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Showing content with the highest reputation since 11/23/2023 in Posts

  1. Humphrey's Van

    hit 560K miles

    i have replaced the suspension parts: tie rods, control arms and wheel bearings twice. ive done the brakes once, but ive had a problem with the rear driver side drum adjuster wheel 3 times. seems it dont adjust then falls down to rattle and wear. 1st time no lube, 2nd time antiseize, 3rd time moly on threads. it think this is the cure. ive done the coolants hoses {all} with genuine motorcraft. and changed spark plugs twice. valve cover gasket once. about 10k ago did the cv joints. oil every 10k w/penzoil ultra5w20. transmission with valvoline LV; fluid 25k & filter 50k. it has worked well for me as a delivery van. still have not found a location for my diesel heater that the vent wont be damaged by my doggie laying on it.
    2 points
  2. I have picked my configuration and will be ordering a fully equipped LWB Custom Sport soon. Not decided over the color yet.
    2 points
  3. Hi All. Thanks for tips. Even using a pry bar I could not get my spare wheel to come down more than an inch. Its not rust just a failed and jammed mechanism. As all the lifting bits are above the actual spare wheel and can't be got at, major action was called for. I put the rear of the van on jacks enough to get under and give me a bit of head room. From underneath using a 4" angle grinder and steel chisel I carefully ground/chipped away the centre steel assembly that was holding the wheel up till it was smaller then the wheel centre hole. Be out of the way when the wheel and tyre are free as it will just drop to the floor. Once off I removed the jammed mechanism and replaced the whole assembly with a new one. Since the grinder was inches from my face spitting metal particles I wore a welding mask. Not the nicest job to do
    2 points
  4. Hey, thank you for posting an update on your van. I recall seeing your old posts and a video where you drove the van . Anyhow, I was planing on swapping mine as well and I wanted to try to keep the automatic pcm in place. After much research, it seems that it would require a simulation of the tcm to work properly. In theory, this is what has to be done 1. simulate the transmission codes on the canbus network 2. simulate the transmission switches output to the pcm (ground switches that indicate in what gear the trans is) 3. simulate sensors of the transmission Here is what I had done: - logged the communication of the canbus network - retrieved (not confirmed yet) the automatic transmission gear codes - basic research on usage of the pcm pins canbus analysis On the canbus network, the automatic transmission gear codes id is x230 and here is the data for each gear. When the van is off and the shifter goes through all gears, here is the data that I get: park : 00 64 D3 00 00 00 00 reverse : E1 08 D3 00 00 00 00 neutral : 00 64 D3 00 00 00 00 drive : 11 19 D3 00 00 00 00 first : 20 95 D3 00 00 00 00 second : 11 19 D3 00 00 00 00 (But I'd have to check again the park and neutral codes as they seem the same) pcm pins These transmission gear codes correspond to the 7 switch pins (pins 8,13,14,20,30,35 and 41) on the PCM. Aside from that, there are a couple of pins that would require simulation - 4 sensors (pins 10,19,29 and 37) - 6 solenoids (pins 23,33,43,44,45 and 50 but pin 11 and 15 could be deleted) - 2 other pins (could be ground or power control) (pins 43 and 50) So, simulating the transmission in order to fool the pcm would be a bit time consuming. The temperature sensors would not be all that bad, but simulating speed and matching gears could be a little bit tricky and would end up messing some PID's. At best, we might get final drive ratio error codes, but worst case PID's would be very off and throwing a bunch of codes (ABS, Transmission, Gear ratio...) Plus, using the manual tune with the proper wiring is a plus as the pcm uses the clutch switch to adjust fuel/air ratio depending of engine load. (Source for pcm pins and clutch switch : workshop manual) Anyhow, I hope the canbus codes could be hopeful for anyone that wants to keep the auto tune. Props to converting yours to manual! Note : that is all that I will to for the manual swap as I am getting rid of my van due to the engine going bad
    2 points
  5. 2 points
  6. When mine does that it is usually a result of a low voltage start. I disconnect the bat for 5 Min's and that usually triggers a correct reset soon. This has been happening to me for 10 years . Good luck and keep us posted.
    2 points
  7. This is exciting. Real progress!
    2 points
  8. Did the mechanical swap about two years ago . I used an SCT tuner and the Advantage racer software to get rid of all the auto related codes . It dives nicely for anywhere between 15-50 miles and then goes into limp mode . Tried to figure out what's not happy with Forscan , it really helped . Forscan let's you see codes that don't show up on other tuners / readers. There were many u-xxxx codes , lost contact with other modules . Then a few months ago I found a duratec manual trans focus zx3 . Now it's time to swap all the harnesses, modules ,cluster, cable driven throttle body etc. The real beauty is this will get rid of the Sync system. The speed sensor has to pass through APIM - accessory protocol interface module, on the transit it part of this Sync garbage. I plan to document it all on here so stay tuned .
    2 points
  9. Hey that was a massive wall of text with absolutely no formatting that I can't even begin to read. Can you try that again, using punctuation to split it up into sentences and breaking it up into paragraphs so I can actually read what you want to tell us?
    2 points
