GEM-what'll fit?
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Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Michigan
GEM-what'll fit?
Pulled the GEM today. Wet but not really corroded.
I got one out of a 1999 f 150 today for 5 bucks with the fuse box on it.
Anyone know if it will fit a 1997?? If not then what years might?
thanks, bullseye670....................
I got one out of a 1999 f 150 today for 5 bucks with the fuse box on it.
Anyone know if it will fit a 1997?? If not then what years might?
thanks, bullseye670....................
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 10,511
Likes: 10
From: Under the flightpath of old ORD 22R
Dude, that is BAD @SS !!! 
I want to say that the 97 is a '97 or '98 item. '99 is the one odd ball, some left over '97-'98 stuff, and some pre '00-'03 stuff. That is what the electrical diagrams that I have come across tell me ( that might not be GEM specific ).
You can pull a '99 owners manual, and do a stare and comapre to your OM for the fuse section for the Central Junction box, to see if theya re the same.
When you say "not really corroded" is this cleanable ( both sides GEM and fuse ) or is it toast ?
If the pins are not trashed, and you don't want to pay the USD$ 250-350 for a new one, this could be worth a try to clean the pins ( something like #0000 steel wool ? ) and use dielectric grease to put it back together, and see what happens ?
If the pins are too far gone, it could be a waste of removing the GEM.
Let us know, maybe Steve83 will be by in the AM, to offer a better opinion, on if you should even try cleaning the lot, and reassy.
Also, if you could please take some ( A LOT ) of pictures of the deinstall, they would be worth the weight in gold to some other members here. This would be a first that I have seen. So far, only text of the job has been posted.
If you don't have a gallery here, drop me an email via my profile, and I will post them !
I want to say that the 97 is a '97 or '98 item. '99 is the one odd ball, some left over '97-'98 stuff, and some pre '00-'03 stuff. That is what the electrical diagrams that I have come across tell me ( that might not be GEM specific ).
You can pull a '99 owners manual, and do a stare and comapre to your OM for the fuse section for the Central Junction box, to see if theya re the same.
When you say "not really corroded" is this cleanable ( both sides GEM and fuse ) or is it toast ?
If the pins are not trashed, and you don't want to pay the USD$ 250-350 for a new one, this could be worth a try to clean the pins ( something like #0000 steel wool ? ) and use dielectric grease to put it back together, and see what happens ?
If the pins are too far gone, it could be a waste of removing the GEM.
Let us know, maybe Steve83 will be by in the AM, to offer a better opinion, on if you should even try cleaning the lot, and reassy.
Also, if you could please take some ( A LOT ) of pictures of the deinstall, they would be worth the weight in gold to some other members here. This would be a first that I have seen. So far, only text of the job has been posted.
If you don't have a gallery here, drop me an email via my profile, and I will post them !
Thread Starter
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Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 187
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From: Michigan
Pictures. No problem. Glad you mentioned it. I forget to take any when I did a similar job on the door code buttons.
Its already removed but I can take pics on the put back in and possible just reverse for the disasemble.
Both fuse panels and GEMs look the same. Gem is slightly different plastic box but otherwise looks identical.
Both have 4x2 f150 on them. There is a code on both. Three different sets of numbers. The middle and longer code matchs. The prefix and post numbers look different. Possible just a location or such. I will look inside both and compare.
Going to pull the windshield tonight if I get time.
Actually I don't see any corrosion on any connectors. There are the 2 large plugs on the very bottom that are held in with bolts. One of the had water in it. Deffinety wet, but not corroded. The one side of the solder board does look a little dark, not burnt-just not as shinny as the other end.
I will be most likely cleaning up the old one and trying it out again. Nothing really looks bad. Like I said though, I couldn't NOT buy the new parts at that price.
Going back on monday and finish removing the upper dash. My old one had some broken mounts that cause rattles. Hope to pay a similar price. Should be under 20 bucks. (hopefully). I took the speedo for 10 bucks already. Got the worn out ket cylinder the other day as well, also 4.95. That came out of a 97 mercury sable but fit exactly, works fine. Had new looking factory key in it.
I'll get back to ya, bullseye670...................
Its already removed but I can take pics on the put back in and possible just reverse for the disasemble.
Both fuse panels and GEMs look the same. Gem is slightly different plastic box but otherwise looks identical.
Both have 4x2 f150 on them. There is a code on both. Three different sets of numbers. The middle and longer code matchs. The prefix and post numbers look different. Possible just a location or such. I will look inside both and compare.
Going to pull the windshield tonight if I get time.
Actually I don't see any corrosion on any connectors. There are the 2 large plugs on the very bottom that are held in with bolts. One of the had water in it. Deffinety wet, but not corroded. The one side of the solder board does look a little dark, not burnt-just not as shinny as the other end.
I will be most likely cleaning up the old one and trying it out again. Nothing really looks bad. Like I said though, I couldn't NOT buy the new parts at that price.
Going back on monday and finish removing the upper dash. My old one had some broken mounts that cause rattles. Hope to pay a similar price. Should be under 20 bucks. (hopefully). I took the speedo for 10 bucks already. Got the worn out ket cylinder the other day as well, also 4.95. That came out of a 97 mercury sable but fit exactly, works fine. Had new looking factory key in it.
I'll get back to ya, bullseye670...................
Technical Article Contributor
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 10,511
Likes: 10
From: Under the flightpath of old ORD 22R
Originally Posted by bullseye670
...<snip>... I forget to take any when I did a similar job on the door code buttons....<snip>...
https://www.f150online.com/galleries...w.cfm?num=2010
Right click save as or email me if you want the source pictures.
Originally Posted by bullseye670
...<snip>... Actually I don't see any corrosion on any connectors. There are the 2 large plugs on the very bottom that are held in with bolts. One of them had water in it. Deffinety wet, but not corroded. The one side of the solder board does look a little dark, not burnt-just not as shinny as the other end.
I will be most likely cleaning up the old one and trying it out again. Nothing really looks bad. Like I said though, I couldn't NOT buy the new parts at that price.....<snip>...
I will be most likely cleaning up the old one and trying it out again. Nothing really looks bad. Like I said though, I couldn't NOT buy the new parts at that price.....<snip>...
Seems like you are very lucky. Cheap part that appears to be a replacement, and you caught the problem soon enough to do something about it.
Good luck getting the additional items for your truck. They sound like a good bunch of guys to do business with. The large junk yard by me would want 50% of new for one that sat out in the weather, and looks worse then yours
