What Did you Do With Your Bronco Today???

[Jimbo26]

A report from the R&D department.
Been having minor idle issues with the contraption ever since put into service and 80% of it revolved around the IAC.
Cold startup was winding it around 12-1400 rpm, which is fairly normal for a lot of these units and I have run a good many of them over the years. Immediate toe-tap on the loud pedal usually calms things down to a more reasonable Rpm. Just the way the EEC4 system works.
For me, still not good enuf on this unit. (Always looking for something more 'normal')
Enter the IAC Restrictor plate.
Fabbed out of a small piece of 1/8" aluminum and cut to match the IAC base-plate, with a smaller drilled hole on the Out side and Much smaller hole on the In side. Had to sneak up on it by drilling out the In side a size up from where I started and believe have hit the nail on the head with the 2nd pass. WAY much better idle control now. Cold startup is around a reliable 850rpm. It needs more?- here comes the Foot
While the butterflies still want to hang a bit when warmed up, the toe-tap takes care of it as usual. Is down around 650 rpm idle out & about. After several days worth of drive cycles, I believe we can consider most of this issue Fixed. Almost carburetor like now. Something us vintage operators can appreciate- consistency.
Hopefully this development can help others looking to correct similar issues.

 

[goodO1boydws]

Good going Jimbo! A couple questions though-what engine and what hole sizes did you end up with? (Or are you keeping the hole sizes info classified?)

 

[Jimbo26]

Hey, Dw-No cloak & dagger requirements here.
351 or for the metric junkies- 5.8L
Going by what i remember (have slept since then) the small side ended up 5/32 & the Out was around 11/32nds. The small side is the most critical, of course. I dont believe the Out would matter all that much.
I can tell that the motor wants to try to load up a bit at first (cold startup) but working the loud pedal, just like the carbs us old timers are use to, makes it all good.
Also have done the thermactor delete, so is another consideration. Am running a +1 higher heat range spark plug to compensate for that.
Leaving things there alone, for now.
If anyone has a solution for the slight 'hang' these old throttle-bodies seem to get, That I sure would like to know.
Would equal a bulletproof fix to the whole deal. No more toe-tap to make it settle down right every time after warmup.

 

[Jimbo26]

What happens when I get bored.......
Been pondering at this add-on for a while and finally got hit️by that divine inspiration once again. A small piece of aluminum plate with a z bend at the top, get the holes drilled right, piggyback the thing off the lower brake booster studs and let the extras begin.
Edit: finished wiring it up the next day- online and one extra migrated over. No more hacking into the main panel.

 

[Jimbo26]

Instrument cluster time again- deep dive this round. Had the new gear indicator cable on hand for a while and when another light bulb quit, there's the excuse to dig in again and fix All of it. Skill test is seeing if the original cable can be fixed. Tricky, but I may end up with a usable spare. E6k is a fair adhesive on certian applications.
While I had the thing out, might as well take the lexan off and do some cleanup work in there and apply a touch of de-rusto to some of the fastner heads in there that had begun to show cancer from the years of exposure to the elements. Back together & back to work tomorrow.

 

[Jimbo26]

Lesson learned-
AVOID the Amazon replacement for this!
The loop that goes to the steering column end was Way too small to get slipped over its dowel and the attempt to enlarge the loop resulted in a blowout. Poor quality workmanship, plus the 3d printed block was not a totally accurate reproduction of the original. The block would have worked, but still not all OEM dimensions.
Glad this was just a test fit, as the cluster had to come back out and re-install the original part. Here's hoping it all holds up. Nice to finally see Everything working like it's supposed to.

 

[L\Bronco]

Lesson learned-
AVOID the Amazon replacement for this!
The loop that goes to the steering column end was Way too small to get slipped over its dowel and the attempt to enlarge the loop resulted in a blowout. Poor quality workmanship, plus the 3d printed block was not a totally accurate reproduction of the original. The block would have worked, but still not all OEM dimensions.
Glad this was just a test fit, as the cluster had to come back out and re-install the original part. Here's hoping it all holds up. Nice to finally see Everything working like it's supposed to.

