2.3L ('83-'97) Instrament pannel problem

[TheSurge]

I've been semi looking for my 85 EVTM for a couple of days. Clicked on the thread to see the update just now, look up, and there it is sitting on the shelf over my head.

As I thought, there are no bulb socket colors listed. Going to need to know wire colors.

According to the EVTM the shift light was a 2.3L manual transmission only item. It does not say if it was standard on those or an add on. It shows like the wires go directly to the socket, not through the flex circuit. The two wire colors for the shift light are:

• R/Y H = RED wire with YELLOW hash marks
• R/W D = RED wire with WHITE dashes

On a quick search I am not finding an Emissions indicator circuit. I'm wondering if you could be mistaking something else for an emissions indicator? I'm not saying you are wrong, I just don't recall what that symbol looks like andsome times they can be vague. I mean the regen symbol on dad's tractor has been described as someone farting in the Facebook groups before.

I doubt "emission" indicator would have been placed there for a later model. They changed the instrument cluster for 86 and it went to one that had spots for about 8 warning lights. The light masks on those was also attached to the cluster, and not to the bezel, so they could have been changed for different options. Probably weren't, but could have been.

I think it more likely to have been a left over from the 83 & 84 diesel models. I don't know if there were any 85 diesels, but my 85 EVTM doesn't show one. I don't recall ever having an EVTM for my 84 model, and since I totaled it 15 years ago I wouldn't know where it is now.

The red and yellow wire sounds right but I'll take the dash apart tomorrow and take a look see. I'm pretty sure it's emissions. It looks like it's an ebreviation for it. I can't see it unless it let from the back or I holed it up to the light.

 

[JoshT]

You're probably right about it being emissions, I just didn't spot anything for it in the 85 EVTM. I could have overlooked it, or it could be a left over from prior year models.

Like before, if you can provide some wire colors for the second connector, I'll browse through my book and see if I find any indicators with those colors. Might not be a quick search, but I don't mind looking.

 

[TheSurge]

You're probably right about it being emissions, I just didn't spot anything for it in the 85 EVTM. I could have overlooked it, or it could be a left over from prior year models.

Like before, if you can provide some wire colors for the second connector, I'll browse through my book and see if I find any indicators with those colors. Might not be a quick search, but I don't mind looking.

So the top and bottom of the pannel do not have connections to the printed circuit but they are clearly part of the cluster. Behind the dash were these two bulbs but they weren't locked into the cluster. The orange and back wire is a random wire that I can't find where it's supposed to go. It's also completely wrapped in electrical tape.

 

[JoshT]

Well, I definitely agree with that too one being emissions. I was thinking a symbol, but it's kind of hard to get "EMISS" wrong.

I'd say that the black socket looks to be your shift light. The wire colors appear to be a match from this side of the screen.

I'll keep my eyes open for a bulb with Red and Yellow/Black wires in the EVTM. If I get a good chance I might go dig through my dash and see if I can find anything.

No idea on your two loose wires. As long as they appear to be, I'd wonder if they originally went elsewhere, like over toward the radio.

 

[JoshT]

Just flipped through my book again. I did not see a match for the red socket.

I took to google and found the following: broken FAQ - Here is one of the modules that controls the EMISSIONS light

It does mention a red bulb socket. It calls the control module for that light an "Infered Mileage Sensor" the P/N comes up as a ""Warning System Maintenance Module" which I'm guessing the missing pictures would show. There's another link in that thread talking about the BII.

Using Google I also found a thread here on TRS where MAKG and AllanD discussed the light and where the module was located. emiss light

Armed with this info I looked through the 85 EVTM again, and none of this is mentioned in there that I can find. I flipped through cover to cover and found nothing. If it was there, it's like Ford didn't want anyone, including service techs, messing with it.


Still got nothing on your other two loose wires, but trying to track down wires like that isn't easy if you don't know what system they might belong to. Are they wrappd in black tape like the rest of the hareness, or just have red tape like is shown? I ask because that looks like the red wire in the blurry part of the image below your thumb. If it's just wraps of red tape like that, I'm wondering if it is aftermarket wiring that someone didn't fully remove.

 

[tomw]

There is/was a diesel in 85, a 140cid, the same as the SOHC gas Lima. Almost all parts stores list it as an option. It supposedly was a more powerful engine than the original 83-84 diesel, but I don't know much past that.
AFAIK, there is no CEL or SES light on 85 models. You cannot pull codes to a flashing light on the cluster anywhere, again, AFAIK. A special test thing, likely NLA, or the Ford OASIS were the two using tools, and you can pull codes using a VOM. Analog VOM. My meter needle was almost too slow to read the 'bumps'. I bought the plug-in tool back when. TEMU lists what looks like the Ford connecter terminal for about $10. I do not know if it is correct, but think it would likely work. It will just flash a red LED and buzz for each flash. You still have to count. I think some OBD-II readers will work with an adapter. They may be able to pick up long string that is squirted out when you first connect a scan tool. Or they might depend on the flash codes.
I bet a small bulb would work in place of a VOM. Perhaps a LED bulb as it would not draw much amps.
tom