John L

After sitting about four months I got the Max running over the weekend. First I had to get a new battery, as the one in the car was frozen solid (case was bulged and when I took it out no fluid sloshed around it's been below zero off and on for at least 6 weeks). Then I broke both clamps taking them off. I had to replace them with the "universal" top mount type. I had trouble getting good contact with the accesssory harness that goes on the pos. side. Once that was accomplished, when I keyed the ign. nothing happened but the fuel pump was going and the dash lights were on. It wasn't even talking when the door was open. I worked on the contact at the battery a bit and got it to fire. It idled like sh*t but kept running, woo hoo! After that everything worked fine, gauges, voice box, etc.
Here's my questions, what is the wiring harness on the pos. side at the battery for? Has anyone had a starter freeze after extended periods of cold weather storage?
Thanks.

MaxWgn

iTrader: (1)

John, I'm not sure about the 1st gens, but it's likely similar...on our second gens, the harness feeds two components. One is the fuel pump...the other I think relay for the starter, but I could be wrong. In my case, when I 'Fixed' my cables the same way, I had to splice in some wire, and I used ring terminals to attach to the two bolts that clamp the main cable into the clamp. If this doesn't make sense, let me know and I'll see if I can photo it, or diagram it. With that fix, and some corrosion preventative sealant, it took care of the terminal problem. BTW, if I do photos, it'll be of my wife's van, as I had to do her's that way, with the new cables I installed. I replaced all my battery cables this weekend, as well as hers, as my were swelling badly at both ends on all the cables. Her's is like that, as Ford wants $50 for the correct cable, with the correct leads...and I refuse to pay that much for a 16" long piece of 4 gauge wire...sorry, but that's stupid.