85lebaront2

You would still need more capacity than just the filter, the reservoir has it's return to the tanks on the top so air drawn in by the LP pumps is purged to the tank supplying it. I believe it holds about a quart of fuel and the HP pump pickup tube goes to nearly the bottom of the bowl. I couldn't find the filters I was looking for, they would be easy to open and replace the elements in the field if needed.

I thought you were going with the reservoir rather than the 6 port valve? I had two in mind, one would be the standard old in-line fuel filter and use EFI high pressure hose and full circle clamps, the other was used by Ford on the high performance engines in the 60s and has a pretty good sized paper filter inside a steel canister and uses either 5/16" or 3/8" inverted flare fittings. A pair of those in the supply lines from the tanks could be checked and changed quickly if needed. Holley did sell them, they were also on a lot of Carter fuel pumps made for Ford, my Shelby had one, stuck down like an FE engine oil filter.

Gary suggested I put these here so others can see them. The walk around was made 3 years ago, the 0-60 run 2 years ago. I recorded the walk around for a member on FTE with my Sony Camcorder and the 0-60 by starting record on my phone and holding it on top of the horn pad while going down a straight road. No Chevys were harmed during either of these recordings

The in-tank pumps have the sock on them that is all the newer pump modules use. The early (1985.5-1986) reservoir had a filter in it, the later ones do not. If you want to do that, I would get two regular large fuel filters and use one on each tank's supply to the reservoir. That way if you get some contaminated fuel you still have a clean filter for the other tank.

Jim, I fully agree with that, you can find any answer you want on the internet and at least half are wrong.

If you have a GPS it will do the same thing.

Ok, found some information, using 1989 as a MY I found: Precise 402P2485 pump only, rear steel tank low pressure says 6 psi Precise 402P2487 pump only, for 17 or 19 gal center tank says 7 psi Delphi FE0484 pump only, for steel rear tank says 2 psi Delphi FE0070 pump only, for 17 or 19 gal center tank says 36 psi Good luck with it, I would say if your in-tank pumps produce around 6-12 psi they should operate the switching valve without a problem. FWIW, the carbureted in-tank pumps are essentially centrifugal pumps, the EFI LP pumps I believe are gearotor style pumps (miniature oil pumps).

You are running into what I did on Darth originally, metal or plastic tanks, damn nightmare. Let me do some digging later. I believe the FE0127 may be either wrong or the wrong specs.

Ok, did some digging around, best I could find is the in-tank pumps are probably 9-10 psi which would probably be what you have currently since you have to drop it down for the carburetor. Location of the equipment from what I remember should be about where I circled on your picture. If you move it back about where the transmission cross member sits everything might fit and work. On the factory setup on Darth the 6 port tank selector valve was between the front end of the front tank and the frame.

One thing you may run into, I seem to remember seeing a 1989 that had the fuel lines coming in to the rail near the front of the engine due to the location of the pump and filter on the frame rail.

Deadhead one or the other and check the pressure, I am not sure what the pressure for the LP in-tank pumps is and AllData doesn't give me that, just the main pressure.

I did that with my 390, no tach, C6 had a passenger car governor by mistake (someone built it for me in payment for a Mercedes-Benz transmission I built for his shop). Damn thing wound up so far it floated the valves and started popping in both directions.

You might also want to pre-install the top bolts for the cross member gussets before you set the cab back down, they are not reachable to remove or install then.

Gary, problem is the way the fuel system was plumbed for the 1985.5-1989 trucks. The in-tank pumps deliver fuel to the reservoir/tank selector assembly on the frame, this is where the high pressure pump picks up fuel from. Excess fuel from the tank selected is returned to that tank along with the return fuel from the engine. You can either use what Ford designed, or redesign it the way you want it. If I wanted to do away with the frame pump and reservoir, I would get a pair of Chrysler turbo or V6 pumps and install them on the 1985 pump/sender units, these are 75-80 or more psi capable pumps, then use your 6 port valve, provided it can handle the pressure, to switch tanks. The problem you will have, just as the present system does, will be starving the pumps, especially the front tank, on hard acceleration, braking and inclines when low on fuel. Ford used the system on the early models so the high pressure pump would always have fuel, Chrysler uses a cute cup with the return acting as a jet pump to keep it full until the tank is pretty damn empty. Later Fords do the same with the pump module, it serves as a suction reservoir. FWIW, the high pressure pumps do not like being run dry.

