STILL CRUISIN'!!

[CaptTom]

Hey Burners!

A useless post, just checking in to say hello and brag about the 1990 in my profile picture. Still running down the road but have to fix the common no starter issue due to busted key switch push rod. Starts perfectly every time with a pair of needle nose to the relay jump start. I'm too lazy to pull the steering wheel, besides, the guy who thought this was a good engineering idea, and the guy who approved it needs to be slapped hard!

Going to install a push button to the hot/relay hot switch as a work around.

Other than that, just regular maintenance. Can't believe this thing still runs after 32 years and nearly 300k miles!

Happy IDI'ing everyone!!

 

[Cubey]

Hey Burners!

A useless post, just checking in to say hello and brag about the 1990 in my profile picture. Still running down the road but have to fix the common no starter issue due to busted key switch push rod. Starts perfectly every time with a pair of needle nose to the relay jump start. I'm too lazy to pull the steering wheel, besides, the guy who thought this was a good engineering idea, and the guy who approved it needs to be slapped hard!

Going to install a push button to the hot/relay hot switch as a work around.

Other than that, just regular maintenance. Can't believe this thing still runs after 32 years and nearly 300k miles!

Happy IDI'ing everyone!!

Considering that the little actuator rod lasted over 30 years and almost 300k miles before breaking means that they didn't do TOO bad of a job with it. It's about a $15 part so it's not expensive to replace yourself, just labor intensive.

I had to replace it in my 87 F250 in early 2017. Worst part was getting the broken part out. I cut off the notch on the end of the new one which disables the interlock for the column shifter, so you can take it out of park without turning the key but it makes it far easier to replace if it ever breaks again.

My RV still has it's original one, but it's only at 80k miles, so it hasn't been use nearly as much.

 

[CaptTom]

Considering that the little actuator rod lasted over 30 years and almost 300k miles before breaking means that they didn't do TOO bad of a job with it. It's about a $15 part so it's not expensive to replace yourself, just labor intensive.

I had to replace it in my 87 F250 in early 2017. Worst part was getting the broken part out. I cut off the notch on the end of the new one which disables the interlock for the column shifter, so you can take it out of park without turning the key but it makes it far easier to replace if it ever breaks again.

My RV still still has it's original one, but it's only at 80k miles, so it hasn't been use nearly as much.

I totally agree with the 30 year reply.... doesn't mean I ain't gunna take a whack at the engineering of it all. I mean seriously, a buried part cheaply built?

There are just some things that need to be criticized and never repeated!

 

[CaptTom]

 

[Cubey]

I totally agree with the 30 year reply.... doesn't mean I ain't gunna take a whack at the engineering of it all. I mean seriously, a buried part cheaply built?

It's not THAT cheaply built if it lasts 30 years. If the replacement one lasts 30 years too, it might outlive the truck as a whole. It's a mechanical moving part that, after all, it's going to fail eventually. Be glad can be replaced for cheap. (or bypassed, as you plan to do)

Imagine how it's gonna be 30 years from now, trying to fix electric push button start cars of today that need a wireless key nearby to start it. Not even talking about just electric cars, but even gas ones too. They're gonna be like cell phones, off to the trash/recycler with them when something major fails, because it's beyond repairable for what it'll cost vs it's worth.

 

[CaptTom]

It's not THAT cheaply built if it lasts 30 years. If the replacement one lasts 30 years too, it might outlive the truck as a whole. It's a mechanical moving part that, after all, it's going to fail eventually. Be glad can be replaced for cheap. (or bypassed, as you plan to do)

Imagine how it's gonna be 30 years from now, trying to fix electric push button start cars of today that need a wireless key nearby to start it. Not even talking about just electric cars, but even gas ones too. They're gonna be like cell phones, off to the trash/recycler with them when something major fails, because it's beyond repairable for what it'll cost vs it's worth.

If there was an access plate in the column to service the part without tearing into an air bag system, pulling the wheel, etc... I wouldn't be so snivellie! But seriously... Who TF buries a part like that? Wholly unnecessary!

Nobody is trying to compare FOBBED cars with mechanical. Electronically controlled vehicles that can only be serviced with $10,000/year proprietary software to tune and reset is a total scam in itself. I pity the shade tree mechanics of the future. It takes several... many years to get after-market software, and even then, it won't necessarily change system parameters like an EGR spread. A factory computer can change/increase an EGR value spread so the CEL quits popping every 4 seconds when there's no issue, aftermarkets can't always do that.

FOB's are such a scam too. Charging $150-$450 for the FOB and linking is total BS!!

Seeeeee.... now you're gettin' me all roiled up over a simple part buried in at least 6 hours of unnecessary labor!

 

[Cubey]

It's probably buried to make it harder to steal the truck since you can't get it out of park with it in there. It was designed before airbags were a thing, airbags were stuck on top of an ancient design to save money. My 85 E350 with a 1970s design column uses the same actuator.

 

[Big Bart]

I agree with CaptTom they made that rod way to hard to service. It’s way over engineered.

The FOB thing is complete BS too. Take Ford while we are on the topic. You need the two FOB keys to easily/cheaply have a third made. (Or program it yourself.)

Wait you lost one, so now you want a second/backup one, but now you have to pay hundreds because you only have one. And the person who can make one had to spend a thousand or more for a scanner to reprogram the system. So they want hundreds to help out. What a scam!

So next time you buy a Ford get a third key, if you loose one you can get another backup key made for cheap.

 

[Jesus Freak]

I actually have a quaint fantasy of collecting bullnose trucks just to have extra parts. Ya know, there not making these things anymore. My 86 CC amazes me every morning when I crank it up, and the thing on the IP holds the idle up until it's warm, and then.......it just.......goes......

 

[Cubey]

The FOB thing is complete BS too. Take Ford while we are on the topic. You need the two FOB keys to easily/cheaply have a third made. (Or program it yourself.)

Wait you lost one, so now you want a second/backup one, but now you have to pay hundreds because you only have one. And the person who can make one had to spend a thousand or more for a scanner to reprogram the system. So they want hundreds to help out. What a scam!

It's been that way for 20 years. I had a 2003 Taurus with a transponder key. I got it from a used dealer and had to go to a Ford dealer to get a second transponder key. The local bigger dealer wanted $125 for the key PLUS a programming charge (in 2008). A smaller dealer 25 miles away only wanted $75 including programming. Needless to say, I made the half hour drive. I had them cut a door only key for an extra $5 to hide in a magnetic key box on the car for lockout emergencies.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Going to install a push button to the hot/relay hot switch as a work around.

I did that on two of my trucks and haven't looked back. No regrets either.

My 85 E350 with a 1970s design column uses the same actuator.

I don't think it can be a 70's style steering column. The full sized trucks and vans (as far as I know about the vans) didn't have a key switch on the column. They all had it on the dash.

 

[Cubey]

I don't think it can be a 70's style steering column. The full sized trucks and vans (as far as I know about the vans) didn't have a key switch on the column. They all had it on the dash.

Ah. It looks like F-series, E-series, and Broncos all started using this column mounted lock cylinder for the 1980 model year:

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/locksmart/ignition---tune-up/ignition-lock-cylinder/7f728fbed9c8/locksmart-ignition-lock-cylinder/loc0/lc14060/v/a/5161/automotive-van-1985-ford-e-350-econoline?q=ignition+lock+cylinder%2Fassembly&pos=0

It looks like all their cars got it first in 1976. But/so, technically it is a 1970s design, since "1980" models came out in 1979 and the design was borrowed from late 70s cars. But going by 1970-1979 model years, no, it wasn't a "1970s" design.