Out by a pencil width!

 

[Jimbo26]

Out by a pencil width!

You got it, L.
I tried to size it with a tapered scratch-awl and
Just enough to cause a moment. Salvaging this will be a miracle.
Glad to see somebody is still lurking around here.
Was beginning to wonder if the forum had gone completely dead.

 

[L\Bronco]

You got it, L.
I tried to size it with a tapered scratch-awl and
Just enough to cause a moment. Salvaging this will be a miracle.
Glad to see somebody is still lurking around here.
Was beginning to wonder if the forum had gone completely dead.

Not me, just busier than a cat covering sh@$ on a marble floor!
Hope all is well with you

 

[Jimbo26]

Not me, just busier than a cat covering sh@$ on a marble floor!
Hope all is well with you

I hear that
Scramble on the floor- reminds me of the Chiefs Hanson brothers in Slapshot. That was some funny sh
Not seen that flick in years, time to run that one again.
Well, I may have a miracle or 2 left in me. Actually got that shift cable micro-wire loop put back together and properly sized. Can see why some of the product reviews on that address the issue about the stuff coming apart after install. I put a way better crimp on Both ends, so if anything else flys apart, the re-replacement is on standby.
Time to rack up a few more miles. Am beginning to wonder if I'm gonna be looking at refreshing the rear end in the thing.
Those kinda noises......
Yep- lateral slack in the pinion confirmed. Just enough to cause that Buzz on decel.

 

[Jimbo26]

Putting off other maintenance to add a strong-box. Running a soft top does have its drawbacks, as such so one less concern.
That bare aluminum was killin it so had to add a layer of paint.
A few holes in the right place and make some wing-nut bolts so I can slip-seat the box as needed & good to go.

 

[Jimbo26]

Another one of those nit-pickin chores taken care of. A heck of a mess down in there. The more I dig into this thing, the more I believe the previous management used it for a submarine across a creek or 2.
I did find the baggie!
Another mission accomplished.

 

[Jimbo26]

Ok folks, any ideas on how to restore the Fade here on this particular trim area w/o replacing the entire thing? Would like to try to keep it as Oem 'wood grain' looking as possible.
Another issue where sitting in 1 place over extended time took its toll.

 

[L\Bronco]

Ok folks, any ideas on how to restore the Fade here on this particular trim area w/o replacing the entire thing? Would like to try to keep it as Oem 'wood grain' looking as possible.
Another issue where sitting in 1 place over extended time took its toll.

Thats a tough one Jimbo, if you are the artsy type, you could try a brown and black paint pen and create your own.
Sometimes it works out.
Sorry I’ve got nuthin!
Cheers

 

[Jimbo26]

Thats a tough one Jimbo, if you are the artsy type, you could try a brown and black paint pen and create your own.
Sometimes it works out.
Sorry I’ve got nuthin!
Cheers

Art was a interest way back in grade school, but those days are far gone.
I'd say its a fair guess the folks that make those 'wrap' cover deals could do a scan & print but for such a small job, tall odds the price would be cost prohibitive.
Now if there was a market for such a thing

 

[Jimbo26]

Okie doke, L
Now you Got Somthin
Ar-teestry aka the Rattle-can!
Sometimes theres no other way but the Path of great hazard
Not half bad, eh

 

[L\Bronco]

That is great Jimbo!
Nice work!
You know what they say, necessity is the mother of invention.
Cheers

 

[Jimbo26]

That is great Jimbo!
Nice work!
You know what they say, necessity is the mother of invention.
Cheers

True, dat......it can also be the m u t h a of much cursing and swearing as well.
Been in Jungle Jimbo configuration the last week enjoying the spring weather here.
ahead, so will have to button up come Wednesday

 

[91BroncoPickup]

I threw a set of these on recently... Found them on eBay.

 

[Jimbo26]

Ground effects are groovy
When living in deer country, so is extra armor.