Next phase after acquiring Big Ugly was to start disassembly. One of the issues I had found was either some metal eating termites or ferrotics had been attacking the sides of the bed right above the dual rear wheel fenders. After calling several junkyards I found out that the 1985-86 dually bed is unique to those years due to Ford introducing their own rear axle instead of the previous Dana unit. The changes were twofold, removable drums, no longer needed to pull the axle and disassemble the rear hub and a slightly wider track width. Anyone who has had an older DRW pickup should be familiar with the quirk of the space between the inner fenders being less than 48" meaning a 4' X 8' sheet of plywood will not sit flat. What Ford did was instead of the center line of the rear wheel set being directly behind the front wheel, the inner rear wheel is directly behind the front like a single rear would be. This allowed the bed floor and inner side walls to be the same for all long bed pickups. The upside though, Ford did not change the bed bolt locations from 1980-1997 on these trucks so any 1985-1997 DRW bed would fit. Problem is, the tailgate latch system changed in 1987 from the old plunger lock to a nice dual rotating latch like the doors used for years complete with a large round pin. I called some more yards and found a fairly nice bed for $850 from a 1996 truck that had been totaled by running onto a concrete culvert at a good clip, tore the underside up pretty badly and one fender was destroyed. I found a tailgate later so I had everything to put on. This was put on hold till some of the other stuff was done. When I started looking at the Dee Zee running boards, I found that the bed ones were somewhat precarious, the rear was supported by a piece of angle attached to the frame by a mud dauber (at least that's what it looked like) and a long brace from inside the wheel area out to it, front was on with some flimsy braces and sheet metal screws. They are strong enough now to jump on! My then 14 yo "granddaughter" was helping me as she loves working on things. She helped strip the two axles, the one from Big Ugly and the used DRW one I bought from Pete's used parts so I could install the 3.55:1 traction loc set in the housing in place of the 4.10 it had in it. She helped take the front part of the Dee Zee boards off so I could replace the rusted supports. Dee Zee no longer makes either the front or bed side running boards I have, they are extruded aluminum, newer ones are stamped and no where near as strong. They were able to supply me with mounting hardware that between the new and what I had I was able to remount them solidly. My original plan was to use the 1990 dash as it was red and matched my interior, mine had more than it's share of cracks due to the design of the 1980-86 dash so I was going to drop the 1990 in, a couple of minor glitches, first the pedal support and column mount is slightly different, two bolts securing the dash to the pedal support, minor change in the parking brake mount, but the big thing, on the 1980-86 dash, it is "built up" from a bunch of stamped metal parts with the ductwork and dash facia attached then the padded top fastened over it. This dash is attached at the top by 4 screws going into horizontal tabs at the windshield base, the 1987-97 dash attaches by 4 long screws into plastic holders that sit at an angle. Lower attachments are also different. I came up with a solution for the upper mounts, some angled brackets to duplicate the later mount. Then came electrical, I fully believe Ford's electrical design group was smoking something, or popping something when the 1980-86 front end wiring was dreamed up, first, it was a step backwards, the 1973-79 models had a front and engine harness that plugged in at the firewall, for 1980, Ford reverted to a continuous harness, started at the right headlight and battery, went back along the right inner fender than dove under the A/C casing where it went inside. The right front had several fusible links, and in 1986 thi flaming 2G alternator. After it entered the cab, it went up into the dash and crossed to the fuse box, headlight switch and ignition switch. Went out through the firewall on the left and provided a power stud for options then forward for ignition and left side lights. In order to remove the dash, all this had to be removed with it! 1987-1991 uses a round connector on the left side of the dash, still had the flaming 2G alternator, but more individual fusible links. As a result the first order of business was to get the power relocated to the left side through the round plug. In the mean time I had found a 1992 or 1993 truck at Pete's with a nicer looking dash and the same to mounting points as the 1990 dash. This truck also had a nice power distribution center underhood with maxi fuses and relays located there and some smaller fuses. There were some other similar trucks with an auxiliary relay box some with 2 some with 4 relays. Further, up through 1991, the rear chassis and frame harness along with the trailer tow option harness plug into the front harness near the firewall, from 1992-97 the rear harness has a dedicated 24 pin connector and the front harness has a 76 pin connector. Anything that goes from the front harness to the rear harness passes in one and back out to the other one. Trailer lights and marker lights are via relay and there is a trailer battery charge relay. I ended up using this system.

