The Black Hole

[gmanpaint]

Looking at different collapsible portable steel fire rings for campfires, I decided to get one. Didn't think of this until just recently, so I didn't incorporate a spot to keep it stowed when building this.

I then remembered, I had bought an E-Track Basket I thought of using in the trailer, but changed my mind, and put it up. I found it, and yep, it will do the job for now.

I took the E-track mounts apart, and only used half of them for this install. Couldn't have worked out any better. Installed it on the pass side of the box, and it just clears the wheel well trim.

What it didn't clear, was the compressor mounted on the other side. For this thing to fit, the box had to be all the way over as far as it could be, up against the wall. Compressor said, Hey man, get off me! so that had to be removed and relocated. More on that later.

Any HU......

I had some room left in front of the basket, so a couple quick fist clamps was zipped on, and the hatchet has a new home now.

I have a brand new, small motorcycle bungee net, for the top of this basket, to hold stuff's in.

See what's luring on the table behind the box? Yup.....Sneaky spare drivelines!

 

[gmanpaint]

Prepping the rig for final install:

The rear cargo floor had an E-track system installed years ago. I thought ablout removing it, but then I would have to deal with dozens of 1/4" bolt holes being open. Thought about the sound mats at one point, but man, this mod just had to end sometime, and I said God, bless this mess, and left it. I ended up using the front track for this mod, but the other 3 tracks are no longer usable with this box over them.

After removing the metal hinged divider wall thing a ma Bob, I figured out what to do back here.

1) The carpet had been cut around the E-tracks, and I didn't like it left like that for this floorless box. Didn't want it to bunch up if caught on the drawer. I build stuff for a living, and thought of the rubber shower stall pans we install under new flooring tile for water leaks. Hey.. I have a rubber cargo mat. Ok, so that went in easily.

2) The open gap behind the seats that flapper dealio covers was now exposed, and man, that's just not nice to look at. So I carefully cut the carpet that is normally fixed onto the gapper flappers. Tucked it down covering the gap, and now looks nice & clean like it was meant to be that way from the git go.

To secure it around the upper edges, I used some 1/2" sheet metal Lathe screws here & there. It can be pulled back still to get under it this way.

Broke out the shop vac, and cleaned that mess up. Can't remember the last time I folded down the seats, just to vacuum there. Found some loose change tho, so all good.

As you can see in the pics, the straps used to secure the box are in. These are 650 # straps I believe, maybe more. Strong, and do not move once tightened. The teeth on the clamp thingy are very aggressive, and bite like a 3 year old on an adults ankle.

OK! Ready for install!

 

[gmanpaint]

Final Install:

Waved a Steak in the air, and tricked the Neighbor to come help me load this box carefully in the rig. Thanks man! (he won't see this, so no idea why I just said that)



This is when the fitment reared it's ugly head with that goofy basket and the compressor fighting for the space. More unexpected work was needed, per the normal.

Removed the compressor, and adjusted the box accordingly. Hated to do it, but the after a couple different ideas to fit it in the same spot, was proving to be too much for me to deal with at the time, I just bolted it on top of the CV axle saddle box lid. If I have to get an axle out, I can unbolt the pump in a couple mins. Small compromise, and an easy solution. I was burning daylight fast, and had to keep pushing forward.

Sneaky drivelines got put under house arrest, and are sporting new ankle bracelets. They are not allowed to leave, unless I say so.

With the seats folded up, the front shaft is trapped there under the rear shaft. I am still juggling a couple ways of securing it, but that can wait.

Got the basket bolted in, and now it was finally time for the drawers.

Tested them out to make sure nothing got tweaked during install. All good!

The top of this box is about 1" taller than the rear seats (not the head rests). Without the tool boxes or chainsaw on, you don't really even notice it's back there from the front seats.

This might be the final post on this thing. What a long time frame on this. In the beginning, I'm like.... It's just a box, how hard can it be? WooooooooooSaaaaa......


On to the next mod! Parts are already on the way!

 

[RockRanger]

Awesome work. Wish I was heading thru your area soon and could stop by to check out the upgrades.

 

[gmanpaint]

Thank you kindly sir.

Your more than welcome to stop by again RockRanger, when you do get by me in the future.

 

[410Fortune]

simply awesome!

 

[gmanpaint]

simply awesome!

Thanks!

 

[gmanpaint]

Forgot to update the engine oil smoke deal.

This rig sits for long periods, and I start it every weekend and let it run for a while. When the exhaust oil smoke was happening, it ran for 30 mins, and the smoke amount was the same at idle, and got worse with raised RPM's. Like a lot worse. Total smoke show. Really had me concerned.

