What did you do this weekend? Participation required

[TGtrac05]

Changed my battery and terminals, as you can see they were in slightly less than ideal conditions. Don't know what it is about fords and especially my truck, but the corrosion that this thing gets is ridiculous. The first pics were after I cleaned a ton of it off, which I do all the time. And the fact that the ground terminal broke and melted the post is a little concerning.

Oh and don't mind the bungie on the new battery, of course the rusted battery mount bolt snapped like a twig with barely any pressure so this was a temporary fix to get it home.

 

[sr139fox]

I cover my battery post with grease. Stopped the corrosion. Dave P.

 

[koda2000]

A bungee cord? Really?

We have 6 Explorers/Mountaineers in the family and none of them has ever created corrosion on the battery terminals. I grease the terminals with white lithium grease.

 

[Kjhadfield]

My old battery and the split ground connector, like you, would corrode bad. But that was probably lack of lube. I made sure to do that on the new battery and haven't had to touch it since- been at least a yr.

 

[01STrunner]

Finally have use of my front door again! I went to the JY and pulled a latch out of a Mounty that had low miles and everything in the door felt tight. Replaced that and everything works like it should again.

Also have had the 1-2 button out on my keypad for several years now. Figured I might as well fix that too while the panel was off. Sadly it was not the keypad that was the problem. Instead, I found the broken wire in the door jamb just like so many others find on here.

Looks like everything is working well and now I get to move to my rear door that just failed last week and won't even open. I think that will be a little harder to figure out since I'm not sure how I'll be able to get in and open it up yet.

 

[swshawaii]

Not guaranteed to work, but give this a try on your rear door. If not, remove the the seat for more panel access.

https://youtu.be/lJ0Fsh3561s

 

[KajunBndit]

I have finished sanding my console and taking rubbing alcohol to clean it from oils and particles, I had plans on painting primer on them today, just felt to much like dog mess today. I hope it stays cool tomorrow and while my wife watches the New Orleans Saints, I will be starting to paint my pieces tomorrow. I will be posting pictures on the Preparing Bezel post I have going.

 

[01STrunner]

Not guaranteed to work, but give this a try on your rear door. If not, remove the the seat for more panel access.

https://youtu.be/lJ0Fsh3561s

Haha I just saw that earlier today. I haven't tried it yet since the Clemson game came on and of course that meant work had to stop! I'll be trying that tomorrow for sure though.

 

[crankyjew]

Dicked around with my fuel gauge problems a little. Pulled the drivers seat and pulled the floor up to get at the harness. First thing, it was soaked under there. lovely.
pulled the harness apart and found two broken wires that somebody had tried to tape together. it was a yellow/white and an orange/black, which happen to be the wires that run from the pump to the gauge. fixed them properly, and tested for continuity. I've got continuity from the connector at the tank all the way to the connector behind the gauge.
thing still doesn't work. awesome. maybe next weekend we'll get it figured out.

 

[Kjhadfield]

Also have had the 1-2 button out on my keypad for several years now. Figured I might as well fix that too while the panel was off. Sadly it was not the keypad that was the problem. Instead, I found the broken wire in the door jamb just like so many others find on here.
.

How did you know 1/2 wasn't working- wouldn't illuminate on press and/or wouldn't turn on interior lights? I really need to dig deeper into mine but all buttons illuminate on press and all will turn interior lights on press (I can also lock the doors by pressing the 7/8 9/0 buttons) I've just never been able to open with the code since I've had it (came w/ the code card in the manual). When I'm ready to pull the front panels off to heat gun the oxidation away, I'll look closer at the wires

 

[01STrunner]

How did you know 1/2 wasn't working- wouldn't illuminate on press and/or wouldn't turn on interior lights? I really need to dig deeper into mine but all buttons illuminate on press and all will turn interior lights on press (I can also lock the doors by pressing the 7/8 9/0 buttons) I've just never been able to open with the code since I've had it (came w/ the code card in the manual). When I'm ready to pull the front panels off to heat gun the oxidation away, I'll look closer at the wires

Correct it was the only one that wouldn't illuminate the keypad when it was pressed. however, I'm pretty sure it illuminated when one of the other buttons were pressed, but now I'm second guessing myself.

 

[429CJ-3X2]

I've just never been able to open with the code since I've had it (came w/ the code card in the manual). [/QUOTE

Have you verified the code card and manual are original to your truck? I ask this because I think 5 of the 7 owner's manuals I have for our current or recent vehicles are not original to those vehicles. The cars/trucks didn't have owner's manuals with them, so I either bought one on e-bay or found one at the salvage yard. Confirming you have the correct code is the first step to take.

 

[Kjhadfield]

How I tested the buttons were to press 1 at a time and wait for the lights to turn off then try the next- so all seems to function as it should in that regard.

