Pinto Car Club of America

Shiny is Good! => General Pinto Talk => Topic started by: Priest on October 20, 2004, 08:15:00 PM

Title: what is this thing?
Post by: Priest on October 20, 2004, 08:15:00 PM
If no one can help me by description....i will take a photo.

on the drivers side inner fender, in the engine compartment, there is a small electrical device.  it is a black box, has 3 wires running to it and a button on top.  when the ignition is off the botton just pushes in with no effect.  with ignition on, there is a relay click sound from the box when you push it, but it still has no noticable effect.  I have been unsuccessfull in finding out what this thing is on my own.....it does have a motorcraft part number on it, and i have not searched that number yet.  just wondering if anyone knows what the hell it is.

-Matt
Title: Re: what is this thing?
Post by: losin sux on October 20, 2004, 10:50:25 PM
I think you might be talking about the ignition timing vacuum modulator valve....is it aft of the computer module?  The click you hear might be from the vacuum happening.  I could be way off....I don't have any positive feedback to let you know if I have a clue or not.  These were mostly on post 77 vehicles.
Title: Re: what is this thing?
Post by: CHEAPRACER on October 20, 2004, 11:13:15 PM
Seatbelt safety bypass switch.
Title: Re: what is this thing?
Post by: Farmboy on October 21, 2004, 08:26:28 AM
   I also have one on my 74 wagon, don't have a clue what it does?
Title: Re: what is this thing?
Post by: crazyhorse on October 21, 2004, 12:55:41 PM
Cheapracer is right. It's the seatbelt bypass switch. I'm fairly sure it's a '74 only thing. In '74 the seatbelts were wired into the ignition. If the seats were occupied, and the belts not on, the car wouldn't start. However if you were working on the car you couldn't start it, so they installed the switch so you could hit the button, and start the car w/out the belts on. MOST of these have been disabled over the years. but if they're working they WILL throw ya for a loop trying to figure out why the blasted thing won't start!!
Title: Re: what is this thing?
Post by: Farmboy on October 21, 2004, 01:46:27 PM
Pinto's were way ahead of there time, I guess that's why my kids call it the time machine, oh, by the way, I got my crusin panels mounted today, next, a paint job.
Title: Re: what is this thing?
Post by: allfordmark on October 21, 2004, 04:13:42 PM
Farmboy,  Sure would like to see pictures of your project.
Title: Re: what is this thing?
Post by: Farmboy on October 21, 2004, 09:36:28 PM
  Soon enough, no digital camera at my house, took some film in over the weekend and having it put on disk, then all I gotta do is have one of my kids come home and load it up, hey Mark, all you gotta do is drive 3 hours and see me, ha ha.  You going to be around next weekend, I'll be your way???