A week later, I ran it again. This time, nothing. No smoke at all. After a 30 mile hwy cruise, still smoke free. since then, it has been ran a few times, and still no smoke any longer.

No idea what actually caused the oil blow by, and can only guess to what the cause was. I have heard a few different reasons as to what it could be, but nothing has been verified as of yet. Sticking piston rings, stuck valves, blown gaskets, clogged PCV, bad HO2, etc...

What really sticks out, is why didn't the CAT's do their job, and burn off the blow by? Isn't that their job? If they get clogged up from too much oil, they would have burned red hot, and the engine would have ran horribly, wouldn't it?

In other news, the date for the rear ARB has been set, and the rig will be delivered to them in a couple of weeks. Leaving it somewhere strange, in a buisiness parking lot, overnight on a Sunday eve ( drop box for keys), has got me full of anxiety! They say not to worry as they have security cameras. Well, that's nice after the fact, but I don't want anything to happen to it in the first place! lol

 

[CDW6212R]

It's very good to hear you have the smoke issue put down, that is aggravating. The cats aren't there to burn oil, just to convert a couple of chemicals into other elements. But the exhaust does get very hot and some oil is burned up. So any smoke is an excess amount that is beyond what the heat can do.

My two last 98's don't smoke at all, but they use a lot of oil, likely all of it is going out the exhaust and burning up. So my leaks are internal but small enough to not show visibly. I need new valve guides/seals most likely, I'd also find some extra valve seat wear etc. So a head job is about the only good thing to solve my kind of oil consumption.

 

[gmanpaint]

This 5.0L engine has proved itself to be an oil consumer for sure. 1 quart every 500 miles of use. That part is very aggravating.

Was talking to Kurt the other day about the random loss of brakes in 4 low. We thought about it, and both of us think the vac ball might have a leak, as it is used for the CAD operation. I am going to try and source another ball and swap it out for poop and grins. This sudden loss of of pedal has only happened in 4 low, and happened with both the 4.0 & 5.0, so that eliminates the engines for a cause. So the vac ball just seems to be a reasonable offender as a cause. You would think the loss of vac would make the pedal stiffer w/o power booster assistance, but in this case, I am hoping the opposite happens.

One more thing, I want the power stop tow brake package, but don't want the drilled & slotted rotors. Was able to piece out the calipers, and pads from power stop, and then a HD set of flat rotors off of RockAuto, for less than the tow package w/slotted rotors. After adding all 4 new prograde soft lines, it came out to about $25 less than the Power stop package. I will be adding the 10" rear extension line from Napa when I do this for the axle droop when off road. That line is like $15 or so, and will eliminate the goofy 10" hard line bent in an "S" shape with an adapter currently on it. I do want a set of stock length braided front lines, but haven't found a set yet. Those might have to be custom made.

 

[CDW6212R]

I'm sorry to hear that one is using oil too, it's the one thing that bothers me most about mine. The prior owners clearly at some time let the oil go too long, or used cheap oil for a long time, or else held it to high rpm a lot. In a Mustang the rpm does that commonly with age, in an automatic that doesn't happen unless the driver is manually holding gears too long. Basically the engine has a lot of wear to the heads, the cylinders and pistons may have a bit too, but that usually creates regular smoke. R&Ring heads to help that is a big deal, I might do that for my one keeper.

For brakes, just avoid drilled rotors unless they are a super high quality brand. The pads are the biggest deal, buy the best you can, I like the OEM SD version Rock Auto carries. I've used them about 6-8 times so far, they last about as long as the best EBC which I've had many times too. There are from what I saw two OEM pads for the front, one mentioned being severed duty or heavy duty, and costs maybe $45 minimum, but typically $50+. They are high quality, blue steel with black friction plates bonded to the backs, no rivets. The rears are less of a deal, most rotors and pads will be fine, being sure the calipers don't stick at all is a big deal. Rear pads should last two years minimum, if they don't then the caliper is dragging.

The place I got my front SS lines stopped making them, the company that was providing them the stuff I think went away. I haven't tried to find more since that 2012 range I think.

 

[gmanpaint]

Yeah, head work might be needed. This engine supposedly has 110k in it. Hard to think it burns 10 times more, than my 275k pushrod in the 94. Sigh...

I won't use slotted rotors on a trail rig. Sand, silt, pebbles, and the likes can get trapped, and ruin pads and rotors. No sense spending extra on good stuff, just to ruin them prematurely.

 

[CDW6212R]

True, the slotted may do that, good thought. The 302 I swapped into my old 86 Crown Vic was an 88 Mustang engine(90k miles), it smoked a little at WOT. That's typical of those because of who owned them and how they drove them. For stuff like an Explorer it's about oil changes mainly, type and how often etc. I've had more good luck with used cars than bad, but these last two had 158k and 173k when I got them, plus the maintenance had been poor. Hold onto what your is for a while, you can work with oil changes often, and adding etc.