  10. 2018 Ford Transit Connect XLT Wagon LWB Let me start by saying that it does appear that I have fixed this problem now and detail for anyone in the future who has these same symptoms what my fix was. The Symptoms: --It was still during the summer and I had the a/c running on max. I got out to deliver a package and it was fine. When I got back about 30 seconds later I noticed the fan didn't seem to be blowing as hard but I didn't think too much of it and thought I was maybe a bit crazy. Several minutes later on my way to my next stop I noticed that I wasn't crazy because the fan speed slowed down drastically. I turned the control to off. I left it off until after I left my next stop when I turned it back on. It was now blowing at full speed again. Several minutes go by and it starts slowing down again. So I turn it back off. I wait a few more minutes and turn it back on, this time only onto the number 3 position. It then works fine the rest of the day without slowing down in this position (probably 4 - 5 more hours of running). Next day when I turned it on, it didn't last long at all before the speed dwindled to nothing. It remained in a state where I could turn it on and get a minute or two of air before it would die out. Then eventually it stopped working altogether. Then about a month after that I turned it on to demonstrate to someone the problem and it actually came on but again only ran for a few minutes and died out. Fixing it: -- I knew that the problem was likely either the blower motor resistor or the motor itself. So I ordered both parts from Advance Auto. And yes I did use a Carquest Premium blower motor and was able to re-install it even though I had heard or read (can't remember which) from somewhere else that this fix "requires" the Motorcraft blower motor. I got a friend to help me and we watched a youtube video which I will link at the bottom of this post. We first tried to change just the blower motor resistor since we thought that was the "easier" item to change. Here's the thing though, it is absolutely not an easy part to change at all. After 6 hours (Yes 6 actual hours of two men working) we finally got the resistor changed. And we still could not get the screw that holds it in place back in. We barely managed to get that screw taken out. So now my resistor is held in place with some 3m duct tape instead. Then we tested it. And the problem persisted. So the next thing to do which I didn't start for another month or so was the process of changing the blower motor. Let me tell you, it isn't a quick or easy process. Now, my van has a right hand drive aftermarket conversion on it for my job. So I had extra work that you likely won't have unless you're in the same profession as me. I had to remove the passenger seat (driver seat is already gone for me). Remove my right hand drive kit. Then to gain some extra working space I removed the top piece in the center of the dash so I could take the radio out. I then took the next trim piece out and then popped popped the shroud around the gear shift up so I could take the next trim piece off and finally the center console area trim panel out. Then I had to drop the BCM/fuse panel off of its mount on the passenger side (you will probably have to remove your glove box first. The PDF at the bottom might help you some too. Then I used a mini ratchet (may call it a stubby ratchet) and a long Torx T25 bit with a long extension and a endoscope/boroscope/whateveryoucallitscope to see what I was doing to get on the 3 screws around what I will call the cage around the blower motor. Once you get it out from under the driver side you will have to unplug the motor. And then you will need 2 people for sure for the next part. One person has to hold the unlocking tab from the driver side and the other person has to twist the blower motor itself clockwise 45 degrees from the passenger side. Then the blower motor will extract through the passenger side. Now for the replacement I remember hearing that because you need to be able to grab the motor you must use a Motorcraft replacement because the aftermarket ones don't have big enough holes in the fan to be able to hold on to it. But what you can do like with the Carquest Premium blower motor is take a small screwdriver and gently pry the locking tab off the end of the motor shaft. Then slide the fan blades off the shaft. Now re-mount the blower motor. Then slide the blades back onto the shaft noting that it is keyed to only let the blade slide on a certain way. Then press the locking tab back onto the shaft. Then basically reverse engineer what you did when taking it apart to put it back together. Now the way I got those screws back into those hard to reach areas was with using the scope to see and then dipping my T25 bit in some RTV silicone and then pressing the bit into the screw. Anything tacky or goopy like that should help hold the screw onto the bit without so that you can actually get it into those holes without it falling off the bit a million times. Conclusion: -- I now have my vehicle back together and it seems to be working correctly again. I have had it blowing for about 10 minutes without any sign of it slowing down and I hope it continues to work right. I believe the problem is that the brushes in the factory blower motor are cheap crap and burned up. I would rate this at least a 6-7/10 on the difficulty scale job. It requires a lot of time, a lot of patience, and a lot of painful contortionist movements to fix. I don't know what it would have cost me to have my mechanic do for me but I would guess he would have charged over $1000 for this job that cost me about $200 in parts. If you are reading this then I hope my write up has helped you because information on this particular problem seems quite sparse for these 2nd generation Transit Connects. I found plenty of videos detailing the change on the 1st gen models which seems like it was much easier to do. The video I mentioned several paragraphs ago blower moter removal.pdf
    1 point
  11. No idea why the axle gets replaced too. Listed on the receipt as a CV joint/axle. I peered underneath, looks like a new left axle. Shop was able to get CarMax to pay for that part of the repair, so I'm all good. Guessing it's possible an improper shape/profile of the axle at the sealing point could be the issue that causes the failure? In which case replacing just the seal would not be a sufficient long-term repair. The full synthetic fluid is very nice. Down in the 30s here this morning, shifting was still silky smooth. Will be interesting to see how well it works in Jan/Feb here, which can get down to -20.
    1 point
  12. Thank you new battery and no problems. Regards
    1 point
  13. Humphrey's Van

