Big Blue's Transformation

[ArdWrknTrk]

Interesting that Darth's frame had the holes for the later parts that are from an 8 year newer truck.

Bill, Ford did seem to plan ahead... my son's 1984 F150 with 4.9L engine [all original] has the valve cover with the lower area in the middle for the F.I. intake plenum, which did not "arrive" until 1987. The valve cover on my 1986 4.9L was the same.

I'm sure they also took advantage of any existing features to reduce tooling costs on later models.

I'm not sure what went on at the frame stamping plant, but often there have to be holes for locating pins to keep the steel in place while that huge stamping press slams parts into shape.

[Gary Lewis]

I'm sure they also took advantage of any existing features to reduce tooling costs on later models.

I'm not sure what went on at the frame stamping plant, but often there have to be holes for locating pins to keep the steel in place while that huge stamping press slams parts into shape.

Got a bit more done, and am now awaiting the battery charger getting the starting battery up to snuff so I can test the fuel sending units. (Please don't ask what idiot left the key on, although the battery was supposed to be disconnected. )

With the tanks absolutely dry the sending units should be @ 22.5 ohms when the tank is empty - and 145 ohms full. Given that I expect the gauge to read close to Full when the tanks are dry. We shall see.

In the interim, here's the report to this point. First, I got the fuel line stay installed under the bell housing bolt, remembering to put PTE on the threads again. Then I spent a grueling time leaning way over the engine and getting a 6mm bolt started into the stay through the rubber-lined hose clamps.

Once that was done I checked below to see how the lines cleared the pinch weld. The supply, which is on the right in this pic, clears nicely but the return only clears by 1/8". However, it is held down to the tranny pretty tightly due to the curve of the hose. Still....

So I added a split hose on the pinch weld. It won't go anywhere as the fuel line is pushing up against it. I doubt the cab would hit the line, but having the hose protecting it makes me feel better.

Then I moved on to the regulator itself. Here 'tis with the carb on and it is all plumbed up:

Now, if I could just get the fuel sending units tested I'd pour gas in and see if by jumpering that oil pressure switch I could get fuel pressure.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Got a bit more done, and am now awaiting the battery charger getting the starting battery up to snuff so I can test the fuel sending units. (Please don't ask what idiot left the key on, although the battery was supposed to be disconnected. )

With the tanks absolutely dry the sending units should be @ 22.5 ohms when the tank is empty - and 145 ohms full. Given that I expect the gauge to read close to Full when the tanks are dry. We shall see.

In the interim, here's the report to this point. First, I got the fuel line stay installed under the bell housing bolt, remembering to put PTE on the threads again. Then I spent a grueling time leaning way over the engine and getting a 6mm bolt started into the stay through the rubber-lined hose clamps.

Once that was done I checked below to see how the lines cleared the pinch weld. The supply, which is on the right in this pic, clears nicely but the return only clears by 1/8". However, it is held down to the tranny pretty tightly due to the curve of the hose. Still....

So I added a split hose on the pinch weld. It won't go anywhere as the fuel line is pushing up against it. I doubt the cab would hit the line, but having the hose protecting it makes me feel better.

Then I moved on to the regulator itself. Here 'tis with the carb on and it is all plumbed up:

Now, if I could just get the fuel sending units tested I'd pour gas in and see if by jumpering that oil pressure switch I could get fuel pressure.

Hope you didn't melt the coil, leaving the key on. 😕

My gauge reads below empty when full and about 7/16 when empty. (I'm using Bullnose senders with my Bricknose gauge)

I'm ready to follow along when you start to figure out the Arduino for correcting this mismatch. 😉

[ArdWrknTrk]

Got a bit more done, and am now awaiting the battery charger getting the starting battery up to snuff so I can test the fuel sending units. (Please don't ask what idiot left the key on, although the battery was supposed to be disconnected. )

With the tanks absolutely dry the sending units should be @ 22.5 ohms when the tank is empty - and 145 ohms full. Given that I expect the gauge to read close to Full when the tanks are dry. We shall see.

In the interim, here's the report to this point. First, I got the fuel line stay installed under the bell housing bolt, remembering to put PTE on the threads again. Then I spent a grueling time leaning way over the engine and getting a 6mm bolt started into the stay through the rubber-lined hose clamps.

Once that was done I checked below to see how the lines cleared the pinch weld. The supply, which is on the right in this pic, clears nicely but the return only clears by 1/8". However, it is held down to the tranny pretty tightly due to the curve of the hose. Still....

So I added a split hose on the pinch weld. It won't go anywhere as the fuel line is pushing up against it. I doubt the cab would hit the line, but having the hose protecting it makes me feel better.

Then I moved on to the regulator itself. Here 'tis with the carb on and it is all plumbed up:

Now, if I could just get the fuel sending units tested I'd pour gas in and see if by jumpering that oil pressure switch I could get fuel pressure.

Where do you get these 'should be' numbers?

Did you ohm out the senders before installation?

Just curious, because my senders were obviously junk when I replaced the tanks, and I hadn't seen those numbers before.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Where do you get these 'should be' numbers?

Did you ohm out the senders before installation?

