2020 .. What are you doing today?

[sirstude]

Trying to spend more time in the garage.  Wiring and installing the tank and controllers for the air suspension.  Think I told you I upgraded to the latest RideTech stuff.  Interesting, the old setup controlled the hot to run the compressors, but this one pulses the ground and the hot goes direct through a fuse to the battery.  There are also fuses on this one on the ground side.

[chimp koose]

We had an open house tonight for prospective grade 9 students to our school for the next year. I met yet another former student bringing his son to check out the school. I think I have been doing this teaching thing for a while now !

[idrivejunk]

Idiot light that looks like a battery in the GTP came on a couple short times last week. I used the owner's manual to translate that to HEI/Q-Jet era speak because thats where I was when "the recession of '08" hit and my underhood days ended. Means alternator light.  

Car did good this week but yesterday I grabbed the alternator off my spare engine and put it behind the seat. More good behavior though, until coming home today. Light came on and stayed so halfway across 1 of 3 cities I must travel through, I swapped it in a parking lot and went on. Couple miles from home, light came on again. Then it died at the next light. Runs but dies. Towed home but below freezing out and I can't push it into the garage. Backup car has sat a month needing brakes. Too cold for a 455 with no choke to even think about filling in. So even with 3 cars, I'm commuterless unless I brave the GT. Dammitman. I knew the day would come when I couldn't even sustain the cheapest thing there is... on the day when I bought my first, mandatory, health insurance. Don't know where to start with the car fix, it acted like the fuel pump died (its a couple years old) so may be unrelated. But then why did I see the alt light again?

If nothing else I lived up to my username today.  Hopefully I can solve it without further damaging credibility by asking for clues.

I want to ask why, of all things, are system voltage and fuel pressure not known to diagnostic tools?  If I want to see if the alternator is charging, I have to put a meter to the backside. If I want to know if theres fuel pressure, I have to pocket screwdriver the evap test valve thing. Seems like a crock but no kidding, no voltage even. I don't understand. :?

[purplepickup]

I dont know how.. I ended up with a Coleman Lantern model 200A..

Ahhh...the smell of a Coleman lantern burning in the morning before daylight while my grandpa was frying bacon, eggs & potatoes in deer camp. Great memory!

[enjenjo]

Idiot light that looks like a battery in the GTP came on a couple short times last week. I used the owner's manual to translate that to HEI/Q-Jet era speak because thats where I was when "the recession of '08" hit and my underhood days ended. Means alternator light.  

Car did good this week but yesterday I grabbed the alternator off my spare engine and put it behind the seat. More good behavior though, until coming home today. Light came on and stayed so halfway across 1 of 3 cities I must travel through, I swapped it in a parking lot and went on. Couple miles from home, light came on again. Then it died at the next light. Runs but dies. Towed home but below freezing out and I can't push it into the garage. Backup car has sat a month needing brakes. Too cold for a 455 with no choke to even think about filling in. So even with 3 cars, I'm commuterless unless I brave the GT. Dammitman. I knew the day would come when I couldn't even sustain the cheapest thing there is... on the day when I bought my first, mandatory, health insurance. Don't know where to start with the car fix, it acted like the fuel pump died (its a couple years old) so may be unrelated. But then why did I see the alt light again?

If nothing else I lived up to my username today.  Hopefully I can solve it without further damaging credibility by asking for clues.

I want to ask why, of all things, are system voltage and fuel pressure not known to diagnostic tools?  If I want to see if the alternator is charging, I have to put a meter to the backside. If I want to know if theres fuel pressure, I have to pocket screwdriver the evap test valve thing. Seems like a crock but no kidding, no voltage even. I don't understand. :?

If you have a bluetooth capable phone, you can get a blue tooth code reader for under $20.00. Once you have the code, use the internet to find what the code means. If the computer is seeing under about 11.5 volts, you may have trouble with it working.

[idrivejunk]

If you have a bluetooth capable phone, you can get a blue tooth code reader for under $20.00. Once you have the code, use the internet to find what the code means. If the computer is seeing under about 11.5 volts, you may have trouble with it working.

I have a "Cen-Tech" sixty something buck ten year ago "advanced" scan tool. It reads and clears codes but gives no commands. Coulda swore it had a data stream on voltage but nope, couldn't find anything.

I have an OBD2 bluetooth adapter which usually works and use the ancient $4.99 app called "Torque" on a cheapo about five year old tablet. Coulda swore I had a voltage display on that digital dash too.

When I pulled over to change alt, before I killed it I plugged in and turned on. Was taking a long time to scroll and read each data thing looking for voltage. Killed engine, kept looking. Bottom of list, " CPU (last voltage seen) 11.2 ".

That number prompted me to change coats, pop trunk and hood and get busy. And on the way home dash lights were nice and bright. And now it starts reluctantly but consistently but makes only a couple seconds like when some security systems kill fuel thinking its being stolen. Never enough to get it in gear.


I also have the original computer stashed. Using the one from the 02, modded by friend to alter shift times and fans as in stage 1 ZZP canned tune. It wanted a crank sensor relearn when installed. Commanded that with fancier tool at work.

