Cut wires in engine compartment

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Cut wires in engine compartment

July 24, 2020, 09:57:00 am

I was doing some maintenance in the engine compartment of my 2003 TK and noticed three wires that have been cut. I have no idea what their purpose is. I have not noticed performance issues or any lack of function that might be due to any cut wires.

One picture shows the general location and the second is a closer view of the wires in question. One wire is longer and is capped at the end while the other two are cut more flush and are not capped. The label on the long wire says 4x4 low. Somehow the longer wire got a cut in the insulation. I’ll be taping that up.

Does anyone know the purpose of these wires?

Re: Cut wires in engine compartment

Reply #1 – July 24, 2020, 10:53:24 am

Maybe one of the capped wires was for a CB radio that was removed?

Also, the manual for my 2003 calls for "gold" coolant; I noticed that the coolant in the reservoir of your 2003 is the green coolant, used in earlier models. Just curious....

Re: Cut wires in engine compartment

Reply #2 – July 24, 2020, 12:14:36 pm

Thanks Joan, my LD has the CB radio installed so I don't think they are related. Interesting about the coolant. The previous owner had all maintenance done at the Ford dealership. I'll check into that more.

Steve

Re: Cut wires in engine compartment

Reply #3 – July 24, 2020, 12:50:27 pm

Hi Steve; I have those same wires, although mine are more intact. I believe thaey are for equipment not present, that may have been used if certain options were present that LD didn't order. '4x4 low' might be an input to the dash to indicate that if you had four wheel drive, that you were in 'low' The yellow wire I think said 'Speedo' on it. I'd have to go out and look. For a tachometer that I don't have? An optional Tach? I remember when you could mount one on the door pillar inside. A possibility might be a mechanic diagnostic tool that needed to be connected for smog tests. My Tracker has one that I repaired, and wire nutted off. I was watching it being smogged once and the technician was looking in my wiring for a place to connect to (he had a manual) and I pointed out the wire nutted connection; yep that was it. Without OBDII, and barely OBDI in '92, there was no standard socket. My E350 does have OBDII, your E450 doesn't.
The orange coolant is 'long life' coolant. The green is ordinary life coolant. I use the green in my E350 because that is what it came with. (E350) I change about 50% every few years. RonB

Re: Cut wires in engine compartment

Reply #4 – July 24, 2020, 12:52:06 pm

This from Ford may be of interest:

https://parts.ford.com/content/dam/ford-parts/resources/motorcraftpdf/Coolants_Brochure.pdf

I always try to monitor and check a mechanic's or tech's "assumptions" and/or work; for example, I thought that it was common knowledge, at least among among mechanics, that the correct coolant mix was 50% coolant and 50% distilled water. After having a mechanic insist that the type of water didn't matter, that shop was taken off my list.

YMMV.

Re: Cut wires in engine compartment

Reply #5 – July 24, 2020, 01:01:25 pm

Hi Joan; I guess a lot depends on the tap water available to the mechanic, but I use distilled water (not purified drinking water). Drinking water has minerals added back in for taste purposes. Coolant is usually available as a 50/50 mix with water that is probably as pure as the manufacturer considers appropriate. (Prestone etc.) The chemistry of engines today is actually that picky, even more so with 2015 to present. RonB

Re: Cut wires in engine compartment

Reply #6 – July 24, 2020, 01:49:28 pm

These coolant (and brake fluid) test strips are useful; they're available on Amazon, too, of course.

Coolant + Brake Fluid (15 Pack) Foil Wrapped Double-Ended Test Strips -...

Re: Cut wires in engine compartment

Reply #7 – July 24, 2020, 02:21:35 pm

Our 2003 has a few extra wires, one labeled “Tach” . The rest are for options our rigs don’t have.
The Gold coolant is the type to use, it works with the engine’s own chemistry and helps keeps the cooling system clean for a full five years. I’m always amazed how clean the used coolant looks.
With the coolant’s long life, using distilled water adds little to the long term cost.
If flushing the cooling system yourself, buy the full strength coolant and dilute it yourself. The pre-diluted coolant is much more expensive per ounce. Distilled water is cheap.

Larry

Re: Cut wires in engine compartment

Reply #8 – July 25, 2020, 12:04:21 am

Thanks all for the great info. Nice not to wonder about those wires now. Good education on the coolant too! I think I'll order some of those test strips.

Steve

Re: Cut wires in engine compartment

Reply #9 – July 25, 2020, 06:03:23 pm

I found some wires, too. Capped at the end. PTO is the top one. Power Take Off? CTO = Clean Tach Output? And my coolant is green.

Chris

Re: Cut wires in engine compartment

Reply #10 – July 25, 2020, 06:49:31 pm

The Ford manual for one’s model year chassis/engine specifies the recommended fluids and parts. 😉

Re: Cut wires in engine compartment

Reply #11 – July 25, 2020, 07:51:52 pm

Quote from: Joan - July 25, 2020, 06:49:31 pm

The Ford manual for one’s model year chassis/engine specifies the recommended fluids and parts. 😉

I'm pretty sure last time the coolant was changed was at a Ford dealership that worked on motorhomes. ☹️

Chris

Re: Cut wires in engine compartment

Reply #12 – July 25, 2020, 08:24:07 pm

Thanks Chris, it appears two of my three were cut shorter in the past.

Steve

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