3rd gen retrofit

[imp]

What if a guy wanted to be rid of all the excessive controlling factors 3rd. gens introduce, like ABS able to disable, PCM, too, why could he not institute an early 1st. gen. operating system? Biggest problem I see is the microprocessor dash: could an early Ex gauge panel be cobbled to mount in place of the electronic nightmare? So it would LOOK acceptable, I mean. I know very little about 1st.gens, but bet they were EEC-IV, likely MAF, and a return fuel line would be needed, PCM, how to accomdate the ABS, I dunno.

About had it with my 3rd. gen's idiosyncracies. Even kicked around using a 4.9 straight 6 system, w/MAF to run the 4.0. If I went to an earlier setup, I'd likely use either a 5.0HO or 4.0 OHV.

Any thoughts? imp

 

[boominXplorer]

I feel like obd1 ford computers are the least reliable of them all. Sure you could do it but what's the end goal? Fuel economy will be lost and it won't become any more reliable.

I say modify the current system in place to do what you need. If it's the electronic throttle body you don't like then convert to a 02 or 03 harness, it would be way more plug and play then an earlier system. If you want to delete control trac there's ways to do that too. Hell pull the fuse for abs or unplug a speed sensor and boom it's disabled. In VA you can still pass state inspection with an abs light on as long as the brake light isn't illuminated also.

 

[imp]

I feel like obd1 ford computers are the least reliable of them all. Sure you could do it but what's the end goal? Fuel economy will be lost and it won't become any more reliable.

I say modify the current system in place to do what you need. If it's the electronic throttle body you don't like then convert to a 02 or 03 harness, it would be way more plug and play then an earlier system. If you want to delete control trac there's ways to do that too. Hell pull the fuse for abs or unplug a speed sensor and boom it's disabled. In VA you can still pass state inspection with an abs light on as long as the brake light isn't illuminated also.

@boominXplorer
Ha! You do not drive a 3rd. gen? My '04 responds to ABS fuse removal by disabling the vehicle! So, installing an earlier harness would require installing an earlier ABS Module also. Aside from that, doing almost anything aimed at deleting or disabling results in permanent notice on the instrument panel: it don't have individual electrical connections for most of the illuminated icons and warnings: that's handled by only two wires via the CAN Protocol. One other significant thing is that the wheel speed sensors are no longer simple generators but are operated digitally.

I wish it were as easy as it looks at first glance. OTOH, yes, you're right early EEC-IV was OBD-I, but was followed by several later versions still OBD-I, mid-'90s, which have proven to be, for me, pretty danged reliable, and a whole lot more "workable" for the tinkerer (me). imp