    hit 560K miles

    i hit 560k this past week on my 2011. i bought it couple years ago with about 320k on it. the previous owner said the engine and transmission had been replaced about 3 years before i bought the van. He did not know how many miles on the rebuilds. He was a delivery guy that worked local. Im a delivery guy that runs long distance. I hit the 560k on a trip to Tuscon AZ; about a 2900 mile roundtrip from my home in Mississippi. i like to run non ethanol fuel. I got between 24.6 to 28.2 mpg depending on wind. i drove about 70 mph the whole way.
    1 point
  14. mculbert

    Floppy sun visor fix

    Just did mine with the excellent @AdanA method. That nut is called a teenut, most hardware stores should have them in the fastener area. You want the version without teeth (the toothed ones are intended for wood!) Very simple to implement, and almost looks as if the van came that way. This solves the annoying floppiness. Keeps it in position no matter if it's open or closed.
    1 point
  15. Exchange the transmission fluid.
    1 point
  16. Fifty150

    Jim Green

    The first was acquired last year. Black Friday. I liked them enough that I bought a second pair in July. I now have 3 pairs. The leather is thick, heavy, and stiff. They take a lot of breaking in. Not for those with delicate feet. Not for the "woke" crowd. Especially if you care about things like race relations, politics, sustainability of shipping consumer goods across the globe, etc. Due to the exchange rate of the Rand versus the Dollar, the sale price is on the low end for the quality of the product. Comparable quality could cost twice as much from other shoe companies. The most interesting thing is that they have a custom boot builder on the website. You can pick your own last, leather, sole, color, etc. They will custom build your boots to order. https://jimgreenfootwear.co.za/ https://jimgreenfootwear.com.au/ https://jimgreenfootwear.com/ https://jimgreenfootwear.co.uk/
    1 point
  17. AdanA