If I do that head work to mine, it will be just prior to making manifolds, so the heads will be GT40's, not the P's. I'd make the manifolds to fit both head types, but who knows if a company would duplicate them.

 

[gmanpaint]

For someone that despises wiring, I am a gluten for punishment it seems. Not how I planned this Sunday to go, but it's progress none the less. Only spent the entire day on it. lol

Added 3 new rocker switches (2 for the ARB locker), and waiting on another rocker type goodie to be delivered. Went ahead and wired it now, for the soon to be here rocker, so when it arrives, just hook up the connectors and it's done. The entire console is wired to be able to remove it complete. Every switch/item has a disconnect plug. 2 plug harness's was made by someone else on a former switch panel ( I reused them), and the rest by me. Makes it so much easier to work on, by being able to pull it out of the rig, and onto a work station.

Now to find a good Key on hot wire, and a running light wire, to patch into inside the dash, for the ARB Switches. Any suggestions?

 

[CDW6212R]

What year is the dash and body harness? I don't think it will be in the 95-98, but the 99-01's have a 20-25 amp circuit built in for the heated seats, a light blue/white wire IIRC.

If you don't have that, than how about the power outlet wire that is in the console? Those two are high current wires that work great for most extra things. If nothing else and you have already added enough things, you could add a factory wire and terminal into the bottom side of the PDB(under hood fuse panel). Those almost always have the space, which is where that heated seat circuit is fused in some.

 

[gmanpaint]

95 body harness.

I don't want to run these wires through the firewall. I just ran a new harness through it, and filled the cable gland I used as is.

Looking for Key on only under the dash. The wires to the aux outlet are always on.

There is the constant on, wire connector for the power seats, under them, but I don't recall anything other than that under them.

I only need a 15 amp circuit at best for the new switches. Which is most of the accessory lights in this thing.

Thanks for the ideas tho, mucho appreciated.

 

[410Fortune]

You can get a good ACC+ power wire under the dash at the ignition switch or fuse panel, I prefer ign switch the wires are easily accessed under the steering column

For the parking lamp feed you can tap into any of the illumination wires behind the dash...the stereo has a good one.
Also your GEM module will have good ACC power wire........just have to lookup the colors for a 95

The power junction box in my BII and the wifes FJ cruiser (yes I put a 93 explorer power dist box in a toyota) I put those on big plugs so I can remove it and work on it on the bench = good call!

one quart of oil per 500 miles? Holey crap I have not had a 5.0 that burns that much...ever
Are you sure its not leaving the rear main seal and dripping onto the cats?

Is the PCV valve seated and in good shape? Adding a catch can would be interesting to see how much blow by oil is going through the intake......

 

[gmanpaint]

Thanks. The ignition wires sound better to work on, than the GEM, or fuse panel, to me and my big 10 thumb mitts.

I haven't had a stock stereo in this since it was bought. No idea what wire is what back there for the stock wires. LOL

I plan on using one of the dash light wires, just wasn't sure which one is best to access.

Yep, the oil consumption in this thing is just stupid bad. One day it blows smoke out the exhaust like a skeeter patrol truck, and then the next it doesn't. It wasn't smoking out the exhaust on the local trips to the off road park last year, but still used 1 qt in 500 miles of hwy use.

I need to clean the undercarriage real good, and get all the trail dirt off, for a better look for any oil leaks. I was under it over the weekend, and realized I never cleaned it from last falls trail run. Whoops.

 

[CDW6212R]

I hope you find some fixable oil leaks. That would be better than not finding much, and have the oil being consumed as mine are(not from the intake or bad seal leaks). I've had to fix leaking on virtually every car I've bought. Fixing leaks almost always solves oil usage.

The ignition wires are easier to get at than most dash wires, besides the radio stuff. But don't cut any of the ignition wires or use those pinch(blue) connections, damage to those critical wires is bad.

I used a remote starter "T" harness to tap into those in my Crown Vic, and I bought one for the Explorer also. Those cost about $20+ when I got them years ago, they attached at the ignition switch and leave two branches of wires. One the OEM connector bolts to, and the other are wires for you to tap into for remote starter wires or an alarm etc.

 

[410Fortune]

dude if you are not using the stock stereo wires those are perfect!
Batt power, switched power and ground all avail and on fused circuits........

dipstick tube, rear main seal, oil pressure switch, valve covers, sometimes the oil filter mount are all known leakers on a 5.0 that SITS, got hot or had poor oil changes