Thats what I know. From what you said, I wonder if disconnecting and charging the battery might correct this. Can't say that I know my charger works, think I had trouble with it last time used. The pure IDJ approach starts with battery cable and alt wiring check. The small wires are teeny tiny. But the alternator swap really changed nothing. Right now its say a prayer for the GT and hit the sack hoping to not lay awake puzzling over it. The thing to do is brakes or whatever the GT needs, first. Second, see about getting one or the other into the blocked empty garage. Maybe just shove junk with more junk, eh? Weekend material.


Strange how these tiny things are of such epic inconvenience for me now but I still have the bodywork ability. Shameful, even. Somehow, I shall persist. Wheres that Chilton's book? I want to feel like a teenager again.

[Ohio Blue Tip]

I dont know how.. I ended up with a Coleman Lantern model 200A..

Ahhh...the smell of a Coleman lantern burning in the morning before daylight while my grandpa was frying bacon, eggs & potatoes in deer camp. Great memory!

Me to George, Ahhh Ahhh

[tomslik]

If you have a bluetooth capable phone, you can get a blue tooth code reader for under $20.00. Once you have the code, use the internet to find what the code means. If the computer is seeing under about 11.5 volts, you may have trouble with it working.

I have a "Cen-Tech" sixty something buck ten year ago "advanced" scan tool. It reads and clears codes but gives no commands. Coulda swore it had a data stream on voltage but nope, couldn't find anything.

I have an OBD2 bluetooth adapter which usually works and use the ancient $4.99 app called "Torque" on a cheapo about five year old tablet. Coulda swore I had a voltage display on that digital dash too.

When I pulled over to change alt, before I killed it I plugged in and turned on. Was taking a long time to scroll and read each data thing looking for voltage. Killed engine, kept looking. Bottom of list, " CPU (last voltage seen) 11.2 ".

That number prompted me to change coats, pop trunk and hood and get busy. And on the way home dash lights were nice and bright. And now it starts reluctantly but consistently but makes only a couple seconds like when some security systems kill fuel thinking its being stolen. Never enough to get it in gear.


I also have the original computer stashed. Using the one from the 02, modded by friend to alter shift times and fans as in stage 1 ZZP canned tune. It wanted a crank sensor relearn when installed. Commanded that with fancier tool at work.

Thats what I know. From what you said, I wonder if disconnecting and charging the battery might correct this. Can't say that I know my charger works, think I had trouble with it last time used. The pure IDJ approach starts with battery cable and alt wiring check. The small wires are teeny tiny. But the alternator swap really changed nothing. Right now its say a prayer for the GT and hit the sack hoping to not lay awake puzzling over it. The thing to do is brakes or whatever the GT needs, first. Second, see about getting one or the other into the blocked empty garage. Maybe just shove junk with more junk, eh? Weekend material.


Strange how these tiny things are of such epic inconvenience for me now but I still have the bodywork ability. Shameful, even. Somehow, I shall persist. Wheres that Chilton's book? I want to feel like a teenager again.

you try resetting the anti theft? assuming it has one

[idrivejunk]

Hmm. I go fobless and have the chime speaker unplugged. But I had just driven it across town when it stalled.

I used the GT today and discovered that someone ran into it on the street. Busted tail light, big bumper scrape and small quarter dent. I better just unplug the internet hose, I won't be any good for talking now. Next week is bound to go better.

[kb426]

I drove 50 miles to the "local" salvage yard and picked up a cylinder head for the engine I've been working on. For those of you that have been following the saga, you will remember that 1 head had a crack in 1 cylinder and I did a temporary fix to conduct the 8 stack exp. I'm done with the 8 stack for now so it's time to turn the engine into a good power plant. The weekend weather is iffy but as soon as it warms up so I can stand it, I will see if I can make the 78 f150 driveable. Once the 300 six is evaluated, I will decide to keep it or install the 5.0 and efi. The head needs thrown in the vat and painted to match the rest of the engine before assembly. The salvage yard wire brushed the chambers and they appear ok. We'll see. LOL

[idrivejunk]

Consarn these dadblasted efi cars. Bent tab 85 on relay 15 to fix my GTP. Running fuel pump in hi speed which according to experienced interweb hearsayers, has no ill effects on these cars. The resistor that went bad was eliminated the next year. :?

[phat46]

Finished a painting today, I'm happy with it. Believe it or not, the background was the most difficult part. It's hard for me to paint that messy! 😄

[kb426]

^^^^
Nice!

[idrivejunk]

×2  

KB, this is for you. I know you like a multimedia presentation. Presenting my bucket o bolts-

[wayne petty]

Finished a painting today, I'm happy with it. Believe it or not, the background was the most difficult part. It's hard for me to paint that messy! 😄

that brings back memories..  this is one of my favorite photos.. https://i.imgur.com/VxxPQwa.jpg

stuffing it in https://i.imgur.com/Vv09FT1.jpg

bigger than a breadbox https://i.imgur.com/3rwiDO3.jpg

why it came out.. https://i.imgur.com/CVSGgTO.jpg

the fix  https://i.imgur.com/C3yZEtx.jpg