    Floppy sun visor fix

    Tl;dr this alternative mod is working really great so far. The visors snap all the way up. Hi! My 2019 van’s visors have been floppy since I began using it (6k miles at that point, 40k now). They’ve gotten progressively worse to the point that, if I were to lurch forward in a crash, they could scalp me. I’m very tall. 🤷‍♂️ I studied these magnet- related posts - thanks! - but in the end decided the spring mechanism itself is maybe ok (it’s still very torquey, tough to actuate by hand once you disassemble the thing from the car) it’s just the structure that was trying to hold it in place that was inadequate. I think it’s some kind of sandwich attempting to squeeze on either side of the mechanism, but which is easily popped apart by typical road conditions. I decided to try to squeeze that sandwich back together and see how it worked. It’s very easy to take the assembly off the car, T20 is the size bit or wrench needed. This would be annoying to try to do in place. Here’s the hardware I used. I have it on hand because of a product my little company makes. Half of it is a binding bolt, female end, the other is an off the shelf button head screw and washer. There’s room for improvisation here. There’s adequate space above the closed visor for a nut (or lock nut if you want to be vibration wary). You’ll want it to be about 5/8” when cinched up but it’s best if you can get the parts to engage at 3/4”. I’m sorry I didn’t take measurements while I was doing it. Another important note: I did find a _wrong_ place to put these fasteners. I thought I was going to put two sets up there, you can see the marks on the blue masking tape. But the holes I tried to drill that were 9 inches from the mounting end wouldn’t go through easily. I think there were steel components there (Spring steel for the mechanism?), while in the other location I was just drilling aluminum & plastic. It seems to be working great with just the one set though. Also, possibly helpful: I started with a 1/16” bit and drilled through with masking tape on both sides in order to know where my holes were going to meet up. But then I used a razor knife to cut the vinyl on both sides before drilling with the larger diameter drillbit (0.206 for my fasteners, YMMV). I was worried about the vinyl twisting and making a mess. And then on a subsequent hole, I decided I was being overcautious. I tried drilling the vinyl, and it twisted and made a mess! Another random note: if you can have a strong shop vac pulling right where you’re drilling it might help reduce debris. It gets trapped under the vinyl. I didn’t use vacuum and there is debris sort of showing lumps from inside the vinyl. But it’s not bad and it’s not as disfiguring as the droopy visors. It really does seem to be working well, feels solid and they snap right up quite firmly. I need to go back and put some Loctite on my fasteners. Let me know if you have questions. I’ll keep you all posted if it stops behaving well.
    1 point
  18. Fifty150

    Smog Check

    The van passed inspection without issue.
    1 point
  19. I report that I have successfully found the interface unit. It should arrive soon. All in all, I've spent around 60€ in total on all components so far. AP800's are not available anymore. The current model for this car would be the AP900Ci. Those go for around 350-400€ The effort and time I've put into this so far, is well worth it given how much money I'm saving. I really can't complain I might document the installation here, once I have time for it. Maybe. Of course, I first need to figure out the wiring 😄
    1 point
  20. Finally got all the parts from the focus I'll need and then some .
    1 point
  21. Sorry I don’t but I have made/modified many bushings over the years. I measure the ID requirement with a caliper, then the most important OD of the current one or from the holder, and the length. Then I decide what material might work like nylon or bronze and try for a near match at Tractor Supply or Granger. Get the correct OD then either drill or ream it, cut it to length and instal it. Not a simple solution but it has worked many times for me. You could try these guys: https://www.bushingfix.com/ford-transit-connect-shifter-linkage-cable-bushing-replacement-kit/ Or: https://www.ebay.com/itm/335365257942?chn=ps&mkevt=1&mkcid=28
    1 point
  22. my van has not had any water leaks up front. as for transmission maintenance. i bought the dorman pan for a mazda with drain plug. i use atf mercon LV. i drain every 25k miles and refill with 4 quarts. at 50k miles i drain and change filter. i use these cool 3rd hand gaskets and squirt a tube of shudderfix, . i bought this one used, it had about 300k on it and motor and transmission had been replaced about 3 years before i got it. that guy was a city delivery and im a long distance delivery. my heater is the smaller one with remote. i use the bigger ones in my promaster and after getting one with remote wont do it any other way. i travel with a dog so i can just turn on the heater if i go inside to do a delivery. that keeps van warm enough. i have a maxxair fan but really thinking i want an ac.
    1 point
  23. You can do it with FORScan.
    1 point
  24. Try parts.ford.com Enter your VIN for vehicle specific parts. My '07 F-150 doesn't have any kind of shield under the truck.
    1 point
  25. No, there's no shield further back under the engine bay. Maybe I'm more of a truck guy, but I think of full shields as being a relatively recent development to improve aero as manufacturers care more about MPG. In any event, IIRC what you're looking at, "Lower air deflector", should clip into the wheel-well liner "fender splash shields" via an intermediate triangle-shaped piece "front splash shield". As with most Ford parts 10+ years old, the easiest and cheapest way to sort it is to grab everything at once from a u-pull-it, if your area still has one.
    1 point
  26. Got a little progress to report , everything removed from the focus . Been playing catch up with work since having both shoulders replaced tho , so it's been slower than I was hoping. I'll have some interesting pictures in a few weeks tho . Can't wait to let this thing rip on the freeway without the bill gates dashboard, yay ! Donor focus has no abs ! Makes the conversion a little easier, and I actually like non abs brakes better . See you guys in a few weeks with update and pics .
    1 point
  27. Repeat Shuffle
    1 point
  28. Johnny H

