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Have a 4.6L? Here's a problem I bet you all have...

So do we know exactly which wires are in this harness? It appears to be the following:

Large positive battery cable (battery to starter)
AC Clutch wire (relay box to compressor??)
Starter signal wire (relay box to starter??)

Any others, or fill in the blanks?

Oil sending unit wire... it got mine!
 



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Mine Too

Just a note to thanks for the heads up. I found this problem on my '02 Eddie Bauer also. The A/C wire was down to only a few strands and the oil sensor line insulation was gone. I pulled it out as you showed and soldered a new piece of wire in and wrapped it all up with an additional layer of tubing. When I got everything back together I bent the bracket up so it doesn't ride on the oil drain shield anymore. Should be good, I'm only hoping to get a couple more years out of this ride...

68
 






Do you think my 2000 Mustang GT would have this? The AC went out all at once? AC clutch does not engage. Weather got cooler and I got too lazy to check it out here in So FL.
 






It's possible. I am not familiar with the mustang other than I know they also use the same 4.6L motor. I'm sure it has a very similar wiring harness. The wire harness on the Explorer was chaffing on the cross member under the motor. The Mustang very well may have a similar cross member under the motor.
 






I haven't heard of the Mustangs having this same problem, but there is a sure-fire way to tell. The constant control relay module is in the passenger inner fenderwell. Pin# 23 is a black/yellow wire that goes from the A/C clutch relay (located inside the CCRM) to the A/C clutch field coil. If you have power at pin 23 on the CCRM, you should also have power on the black/yellow wire on the A/C clutch connector.

FYI, the black wire on the A/C clutch goes to ground.

I don't think the Mustang harness is routed nearly the same as the Explorer. The PCM sends a ground signal through pin 69 to the CCRM's pin 22 that grounds the A/C clutch relay coil and clicks on the AC clutch relay, which powers up that black/yellow wire coming out of pin 23.

So that's how the PCM turns on the A/C clutch... it sends ground to the AC clutch relay coil. There are conditions that have to be met in order for the PCM to allow this clutch to engage. The AC controls have to be set to norm a/c, max a/c, mix, or defrost. The A/C clutch cycling pressure switch has to be on (refrigerant pressure has to be correct), and the AC high pressure cutout switch has to be open.

Typically, the reason AC clutches are not commanded on by the PCM is that the AC refrigerant pressure is too low, normally due to a leak. But it could be pressure is too high, or that one of the switches is bad. Normal procedure here is to temporarily bypass the A/C clutch cycling switch to see if the A/C suddenly kicks on when you do. If it does, then you know that's your problem... either the switch is bad (unlikely) or the pressure is too low due to a leak (likely).
 






A piece of an old junk water hose, or heater hose if you have one works great to make a cover. Just cut it a little longer than the area being rubbed split it down the middle then place it around the area being rubbed. Cinch it up on the ends with a couple of plastic wire ties and it makes a great insulator.
Used to do this on my big trucks anywhere there was a chance of rubbing or chaffing saves a lot of roadside heartache.
 






So, I was getting one of my rear bearing replaced this week and my AC wasn't working. I printed off the beginning of this thread and had the mechanic check it out while he had my Explorer on the lift.

Sure enough, this was the problem. AC works, but he thinks I have a blockage somewhere in the system.............
 






Dont mean to bring back a old thread...but I recently bought a 04 that had the remote start installed and it was blowing security fuses took it off and its still blowing fuses.....do you think.this could of happened? 04 4.0
 






Dont mean to bring back a old thread...but I recently bought a 04 that had the remote start installed and it was blowing security fuses took it off and its still blowing fuses.....do you think.this could of happened? 04 4.0

The starter signal wire is in this harness, and it's possible it could be causing some fuses to blow. Not sure which fuses offhand.

I would recommend buying a genuine Ford EVTM (electrical vacuum troubleshooting manual) on Ebay for your exact vehicle. They can be had for 10 to 30 bucks regularly. Oddball vehicles like Explorers usually 10 bucks. These manuals are specific to your vehicle, and are so worth owning if you work on your own car.

In fact, I have an 03 EVTM, which is probably almost identical to 04. Tell me which fuse box and which fuse # are blowing, and I can tell you where the wires are that are affected.
 






Actually I fixed it....the po instead of pulling back on the shifter and pulling down she just pulled straight down on it....it broke a ear off the mount....there for everytime you try taking it out of park it would blow the fuse its the little button type things around the shifter....luckily it came with another steering colum :) so 800 bucks and I got a 2004 explorer limited :)
 






My 04 4.6l doesn't have this issue. Wiring is no where near it. Is there a plastic clip that is breaking and allowing the wire loom to sag maybe?
 






wiring harness

Yes mine had the same problem a year ago except my oil pressure warning light came on the wire had worn through so I cut it extended it added extra loom coving and trimmed the oil catch tray not a problem since..
 






Ok, I don't mean to ask a dumb question but I keep forgetting to check out under the truck. I have heat and the AC blows but not cold. I'm assuming this could still be the problem as the wire could be cut that engages the AC Clutch? Correct assumption?
 






Ok, I don't mean to ask a dumb question but I keep forgetting to check out under the truck. I have heat and the AC blows but not cold. I'm assuming this could still be the problem as the wire could be cut that engages the AC Clutch? Correct assumption?

have you tried to recharge your ac unit? If the ac works but isnt cold id say more along the lines of recharge time
 






Yes, my wife had my brother in law try to charge it while I was deployed. I'm crawling under the truck tomorrow.
 






Ok, I don't mean to ask a dumb question but I keep forgetting to check out under the truck. I have heat and the AC blows but not cold. I'm assuming this could still be the problem as the wire could be cut that engages the AC Clutch? Correct assumption?

Turn the AC on to Max and full fan, then watch to see if the clutch on the compressor is engaging. If it is, then you may need refrigerant. If you need refrigerant, that means you have a leak. Putting some in with a leak is equivalent to flushing money down the toilet. If the clutch doesn't engage, it could be this wire issue.
 






Thanks Number4. Clutch is engaging. See it clearly kicking on and off. Crawled under and the wiring harness appears not to be damaged at all. So must be a leak. Guess I better get that wallet ready. Was hoping it was something simple like the wire.
 






Thanks Number4. Clutch is engaging. See it clearly kicking on and off. Crawled under and the wiring harness appears not to be damaged at all. So must be a leak. Guess I better get that wallet ready. Was hoping it was something simple like the wire.

Off topic, if the AC clutch engages the air should be cold. If it engages and then pretty quickly disengages and cycles on and off too fast, it's low on freon and you have a leak that needs to be fixed.

On topic, I would relocate the wiring harness away from the oil drain slide anyway, to prevent future damage.
 






2003 fixed?

Great post. I think Ford might have done a fix on the wiring in 2003/2004. My 2003 Moutaineer was having the erratic low oil pressure problem, and I was convinced it must be this wiring issue, but when I checked it out. my wiring harness was fine. My oil filter drip tray is plastic, and the wiring harness is factory strapped to the frame, out of the way. I replaced the oil sending unit, and so far so good.
 



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Great post. I think Ford might have done a fix on the wiring in 2003/2004. My 2003 Moutaineer was having the erratic low oil pressure problem, and I was convinced it must be this wiring issue, but when I checked it out. my wiring harness was fine. My oil filter drip tray is plastic, and the wiring harness is factory strapped to the frame, out of the way. I replaced the oil sending unit, and so far so good.

My 03 Explorer had the problem. I don't recall it being fastened to the drip tray. Ate thru a couple wires, but not bad enough to affect them yet. Starter solenoid wiring was one of the wires in that bundle.
 






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