No, I actually haven't looked at the box under the dash to see if the code matches the card. I'll have to take a peek.

 

[koda2000]

Dicked around with my fuel gauge problems a little. Pulled the drivers seat and pulled the floor up to get at the harness. First thing, it was soaked under there. lovely.
pulled the harness apart and found two broken wires that somebody had tried to tape together. it was a yellow/white and an orange/black, which happen to be the wires that run from the pump to the gauge. fixed them properly, and tested for continuity. I've got continuity from the connector at the tank all the way to the connector behind the gauge.
thing still doesn't work. awesome. maybe next weekend we'll get it figured out.

Fuel gauges work by the float in the tank running over a rheostat-like ground. Working on classic Fords, the yellow wire was the one for the fuel gauge. I know the red and the black provide power and ground to the fuel pump. I don't recall what other color wires go to the fuel pump plug. Have you looked at a wiring diagram? The fuel gauge requires that the tank be grounded in order to measure the resistance on the fuel float.

Have you checked your chassis grounds? I believe there should be one on each side going from the chassis to the body. Just to eliminate the possibility that the tank isn't grounded, try clamping a jumper cable on the corner of the gas tank to the negative terminal on the battery to see if that makes any difference.

Assuming Ford still uses the yellow wire to go from the fuel gauge sender to the fuel gauge, try grounding that wire (check it first to make sure it doesn't carry power) at the tank and/or at the gauge. The gauge should peg on MAX/full.

 

[01STrunner]

Have you checked your chassis grounds? I believe there should be one on each side going from the chassis to the body.

That is correct. One braided ribbon on either side from the body to the chassis.

 

[crankyjew]

Fuel gauges work by the float in the tank running over a rheostat-like ground. Working on classic Fords, the yellow wire was the one for the fuel gauge. I know the red and the black provide power and ground to the fuel pump. I don't recall what other color wires go to the fuel pump plug. Have you looked at a wiring diagram? The fuel gauge requires that the tank be grounded in order to measure the resistance on the fuel float.

Have you checked your chassis grounds? I believe there should be one on each side going from the chassis to the body. Just to eliminate the possibility that the tank isn't grounded, try clamping a jumper cable on the corner of the gas tank to the negative terminal on the battery to see if that makes any difference.

Assuming Ford still uses the yellow wire to go from the fuel gauge sender to the fuel gauge, try grounding that wire (check it first to make sure it doesn't carry power) at the tank and/or at the gauge. The gauge should peg on MAX/full.

hey koda, thanks for your advice.
I recently shelled out for a wiring diagram and service manual from ford. the info is there, I just need to connect the dots.
the modern system is a little bit different. the yellow/white wire and black/orange wires are the ones for the sender to the gauge. it reads high resistance on the yellow/white for high fuel, low resistance for low.
admittedly, I have not checked my chassis ground cables. the condition of my truck didn't make me think I should, but I will as soon as possible.
I've driven about 75 miles since working on it. it did nothing for the first 40 or so. I then parked it for the night and this morning drove into the city, about 15 miles. the gauge ever so slowly crept up to full. parked and worked all day, then drove home. this time the gauge stayed steady at 3/4 full. I'm wondering if the cluster needs a few drive cycles to figure out whats going on.

 

[koda2000]

hey koda, thanks for your advice.
I recently shelled out for a wiring diagram and service manual from ford. the info is there, I just need to connect the dots.
the modern system is a little bit different. the yellow/white wire and black/orange wires are the ones for the sender to the gauge. it reads high resistance on the yellow/white for high fuel, low resistance for low.
admittedly, I have not checked my chassis ground cables. the condition of my truck didn't make me think I should, but I will as soon as possible.
I've driven about 75 miles since working on it. it did nothing for the first 40 or so. I then parked it for the night and this morning drove into the city, about 15 miles. the gauge ever so slowly crept up to full. parked and worked all day, then drove home. this time the gauge stayed steady at 3/4 full. I'm wondering if the cluster needs a few drive cycles to figure out whats going on.

BTW, Free wiring diagrams (and lots of other good info) can be found here. Use rrcc & rebsco to log in, then gp tp the Auto Repair Reference section.

http://search.ebscohost.com/

 

[crankyjew]

yep, I looked around there a bit. Where I can work on the truck I don't have wifi and wouldnt want my laptop anyway. That site convinced me to order the manuals from ford. when I said I have the diagram, I meant I have the whole book and shop manual for the 04 ST.

 

[Rick]

I put the engine and transmission back into my '60 Dodge Seneca. I had stripped the teeth out of the planetary gear set and was off the road for just over a month.

 

[KajunBndit]

Well, for the weekend of Nov 21st and 22nd, I maybe home after a procedure from the hospital on Friday Nov 20th if all goes well, if not, I will be in the hospital. LOLOL