Author Topic: 1963 Ford Fairlane  (Read 148551 times)

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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #425 on: September 17, 2013, 08:11:21 PM »
No luck.  The original temp sending unit failed and both units I replaced it with are reading hot.  Before the original sending unit failed, it was reading cool to normal during regular use.  The only thing I've changed since then are the plugs and points. 

If I have a resistance chart for the sending unit, I can take a measurement to determine if it's the coolant gauge on the dashboard or if the car is actually overheating.  I ran the car until the temperature gauge read normal with the cap off and stuck a thermometer in the radiator and it read normal.

I'm stumped.  I'm going to see if the store has a thermal sensor I can rent.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #426 on: September 17, 2013, 08:27:20 PM »
No luck.  The original temp sending unit failed and both units I replaced it with are reading hot.  Before the original sending unit failed, it was reading cool to normal during regular use.  The only thing I've changed since then are the plugs and points. 

If I have a resistance chart for the sending unit, I can take a measurement to determine if it's the coolant gauge on the dashboard or if the car is actually overheating.  I ran the car until the temperature gauge read normal with the cap off and stuck a thermometer in the radiator and it read normal.

I'm stumped.  I'm going to see if the store has a thermal sensor I can rent.

Does it smell hot when it's running?

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #427 on: September 17, 2013, 08:43:20 PM »
Not that I've noticed.
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Offline biersmythe

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #428 on: September 17, 2013, 08:43:42 PM »
No luck.  The original temp sending unit failed and both units I replaced it with are reading hot.  Before the original sending unit failed, it was reading cool to normal during regular use.  The only thing I've changed since then are the plugs and points. 

If I have a resistance chart for the sending unit, I can take a measurement to determine if it's the coolant gauge on the dashboard or if the car is actually overheating.  I ran the car until the temperature gauge read normal with the cap off and stuck a thermometer in the radiator and it read normal.

I'm stumped.  I'm going to see if the store has a thermal sensor I can rent.

Do this first, I changed the gauge pack in the firebird when I was 18 or 19. I had to get a different sender cause it was reading to high/resistance. Afterword it was a-ok so if you have the info for the sender use it first. Always diagnose before you go to the auto store, much cheaper that way.
Teach a man to build a fire, and he will be warm for a night. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life!!!!

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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #429 on: September 17, 2013, 10:53:59 PM »
Chris, I'm going to guess that your temp sender is a single plug style.  I saved this article for my old Dodge pickup that has basically the same problem as your car, only I haven't had the time to tear into it yet.  I hope this helps.  I've bolded the text on the bit that would be easy for you to try, and might be your solution:

Quote
Checking the accuracy of a short sweep temperature gauge (one that uses a single terminal sender): This gauge typically has 3 terminals on the rear of the gauge (not including the light connections). It sends a signal out to the sender from the “S” terminal, and it is the senders job to vary this signals resistance to ground. With this said, for a sender and gauge to operate, then sender must be threaded into something that is grounded since the ground path for the sender is actually the sender mounting threads. The gauge itself really is nothing more than a fine tuned & calibrated ohm meter. To check the gauge, you will need a controlled and measurable resistance to ground source. Many shops that deal with automotive electrical repair have what is called a gauge tester, which is really a switchboard with different resistance values. The Auto Meter 100 to 250 degree, short sweep temperature gauge uses a specification of 1123 ohms of resistance to ground to = 100 degrees F, and 65 ohms of resistance to ground to = 250 degrees F. You may contact our Service Department for further specs.
If you do not have access to a gauge tester, you may always start with the sender. To check the sender, warm the engine up to a stable temperature. Have an ohm meter ready, as well as the tool(s) needed to remove the wire off of the sender.
With the engine running/idling, notice what the gauge is reading, and write this down the reading. With the engine still idling, remove the wire off of the sender, then hook the positive wire of your ohm meter to the sender where the sender wire was. Now hook the negative wire of your ohm meter to ground. What resistance do you measure?
I will give you some examples to help you determine what to do next.
Let’s say that the gauge read 210 degrees, and then you took a measurement of 123 ohms. This would mean that the gauge was reading exactly as it should. And if you thought the engine was running hotter than that, or colder than that, either the sender is the problem (remember the gauge was reading perfectly based on the information from the sender), or the engine really is running that temperature.
Another example for you: You suspect the gauge is reading hotter than actual, and you measure the resistance of the sender again. You measure 253 ohms, and the gauge reads 210 degrees. In this case, the sender is at 170 degrees (based on the resistance measurement), and the gauge is not responding the way it should. In this case, either the ground to the gauge itself is insufficient (which will cause a too high reading), or the gauge is out of calibration.
Never trust how a ground looks. If your gauge shows higher than normal and the sender tests where it should, then run a new dedicated ground from the threaded portion of the gauge ground terminal to an engine ground and see if the problem persists.

http://www.autometer.com/tech_faq_answer.aspx?sid=1&qid=57

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #430 on: September 18, 2013, 12:13:53 AM »
Damn.  I was hoping you'd find a way for me to test the gauge while it was still in the car.

