Foxbody

[tjm73]

It's been crazy and I just discovered I put this in the wrong forum.

Still doing work and still need to get those pics added.I got new Corbeau seats for the Fox that arrived yesterday and true to form the mounting solution from Corbeau is not ready for prime time. Gotta re-engineer it.

 

[Juice]

I know what you mean on mounting aftermarket seats.
I put a pair of racing type seats in mine, getting it low enough was a bit tricky. I HAD to mount them as low as possible.
Good luck with the engineering!

 

[DudeStang]

Another Update!!

So a slow week for projects on the Foxbody. I got some supplies but time and old broken things worked against me today.

I started out ready to fix my fog light wiring and button up the dash. But while starting to sort out the wiring, I found the headlight switch plug was also bad and wires were not staying it. Hindsight being what it is I should have checked it. Oh well. Guess I'll order up another pigtail.

That's it for today.

I'm glad you included this. The fog lights on my fox don't work and I haven't even started trying to diagnose where the issues are. Going to have to add that to the ever growing list.

 

[tjm73]

I'm glad you included this. The fog lights on my fox don't work and I haven't even started trying to diagnose where the issues are. Going to have to add that to the ever growing list.

There is a known issue that these Foxbody Mustangs have borderline terrible wiring. The power to run the lights runs from the engine compartment into the car to the dash light switch and then back out to the lights. Lights are a high amp draw. A simple relay is all that is needed to end this issue. I have a schematic on my home PC for how to add a relay. They are on the interwebs too. I suggest doing it after you check/repair your plug(s). Supposed to be very easy to do. I will be doing it as soon as I get my larger new issue sorted out.

 

[tjm73]

NEW ISSUE YAY!!!!!

I was all set to drive my car to work the other day and got in my car. Hit the key. Fuel pump whirls up pressure. Hit the starter. Ungh. Nothing. Shit. Guess it's the daily driver. Come home. Open the door. Door chime. Turn the key to run. Nothing. not even the fuel pump this time. No lights either. Like the battery is unhooked. Headlights won't turn on either.

Battery voltage is 12.55V. Should be enough. Scratching my head. Gotta be a bad ground or switch some place.

 

[Juice]

Did you check battery voltage with the key and or headlights on?
You are dead on with the wiring of lights and high current draw. Mine was getting dark, but I deleted my fog lights in favor of cooling ducts for the brakes.

 

[tjm73]

Did you check battery voltage with the key and or headlights on?
You are dead on with the wiring of lights and high current draw. Mine was getting dark, but I deleted my fog lights in favor of cooling ducts for the brakes.

I was so disappointed I walked away. The next day my new seats showed up and I was happy again. But i know I gotta go back to fix the electrical. And electrical is not a strong suit for me. Not looking forward to it to be honest.

I do know that with the key NOT in the ignition even, the headlights/lights still don't turn on.

 

[golkhl]

I feel your pain on the electrical trouble shooting and repairs, but it gives us the chance to learn. Pics of the new seats please...

 

[Juice]

I was so disappointed I walked away. The next day my new seats showed up and I was happy again. But i know I gotta go back to fix the electrical. And electrical is not a strong suit for me. Not looking forward to it to be honest.

I do know that with the key NOT in the ignition even, the headlights/lights still don't turn on.

Just hit me up if you want with any electrical help if you want. I would be glad to help. Call me if you want.

 

[tjm73]

Just hit me up if you want with any electrical help if you want. I would be glad to help. Call me if you want.

Appreciate the offer. A friend of mine locally said he'd come help me out when he gets back form a short trip he's on. I told him I'd welcome some guidance and instruction. I just never had a need to learn much about troubleshooting electrical stuff in a car.

 

[Juice]

Real quick crash course on electrical.
Voltage alone means little. Ohm's law is the relationship of Volts and Amps. When it comes to battery testing, an "no load" voltage reading is just a part of the battery's health.

Ex: Battery measures 12.5v without load. You turn on your headlights (no key in ignition) and the battery volts drop to 4v. That would indicate a dead battery and the lights would appear to be OFF. That would be a dead battery.
If the volts remain the same with the lights ON, but no lights come on, this would be an "open circuit". But the symptom of no lights is the same.
So put the meter on the battery, have your helper turn on the lights, and you just watch the meter.
I think your battery just died, simple as that.

 

[tjm73]

Real quick crash course on electrical.
Voltage alone means little. Ohm's law is the relationship of Volts and Amps. When it comes to battery testing, an "no load" voltage reading is just a part of the battery's health.

Ex: Battery measures 12.5v without load. You turn on your headlights (no key in ignition) and the battery volts drop to 4v. That would indicate a dead battery and the lights would appear to be OFF. That would be a dead battery.
If the volts remain the same with the lights ON, but no lights come on, this would be an "open circuit". But the symptom of no lights is the same.
So put the meter on the battery, have your helper turn on the lights, and you just watch the meter.
I think your battery just died, simple as that.

Thanks.

I knew the battery disconnected at 12.5ish volts was just a battery in ready state/no load test. The rest however makes sense, but was not obvious to me.

If the battery died, it's a 2 or 3 year old Interstate with a 5 year warranty. If it's that simple, I'd be real happy. Not that it's a bad battery but that it's not a deeper more troublesome problem.

 

[Juice]

Non use kills batteries. A battery can be quite deeply discharged and still start the vehicle. But sitting discharged causes sulphation. And that is where an open circuit can read good, (over 12v) and drop to nothing with any load applied.
Literally just replaced my 12 yr old Interstate in my fox and it died just like that.

Batteries in storage/non use should be checked/charged every 3 months. Per the instructions with my new jetski battery I just had to get. (6yrs old). Guess my shit is getting old and its that time... lmao replace replace replace... Its only money right?

 

[tjm73]

Hmmmmm.... It did sit over a year. It was unhooked, but not on a trickle charger.

 

[tjm73]

Pics of the new seats please...

As requested.

Before.....27 year old seats.



After....brand new seats.

 

[Juice]

I likey!

 

[tjm73]

I thought about some of the more deep racy bucket kinds of buckets, but I'm 47 next week and damn it I don't want to climb in and out of a race seat. I just wanted a comfortable factory type seat. This is that. I have only one gripe. I had to raise the seat about 3/8" on top of the 1/4" adapters to the OEM sliders. I now sit higher than I want. But not much I can do about it. I drive a bit and see how it goes. It's still new and I gotta get some seat time for a real impression.

I really would like is to move the whole seat back another inch or two.

One nice thing I didn't expect is that the seats actually move in in toward the middle of the car a little bit. The old seats had my shoulder very close to touching the door. It was kind of cramped up against it. With these new seats I have more shoulder room.

Sometime next week my matching rear seat upholstery will arrive and all the seats will match.

 

[Juice]

Yea, these cars are kinda small.
I need some seat upgrades in my 07.

 

[tjm73]

I have long arms. If I make a fist and put my arm all the way forward I can almost rest my fist against the HVAC panel. I can buy rails that move the seat back 2" but they raise the seat even more.

 

[golkhl]

Good looking seats!