The Black Hole

[MrQ]

Ouch. That sounds like you have a freon leak. When the compressor cycles that much it means it can't keep enough pressure in the system, which means little to no freon. It's also really bad for the compressor clutch as it keeps locking and unlocking constantly.

 

[gmanpaint]

I turned it off as soon as I realized what was going on. It happened as soon as I started the engine for the fist time of the day. Heard the compressor going on/off, felt luke warm air out the vents, and shut it off. The A/C has always kicked azz in this thing, so much that any fan setting above low would freeze a person right out of the rig. It worked flawlessly the day before. I just don't get how it could leak out overnight with no warnings. Kinda pisses me off...lol

 

[Glen4X4]

Yea....that sounds odd, but I'd imagine a seal could go at any moment after the system warms back up, I would put a gauge on it to see if it has adequate pressure in the system, I sure love how cold the a/c gets in these trucks .

 

[gmanpaint]

I will stop over at a friends to have him check the A/C system out for me. Hopefully it isn't anything major, but I will do what has to be done. Me needs my A/C!

 

[gmanpaint]

Showing off my support to the forum in public

 

[gmanpaint]

I received the cluster from Joedirt and removed the stock cluster.

They are different from one another, and we already knew that. I had to take them apart and swap out the side gauges to make them work for a couple of reasons.

Here is the backs of them both. The 95 on top, the 97 on bottom.

Everything seemed to be fine, but the OIL gauge pegged out on it. I need to try to either swap the center gauges and return the side gauges or try another cluster to make it right. I'm not sure.

I did change the needles to RED.

 

[CDW6212R]

The earlier models had different oil pressure sending units also. You have the two different kinds. The later type is just an ON/OFF pressure gauge. I'm not sure what the best combination is for those. I've wished to be able to add digital gauge readouts behind the stock cluster gauges.

 

[gmanpaint]

The thinking was by using the stock gauge and the stock sender it would work. I have no idea what happened...lol

Must be something in the circuit board.

 

[inh]

Your 95 cluster has an oil pressure gauge that can be modified very easily to get the gauge to actualyl reflect the real oil pressure. Granted, you'll never know the actual PSI, but instead of just sitting in one spot when you have at least some pressure like most, the needle will move, so you will get a feel of what is normal and what isn't.

There is a thread on it somewhere, its a quick modification and since your cluster is already out you should take care of it now. You do have to buy a specific oil pressure sender for it to work as a real gauge though. The details are in that thread...

I need to do this to my 2000 with the gauge from my 95.. And I need the 95's 2wd stereo surround piece... and the passenger mirror... andandand.. poor truck!

Here is a thread with the info in it:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14894&highlight=oil+pressure+gauge

and a couple related ones:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18472&highlight=oil+pressure+gauge

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17564&highlight=oil+pressure+gauge


Hope that helps!

 

[gmanpaint]

Thanks Chris, I will read up on it. Too bad it is already put back together

If that works, it would be great!

 

[Scott B.]

Since you have the dash apart, convert the oil pressure to a real oil pressure gauge. It looks like you will have to buy a new sender anyway to get the '97 dash to work in your '95.

EDIT: I see I was too slow typing...

 

[gmanpaint]

Scott,
Are there real working aftermarket direct replacement oil gauges that fit in our clusters?

Oh, I think I can take it all apart in like 20 mins now...lol

(Double) Oh, and the 95 oil gauge is in the 97 cluster.

 

[inh]

Aw come on man, I can pull my cluster in like 5 minutes, I'm sure you could do. Maybe having all the correct size sockets and nut drivers in the center console all the time is a bit of an advantage though

Not sure how swapping the oil gauge alone affects things but since all you you would do before was remove a remove a resistor you should be good. I would call autozone and tell them you need a replacement for this ford part E4ZZ 9278A or if that doesn't work just get the ford one. I'm almost 100% that it will make your gauge work correctly.

Maybe I missed it (on my cell phone) but why not swap the 97 part(s) you need in to the 95 cluster to minimize complications?

 

[inh]

Sorry to clutter your thread with another post, butttttt.. about your AC... the AC in my 95 was dead when I pulled it out of storage in may. I was going to buy the manifold and gauge set from HF to do a proper recharge myself but ran short on funds. If it is still on sale soon ($40 instead of $60) ill pick it up and use a 20% off coupon makes it nice and affordable. A couple of cans of refridgerant with uv dye and some ester oil, and an assortment of green orings, and I'll be set to do a proper recharge and fix any leaks so long as its not the compressor. Replace all the o rings on the hoses with new, lubed up ones and put hoses back together. Hook up gaugesand charge i t to spec. If it leaks again the dye is there. Take it to a shop and have them find the leak , hopefully its not the compressor.

I bring this up becauae 1) re-charging your ac yourself isn't expensive or hard and 2) we might be able to arrange some time to do both trucks together.

 

[gmanpaint]

Hey Chris, yeah I mentioned that I might swap the center gauges and return the side gauges back to the 95 cluster and see how that works. This is the next thing I am going to do.

Going to do it in the AM, and will post back how it works out.

I am meeting a friend tomorrow to check on the A/C. He has a vacuum pump for it as well as the manifold gauges, and has the big tanks of freon for it.

 

[inh]

Oh nice, you're all set then!

I thought about it for a sec while sitting in this parking lot waiting for this free move to start and the gauge pegging is exactly what should happen when your stock gauge has had the resistor removed and is installed back in the truck with the stock on/off style sender. If having a real oil guage is something you want to do, swap in the real sending unit and your gauge should work great.

I think when you swapped the old gauge in the new cluster , since the new cluster never had the resistor, its already 'modded' I hope this is the case because I will gladly swipe the gauge from my 95 for my 00.

Good luck man!

 

[Scott B.]

Scott,
Are there real working aftermarket direct replacement oil gauges that fit in our clusters?

Oh, I think I can take it all apart in like 20 mins now...lol

(Double) Oh, and the 95 oil gauge is in the 97 cluster.

No need for an aftermarket gauge.

Replace the 20K resistor on the flexible circuit board on the back of the cluster with a wire, and change the sending unit on the engine block, and you have a real, working gauge.

The factory wiring of the gauge is shunted - it shows none, low and high pressure (only 3 states.) By converting, you get a full sweep readout.

 

[gmanpaint]

Weekend Update:

1st) The A/c has a very slow leak somewhere. It took 6 oz of R-134a to top it off and the compressor stopped cycling fast. Since it was filled back up, I am going to wait till it needs a fill again and insert some dye to find the leak. Time will tell how long that will take.

2nd) The gauges are all working after swapping the centers and returning the sides into the stock cluster. The 97 speedo/tach works perfect. This was my main concern for now. One day when I am bored and feel like converting the oil pressure gauge to a real one, it will happen, but for now, it works.

3rd) I no longer have that damn mosquito inside the cluster to look at anymore

All is well in the 95's universe again.

 

[crazyflights]

Gman- do you know if there is a mod for 2nd gens that will allow you to roll the rear windows all the way down? I heard its just a safety stop in the track do you know? I like my passengers to be able to have a comfy arm rest!!

 

[techieman33]

I'm pretty sure you can't go much lower without hitting the door at the back.