Not A Build Thread (Oh How Things Change!)

[Nothing Special]

I have a 3550 in mine. It shifts nice and the shifter is in a good location. It doesn't have a very wide spread in ratios, which isn't necessarily bad, but for me at least isn't great. It actually works pretty well for me to just use 1st, 3rd and 5th in it in normal driving, so I'd prefer a granny 1st gear, put 2nd closer to where the current 1st is and space the other gears out accordingly. I think an NV4500 would be close to that and I think that I'd have been happier wit that trans. But it is more expensive, heavier and doesn't shift as well.

To be clear, I do like the NV3550 and have no plans to replace it. And given my budget when I put it in I don't think it was a mistake. But I do think I'd prefer an NV4500.

 

[txtruk15]

I just changed over from a NP435 to a NV3550 - needed more street manners vs rock crawling, and might as well have started in 2nd gear with the NP435 on the street. Depends on what you are looking for, but on the street and highway, the nv3550 is so much smooooother, gives me overdrive, and with an Atlas TC, still have the gearing to do trail stuff....

 

[Okie69]

Didn’t want to start a new thread just for this. I’m wondering what these two tubes in my gas tank are for? I’ve seen a few pics of other people’s tanks and didn’t notice any extra tubes.

 

[DirtDonk]

Stock evaporative emissions vent lines on '70 through '75 Broncos. The '76 and '77's still had a vent, but of a slightly different orientation.

Do you still have the original condensing tank up inside the passenger compartment, behind the cover that's just beside the driver's shoulder?
The auxiliary tank (if yours has dual tanks) has only one vent tube, and all three tubes run up to this plastic condensing tank. One per tank are "vents" and the second one on the main tank is a "return" that lets the liquid condensed from the vapor flow back into the gas tank.
Then a fourth line of the same size runs up to the passenger side front frame rail where the charcoal canister resides.

If you've removed all of that stuff, then just leave the vents capped and hope that you're one of the lucky ones that does not have to smell gas every time you park your Bronco in the garage.

If you're not one of the lucky ones, there are plenty of discussions on how to renew the EVAP system.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

Just remembered yours is a '69. This IS the '69 you're working on, correct?
If so you would not have had any of the stuff I described, but it's very possible that the fuel tanks were already being made in preparation for the new law requiring the charcoal canister system on most vehicles.
Maybe those are fancy official Ford plastic plugs in the tubes? Be the first time I've ever seen that if it's true.

What month was your Bronco built in?

Paul

 

[Okie69]

Very interesting. Yes this is the ‘69. Dec ‘68 build.

Just remembered yours is a '69. This IS the '69 you're working on, correct?

If so you would not have had any of the stuff I described, but it's very possible that the fuel tanks were already being made in preparation for the new law requiring the charcoal canister system on most vehicles.

Maybe those are fancy official Ford plastic plugs in the tubes? Be the first time I've ever seen that if it's true.



What month was your Bronco built in?



Paul

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DirtDonk]

Ok, so not super late in the model run, but pretty much "mid-year" so to speak.
So it's still possible that the tanks were running changes as the old stock ran out, which happens relatively often with small stuff like that. And '69 was somewhat of a transition year, as were '73 and '76 in some ways.

It's also possible some PO or other got rid of a rusty old original tank and installed a used one out of a later model. Same tank ran from '70-ish to '76, with the only difference for '76 being the loss of one of the tubes.
Hmm, I wonder if the tube was actually removed for that one year, or if like yours Ford put a cap on one of them? Would make sense either way, but we'll have to wait for some members with '76 models to let us know what they have.

And other '70 members without the charcoal canister too for that matter, because I thought I remembered the addition being sometime after the beginning of the '70 model year run.
Several members with '70 models reported not having the charcoal canisters. Maybe it was a CA vs FED spec thing, or maybe a PO had removed them.

Paul

 

[Okie69]

I hope this is okay to post in this part of the forum. It is going into the Bronco after all.

I’ve got a 2000 Explorer that is going to be the donor for my build. It is still all together right now and the charging system isn’t working so I thought I’d investigate that before I started tearing everything apart.

I found a blown mega fuse on the connection from the alt to the battery. Replaced that

The 15a fuse that sends 12v to the alt via a yellow/white wire was also blown. Replaced that.

After replacing both of those I still wasn’t getting charge so I replaced the alternator. Still nothing.

