1955 ford Ranch wagon/Electrical Wiring

[poolplayer1]

Ok, I finally got my 55 running good,no more overheating and no more engine quitting while driving down the road.On to my next project. I am having problems with the signal and stop lights.Does anyone here have the wiring diagram of this circuits? I need to troubleshoot the problem.
Also,my speedometer is not working.The cable is ok and the dash part is ok.
The problem is the gear at the ******.I need the part # for this gear.The ****** is a automatic ford c4. If no one here has this info,thats ok,I'll go ahead and order the shop manual for this 55. Thanks for all your help.

 

[KULTULZ]

Also,my speedometer is not working.The cable is ok and the dash part is ok.
The problem is the gear at the ******.I need the part # for this gear.

The ****** is a automatic ford c4.

Do you know what year C4, rear end ratio and tire size?

... or ... What color is the gear and it will give the tooth count in cast letters/numbers.

I don't have a 65/72 MPC but someone here may.

 

[poolplayer1]

Thanks Kultulz for your reply.The ****** came out of a 68 ford galaxie 500.WE took out the original rear end and replaced it with one from a 57 ford ranch wagon. The 55 rear end was geared to low for the 302 motor.The 57 runs smoothly.

 

[miker98038]

As to the wiring the shop manual will show it. But the small size makes them difficult to use. Here’s an quote I stole from a post on the y block site.

“ If you do not have a schematic of your car look up "Classic Car Wiring" on the net. For $18 ui received from them a 11" x 17" laminated wiring diagram of my 56 Ford with all the stock wire colors. It has been invaluable in trouble shooting my car. “

This was posted by a very knowledgeable and experienced fellow, so I trust it’s been good advice.

 

[poolplayer1]

Thanks Miker98038 for that info.Let me check and see if I can find something that's close enough for me to use.

 

[5851a]

Just a guess but I think the 3.89 was standard in wagons with 4.11 optional and 3.56 standard with Ford-O-matic in 57. Your ranch wagon rear end from a ford O matic car. 3.89 or 4.11 would be spinning pretty good. 1968 Galaxie would have came with something like a 2.70's to 3.00's rear standard with C-4 type engine/trans combination and tall 15" tires, hard to pick a gear without numbers and tire height/size. Mostly trial and error or that's close enough. What axel ratio and tire size you running?

 

[poolplayer1]

The tires are P 205/75R14. I don't know if this makes any difference or helps any but the bolt pattern is 5 on 4.5.
Thanks for your info and help.

 

[paul2748]

As far as the speedo, you need a cable for a 57 and later car. And you need to know what length you need. The 55 cable will not work with the C4 because it uses an entirely different gear at the trans end. Mustang cables come in different lengths and are good replacements. You need the type that has the same speedo end as the 55 with the trans end that uses the gear with the clip. As far as the gear itself, I use the trial and error method or there are charts available that take into consideration tire diameter and rear end ratio. Gears and the clip are easily available on ebay (where I got mine). Look for Ford speedometer gears on ebay.

Go to ebay and buy two or three different different gears (they are pretty cheap), insert one and see how the speedo reads. If the speedo is faster than the actual speed (i use a GPS to find out the actual) then use a gear that has more teeth. If the speedo is slower than actual speed, use a gear that has less teeth. All C4's use the same type gear and I think the 5 speeds use the same type gear.

Speedo gears come in 16 to 21 teeth


What is the trouble with the lights. More info and we may be able to give you hints on how to solve it. Look on ebay for a electrical schematic.

 

[poolplayer1]

The guy welding the quarter panel burned the wires up.Anyway,this are the wires that lead to the back lights.
Orange/blue stripe
Green/orange stripe
Yellow solid
Black solid
Black/blue
I connected the orange/blue stripe to right signal light. The Green/orange stripe to the left signal light. The black wire I connected to both tail lights.
I don't know where the black/blue stripe wire goes to.
I now have both signal lights working and also the tail lights but I don't have any stop lights. The only wire left is the black/blue wire but I don't know how it connects to the lamps. Do you have any idea which wire and how it connects to the lamps?
If you don't know maybe someone reading this can help.I just need to get the stop lights to work and I'm done.
Thanks Paul for your great help and to any others that can help.

 

[Y-Blockhead]

The turn signals and stop light use the same wire and bulb. If your turn signals are working this shows the circuits are OK. I would suggest checking your brake light switch.

The Black/Blue tracer wire is for R and L "quarter lights" (according to the wiring diagram). My '55 Ranchwagon does not have this.