I did not find a resistance chart for the sender unit.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #431 on: September 18, 2013, 09:25:45 AM »
Damn.  I was hoping you'd find a way for me to test the gauge while it was still in the car.

I did not find a resistance chart for the sender unit.
Try running a dedicated ground to the gauge.  I haven't seen your temp gauge, but you might be able to do that without even removing it. 

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #432 on: September 21, 2013, 01:48:49 PM »
The temperature gauge is definitely off.  I got a thermal sensor and checked all the heater hoses and manifolds.  At 150° degrees, the gauge in the car read between normal and hot (about 3/4 up) before the thermostat had opened.  The sending unit screws into the intake manifold.

In other news, my little buddy came back.  My brother found him wandering down the street last week and brought him in.  He ran away the next morning when the door was opened.

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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #433 on: September 21, 2013, 09:01:46 PM »
$50 for a voltage regulator for the instrument panel.  Ouch.

I'm seeing them for sale between $32 and almost $80.  The store down the street sells one for a little over $50.

The one I've got is a voltage reducer... it's supposed to step down from 12v to 6v for the gauges.  I'm getting a steady 12 volts, nothing else.  The analog regulator is supposed to fluctuate between 0-12v to supply 6v for the temperature gauge. 

My dash lights still don't work.  I don't have any of these tiny bulbs to replace them with.  I wasn't getting current when I tried to test the light socket.  The circuit for the dash lights run through the light switch on the dash.  I believe there is an inline fuse for the dash lights that is not part of the fuse box... I saw something but wasn't able to get a closer look.


edity: Hmm, there is a 1981 Mustang @ the Pull-A-Part that uses the same regulator.  It's on.
« Last Edit: September 21, 2013, 09:58:25 PM by Chris_ »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #434 on: September 22, 2013, 03:30:35 PM »
Heh. $6 for the voltage regulator from a 1969 Ford F150.
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Offline biersmythe

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #435 on: September 22, 2013, 03:33:04 PM »
Heh. $6 for the voltage regulator from a 1969 Ford F150.

WHOOT  love the junk yards...and the knowledge to know the cross reference...good job bud. 
Teach a man to build a fire, and he will be warm for a night. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life!!!!

Knowledge is half the battle.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #436 on: September 22, 2013, 03:40:28 PM »
I would have come home with brake rotors for my Toyota but don't have a 1 1/2-inch socket.

The Ford had the same 2-barrel Autolite carburetor but it was in a tough spot to get to.  I need to snag one to rebuild.  No luck tracking down a 4-barrel small block.
« Last Edit: September 22, 2013, 03:42:33 PM by Chris_ »
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Offline biersmythe

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #437 on: September 22, 2013, 03:43:48 PM »
I have done that more times than I care to think about...seen something in a junk yard and didn't have the means to retrieve it...go back and its gone.
Teach a man to build a fire, and he will be warm for a night. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life!!!!

Knowledge is half the battle.
The other half is violence!

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

The box said: "Requires Windows XP or better." So i installed Linux.

Offline zeitgeist

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #438 on: September 22, 2013, 05:12:22 PM »
I would have come home with brake rotors for my Toyota but don't have a 1 1/2-inch socket.

The Ford had the same 2-barrel Autolite carburetor but it was in a tough spot to get to.  I need to snag one to rebuild.  No luck tracking down a 4-barrel small block.

