FX Cleanup

Last week work on the FX was spent on the starting and cleaning up some smaller issues. Starter solenoid wire indeed has a rat bite. Wonder if they can make wires that are unappealing to rodents, for some reason they like chewing wires. But the wire itself is intact so I don’t think it’s the source of starting problems. I cut out the section and splice the wire. Move to the inside of vehicle and search for the relay. Did I rant earlier about the manual saying it’s in the wrong place? So here’s my jumper wire fix to bypass that relay. To get better access to this wiring, I decided to take out the ventilation fan and a/c evaporator (or is it condenser, always get confused which). And there’s that cascading effect of as long as I’m taking this out, should take care of other things, so one thing leads to another and the dash has now exploded into this mess. Woohoo, yet another Scat nightmare!

Tucked into the passenger corner I discover the cruise control module, the rest of which is long gone. That get’s tossed, debate removing the associated wiring as it’ll never be reinstalled. I imagine that that it’s actually a fair amount of weight. It’ll be some work though, probably easier to just swap entire harness from the original FX. I decide to save that for another day.

Something that’s been bugging me in the back of my brain but I’ve been ignoring up to now has been the alarm. It had the remote start that was the whole cause of it’s suicidal attempt at the docks. Bypassing that and the starter kill was the first thing I did when I first got the car. Finally decided to clean things up. Found the installation manual online and decoded the wiring. Decided to hook it back up, but to fix the wiring. These professional installers must own stock in electrical tape, every wire is wrapped in it, singly. Geeze! I start to unwrap the miles of tape and put them together into a single loom. I realize the alarm module is almost the same dimensions as the cruise control module I’d pulled out and that it would fit nicely in the same spot. I splice in extensions to the wires, remove the superflous relay bank, remove the valet wiring from the rear wiper switch that it was cobbed into (I’ll have to fix that cut wiring later) and move it to another switch (which again was cobbed into to be a starter button but which caused burnt out trace on the PCb), and loom the wires up.  Heck of a lot cleaner. To be fair to the installers, being “professionals”, they are under time pressure to get jobs done. The electrical connections were actually good soldered splices, although not heat shrinked but that electrical tape they so love. They don’t have the luxury I do of spending a few days on wiring this.

So finally I have the alarm satisfactorly redone. Need to fix the hood pin switch I accidentally broke a while ago, and remove uneeded tach connection. I also need to reprogram it. The auto arm feature really annoys me and potentially could be a problem as it could easily lock you out of car if you leave keys inside. I also don’t like the auto unlock on ignition off. I eventually figure out the programming, the instruction manual was a little unclear on one step of the programming (any surprises there? you should see some of the horrible manuals for some of the equipment we get at work!).

Friday the set of used struts I bought from guy in CA finally arrived. Woohoo, yet another set of stuts! Yes, I am the man of dead struts. I’ve spent over $200 on dead struts so far to get to one pair that will be modified to take the Koni cut-a-strut inserts. This pair is the correct size tube AND spring seat like the first set. This set only has one welded on tab instead of the two of first one and the three of the second set I got. Nice, less to cut off. In fact I bust out the new spot weld drill bit and hit the tabs with it, instead of grinding. The entire tab comes off easier!

Start modifying the casings for the inserts. I know the drill already. Remember to extend the shafts so don’t get oil shower! Drill hole in bottom, dump oil, cut of top, discover the big pipe cutter I bought has a nice little deburing tool built in, paint casing. I sent a call out to Roy the machinist, but he isn’t around this Saturday. In any case, the struts are looking good and are almost ready, feeling much accomplished!