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Engine distribution box removal???

tonyankyfan1

CEG'er
Joined
Sep 22, 2015
Messages
105
Location
NYC
Hi All-

I have a 98 MERC mystique w zetec and also have the dreaded battery harness issue via insulation flaking off... =( It seems only the battery harness wires that go under the battery to box are bad and need to be changed or somehow insulated. How does one remove the dizzy box to remove these wires? If anyone can help, I would greatly appreciate it in advance!!!

Thanks Anthony
 
I've performed this operation a couple of times. The first time I was able to get the NEW OEM harnesses they used in the recall. Now that's not an option, so the second time I pulled a donor harness out of a 1999 Contour/Mystique/Cougar donor and transplant into the otherwise healthy car. I Googled "ford contour wiring harness recall .pdf" to find the instructions and diagrams as used by the Ford techs as part of the recall. Pulling the relays from beneath the distribution box without breaking anything was the most tedious part as I recall.

It turns out they designed the wiring to be biodegradable. Quality is job one.
 
Thank you so much for helping me and providing this valuable 411, I am very grateful... I am going to attempt it tomorrow, Sunday. I hope to remove this and rewire or at least rewrap or tape the bare wires, if I can get them free. I was trying to figure out how to separate the breaker part from the dizzy box..to make the separation a bit simpler.
 
I've performed this operation a couple of times. The first time I was able to get the NEW OEM harnesses they used in the recall. Now that's not an option, so the second time I pulled a donor harness out of a 1999 Contour/Mystique/Cougar donor and transplant into the otherwise healthy car. I Googled "ford contour wiring harness recall .pdf" to find the instructions and diagrams as used by the Ford techs as part of the recall. Pulling the relays from beneath the distribution box without breaking anything was the most tedious part as I recall.
Wow, that's a tedious job, glad I have a 99 MY car. Looks like near two days of labor for a dealer service tech to do all the harness replacement work.
Yeah, the Soy based wire insulation was a real mistake, turns out it's also tasty to mice and rodents.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a21933466/does-your-car-have-wiring-that-rodents-think-is-tasty/
I lost a set of plug wires to mice on a car that was parked outside a few years ago.
 
Wow, that's a tedious job, glad I have a 99 MY car. Looks like near two days of labor for a dealer service tech to do all the harness replacement work.
Yeah, the Soy based wire insulation was a real mistake, turns out it's also tasty to mice and rodents.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a21933466/does-your-car-have-wiring-that-rodents-think-is-tasty/
I lost a set of plug wires to mice on a car that was parked outside a few years ago.

Wow!!!! Holy Geeez... wtf were they thinking?!?!?!
 
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Hi Guys-

I finally removed the battery positive side harness from battery to fuse dizzy box, and yes it was a PITA. But it is ouT! The insulation is completely 100% flaked off, such a shame.. When i started to take it apart it got worse, the wires are down to bare metal at this point. I was thinking about heat shrinking wrapping the original wires, then applying liquid electrical tape, then maybe taping it up and slapping on some new loom. But to do this, I need to cut off the original metal plate that holds the 4 wires in place and connects to positive battery terminal. Has anyone done this before? or just left the original set up in place, just retaped the wires to protect them and put them back..
My plan is to add some DEKA 5307 battery terminals with 5/16 stud terminal w wing nuts holding the original battery terminals with 4 gauge crimped on lugs in place of the old ford metal battery connectors. Totally eliminating the metal plates via positive and Ground wires... Is there enough length on both original terminal wires and little wires on both sides, both + & -?? here are some pics....
 

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Well guys, after a week or refurbing the stock harness, heatshrinking, liquid electrical tape and retaping with regular electrical tape, tubing etc.. I like to report, all is good in mystique world. lol In the pics you will also see that i changed the battery terminal and utilized a 1 3/4 inch bolt with a wing nut and got rid of that horrible metal plate. I have to do the ground side soon. but here are some pics, to help other guys out in case they run into the same dilemma. I also like to help others and the great members of this board helped me.

Thanks Anthony
 

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