    Will theses wheels fit

    Yes, went on no issues and look fantastic 👍
    1 point
  29. That is great out come. If you put enough stuff in your TC like I have you won't be able to see the back windows any way!
    1 point
  30. JT2011RV

    P0453 Fix

    Check engine light came on. Code reader said: P0453 High reading from EVAP. 2 months of research and here are the results! Turned out to be a severed wire harness on top of the fuel tank going to the FTP (fuel tank pressure) sensor. Have to drop the fuel tank to repair. First confirm the error by checking the 3 wires coming from the sensor at the connector (C211) in the right pillar at the passenger seat. Pins 18-19-20. Pin 18 is 5 volts reference using pin 20 as the signal return (ground). Pin 19 is the signal sent from the FTP. Should be around 2 to 3 volts. My problem was 5 volts on pin 19 caused by an open return (ground). When I tried to purchase a new FTP on both Ebay and Amazon, I noticed that only a wire connector was available. This was a big hint. Apparently only the wires are the problem! There is a 6 inch length of cable extending to the FTP that seems to vibrate over 10 years to the extent of separating! Now to drop the tank to solder the wires back together, you just need to lower the back of the tank 6 inches by removing the heat shields and disconnecting the filler hose. After lowering 3 inches, disconnect the cable to the canister and continue to 6 inches so you can reach the separated wires. I could not disconnect the FTP connector because the brilliant engineers placed the connector upside down making the lock on the connector inaccessible! Luckily, I could solder the wires on top without disconnecting. One more hint. Do not disconnect the muffler and tailpipe as directed by the field service manual! Just bend the interfering shield down.
    1 point
  31. mrtn

    Will theses wheels fit

    yes, they are all interchangeable.
    1 point
  32. Wow! Amazing. Can you recap for us, the project timeline?
    1 point
  33. Update: project completed! Here's a sneak peek photo and you can see the van build recap here. Full detailed post coming in soon :-)
    1 point
  34. No pics for this one, just a PSA: if the cylinder head temp sensor fails, it also locks out the A/C, which was new for me as somebody who's only driven older vehicles. I'd been getting extended crank times for a couple weeks, and wasn't sure why. After a medium-sized road trip, got P1289 "Cylinder Head Temperature Sensor Signal Greater Than Self-Test Range". Ordered the sensor since it was cheap, cleaned the plug, and reset the code. Next day, the code came back, temp gauge stopped working, and I noticed the A/C was also out. Thought I had two separate problems, but later that night I noticed the rad fans were screaming, locked at full speed even at normal engine temp. I guess when the computer can't tell engine temp, it takes really aggressive steps to prevent overheating, which also includes locking out the A/C. Replacing the sensor not only cleared the code, fixed the temp gauge, and let the fans spin at normal speed, but allowed the A/C to work again as well.
    1 point
  35. After getting code P0132 "O2 Sensor Circuit High Voltage", not finding any vac leaks, and deciding it was due anyway as I approach 90k miles, I'm back to complain about the Duratec upstream O2 sensor. In summary: fuck this thing. You'd think it's super easy, right? It's right there sticking off the back of the motor, near the top: But when you put an O2 sensor socket on it, it hits those heater hoses behind it, and there's nowhere to swing a wrench. I found out later they make an O2 sensor crow's foot, but honestly the thing was welded in there so tight I can't imagine any split socket would do the job. I cut most of the sensor off with a hacksaw and used a normal socket on a 1/2" drive ratchet with a cheater bar, and it still took like an hour. It came out looking like this. New sensor wouldn't thread in, either, because clearly the old one obliterated the threads on the way out. So I go to Autozone and spend $10 on an O2 sensor tap, and it immediately eats itself as well: To the tap's credit, it did unfuck the situation enough to install the new O2 sensor and save me from having to pull the manifold, but holy shit. In summary: if your upstream O2 goes out on a 1st-gen, consider just selling the van and getting something else.
    1 point
  36. I’m selling this custom camper kit for my 2014 Ford Transit Connect wagon. It will fit any 2014 or later Ford Transit Connect wagon with a lift gate (optional) and a LWB (long wheel base). Most of the pieces I researched and purchased were specifically to fit this vehicle. Here are the pieces: • A solid wooden box that fits between the wheel wells and folds out into a bed platform, has two pull-out shelves, and has storage underneath. The outside of the box when closed is 45.5” W x 38” D x 19” H. The bed platform is 45.5” W x 76” D when folded out. When closed, the inside storage area of each half of the box is 21” W x 15” H x 37” D. • A high density tri-fold foam mattress that is 78” L x 38” W x 4” D when unfolded (It’s been slept on maybe a dozen nights) • A protective case for storing the mattress • A fitted and a flat sheet for the mattress • Custom sun shades for every window in the vehicle that suction on from the inside • Custom insect screens for the front row windows • A tent that fits over the lift gate to extend the living area • A rain fly for the tent • A rug for underneath the tent and one for the inside • A welcome mat • A beautiful table cloth for your camp picnic table (and clamps to keep it on the table) • A very cool setup to hold a light strand over the picnic table There are photos attached. Not everything in the photos is included. If it is not in the above list, it is not included. The reason I’m selling is because I’d like to use my vehicle in a different way now. I don’t have a place to store the box when not using it, so it has to stay in there all the time. All you have to do to use this is to remove the third row seats from your vehicle. It’s very easy. Just a couple bolts. When not camping, you have full use of the second row of seats in your vehicle.
    1 point
  37. Chip