Yes, and that was the point I was trying to make earlier, the 1985.5-1986 pumps and tanks will be an easier solution for you due to the fuel gauge issue. Just be sure the HP pump you get is a Bosch, most of the aftermarket replacements are junk, noisy and failure prone. I stripped a neighbors wrecked 1986 F150 and kept the HP pump, Matt ended up putting it on his truck and it was still working when he sold it. On Big Blue, I suspect the front tank is already correct due to the pressure output.

I would use the 1990+ system, but there were some changes, in 1994 I believe. Best option is see if you can find a 1990-1992/3 truck, doesn't have to be a 460 for the lines and wiring that way you won't have to fabricate everything. Can we say ADHD? Jumping from EFI on Dad's truck to EFI on Big Blue (I though Edelbrock carburetors were your Holy Grail, and I seem to recall being somewhat raked over the coals on my decision to go to EFI on Darth.

Biggest problem I see will be gauges, Ford changed the gauges somewhere between 1986 and 1989, the change will probably be where the ICVR goes away. The temperature gauge apparently works with either system and the oil pressure changed from being an actual gauge to an "oil pressure indicator" sort of a reverse idiot light but, by cutting the fixed resistor out of the circuit and using the old sender it becomes a proper gauge. The fuel gauges are the problem, older gauges read empty with an open circuit, later ones read beyond full with an open circuit. As far as I know the resistance of the senders changed when the gauges changed so that would be the issue. As for the external high pressure pump, it was used from 1985.5-1989 after that it is the two high pressure in-tank pumps. The tank switching is just the dash switch and the pump modules have shuttle valves that do the change over. These also had issues, the shuttle valves would stick or leak and cause one tank to return into the other one.

Gary, I used the 1990 fuel tanks and pumps. That is the year where Ford went to high pressure in-tank pumps. Since Big Ugly was a standard cab I had to extend the fuel lines 35" so I bought a Dorman fuel line repair kit which contained bulk line and fittings. If you can find a 1985.5 to 1989 truck then you can get the 1985.5-1986 in-tank low pressure pumps and use the frame mounted reservoir and high pressure pump. If you use the early pump assemblies the senders will work with the stock gauges. Since I was originally planning on using the 1990 dash I wasn't worried about the change in fuel gauge senders.

Shouldn't be too much, remember the smoke grinder used to be driven by that belt also. At worst you could put a smooth idler on the backside of the belt to increase the wrap. I assume that the compressor is only activated when needed so spinning it too high shouldn't be a problem. You might want to add a high pressure air tank so there is a readily available charge.

Gary, here is what the converter flange should look like. The back portion is made by cutting the flange off a dead cat.

Manifolds and head pipes are different, Carbureted ports are oval and EFI are rectangular so manifolds will not swap nor with the front part of the exhaust. Unfortunately when they cut the Huck off, they chopped the converter flange which I still have and it allows me to remove the front pipes without cutting anything. That book is great, but, it only covers up to 1993 which is just about the point the EEC-IV became capable of a live data stream.

Gary, EEC-IV has the older interface, but, with the proper equipment the system will give live data so you can see what is going on. Matt had my old Snap-On MT2500 which works up til maybe 2000 YM I believe. He may consider parting with it as I don't think he has anything that it works with since he sold the Mustang.

Since you have a 4WD same year truck, then you could probably do it. As Jim pointed out, alignment is critical. The twin traction beams use leaf springs that actually twist as they deflect so the mounting point for the rear on the spring is a critical spot as it determines the location of the axle's outer end. I suspect the inner pivots mount the same as the twin I-beams do. After that, you will in all probability have to remove the coil spring bucket and transfer the shock tower from the other frame. By having both trucks, you at least can compare the parts and see what is different and also get the spacer blocks and axle bolts along with any other differences in the rear.

Gary, the vacuum doesn't seem to irregular, and given the fact that your are noticing a misfire, that could be your pulsation. FWIW, most EFI engines idle a bit faster, Darth is set to 750 if I remember correctly. I would say an SD/BF system would work great on Big Blue.