The Black Hole

[gmanpaint]

Alignment is done. It tracks straight, and no squirrels to contend with. I'm actually impressed they got it done, the 1st time.

So on the trip there, I tried the O/D switch. It's not the bulb, the switch doesn't turn it off.

Years ago, this rig had a broken wire inside the shifter, and the control button didn't work. With that circuit interrupted, the O/D light stayed on, and it would not go into O/D at all. Swapped in a new shifter with a good switch, and it worked again.

Knowing that, and the fact the light did come on a few days ago when I turned it off, there is something else going on with it. For now, I can live with the O/D working, and not turning off, but if I ever need to turn it off, and can't, that will be a problem. Just another issue, to add to the list to deal with.

 

[boominXplorer]

Is there a way to add a vss sensor to your atlas? Just wondering for future wiring purposes.

 

[gmanpaint]

Yes. I actually have one I had custom made for the Ford VSS in the case. I used it for one trip to CO last summer. AA sells the adapter and gears for it, and a company out of Nevada does the vss conversion. There is some pics of it in this thread, back a few pages. I don't need it anymore, and was going to list it for sale, but if you need/want it, I won't.

 

[gmanpaint]

Ok, so the trip to the alignment shop and back was 12.5 miles. Left on a full tank, and the needle is sitting at below 7/8. Scan gauge says 8.8 mpg. I can't use this rig for it's intended use, on long trips across country with these MPG's. There is no CEL presently.

What can be causing this? Open loop, bad HO2, the exhaust size difference restriction, TPS, MAF, etc...?

Hard to believe that this engine with less than 120k on it, used that type of fuel with the previous owner. I haven't even opened the new XCT programmer yet, but I need to learn how to use it, before I can begin to put it to use. If you guys bear with me, I will no doubt have questions for you that already know what your doing with this stuff. I will be forever grateful!!

 

[boominXplorer]

The v8 likes drink fuel. My ranger only gets 12-13 and it's much lighter. I do have a heavy foot though. I'd say it just needs to be driven and a whole tank of fuel with milage calculated will be more accurate than the scan gauge. Of course tire size / speedo off will make odometer off which will throw your calculations off.

 

[gmanpaint]

So... remember back when I posted a picture of a stack of white boxes? Well, while I was at the shop getting the alignment done today, I also had the tires road forced and balanced on what was inside them white boxes.

Spring cleaning also began today. I got ALL the rear stuff cleaned up and painted, and also the frame rails got some love.

So I also got 2 new tires to match the 2 new replacements. So all 4 are new again. I have a couple of killer spares now.

 

[gmanpaint]

The speedo is off by 2 MPH under at 50-55ish.

So thinking here about them mixed HO2 sensors. One is the old one from the 4.0, and I assume the newer one is for a 5.0. What I don't know, is if they both use the same sensor or not? Thinking if they don't, and if they are not placed correctly, this could be the reason for the bad MPG's, or at least part of it.

Thoughts?

 

[CDW6212R]

The O2 sensors don't swap among the connectors of the same vehicle, so they shouldn't be the same unless they modified the wiring connectors. It's a good time to buy at least the one new O2 for it. Used O2's don't respond as well as a new one.

 

[gmanpaint]

Ok, so I will remove the old one and compare connectors, too the new one made for the 98 5.0.

Now since they decided it was easier to just cut my old pipe with the O2 in it, and weld that section to the new pipe, rather than weld in a new bung, what are the chances that sensor is not placed where it should be? The new one they installed in a new bung, is right at the bell housing on the y pipe. The old one is way back next to the trans in front of the cat. Is that right? To me, that's too far back, but in not sure. Can anybody take a look, where the O2's should be located for me?

On another note, the sct tuner doesn't have a pre-programmed tune for the 5.0. It has explorer listed, but only the 4.0 & 4.6. Not sure what tune to choose from, with the others available.

 

[boominXplorer]

Sct doesn't list 5.0 explorer online but I promise you once you hook it up it has tuning options as long as your device is up to date. It's free to update.

 

[WormsExplorer]

I really like how your EX looks.

