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I’m pretty sure the improvement you noticed was due to the lack of ethanol, not the higher octane. Unfortunately, ethanol-free fuel can be hard to find. I would not recommend a long trip if your truck requires it to run reliably.
As far as which octane to get if using normal fuel with ethanol, go with the lowest level on which your truck runs without pinging. Details at the link above. Higher octane fuel typically has higher levels of ethanol, too.
So out of no where today after installing a new battery and wiring in my new alternator, when my key goes to ignition, the starter engages. I swapped solenoids and it does the same thing. Would this mean the ignition tumbler/barrel is pooched? There is a very fine line between ignition, and the starter engaging on the ignition spot. Roll the key forward to start position and nothing changes.
81 F250
So here is the thing. I believe its very possible to fry your solenoid. Its grounded thru body mount and removing it from the body while tied to the battery will likely let out the smoke.
I’m pretty sure the improvement you noticed was due to the lack of ethanol, not the higher octane. Unfortunately, ethanol-free fuel can be hard to find. I would not recommend a long trip if your truck requires it to run reliably.
As far as which octane to get if using normal fuel with ethanol, go with the lowest level on which your truck runs without pinging. Details at the link above. Higher octane fuel typically has higher levels of ethanol, too.
I totally agree, the ethanol lowers the boiling point no doubt, and without it I believe the cooler temps was the truck not running lean anymore. I plan on running 87 or whatever on the trip down, I’ll keep some Octane booster with me if I notice pinging due to altitude and heat. I have parts on the way to do a return style fuel system to try and keep fuel moving rather than dead heading and boiling.
You better have 55 gallons of the booster to make any difference as it takes a lot to up the octan.
You can dump in 1 large can to 2 gallons of fuel and maybe raise the octan .5 yes .5 not 5.0!
Look up tests run in car magazines what it takes to up the octan level of fuel.
Now I will say I did run the next level up fuel at the pump when I knew I was pulling the 20' trailer as I get pinging on 87 and figured what the heck.
It stopped the pinging f the most part but I would go broke if I ran it all the time as I have 35 gallon capacity on my truck.
Before you go with a return fuel system have you tried to get the carb away from heat by using a plastic spacer and blocking off the intake cross over?
Dave ----
You better have 55 gallons of the booster to make any difference as it takes a lot to up the octan.
You can dump in 1 large can to 2 gallons of fuel and maybe raise the octan .5 yes .5 not 5.0!
Look up tests run in car magazines what it takes to up the octan level of fuel.
Now I will say I did run the next level up fuel at the pump when I knew I was pulling the 20' trailer as I get pinging on 87 and figured what the heck.
It stopped the pinging f the most part but I would go broke if I ran it all the time as I have 35 gallon capacity on my truck.
Before you go with a return fuel system have you tried to get the carb away from heat by using a plastic spacer and blocking off the intake cross over?
Dave ----
The truck does have a spacer, and I’m in the middle of putting in a 38G rear tank here shortly. I haven’t ever heard the truck ping, I did have a heavy camper on and yeah, no pinging
The truck does have a spacer, and I’m in the middle of putting in a 38G rear tank here shortly. I haven’t ever heard the truck ping, I did have a heavy camper on and yeah, no pinging
My Lexas drinks premium. Its all about suppressing the ping do to advanced timing, high compression, or ethanal. While both premium and 87 oct are around 10% ethanol, the premium blends have additives to control ping.
My Lexas drinks premium. Its all about suppressing the ping do to advanced timing, high compression, or ethanal. While both premium and 87 oct are around 10% ethanol, the premium blends have additives to control ping.
In Canada our Chevron 94 Octane is ethanol free, and some Shell stations have Ethanol 93 which is arguably better than Chevron 94. Higher Octanes typically burn slightly cooler and slower which is were the benefits come from with advancing timing. My Foxbody when it was stock ran a 12.9 in the 1/4 on 87, and a 13.2 on 94 from the slower burn and relatively low compression
So I tested for a short, multimeter on ohm/sound, neg to neg battery terminal, and positive to the S wire to thr solenoid. Bingo. Here is where I am slightly confused. I checked the plug on the ignition switch, and literally everything is a short. Battery disconnected, does this sound right?
So I tested for a short, multimeter on ohm/sound, neg to neg battery terminal, and positive to the S wire to thr solenoid. Bingo. Here is where I am slightly confused. I checked the plug on the ignition switch, and literally everything is a short. Battery disconnected, does this sound right?
This isn't a valid test.
The "S" connection on the solenoid goes to ground through the solenoid coil winding.
There's to many multiple paths back ground to use the OHM scale.
Troubleshooting is best done using the voltage scale on the meter.
Some how Key on Accessory/Lightbar wiring was interfering with the S wire. Was readjusting the ignition switch because I was at a total loss, using my lightbar switch to verify positions between ACC and Run, got it working as it should, turn the lightbar off again, and the truck would try and start. Lightbar off, key to Run, tries to start, kick on the light bar, doesn’t try and start anymore. No idea how or why now, but definitely going to rewire it all here
This isn't a valid test.
The "S" connection on the solenoid goes to ground through the solenoid coil winding.
There's to many multiple paths back ground to use the OHM scale.
Troubleshooting is best done using the voltage scale on the meter.
Have you changed out the ingition switch yet?
Jim
Sure have absolutely, I was readjusting the switch cause I was at a loss, using my lightbar and switch to find where it was happy, got it all adjusted, turned off the key, turned off the lightbar, roll the key over, same issue. Did it again, and again, and again. Then I forgot to turn the lightbar off when I rolled the key to Run, and it never tried to start, flicked the switch off, boom tried to start. So there is a backfeed there and turning the bar on killed that little bit of voltage I’m guessing, so rewiring it all now!
After charging batteries last night, after work today I tried all over again, no luck on the lightbar switch with fully juiced batteries. Ditched the multimeter and grabbed the test light and got to poking. After about 10 minutes of poking things everything seemed right, S was off the solenoid, key was on run. I took one more look at a wiring diagram and realized, hey, the factory ignition box shares the same pin as the S wire on the plug for the column ignition switch. As simple as unplugging that connection, and boom problem solved. I wanted to keep all that wiring in place along with the factory box incase my MSD box ever failed. Well… it became the issue.
Thanks everyone for your help, you’re all super super knowledgeable, it’s much appreciated!
If anyone made it this far, next week I’m going to attempt a return system that returns fuel to the correct tank using the factory dash switch in hopes I can fix my vapour lock issue, and help with starting! Let me know if there is any interest in that and I’ll do a write up on it as I install my 38 Gal rear tank!
As simple as unplugging that connection, and boom problem solved. I wanted to keep all that wiring in place along with the factory box incase my MSD box ever failed. Well… it became the issue.
Great find. Glad you got the problem sorted.
One quick clarification, please. Are you saying the MSD box itself had failed? Or was the problem due to how the MSD box was integrated with the factory harness?
next week I’m going to attempt a return system that returns fuel to the correct tank using the factory dash switch in hopes I can fix my vapour lock issue, and help with starting!
Will that be a new thread? Probably the best way to solicit help.
Please be sure to elaborate on the symptoms of “vapor lock”. I’ll wait for the new thread to elaborate on my thoughts on the subject.
Others may disagree, but I don’t think a retrofit fuel return system is needed at all for dealing with heat-related fuel problems. If you’d like, I can bore you to tears with my experiences.
One quick clarification, please. Are you saying the MSD box itself had failed? Or was the problem due to how the MSD box was integrated with the factory harness?
So none of the factory harness was used with the msd box, it was just a failure in the factory harness
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