    INTERIOR HANGING RACK

    It isn’t something I want to add in my TC, but I really like Windguys’ rack, and appreciate the post. The space where I’d like to add a rack is over the driver and passenger seats, since that is just wasted airspace. I dream of raising the seats and having storage underneath. I don’t like the TC seats being down low, like in a hole. But there would be too many challenges to lifting the seats more than a few inches, so an overhead rack is the only way I can envision making use of all that space. Windguys’ photos show two vertical tubes near the middle of the rack, between the rack and the roof. Are those supports, and are they attached to the roof, and if so, how? Love the lighting! Is that wired to the existing light wires or a separate circuit? When camping in my van, I get annoyed by the interior light staying on after the doors are closed, so I like the idea of manually operated switch. That’s something I want to address—on my “when I get around to it” list. Good post—thanks.
    1 point
  38. Attached is what I came up with.
    1 point
  39. back to the back up camera idea. I set mine up to be on all the time. it has 2 video feeds. with a quick switch i can see the passenger side blind spot also. cost less than the 150 budget.
    1 point
  40. I thought the fact that the rear two dome lights do not have switches on them was a silly engineering oversite, so..... I installed micro push button switches and LED bulbs in them.
    1 point
  41. I just installed a factory hitch yesterday, the plastic bumper comes off easy. Remove the screws that you already did then start pulling the bumper off from the front near the wheels, all the clips will pop off. Also if you need factory beam that will replace the hitch that is now under the bumper I have it for now until I take all my scrap metal to the scrap yard
    1 point
  42. Don Ridley

    a few dimentions

    I found this in my files. 2016_Transit_Connect_v1-0.pdf
    1 point
  43. Here's a quick update hopefully the site lets me post up in here: I made a video in addition to these pics: Trimmed and Layed down this perforated Hardboard in prep. to start finishing the floor,,, Dynamat in the rear liftgate and driver side sliding door complete. Finished the unistrut frame and flat surface over the second row area with a piece of 1/2" Oak Plywood:
    1 point
  44. Fifty150