The new alternator is getting the 12v to turn it on (I’m sure there’s a better way to say that) and continuity between the charge post and the positive side of the battery are good.

But it still isn’t charging. I get 12.7v when running and 12.9 when the engine is off. Which tells me that the battery is running the truck.

So what is going on? Grounding issue? Something I’m missing? I don’t see anything else that could be keeping me from charging.

TIA

 

[DirtDonk]

Where does the Yellow w/white wire go, and does it have 12v on it?

You need battery voltage at the Yellow wire at all times, since that's the sensing wire letting the alternator know that the battery needs a charge. The Green w/red wire just says it's ok for the alternator to do that job.

It's unusual for both to have blown fuses, so watch out for gotchas somewhere. But the fact that neither one has blown yet is a good sign.

Paul

 

[Okie69]

Not A Build Thread (Explorer Swap Alternator Question)

Yellow w/white is fused 12v in the cab fusebox. Hopefully that’s what you meant by where does it go.

The yellow wire has voltage at all times the green w/red has no voltage at any time. (Nothing I’ve found has said anything about the greens w/red wire)

 

[ngsd]

Explorer motor? Did you scrap the Blueprint plan? I was watching this a while back when I was going through the same. I changed my mind a lot and ended up with this 66 build. Now that I am driving it, I love the outcome. I may end up going a little taller on the tires though. Blueprint 306/375 Sniper, AX15, Dana 20 2.5 duffduck lift. Rear diff I left small bearing rear but went with a trac loc and 31 splines 4.56 front rear. 33x12.50x15 It drives like a new truck and the AX15 is smooth.

 

[Okie69]

Explorer motor? Did you scrap the Blueprint plan? I was watching this a while back when I was going through the same. I changed my mind a lot and ended up with this 66 build. Now that I am driving it, I love the outcome. I may end up going a little taller on the tires though. Blueprint 306/375 Sniper, AX15, Dana 20 2.5 duffduck lift. Rear diff I left small bearing rear but went with a trac loc and 31 splines 4.56 front rear. 33x12.50x15 It drives like a new truck and the AX15 is smooth.

Yeahhhhh. Long story short we had our first kid and I decided to find a cheaper route that doesn’t require changing out the whole drivetrain. I still want to do a high HP bulletproof drivetrain type build but it’s down the road a ways.

That’s encouraging that you are getting away with the small bearing rear I’m not sure that I could with the 35s and I want to go 37s in the future. Your build sounds really cool. Build thread? I’ve been eyeing that ducktuff lift it looks awesome!

 

[Okie69]

This is what I ended up picking up from Okie4570. He came in clutch when I was scouring marketplace and craigslist trying to find a viable engine.

This pic is when I realized the charging system wasn’t working because I broke down on the side of a country road ha engine runs great. Charging system not so much.

 

[DirtDonk]

I have to remember that we're still talking about the Explorer complete, rather than the Explorer engine in the Bronco.
The Yellow wire is the battery sensing wire and is usually spliced into a main wire near the battery. Or for simpler installations, on the battery side of the starter relay. Or simplest of all, simply cut short, crimped with a ring terminal and connected to the big BAT post on the alternator.
That last being the least desirable, but the most commonly used for simplicity's sake.

The Green w/red wire is your problem. It MUST have 12v on it when the key is in the ON position or the alternator will not charge. Period.
In a Bronco the Green w/red wire (yep, same color, same function, 30 years apart) comes straight from the ignition switch to the external regulator and has the same function as your internal regulator's Green w/red wire. Essentially to "wake up" the alternator.

When you turn the key on the Explorer, does your battery charge indicator lamp illuminate? If not, the bulb is burned out. And because you do not have power at the alternator side of things, apparently either the bypass resistor has burned out as well, or there is a fault somewhere else in the system.

Since you don't care about the Explorer wiring (much) then forget the dash and anything inside the cabin. Go straight for the Green w/red wire near the alternator. Maybe tear into the harness and dig out as much of it as you can, in order to give you more leeway when you hook it up in the Bronco, and apply 12v to the wire. The alternator should in theory work fine.
But since you bought a new one, and we suspect new ones because of the crappy quality of modern parts, don't hesitate to try the old one again if the new one still fails to function with power applied to both wires.

You do have the old one still, correct?

