corrosion but what a simple easy fix. Ran said wire to frame tapped a hole and put an eyelet on it and boom, I got ground. Dare I ask, thoughts ..? I know it may fail but I bet it'll last quite a while and super simple fix in the future.

IMG_20221013_200548949.jpg
 

Uncle Gump

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Vehicle Year
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Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
I'm surprised it leaked. I've even had mine off on my truck when I switched from mechanical to electric gauges. It's never leaked.

I was going to bench test mine but when I grabbed my Fluke meter it had a dead battery... cause I left the damn thing after I tested my fuel sender. I can't find another 9 volt so I'll have to pick one up tomorrow.

As for your "repair"... at least you know it works. Lol. You got some plow boy in ya son.

I'll let you know what I find out with mine when I know.
 

RumPunch

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Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ford Bronco II
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
3"
Tire Size
31x10.50R15
Haha whatever works right. Honestly not much different than a grounding strap on the back of the head to the firewall, they don't fail. Long term fix I'll probably try to find a two wire sender and ground out one side to frame and other to gauge. That thing had a ton of resistance through it though.
 

Uncle Gump

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Location
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Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
So I got a 9 volt battery and checked my adaptor. It ohms out at .1 ohm. So I thought I would Teflon tape the sender and screw it in and see where I was. I dug to the bottom of my parts box and what do ya know... it's a two pole sender... I could swore it was a single pole.

20221014_201848.jpg


Not sure it would be compatible with your gauge but here is the link to it.

 

Uncle Gump

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Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
I remember you put your temp sender Hose Adaptor in your upper radiator hose. I know you don't have a bunch of run time on it... but how is that working out? Does that gauge work... stay steady? I was thinking I would put mine in the lower hose but the upper sure be easier and make more sense for gauge harness routing.
 

RumPunch

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Location
Walkerton Va 23177
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ford Bronco II
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
3"
Tire Size
31x10.50R15
I've gotten it up to temp probably 10-20 times and it gets to 180-190 and does not move. Even on break in it never got hotter. 180 thermostat. Works like a charm.
 

RumPunch

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Location
Walkerton Va 23177
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ford Bronco II
Engine Type
2.9 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
3"
Tire Size
31x10.50R15
Can anyone identify this if it would be a safe pick up for me to use in the Bii? I am more concerned with finding a D35 but of I can get this for $100 or so may be worth it?


Screenshot_20221030-112501.png
 

Uncle Gump

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Location
Ottawa IL
Vehicle Year
2006/1986
Make / Model
Ranger/BroncoII
Engine Size
4.0L SOHC/2.9L
2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
I don't know enough about them to give you an expert answer... but I didn't think they came with rear disc brakes back in 92. But I could be wrong.

I will do a bit of looking at mine today for comparison.

Free would be a good thing.
 

SenorNoob

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Location
Middle Tennessee
Vehicle Year
1988
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
1.5" Front + 4" Rear
Tire Size
245-70-R16
AFAIK the change to rear disc came with the body change in 95. Seeing as how one rotor is on backwards tho... Who knows what they have there.
 

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