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Showing content with the highest reputation on 09/19/2016 in Posts

  1. High cool fan was not working due to a 50amp fuse blowing. Ac was low 2 cans. I ripped the whole wiring harnass apart starting at the main fuse box under the hood. Started with the largest wires and traced out and confirmed either 12v 5v reference or ground. Found all kinds of s**t. The power junction splice between the alt coming in and battery coming out is a complete cluster f**k. Anyway the van is running great ac is mega cold and I didn't find anything to confirm a ground or power issue, so I'm sure the problem is still there we have only put 100 miles on it. I don't know where else to go with this issue. Again, i can only confirm its a power issue when the problem happens by going WOT once over 3k RPMs it has all the electrical power in the world. Lol
    2 points
  2. Hello Folks, I've been building out my 2015 van into a micro camper for the past few months. I've been sharing the story on reddit, but I figured I should post here as well especially since I used resources I found on this site to influence my build. I have a ton of photos I've posted and taken. I'll start adding them here. So far, I've posted 4 different "phases of the project. So I'll make one post per phase to share what I've done so far. Phase 1: Here is the start of the conversion of our Transit Connect into a weekend getaway camper. It's a 2015 model with the long wheel base, which adds around 1 foot of extra cargo length. The boxes are built with baltic birch. Using this wood helps keep the weight down by not having to add much extra support beyond the plywood itself. I "designed" the layout in Google Sketchup (it was the first time I had ever used a 3d modeling software) and then built templates out of cardboard. After that, I started building the boxes. Link to the album. 2015 Transit Connect - Long Wheel Base Cargo Area - Roughly 7'x4' Making Sure We'll Have Enough Head Room on the "Couch" Sketch-Up Drawing of the layout The Blue Box is the Water Container and The Red is Our Stove The "Kitchen" will be a drawer that slides 36" out from the side door. Cardboard Models Starting to Build the Boxes Interior of Box 1 Box 1 in the Van - 60in Long Box 2 The open end is where the drawer will slide out from. I'm going to add more supports on that side once the drawer is installed. Boxes in the Van The bed folds across from the couch. I still need to design the rear supports Front View of the Bed Bed panel folded onto the couch.
    1 point
  3. Ordered mid March, received it mid July (I wanted the Titanium but with 3 seats in the middle row hence the special order) 3500 miles, ~26MPG (90% highway) so far Some advice for potential/actual buyers: - Titanium is a MUST if you want relative quietness in the car (I got up to 100 mph with it and the only thing I could hear was the wind noise) - top of the line entertainment is a waste of money, the oldest smartphone is better for navigation and/or playing music - rear camera is not really a must but the sensors are worth the money (for passenger version; cargo is different) - if you get remote start, check window autoclose feature immediately upon delivery (if might get screwed in the process) - check your tire pressure as soon as you get the car (17" on mine with a 42 PSI recommended pressure - 32 PSI warm when I got home) - roof racks and tow package are cheaper if bought with the car, think ahead if you'll ever need them - computer shown MPG is ~5% too optimistic while the speedometer is 100% spot on, GPS verified (a bit amazed by this) - don't believe wikipedia that says the TC has the dual clutch trans, if has the tried/old/trustful 6F35 in it - if you want extra protection for your engine, get the Mazda 2007 CX-9 oil filter, it has the same dimensions as stock except height - extra filtering surface. And it fits very well - if you look carefully, you'll notice "the old Ford quality" regarding panel fitting (especially front bumper not aligning with the headlights) - dashcam users will be a bit disappointed - all 3 electrical sockets work all the time (WTF Ford?); your best bet is "add a fuse" (search Google or Amazon) to a fuse that only works while ignition is on BUT (see next point) - if you want to access the main fuse panel, you'll have to take out the glove box but if you do that, you'll brake it. Explanation: on most cars, the glove box either swings really wide or it has two C shaped "things" that clutch two rods and you can just pull it out. Not here; the C shaped things are in fact all around (like an "O") and if you try to make the glove box swing low enough to access the fuse box, you'll break them What you need to do is open it until you feel resistance and then with a knife reach behind it and take out the rods that go through them (not easy) Or a new glove box costs ~$300 - if you think about getting LEDs for rear lights, the only ones that work without errors/problems are the white "reverse" lights - the stock halogens are crap, get HIDs and you'll never look back (55W 4300K for best light output and closest to stock color). LEDs still have a long way until they're better (maybe in 3-5 years?) - S position for the transmission is better than D in most cases (except constant speed on a flat highway) - all-weather floor mats (Ford, Husky, Weathertech) are totally worth it - the engine warms up way faster then my other cars but, even at highway speeds, engine temp varies between 87C and 94C regardless of load/AC/outside temp while sitting in traffic, AC on, 36C outside, the coolant temp never passed 96C; I've been living in US for 12 but I still can't get the Fahrenheit scale, sorry! - Cold air (AC) takes about 5 seconds before coming through the vents (My old 1993 Infiniti G20 is almost instant) and the air temp is not as cold compared to the G20 (about 3C more) - the inside of the fenders (both front and rear) and the "shield" under the engine are made from some sort of felt (???) unlike any other car I've seen (plastic) That's about it for now, I might add stuff as I remember. Please ask if you have any questions.