 

[gmanpaint]

Took the rig for a shake down run at an off road park. Would have been great if the CAD switch that was re-wired by that shop, actually fricking worked. We wasted most of Saturday trying to find the screw up in the system. Unfortunately, the wires going to the dash switch are hidden in a crazy harness, and we couldn't find where the wires came out under the hood.
The solonids that actuate the shift fork in the CAD housing, just wouldn't work. We bypassed them and went directly to the vac ball to get it to connect the axles. It worked for a bit, and then it didn't. I guess they was fighting each other and the fork was going back n forth.

One more leak to plug. What really irks me (besides all the work, and $$ just spent), is I did the JDraper mod back in 2010, and it worked perfectly ever since. There was no reason to mess with anything under the hood. I am just going to run all new wires, and start again with that mod.

Dirty hole. lol Need to replace the rear flares for some longer ones to go back to the bumper sides.

 

[gmanpaint]

Installed a latch to the rear bumper. I had to make a bracket for the catch, as the U-bolt was to short to use the one it came with. It clamps the swingout down tight, and with the locking pin in place, it isn't going anywhere. Between that, and the new side supports, it is rattle free now.

If it ever gets ripped off by a rock ledge, it will be a simple repair, as I made an extra catch bracket.

 

[CDW6212R]

I like it, but the Phillips headed bolts, yuck.

 

[gmanpaint]

I used them bolts because of the shape. Close as I could get to a carriage bolt. Works for me!

 

[CDW6212R]

I used them bolts because of the shape. Close as I could get to a carriage bolt. Works for me!

I do like the shape, I know what you were going for. It's hard to find a smooth bolt like that with a Torx head or similar.

 

[gmanpaint]

I didn't take any pictures last wkend, as I had 2 passengers that I "Thought" would be taking them. Nope, they dropped the ball on me. lol

When the temporary CAD fix did work, we hit a couple trails, enough for me to get a test hit and shake down of the rigs new mods. I learned a lot about it, and found new things to fix. More on that later.

Another who was following me, was able to pull a couple stills off his GoPro, and sent these to me.

At one spot on this trail, the front Drivers was an easy 4 ft off the ground, with the rig pointed to the sky. I always wanted a picture of it doing that, but alas, nobody got it. (sigh)

At the very top there was a right hand side hole, that becomes a straight up 3' wall for the pass tire to climb up and out of. I didn't hug and climb the outer wall enough, and the tire slid down, and face planted against the wall. With the rig leaning to the wall (Pass side), and the weak ass R&P steering, I couldn't turn into the wall as I climbed out, (wheels turned driver) and about rolled it over to the pass side. I took a few tries at it, and each time, stopping the rig right at the cusp of rolling over. Nope. Hooked the winch to a friends rig, and pulled it enough to get the front wheel over, and I turned as it moved.

Normally, my fix for a situation as this, is to disconnect the CAD, to remove locker tension, to turn the wheels, and get myself out. I couldn't do this, as the Vac lines was physically swapped, due to the faulty switch install.

 

[Rick]

I hate it when people mess up the job they were supposed to do... Definitely frustrating.

 

[gmanpaint]

I hate it when people mess up the job they were supposed to do... Definitely frustrating.

Agreed. I used to know this rig like the back of my hand, now I am learning all over again on some of it.

So I have long term goals set for this rig, and is the reason for the latest batch of mods. After all the bugs are worked out, and it is back to where I can use & trust it as intended, I have a few more things to do to it. One of them being an ARB rear air locker. I already have the locker & the mid sized compressor for it. I have to install the compressor and run the air line to the axle before I bring the rig to the axle shop for the locker install.

I am undecided where to install the compressor. There really is no room under the hood with the recent add on's, and wiring routing installed by that shop.
That leaves inside the cargo area on top of the side panels, or underneath the rig itself. I'm not so sure about either, as it will get hot during use inside, and will get wet, and depending on the time of year, wet & frozen under the rig.

Thoughts?

 

[gmanpaint]

Look up a few posts ago, and see the pic of the sides of the frame rails. There is no room for anything else added there.

If I went under the truck, it would be in the area where the stock spare tire was held.