Temperature related problem

[SHOZ123]

May want to take the instrument cluster out and see it the two connectors are seated well and that they are clean. It is pretty easy.

Two screws that hold the black trim on and it pulls off. Then 4 torx screws that hold the cluster in. 5 minute job.

 

[monkeyspunk77]

HI SHOZ123, I actualy had the cluster out the day before I noticed that. I looked over the connecters since the previous owner spliced in the guage lighting there and it all looked okay. I think it will just be a matter of wiggling all of the harnesses in there and seeing what I can find.

 

[nik97]

HI SHOZ123, I actualy had the cluster out the day before I noticed that. I looked over the connecters since the previous owner spliced in the guage lighting there and it all looked okay. I think it will just be a matter of wiggling all of the harnesses in there and seeing what I can find.

I think you may have found your'e problem. Try hooking up your'e DMM to a hot circuit in that connector and wiggle the suspect harness connector and related wiring. It would be much more likely to have a faulty connector behind the IP than at the junction box.

 

[nik97]

Ok, seems like youv'e got this pretty well narrowed down. Behind the instrument panel are 3 similar connectors in a row. The center one should be c251 -a "natural" color wich I am assuming is a tan/biege color. It should be 16 pin flat. This connector has the curcuits for the indicator lamps you mentioned as well as the "I" circuit that wakes the voltage regulator(904) wich will be near the center(9th pin over from one side -there will be a split/recess after it followed by 10-16). 904(lght grn/red) should be hot KOEO with around 3 volts. Hook up your DMM(red-904. black-batt neg or good gnd.) and wiggle the connector harness(connector plugged in, KO -backprobe). If the meter goes from 0.0x - 3v then youv'e got it. Try pushing the wires back into the connector and cleaning it with electrical connector cleaner. BTW, the white/yel wire is power(12v start or run) and is pin 10, just after the split.
If this does'nt appear to be your'e problem, let me know if there is any info you need
P.S. I don't mean to sound like youv'e never done this type of thing before. I just want to give clear, acurate advise.

 

[Mr. SHO]

This would not be the first time that someone disconnected a battery indicator light to hide a charging problem so they could sell a vehicle. Same with MILs and other lights. Shady business, but not uncommon.

Seems like in this case it may have been more an issue of carelessness than malice. I still don't know if that is the SOURCE of your problems or if it's just one small part of the puzzle.

And FWIW, roughly 3/4 of the time when you replace a Gen 3 SHO alternator, you are unknowingly installing a junk alternator and you will not resolve the charging issue. It happens to even the best SHO mechanics over and over again. Lousy parts stores... the cataloguing systems are all screwed up and it's usually the wrong part and doesn't work on the SHO. So basically what I'm saying is you may have exchanged a perfectly good alternator with one that will fail on you shortly, if it hasn't already.

 

[monkeyspunk77]

I certainly appreciate all the advice. I have what I'd consider to be a better than Shade Tree leve lof mechanical ability, but information that can save me time and effort is allways welcome!

Sure it nice to have a resource like this available.

 

[monkeyspunk77]

NIK97, are you getting this info from the factory manual? if so, did you pick it up from a dealer? What is something like that work?

 

[nik97]

I work for a Ford dealership in Az. I also took a 12 week factory training program(FACT). This information is from Ford's service website used in dealerships.
I know there are CD manuals you can buy but I'm not sure about cost.

SHOZ123, I recall that you had purchased a CD manual??

 

[SHOZ123]

You can get the CDs on line for free downloads if you have the high speed connection. Or eBay may have them.

If not give me a buzz and I can get one to you.

 

[monkeyspunk77]

I just wanted to thank everyone for their responses. It's all jelly now. It turned out to be a compressed pin on the cluster harness. Vroooooom Vrooooooooom!