    1 point
  4. Phase 4: Windows, Insulation, and Vent Fan: The day I cut huge holes in my brand new car. So, this album brings you up to date on where I'm at as of last night. I spend almost the entire weekend installing 3 windows, a Fantastic Fan, and insulating body panels. We've got a trip coming up in October, so the goal was to make it a little more "livable" for the trip. Without windows in the back of the van, it got pretty stuffy in there with two of us. The windows and vent are from Vintage Technologies that sells parts for teardrop trailers. Cutting into the van was a little scary, but once everything was all put back together it was well worth the trouble. The windows make a huge difference! Since I had to make panels to help mount the windows, we also started insulating the ceiling and panels. It's one layer of self-adhesive duct insulation which a lot of people use as a cheaper alternative to Dynamat, and then a layer of Reflectix where space allowed. The next step is to start doing finish work and making things look neat. Phase 4 Photos The point of no return. The lines look a little sketchy in this shot, it took a couple tries with one of the corner to perfectly match the template. Holes Cut! The blue tape made marking the cuts much easier and kept the paint from getting scratched. Windows In Interior window shot. The windows open and have screens in them. Hole cut for side window. I didn't realize until I started cutting that the panels on the side are plastic rather than metal. Window #3 in! The angle of the body panels give a weird optical illusion in this shot. The window is flat against the van. I swear! Battens glued to the ceiling Frost King duct insulation on the ceiling Step 1: Self-adhesive duct insulation Step 2: A layer of Reflectix, glued in place Step 3: Wooden Panel Ceiling vent framed in. The Reflectix is glued in, the tape is just there to keep it in place as the glue dried. Ceiling vent installed with bead-board Hard at work installing Reflectix Bonus "Work Shop" Shot. This is where I've done all of the work so Far. Also, Jake the Dog. Put back together! Ceiling vent. Not crazy protrusive!
    1 point
  5. Phase 3: Upholstery and Doors Here's the third album of progress on the Transit Connect Camper. It might not look like much, but the functional refinements make a huge difference! The photo included in this post is a couple buddies having some cold drinks under the awning after a mountain bike ride. I took the van to Kentucky for it's maiden voyage in June and the trip went really well. The only piece that was super annoying was having to lift the seat in the back to access the large storage area under the "couch". I didn't expect for it to be as big of a deal as it was. I added a couple doors to make accessing the storage area easier. The bed was one of the best parts of the van, it's just barely narrower than a full bed and is full length. The Ikea mattress proved to be much more comfy than I had expected! The cooking drawer also proved to be as functional as I could have hoped. Having the 7 gallons of water in the van was great, since hiking in 90 degree weather left me dusty and thirsty. I also added the ARB awning, which is probably my favorite piece of the build so far especially since I'm a ginger and have trouble being out in the sun. Phase 3 Photos Here's a photo with the "couch" without the doors on the bench. In order to access the storage area you had to lift up the seat. During my first multi-day trip with the van, I found that this was way more of a pain than I had expected it to be, especially when having to do things like change or cook where you have to enter the storage area many times in a row. Also, even with the current set up, we can still fit two bikes inside the van without putting them on the cushions. I added 3 doors to give easier access. Cutting huge holes in the bench was a little nerve-racking, but it is so much better than constantly lifting the bench top. The cabinets are sized so that our folding chairs and table can fit in the back portion of the cabinet. Now we'll be able to slide them in and out of the back door. The bed folded down. The entire back of the van becomes the bed, which is about 2 inches narrower than a full size bed and full length. This is before adding the cabinet doors, which will allow access to the under-bed storage that wasn't possible before when the bed was folded down. Bonus cooking set-up photo.
