found these as well

Fuel Tank Selector Valve - Universal | O'Reilly Auto Parts

 

yep, thats what i got. an 87 f150 super cab 5.0 efi 8 foot bed and dual fuel tanks. And it has that 6 port rascal you can only get from ford for $140. All the local parts suppliers tried to sell me an electric operated one as a substitue or said you dont need it. So that left me with dealer only. I just changed one about 13 months ago.

The only thing I noticed was the bucking, jumping, running rough, and dieing while on the road. It was random. sometimes it seemed to run fine for days and then it would act up for a few seconds off and on over a short time maybe 5 minutes to 30 minutes. I even left it with the local repair shop and they drove around town a week with no problem. I posted that back a few pages. I didnt have any black smoke that I know of. Dont remember any rough idle.

Todd could have one bad and causing gas to leak out the tank that aint selected causing the bad mpg. At the same time it would be starving the engine. I have read some posts that mentioned leaks out the filler spout. One dude just took dfr out and used one tank only rather than convert to the new style in tank units. Ive read that dropping the tanks and installing new pumps and sending units is a pain and expensive. One dude even took his bed off cause it was easier than dropping the tanks.

Todd mentioned he had done some work on one tank. I wonder if the parts place gave him the wrong pump and sending unit? I have the old DFR ( or TDV I call it ,ford part number F1UZ-9B263-B reservoir number F1UA-9B263-AA) in front of me now. the fittings on the supply lines are 1/4 inch like on the filter. Looks like Todd could just stick another filter in the supply line and bypass the DFR. The 5/16 return lines might be a little harder if you cant find a filter with 5/16 lines. The DFR is easy to change. Took me about 50 minutes but I was slow about it. Could probably have done it in 15 minutes if I wasnt piddling on other stuff at the same time.

I havn't tackled changing out my tank sending units. Both my tanks havent shown right in about 15 years. I just run until they quit bouncing around and stay on empty. That leaves about 2 to 4 gallons in each tank.

I didnt see if Todd changing the computer got rid of his -0.5 bias on the O2 signal. The heck with going to the trouble of bypassing the DFR. As much as he has already spent, another $150 bucks and 15 minutes is chump change. Buy a couple of extra fuel filters in case one of them little clips break. Seems like I have seen some at Advance in the Help! product section.

 

To Gpedens:
You wrote, "The heck with going to the trouble of bypassing the DFR. As much as he has already spent, another $150 bucks and 15 minutes is chump change." I understand what you are saying but as a rule I don't believe in just swapping out stuff. My post #200 on 15 sept explains how to bypass with fuel tubing. It is simple and will confirm if it is the DFR or not. Also - I have never found a new replacement. Normally when you google a part - any part - you will see companies listing their price for the part and there is usually several companies on the right side of the screen that sell the part. You will not find this when googling a DFR for an 87 f150. Also - the DFR is not a switch or a valve really, and the switching valve that I see as quoted for around $140 may not be the DFR. So be careful on this. If I were Todd, I would follow my steps for bypassing the DFR and prove or disprove it. Thanks.

 

here is a picture of this rascal DFR
Ford E

 

more reading here https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/4...r-valve-4.html

 

Gpedens - yep, that is DFR. As I mentioned, I have not been able to purchase a new one, and am currently going to rebuild my old one. I now manually switch tanks by reaching under the chasis and swapping the DFR bypass tubes. It is a pain but only takes me about three minutes and having two tanks is great on long trips. The best bet is to find one from a wreckers. Thanks for the images and links.

 

Yep Chas, that is what I ran into when trying to find mine. The only place I could find one that looked and functioned like the original was the local Ford dealer and it was about 140 to 150 bucks. The others were either 3 port or the 6 port electric operated and were about $100 for the 6 port. The electric one could be made to work, I just wasnt interested in rewiring. It looked like all I had to do was get a plug and parallel 3 wires to the fuel pump side of the tank selector switch. Anyway I'm on my third one in 22 years or one every 10 years. IAVs are about one every 3 1/2 years. O2 sensor every 4 years. Alternator about 7 years. Water pump 10 years. brakes 10 years.