I would've guessed 289 4 bbls would be as common as fleas on a hound.   :???:   
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #439 on: September 22, 2013, 05:23:11 PM »
I would've guessed 289 4 bbls would be as common as fleas on a hound.   :???:   
That's what I thought.  I got nothing.
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Offline zeitgeist

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #440 on: September 22, 2013, 05:37:01 PM »
Tried this one?

http://www.partshotlines.com/

or this one?

http://www.teddybearsusedparts.com/



You never know.    When I use to frequent junkyards in Fla back in the '60's they use to be able to find anything for me through the junkyard network which was like a teletype system.  Surely they must have improved on that. 
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Offline biersmythe

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #441 on: September 22, 2013, 05:50:01 PM »
The yards around here do not have anything earlier than the 90s... they do not help the other yards by sending you or calling to check for parts elsewhere either. My best friend in HS his uncles owned a yard in Minnesota, they had a intercom system with all the yards in the area, and they got kickbacks from other owners for the referral...they also had a better system layout in their yards than I have here. There were ford sections chevy sections etc. Col setups.
Teach a man to build a fire, and he will be warm for a night. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life!!!!

Knowledge is half the battle.
The other half is violence!

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

The box said: "Requires Windows XP or better." So i installed Linux.

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #442 on: September 22, 2013, 05:55:55 PM »
The Pull-a-Part here makes an effort to keep older vehicles available but parts aren't as abundant as they were 10-15 years ago.  They have a "vintage" section for older vehicles but their search system only lists cars by name.  I had to pick and choose separate models and check the oldest ones to find what I wanted.  They've been around awhile.

I'm not familiar enough with the traditional junkyards around here to make a bunch of phone calls.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #443 on: September 22, 2013, 06:07:32 PM »
Poking around online, I found a reference that says a four-barrel Ford small block was only available in 1968 as a high-compression option.
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Offline biersmythe

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #444 on: September 22, 2013, 06:14:27 PM »
Poking around online, I found a reference that says a four-barrel Ford small block was only available in 1968 as a high-compression option.

Not sure, fords are not my thing but I would think there would be plenty of them running around with the amount of V8 cars and trucks that company put out over the years.
Teach a man to build a fire, and he will be warm for a night. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life!!!!

Knowledge is half the battle.
The other half is violence!

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

The box said: "Requires Windows XP or better." So i installed Linux.

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #445 on: September 22, 2013, 06:22:46 PM »
That's what I get for reading Wikipedia.  This came from Hemmings, but it's limited to Autolite/Motorcraft models:

1963-'65 Fairlane, 1964-'65 Comet and '65 Mustang with 289-cu.in. engine
1966-'74 Ford Lincoln and Mercury cars with 302, 351, 410, 429 and 460-cu.in. engines


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Offline biersmythe

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #446 on: September 22, 2013, 06:31:00 PM »
My buddy who has a 68 Fairlane (think its 68) said intakes for 260/289/302 and a odd 255 (never heard of 255 but hey) will fit...and he said that the autolite 4100 carb is 600 cfm and the build kit is $20 he has one on his car. He said they are plentiful here. I told him to keep his eyes open so well see.
Teach a man to build a fire, and he will be warm for a night. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life!!!!

Knowledge is half the battle.
The other half is violence!

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

The box said: "Requires Windows XP or better." So i installed Linux.

Offline Chris_

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #447 on: September 22, 2013, 07:16:49 PM »
Speaking of interchangeable parts, the F-100 seat looked identical to the one in the Fairlane.  Same hardware, same dimensions.

I'll have to get pictures of my seat covers to compare the ones I found for sale.  The upholstery Dearborn Classics sells doesn't seem to match -- my seats aren't white.  This is what they sent me:




« Last Edit: September 22, 2013, 07:27:16 PM by Chris_ »
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Offline zeitgeist

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #448 on: September 22, 2013, 08:26:12 PM »
The yards around here do not have anything earlier than the 90s... they do not help the other yards by sending you or calling to check for parts elsewhere either. My best friend in HS his uncles owned a yard in Minnesota, they had a intercom system with all the yards in the area, and they got kickbacks from other owners for the referral...they also had a better system layout in their yards than I have here. There were ford sections chevy sections etc. Col setups.

You know it may have been an intercom system not TTY or maybe both were in use in Fla. because when you mention intercom I immediately remembered one yard that had that system.  Junkyards and cars from impound yards, ah the good old days.  Who needs a trunk key when you have a straight blade screwdriver? :naughty:
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Offline biersmythe

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Re: 1963 Ford Fairlane
« Reply #449 on: September 22, 2013, 08:26:52 PM »
Nice seat covers. I got some for my 19th b-day from my parents for the firebird, I got the hog rings, pliers and installed them. Took some time but they came out good.
Teach a man to build a fire, and he will be warm for a night. Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life!!!!

Knowledge is half the battle.
The other half is violence!

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." Thomas Jefferson

The box said: "Requires Windows XP or better." So i installed Linux.