Paul

 

[Okie69]

Not A Build Thread (Explorer Swap Alternator Question)

I have to remember that we're still talking about the Explorer complete, rather than the Explorer engine in the Bronco.
The Yellow wire is the battery sensing wire and is usually spliced into a main wire near the battery. Or for simpler installations, on the battery side of the starter relay. Or simplest of all, simply cut short, crimped with a ring terminal and connected to the big BAT post on the alternator.
That last being the least desirable, but the most commonly used for simplicity's sake.

The Green w/red wire is your problem. It MUST have 12v on it when the key is in the ON position or the alternator will not charge. Period.
In a Bronco the Green w/red wire (yep, same color, same function, 30 years apart) comes straight from the ignition switch to the external regulator and has the same function as your internal regulator's Green w/red wire. Essentially to "wake up" the alternator.

When you turn the key on the Explorer, does your battery charge indicator lamp illuminate? If not, the bulb is burned out. And because you do not have power at the alternator side of things, apparently either the bypass resistor has burned out as well, or there is a fault somewhere else in the system.

Since you don't care about the Explorer wiring (much) then forget the dash and anything inside the cabin. Go straight for the Green w/red wire near the alternator. Maybe tear into the harness and dig out as much of it as you can, in order to give you more leeway when you hook it up in the Bronco, and apply 12v to the wire. The alternator should in theory work fine.
But since you bought a new one, and we suspect new ones because of the crappy quality of modern parts, don't hesitate to try the old one again if the new one still fails to function with power applied to both wires.

You do have the old one still, correct?

Paul

Well that makes sense. I wonder if the green w/red is fused in the same panel as the other alternator fuse I mentioned. I found a few posts where someone was talking about a second (or third of you include the mega) fuse that could influence the alternator.

The dash is ripped into a million pieces so I do not know if the charge light is lit.

I’m going to see if 12v on the green w/red fixed it then get to tearing this thing apart.

That’s crazy that they use the same color 30 years apart! Kinda cool.

 

[Okie69]

Paul does it again! And this wasn’t even a bronco! Ha.

It was definitely the green w/red wire. I found a post where someone said the green w/red won’t energize without the gauge cluster installed. Plug the gauges back in and now we’re charging.

I do have the old alternator. Going to put it back on tomorrow and see if it works. Maybe I can get my money back for the new one.

 

[ngsd]

Yeahhhhh. Long story short we had our first kid and I decided to find a cheaper route that doesn’t require changing out the whole drivetrain. I still want to do a high HP bulletproof drivetrain type build but it’s down the road a ways.

That’s encouraging that you are getting away with the small bearing rear I’m not sure that I could with the 35s and I want to go 37s in the future. Your build sounds really cool. Build thread? I’ve been eyeing that ducktuff lift it looks awesome!

I totally get that. If I didn't already buy the parts before Covid I probably wouldn't have either as I have had zero income for 6 months now. Funny thing was that the explorer was my original plan and I went the other way. I still have the Explorer parked in my dads back yard! Here is the build thread. Good luck. (and yes Paul is the man, he always gives great advice).

https://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=295505

 

[DirtDonk]

The source of power for the Green w/red wire IS the gauge cluster! As you found out.
On Broncos and other Fords with ammeters, that wire is in the "S" position (I remember it by thinking of it as standing for "switched") of the regulator. But in all other Fords it is in the "I" position, which literally stands for either "Indicator" or "Ignition" instead.
A is "armature" S is "stator" and F is "field" for all other Fords with an indicator lamp on the dash.
Once you remove the dash or it's wiring harness, the path for the 12v to come from the ignition switch through the indicator and out to the regulator is lost.

So now you know for the next time you're testing a non-Bronco Ford!;D
In fact, on probably most Fords after about '84 or '85 (when they stopped using an ammeter) you lose all sorts of functions without the instrument cluster hooked up. Overdrive functions, charging functions, anti-lock brake functions I believe, and probably one or two others I can't think of.

Paul

 

[Okie69]

Interesting stuff! So that’s why Garry need to know if I want an indicator lamp in my harness rework.

Learning slowly but surely!

 

[DirtDonk]

I would highly recommend a lamp. Never had a problem where I needed one, but with just a volt-meter to work with (no ammeter anymore) a secondary warning that there is a problem seems like it would be a good thing.

Might indicate a thrown/broken serpentine belt, and the lamp would show you there is a problem before the volt-meter would, and perhaps before the water temperature would!

Paul