 

Chas I notice you mention rebuilding the DFR . On the old one I have, I could not remove the valves. I could get the spring finger retainers out but no amout of pulling or plugging holes and putting air pressure on another would push out the valves. I spent a whole day looking and probing to find a hidden keeper. It was like they had been pushed in then welded in place.

 

Gpedens - yes I am going to try and rebuild the DFR, but...I have heard of only one or two successful attempts. Some will come apart and the valves will practically fall out, and others will never come out. About 80 percent of the time something else breaks. However, there is a small O ring that swells up over the years and the hole in it can be bored out with a small drill bit. Again I have only heard of one, maybe two attempts at this that worked. Basically they are a fuel storage to even out the fuel flow when swithching, AND they serve as a check valve from what I can see. I am thinking about gutting the DFR, installing some sort of small check valves (inline) and seeing if I can rig up something that will work. I am not very optimistic about it, but I am going to spend a few hours on it and see if I can get some crazy idea to work. Currently I am building a fuel line junction with manual on/off valves and installing it where the DFR was. I will have to flip the valves when I want to switch tanks but the older trucks had this setup and it works. I just cant find even a used DFR so I am going to make it happen my own way. If I think of something I will run it past you for your and others feedback. Thanks.
Chas

 

I am going to bypass that thing tomorrow. Yes Chas I am going to do it. I really don't have a clue what to do anymore so why not. I know if I knew something worked for me I would be just as persistant. So sometime tomorrow afternoon or evening we will know if that thing is the problem.

Todd

 

kart18, did changing the computer fix the -0.5 bias on the O2 signal wire? The DFR can do a lot of your symptons. I had to change mine last summer. Sweetie was a might miffed about the truck dying on her a couple of times last summer. The only symptoms I remember was the missing bad and bucking and jumping like the motor cutting on and off. but mine was intermittent. Afew seconds to a minute at most. it seemed to run fine most of the time. I just made a lucky guess on the fuel filter and saw all that nasty trash from the filter. The filter didnt cure it so only thing left was that 6 port thing with what I thought was a filter on the bottom. so i changed it too. and if worked.

 

Todd - cheer up, one way or another by tomorrow night you will be rid of me. But please follow my instructions. I wouldn't want you to swap your DFR out with another or to waste your time on doing the DFR test as shown in the manuals. Only with bypassing will you know for sure. If you are unsure about anything I posted regarding bypassing then let me know ASAP. Good luck.
Chas

 

I haven't had the voltage checked yet. I would have thought that would have made a noticable differance but it didn't. Maybe the mechanic is full of poop. I don't know but I am going to bypass that DFR tomorrow and see what happens. It's funny how things evolve. I started this thread some time ago. Never in a million years did I think it would take this long to find the problem. I almost hate to see it end. One of these times it is going to be fixed and I am going to miss coming on the forum. But like someone said, 'There is alot of good information in this post'. I hope that when this ends someone can come to this post and find something to help them. I have met (not personaly) a lot of good people on here and I want to thank each and everyone of you for all your thoughts and sugestions. Yes even you quicklook.

Todd

 

Who says ya' gotta stop visiting the forum once your truck is fixed. Pull up a chair, grab a cold one (or hot, up to you) and visit with us for a while. Surely you have much you can share and if you're like me you have much to learn.

 

Kart18, when the DFR is acting up the symtons are probably covering up the O2 bias problem. My DFR only acted up ocassionaly that I could tell. I wasnt looking for black smoke or even at my exhaust. My Sable has a no load engine rev limiter. when in neutral or park you cant rev the engine past 4000. if you hold the throttle to the floor the computer shuts off the injectors until the rpm drops back to about 3800. the bucking and jumping when it does this is kind of like the DFR not working on my truck. Except my truck rpm was probaly not more than 1500 to 2000. and the truck dont have a rpm limiter that I know of..