Clicker box for manual cyl. cut-out.

[dieseldoc]

Hey guys this one goes back to the 7.3. I am in need of a clicker box to cut out cylinders one at a time. I plan to build one. However I have not seen one, just heard of them. I am thinking it would be pretty easy to build. eight toggles switches, connectors, some wires and make a box. I was just wondering though from your guys' experience if you have any tips on the best way to make one and what would work the best. I appreciate you input in advance, thanks.

[Keith Browning]

I am assuming that this would be for 7.3L engines? Making the tool is straight forward as you suspect but it will require obtaining both the male and female 42-way harness connectors with a length of wiring still attached. The 42-way connector is the main engine harness connector between the engine and the body that has all of the injector circuits... along with everything else you will need to splice together.

[ErickBaker]

Wow! What are the chances of that? I put up a post inquiring about the Cut out box at the same time.

 

Does anyone know if the connectors are available from Ford or will the have to be scavenged from somwhere?

[DieselD]

I built one. Its very easy but does take some time to make it clean and user friendly. I always have people asking to borrow it which I dont mind unless it becomes excessive which it has /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/banghead.gifanyway I can snap some pictures of it tomorrow for you if you like.

[dieseldoc]

That would be great. I have an autoenginuity scan tool on my laptop(it is awesome, way better than all the others I have used in the past). But when I do cyl. contribution it wont let me watch anything while the test runs. Well that I have figured out yet(just got it two weeks ago). I can pull up Fuel mass and volume though on the status screen. If I had a cut-out box I could cut them out one at a time and watch the fuel mass I should be able to find the weak hole. I have a 94 right now that only misses cold and you cant run the test til it warms up. Thanks for the pics. I am gonna try to build one this weekend if I get a chance.

[DwayneGorniak]

Sometimes I use my infrared temperature gun and point it at the exhaust manifold ports. You can usually pick out the bad cylinder that way as well. It just has to be able to read high enough temperature. I use it on IDI's and gas engines. I should start trying it on the 7.3 powerstrokes and see if I like it or the cut out tool more.

[dieseldoc]

Yeah I use that a lot on the inline 6's I work on everyday. It works well there, but it is a lot tougher on the v-8s I think anyway. Especially trying to get a good shot at em. Thanks though.

[Brad Clayton]

one thing we did when we made a cancel box was to make the harness extra long, this allowed you to pull another 7.3l powered truck beside the broken one and actually run the host truck off the donors electronics, super fast and easy way to tell if it is base engine or electical problem. OF course nowadays it's hard to find two 7.3 liters in the same area, but still worth while to extend the harness. The ford box has a harness that is about 3 inches long, and cost about a grand.

[Bruce Amacker]

Wow, what a cool idea! Just when you think there's not much to learn on an old engine....