    1 point
  6. The "problem" with me is that I rarely listen to anything while driving so the music part doesn't count. Also, the navigation part is really slow/dumb (Sync3 might be better in the 2017) and the traffic updates will only work a few years after the satellite radio subscription expired. Well, I wish I could get one with diesel and a manual but here in the US we're stuck with a lot less options compared to Europe like the storage bin on top of the dashboard (who doesn't want that in US?) Getting back to the list: - the rear liftgate is always locked if the key is in the ignition (Why Ford?) - the road noise is very loud in the third row to the point that the driver almost has to shout which is weird because anywhere else in quiet - auto wipers are really nice as soon as you get used to them (and understand how they work), auto headlights not so much - the third row is held in place by 8 screws (4 per seat) and they are not hard to take out but I wish there was a "thing" to cover the screw holes, otherwise it looks really bad; unless you have a cargo area protector to cover everything - I wish Ford didn't stop making a cargo security shade for the LWB; At some point I was thinking making my own from either fiberglass or carbon fiber - the rubber piece at the back of the sliding door (only Titanium have this piece which is glued into place) just started peeling and fell off about a month after buying the car (talking about "the old Ford quality" again) - MPG is highly dependent on speed (because ... box shape, you know?); compare that to my old Mercury Sable wagon (duratec engine) that got better fuel consumption at 75-80 mph with AC on than at 65-70 mph with no AC I get like 30+ mpg at 50 mph and under 20 at 90 mph - the engine is very "asthmatic" past 4k rpm which is weird considering that that's where peak torque is; to me it looks like either the ECU is limiting it or a combination of intake and exhaust being to narrow - the dual zone climate control is dumb: in the beginning, the left wheel controls both zones if you turn the right wheel, you can control the passenger side if you turn the left wheel, you can control only the driver's side the only way to get back to "one zone climate control" is by turning off the whole system and then turning it on again (WTF?) - the entertainment system can connect to your house's wi-fi (or your phone's if you can turn on the hot spot feature) but can not do anything with that connection (like updates, or install apps or even set the time/date) - the shuffle is not totally random, it just puts your list of files in a random way; same random way all the time That's it for now, I'll post some more later.
    1 point
  7. Project 1 should be to modify the odometer with more miles, burn off some of that new tire top tread layer. Break it in.
    1 point
  8. The headlamp wiring diagram shows the DRL does not involve any extra components. headlamp wiring.pdf
    1 point
  9. The DRLs are turned on by the Body Control Module. The DRL function has to be configured by the factory (or maybe a dealer). Attached is an excerpt from the service manual. Ask the dealer if they can configure this function. No extra hardware is required (at least according to the manual). The factory DRL option was about $40. The Ford diagnostic software is "Oasis". The manual does not say if Oasis can configure DRL bit it can definitely confirm the configuration. drl.pdf
    1 point
  10. Personally, I would place very little (if any) stock in anything any car salesman tells you. I believe they think they *should* know everything there is to know about what they're selling, so when you ask them any question, "Gee, I don't know" is about the last thing you're likely to hear, so even though they really don't have a clue, they're going to tell you *something* - They would much rather tell you the wrong thing than admit they don't know. My salesman told me he didn't think the rear seats in our TC were removable, when in actuality removing them is very simple and should be pointed out as a good reason to buy the van. Sales people spend all sorts of time sitting around doing very little . . . . I guess it never occurs to them they could spend some of that time to Google their product line or read the reviews posted on-line A quick online search for 'Ford Nav Rerouting' got me the following from PC Magazine "In addition, you get real-time traffic updates, with the option to ignore or detour around each one as it comes up. Granted, most of these features are now standard in $150 portable navigation devices, but they're still rare in many in-car systems." The magazine article wasn't very complimentary of the whole Ford Sync system(and he didn't seem to know a great deal about how to operate it either) but it does sound like there's a way around traffic jams if that's your concern - This article is from 2012, so I would assume the newer models still offer that feature The Ford.owner.com website says "Your SYNC® with MyFord Touch®-equipped vehicle gives you voice and touch control to easily reach your destination and avoid traffic along the way. SYNC Services offers several ways to get directions as well as smart routing options, detailed map views (if equipped with Navigation), and personalized traffic information" Hope this helps, Don
    1 point
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