    Car Wax

    Dandytc New Transit Connect Member T.C. Member 1 9 posts Region:Canada British Columbia Location:Metro Vancouver Current Vehicle:2015 TC XLT wagon hatchback Posted December 14 · Report post When I first got my TC, I couldn't find a cord for the block heater, and ended up thinking that there was none. After reading recent posts, I checked my owner's manual, and it doesn't say "If equipped" under the "Engine block heater" title page 117, so I took another look, and sure enough, there it was. The reason I didn't find it previously, is because I was looking for a cord that looked like the one in my previous vehicle (Ford Focus wagon), which was a flat 3 conductor cord with a plug at the end, much like a regular household HD cord. The cord on the TC is wrapped with corrugated loom, and the plug is round. The whole thing was hiding under another loom to the right of the air filter. I would think that a block heater might be standard in colder regions in the US as well. I hope the pics will help some of you find theirs.
    1 point
  45. Don, Great questions. It was not hard. Remove OEM lamp, connect LED lamp, insert LED lamp. Just like changing any other light bulb. On my van, and yours also, the low beam and high beam are 2 separate lamps. This is only a low beam replacement. You do not have to remove the headlamp. You do have to remove the dust cover. 10 minutes is actually very generous. I think both lamps took less than 5 minutes. On my van, the noticeable difference was that there seemed to be more light, and brighter light, in the immediate area in front of the van. The obvious comparison is the brightness. Everything which used to be bathed in a dull yellow, is now brightly lit. The drawback is that your OEM headlamp housing is designed to reflect a halogen lamp. Depending on the vehicle, and it's headlamp design, results will vary. A halogen lamp will always throw a farther beam, since that is what the headlamp was designed to do. So if you're in a wide open, unlit football field or parking lot, you will see everything in front of you with clarity, but your beam is not going 100 yards down field. Your halogen won't go 100 yards either, but will go down farther than LED. But what good is a dull light which goes downfield, if that dull yellow light doesn't allow for me to actually see? For me, being able to see what was in front of me was a higher priority. Most of my driving is in The City, where there are street lights on every block. On long stretches of unlit open road, the LED is sufficient. Driving with halogen, I found myself using the high beams on cross country road trips. With LED, I haven't had to turn on the high beams. When I'm out in the woods, or up at The Lake, with LED low beam & high beam, I no longer need offroad lights. And the fact that I'm offroad, in uneven terrain, means that I'm not going 75 MPH, and I never drive faster than I can see. Transit Connect low beams are H11 (55 W @ 12.0 V, 1350 lm ±10% @ 13.2 V) . Transit Connect high beams are H9 (65 W @ 12.0 V, 2100 lm ±10% @ 13.2 V). So while a LED replacement may not reflect as well, you are getting about 3X the lumen. Why did I buy this off-brand, generic? It was on sale. An Amazon.com lightning deal. I figured that I could always return it if I didn't like it. Back in the dinosaur days, when lighting upgrade was HID kits, they all came with an external power supply because that was the only way to do it. Just like lighting fixtures that had to have a ballast. You simply couldn't wire your fluorescent T8 tubes right into the building without a ballast. The actual LED and the cooling fan had different power demands, and the driver made it possible to power both via the OEM harness plug. My pickup's LED system was designed so that the OEM plug connected to the driver, which had two separate lines going out to feed the LED and cooling fan. And the advantage was that since the LED itself rarely had a failure, you could always replace just the driver/ballast. Today's technology allows for all the necessary electronics to fit neatly into the lamp unit. There is a driver, but it's small enough to fit between the LED and fan.....so no visible external driver. So I've got 2 cars with LED lights. I'm happy with both, because I accept the plus & minus of running LED in a halogen housing. The aftermarket has begun manufacturing units which replace the entire headlamp housing with an LED unit. These are by far superior. They're usually round, and a sealed beam, with all the drivers and cooling demands built into the same unit. I see them sold for round lights. Jeeps and Harley Davidsons are the target market. If you have an old Harley, check out the Harley Davidson Day Maker. Old VW with a round light bucket could probably use them also. And it looks like they are now in the small round fog light size, so cars like Transit Connect with round fog lights can use them.
    1 point
  46. Ok, first item is to check the fuse, which you have done. Just to make sure, it is in position 180, bottom row, third from the left, a 20 amp fuse. After checking the fuse, there is not to much else that can be done. The service manual has the normal items of checking the wiring from the wiper/washer switch to the washer pump. The washer pump is attached to the bottom of the fluid reservoir under the left (drivers side)front fender. You have to remove the fender splash shield to get access. Just out of curiosity, does the washer pump work for the rear windows? The same pump works for both front and back, it just reverses direction when pumping to the rear windows. One last item, do you have any fault codes DTC's? Front washer fault code for wiring is B2114 and for rear wring is B2115. You can check for codes by using the self test read out on the dash. Press and hold the trip odometer reset button (the one on the left of the LCD readout) and turn the ignition switch to the start position. Release the reset button when the LCD readout says tESt (takes about 5 seconds). The first display is gAgE (it tests all the gauges). Then press the reset button 8 more times to see if there are any DTC's. If there are none, it will read NONE. Turn the ignition key off to end the test. Good Luck.
    1 point
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