Octane Adjust Shorting Bar.... C110
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,748
Likes: 16
From: Connecticut
Originally posted by Rockledge
Hi fordman, welcome to FTE!
A '99 Ranger does have an Octane Adjust Shorting Bar.
Hi fordman, welcome to FTE!
A '99 Ranger does have an Octane Adjust Shorting Bar.
Tommorow should be bright and sunny so I will try and take a good look then, and I'll let you know what I find.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,748
Likes: 16
From: Connecticut
Well, this morning I looked real good for an Octane Adjust Short Bar on my '98 Ranger and I could not find one.
I'm not sure if that means that newer Rangers don't come with them, or if the 4.0L motor does not come with them.
When I get my 3.0L vulcan Taurus back on loan from my sister, I will check for an octane short bar on that engine. Also, I'll try to remember to take a better look at the one on my '94 SHO to see how it's made up.
I'm not sure if that means that newer Rangers don't come with them, or if the 4.0L motor does not come with them.
When I get my 3.0L vulcan Taurus back on loan from my sister, I will check for an octane short bar on that engine. Also, I'll try to remember to take a better look at the one on my '94 SHO to see how it's made up.
New User
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
I have a '99 Ranger and I belive the "jumper" at the end of the Octane Adjust Shortening Bar has been removed. If this is the case, does anyone know where I could purchase a new "jumper" for the end of it instead of manually shorting it out with a piece of metal, etc. Just need the jumper only.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,860
Likes: 4
From: Metro Detroit (Redford)
Wow, this is great. I hope my '92 Aerostar 3.0 has one because it pings and I can't loosen the badly rusted distributor hold down bolt. Thanks.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,860
Likes: 4
From: Metro Detroit (Redford)
Originally Posted by TallPaul
Wow, this is great. I hope my '92 Aerostar 3.0 has one because it pings and I can't loosen the badly rusted distributor hold down bolt. Thanks.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,860
Likes: 4
From: Metro Detroit (Redford)
Last month I looked all over for this connector and yesterday I found it plain as day. So if my knock comes back (Aerostar 3.0, '92) I will pull out the bar.
BTW, I notice to check the timing you are supposed to disconnect the "In-Line Spout Connector." What is that?
BTW, I notice to check the timing you are supposed to disconnect the "In-Line Spout Connector." What is that?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,748
Likes: 16
From: Connecticut
Checking my '93 Manual, I see that there is a Pink (PK) wire that runs to and from the SPOUT connector.
SPOUT is the signal from the PCM to the Ignition Control Module which directs the ICM when to fire the coils. As noted above, there is an in-line connector, the "SPOUT Connector", that looks a lot like the Octane Adjust Shorting Bar. When the SPOUT Connector is pulled, the PCM defaults the ignition timing to 10* BTDC.
SPOUT is the signal from the PCM to the Ignition Control Module which directs the ICM when to fire the coils. As noted above, there is an in-line connector, the "SPOUT Connector", that looks a lot like the Octane Adjust Shorting Bar. When the SPOUT Connector is pulled, the PCM defaults the ignition timing to 10* BTDC.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,860
Likes: 4
From: Metro Detroit (Redford)
Originally Posted by Rockledge
Checking my '93 Manual, I see that there is a Pink (PK) wire that runs to and from the SPOUT connector.
SPOUT is the signal from the PCM to the Ignition Control Module which directs the ICM when to fire the coils. As noted above, there is an in-line connector, the "SPOUT Connector", that looks a lot like the Octane Adjust Shorting Bar. When the SPOUT Connector is pulled, the PCM defaults the ignition timing to 10* BTDC.
SPOUT is the signal from the PCM to the Ignition Control Module which directs the ICM when to fire the coils. As noted above, there is an in-line connector, the "SPOUT Connector", that looks a lot like the Octane Adjust Shorting Bar. When the SPOUT Connector is pulled, the PCM defaults the ignition timing to 10* BTDC.
Anyway, the connector I found looks like what is in your diagram above and I will compare it tonight to make sure. Regardless, if the knock comes back I will pull the "bar" or "spout" whichever it is and see what happens.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,860
Likes: 4
From: Metro Detroit (Redford)
Well, it still pings, so I pulled the connector out from the thingy that looks like the octane shorting bar. It totally cured the knock. Absolutely no knock, but .... the thing has a shaky idle, not major, but within 20 or 30 rpms the needle will shake just like an old person with Parkenson's diease. I could live with that because it did not cause a rough idle, but the other problem was when I mat the pedal and wind it out in first gear it doesn't want to shift and acts like it is not running right, almost sputtering, and then will shift when I let up on the pedal.
My guess is it is the SPOUT connector, which defaults the thing to 10 degrees timing and that it is defaulting to 10 degrees across the board, which would cause it to sputter at high rpm because by then it likely is retarded 17 degrees or so if defaulting to 10. That also would explain the loss of pep.
Why no shift at high rpm? Presumably because it has a vacuum shift modulator and the severely retarded timing is affecting that. Anyway, I threw in the towel, put the connector back together, and topped it with 10 gals of 94 octane. Hopefully I can get away with 89 or 90, but that's the way it is going to be from now on.
My guess is it is the SPOUT connector, which defaults the thing to 10 degrees timing and that it is defaulting to 10 degrees across the board, which would cause it to sputter at high rpm because by then it likely is retarded 17 degrees or so if defaulting to 10. That also would explain the loss of pep.
Why no shift at high rpm? Presumably because it has a vacuum shift modulator and the severely retarded timing is affecting that. Anyway, I threw in the towel, put the connector back together, and topped it with 10 gals of 94 octane. Hopefully I can get away with 89 or 90, but that's the way it is going to be from now on.
Last edited by TallPaul; Jul 31, 2005 at 04:31 PM.
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