Yellow is gas gauge.

Green/Yellow tracer is left stop and turn.

Orange/blue tracer is right stop and turn.

Black is running lights and license plate light.

 

[dmsfrr]

. . .
I now have both signal lights working and also the tail lights but I don't have any stop lights. The only wire left is the black/blue wire but I don't know how it connects to the lamps. Do you have any idea which wire and how it connects to the lamps?
If you don't know maybe someone reading this can help.I just need to get the stop lights to work and I'm done.
Thanks Paul for your great help and to any others that can help.

Y-Blockhead beat me to it, I type too slow.

What you've done seems to match the wiring diagram at this link...
http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/tOCMP/wiring/5765wiring%20diagrams/Ford/MWire5765-195.jpg

Orange/blue stripe - Right brake & signal
Green/orange stripe - Left brake & signal
Yellow solid - fuel tank sender
Black solid - Tail & license plate lights
Black/blue - shows in the above linked diagram to be for the interior / dome light circuit

The turn signal & brake light filament in the rear bulbs is shared between those two functions and controlled by the turn signal switch.

Since the turn signals in the rear both work that shows the wiring for the brake lights is intact from the turn signal switch to the back of the car.
Next check that there is power to and thru the brake light switch, from there brake light power goes into the turn signal switch.
I don't know where the brake light switch is on a (modified) '55 Ranch Wagon. It may be hydraulic and mounted in a Tee in the brake lines below the master cyl & to the rear of the steering box, or a mechanical switch above the brake pedal.

 

[poolplayer1]

Thanks Y-Blockhead and dmsfrr for your help.This is great help to me and I have just now learned a lot from you guys. Also from others that have helped me quite a bit.
The stop light switch is mounted on the master cylinder and its new. With the link to the schematic that you posted here,I should be able to trace the problem. I'm going to stay with it until I get the stop lights working. Talk to you soon.

 

[poolplayer1]

I have my stop lights working again.The problem was the wire that goes from the stop switch back to the signal light switch.That wire goes from the stop switch to a wire connect block and from there,to the signal light switch.The problem was within that wire connection block.I cut off the wire going into the block and going out.I than spliced both wires together with butt connectors.All is good now. Also,I removed the speedometer drive gear from the ****** and its yellow in color and has 18 teeth.It has a part # C-18T-2.I guess it indicates its a 18 teeth gear.I saw some on ebay and will order on Monday. Thanks to all of you guys that helped with good info and the schematic.It was a great help.

 

[Kahuna]

Regarding your tire size: Are you sure it's a 14" tire?

 

[poolplayer1]

Yes,they are 14" tires.I have them mounted on a 14" chrome spoke wheel.
This is the 3rd set of tires that I put on this 55. I have made quite a few changes to it,including the engine and converting from a 6v to a 12v system.

 

[poolplayer1]

Does anyone here have a 6v original fuel gauge for my 55 ford wagon that I can buy?Mine quit completely.The sending unit is original and I tested it and its ok.Also the wiring from and to the sending unit is ok.I found a 12v gauge on ebey but don't know if it will work ok with the 6v sending unit.Do you any of you have any suggestions on this/
Thanks for your help.

 

[KULTULZ]

1955 FORD 6V - B5A 9280-A may help you look.

 

[dmsfrr]

Does anyone here have a 6v original fuel gauge for my 55 ford wagon that I can buy?Mine quit completely.The sending unit is original and I tested it and its ok.Also the wiring from and to the sending unit is ok.I found a 12v gauge on ebey but don't know if it will work ok with the 6v sending unit.Do you any of you have any suggestions on this/
Thanks for your help.

Do the 6v '55 gas gauges all look the same between the different models? Do you have a photo of yours? Some of the T-Bird parts houses sell reproduction gauges.
A '55 gauge and sender setup should work fine on 12v but the chances of it reading the tank right would be best if they are a year matched pair. They work on current generated heat.

One of my parts catalogs shows the look-alike 6v '55 & 12v '56 fuel gauges have a different internal resistance. '55 = 11/12 ohms and '56 = 38/40 ohms.
.

 

[poolplayer1]

Thanks Kultulz and dmsfrr for your help.Now that I have the part # for the 6v gauge,I am going to try and see if I can locate one.I noticed that the internal resistance of the 6 and 12 volt gauges is different.Therefore,the 12v gauge would not register correctly because of the difference in the internal res.I will keep checking.