Reminiscing about older vehicles

[Ed of all trades]

I had one lock up my emergency brake in the wallmart parking lot. It finely kicked back on and I could back into a space. Cost over $100 to have them tell me that it was a sensor and if it went out it would cost over $600 to have it replaced. Is a sensor really needed on the emergency brake? I think all of the #**@&^! they put on cars today is just the company's way of getting in your wallet. To work on a ford PU trans they now pull the cab and front clip off of the truck just so they can work on all of the mess they have on it, and they had 3 or 4 like that when I took the Winstar in for its 5th recall. Ed

 

[PILOON]

I think back in the 1970,s dodge/plymouth had this little ceramic box that sat on the firewall used to fail.Some things never change..

That resistor was to make a 6 volt coil work with a 12 volt system, Chrysler's idea of high voltage spark.
When starting the 6 volt coil would be fed 12 volts while the starter was engaged thus high voltage. When running the resister entered the circuit to reduce the voltage to the 6 volt coil.

A few times I limped home using a paper clip or scrap wire to wire that coil direct as it had fractured. The coil did get kinda hot!

 

[PILOON]

Had a 1977 MGB... don't want to go back there. Boot full of tools to go anywhere and get back home. There is a reason Brits drink warm beer. Lucas electrical!

mark

LOL, know what you mean, also owned 2 B's and 4 TD's.

 

[3930dave]

So concerning these sensors, am i the only one that had had 4 leave me stranded in the last couple years and on a fairly late model truck?

Other makes have issues too, but Chrysler is known for Crank and Cam sensors being somewhat fragile.

You have an advantage down your way..... unless you play in the surf, your vehicles won't see any salt. Wiring harnesses and control modules also take a beating up here, from Winter salt damage - typically much spendier to replace than most sensors.

Temperature cycling is a good way to stress-test electronics...... plenty of 90's era digital dashes didn't do so well in northern Canada.

Rgds, D.

 

[PILOON]

My friend bought a Chrysler 500 that has sensors galore.
The front bumper houses sensors that will prevent you from rear ending somebody. Well they gave up after trying 3 times to fix that problem so now his trade in value will be way down and he paid for something that he can't use.*

Another friend has a real fancy PU, (Laredo I believe). List was in the $70.k range.
Well somebody dented his rear bumper and because of all the sensors that bumper is in the $2000. range. (and it's mainly plastic.)

* when you think of it, it is rather dumb to run sensitive electronics up where dirt, water and salt can get at them.
Now add the fact that to save weight they use the smallest gauge wire needed to carry that low amperage.
(like 24 gauge or even less, weight you know!)

 

[Rustyiron]

So concerning these sensors, am i the only one that had had 4 leave me stranded in the last couple years and on a fairly late model truck?

Yeah, your thread sure got "hijacked", sorry for my part. I did have a "camshaft position sensor" that would fail on Ford's 7.3 diesels back in the late 90's. I kept one in the glove box along with the correct wrench. Easy but annoying field fix.

 

[dieselcrawler]

I have to help hijack too! I have 3 of the 7.3's, my buddy has 2, both of us had them since 2007, not one single cam sensor issue. Bet I just jinxed myself...

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

Yeah, your thread sure got "hijacked", sorry for my part. I did have a "camshaft position sensor" that would fail on Ford's 7.3 diesels back in the late 90's. I kept one in the glove box along with the correct wrench. Easy but annoying field fix.

lol no prob about hijacking, makes the treads interesting when they take on new meanings.

I think i just need spares of all these sensors in my toolbox, so tired of being absolutely stranded, sometimes in remote locations only to find its a $20 piece of plastic junk stamped made in mexico that did it. My old trucks and i have owned all the brands over the years were so simply made that they were all so dependable compared to this thing i drive now. Just feel like im going backwards.

 

[3930dave]

My friend bought a Chrysler 500 that has sensors galore.
The front bumper houses sensors that will prevent you from rear ending somebody. Well they gave up after trying 3 times to fix that problem so now his trade in value will be way down and he paid for something that he can't use.*

Another friend has a real fancy PU, (Laredo I believe). List was in the $70.k range.
Well somebody dented his rear bumper and because of all the sensors that bumper is in the $2000. range. (and it's mainly plastic.)

* when you think of it, it is rather dumb to run sensitive electronics up where dirt, water and salt can get at them.
Now add the fact that to save weight they use the smallest gauge wire needed to carry that low amperage.
(like 24 gauge or even less, weight you know!)

Good point about wire gauge.

A good 10 years back (probably closer to 15), I was having lunch with a colleague of mine I hadn't seen in a while. He had been wiring up a trailer hitch onto his new Ford Taurus...... the Owner's Manual made it clear that trailer wiring should NOT be directly connected to the tail lights, and explicitly said that a separate dedicated 12v feedline was needed, along with buffering relays to the trailer harness.

I'll give Ford their due, at least they spelled it out in black and white.

Rgds, D.

 

[TomSeller]

After my wife walked away from a head on collision in her 2014 with little more than a mild concussion and a few visits to the chiropractor, I won't be putting her in a vintage vehicle. Modern cars wrap you in a cocoon in an accident and more people than ever before walk away from collisions that only a short time ago would be deadly.