Just curious, because my senders were obviously junk when I replaced the tanks, and I hadn't seen those numbers before.

I'm wrong on those numbers. The 1987 EVTM says "If the Gauge System Tester is unavailable, check gage calibration with 210 ohm (high) and 10 ohm (low) resistors." (Yes, the tester is spelled "gauge" and Ford refers to a guage as "gage".) So I take that to mean that the sender should have 210 ohms when the tank is full and 10 ohms at empty.

Similarly the '85 EVTM says 10 ohms on high and 73 ohms on low. So the 7/8 tank reading I got with the tanks dry is a bit low as it should have shown Full. And it is interesting that you mention 7/16's as that is the reading I get with 5 gallons in the front tank.

Unfortunately I get that reading on both tanks with 5 gallons in the front and and the rear tank dry. So the relay isn't working.

 

[Gary Lewis]

I'm wrong on those numbers. The 1987 EVTM says "If the Gauge System Tester is unavailable, check gage calibration with 210 ohm (high) and 10 ohm (low) resistors." (Yes, the tester is spelled "gauge" and Ford refers to a guage as "gage".) So I take that to mean that the sender should have 210 ohms when the tank is full and 10 ohms at empty.

Similarly the '85 EVTM says 10 ohms on high and 73 ohms on low. So the 7/8 tank reading I got with the tanks dry is a bit low as it should have shown Full. And it is interesting that you mention 7/16's as that is the reading I get with 5 gallons in the front tank.

Unfortunately I get that reading on both tanks with 5 gallons in the front and and the rear tank dry. So the relay isn't working.

No, I didn't burn the coil out. How can I tell - it isn't installed. I pulled it a few days ago to put the fuel rail on as it sits where the front of the rail goes.

I just jumpered across the oil pressure switch and the front pump didn't come on. So I checked and there's no juice to that switch. In fact, there's no power to the coil's horseshoe bracket.

So, somewhere I have something wrong that is preventing power from getting to the fuel pump circuit, which is probably why the sender relay isn't working, and is also preventing power from getting to the ignition.

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

No, I didn't burn the coil out. How can I tell - it isn't installed. I pulled it a few days ago to put the fuel rail on as it sits where the front of the rail goes.

I just jumpered across the oil pressure switch and the front pump didn't come on. So I checked and there's no juice to that switch. In fact, there's no power to the coil's horseshoe bracket.

So, somewhere I have something wrong that is preventing power from getting to the fuel pump circuit, which is probably why the sender relay isn't working, and is also preventing power from getting to the ignition.

If that's the case, what could have taken down that ginormus battery?

Don't you have all this set up on a master relay? or am I misremembering again?

Start at the PDC and go to the ignition switch from there.

Does the 'key on' section of the fuse panel have power with the key in run?

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

I'm wrong on those numbers. The 1987 EVTM says "If the Gauge System Tester is unavailable, check gage calibration with 210 ohm (high) and 10 ohm (low) resistors." (Yes, the tester is spelled "gauge" and Ford refers to a guage as "gage".) So I take that to mean that the sender should have 210 ohms when the tank is full and 10 ohms at empty.

Similarly the '85 EVTM says 10 ohms on high and 73 ohms on low. So the 7/8 tank reading I got with the tanks dry is a bit low as it should have shown Full. And it is interesting that you mention 7/16's as that is the reading I get with 5 gallons in the front tank.

Unfortunately I get that reading on both tanks with 5 gallons in the front and and the rear tank dry. So the relay isn't working.

The numbers I've seem bandied about are 16-17 and anywhere from 158-165 ohms for the Bricknose senders.

My truck reads just a bit below half when my tank is dry.

[Gary Lewis]

If that's the case, what could have taken down that ginormus battery?

Don't you have all this set up on a master relay? or am I misremembering again?

Start at the PDC and go to the ignition switch from there.

Does the 'key on' section of the fuse panel have power with the key in run?

No, I don't have a master relay.

But, here's what I think happened. I didn't have the positive cables on either battery so there's no way that leaving the key on drained the battery. But, I did have a little Battery Tender on that battery. However a couple of weeks ago I noticed that the lights were out on it and played with it enough to find out it was dead. No blown fuse or anything, just DEAD. So I threw it away.

I think the Battery Tender drained that battery. The battery was at 2 1/2 volts when I checked today, but with my charger set on 10 amps it was up to 11.6 volts when I started testing. However, when I finally got a bit of load on it the voltage dropped to 9.5, so the load was obviously over 10 amps and the battery couldn't support it. I'll leave the charger on over night and hope for better results tomorrow.

But, I did do some testing. Turns out that my ignition switch has two On positions. And the first one brings on the gauges but not the ignition. I was checking fuses when I discovered that, and with the key in the On position that brings on the ignition I jumpered the oil pressure switch and heard the fuel pump relay come in. But, the pump didn't run, or at least I couldn't hear it and we didn't have pressure on the gauge.

And, that would explain why the fuel gauge relay didn't work - no juice to it. So tomorrow, hopefully with a charged battery, I can do some more testing.

[ArdWrknTrk]

No, I don't have a master relay.

But, here's what I think happened. I didn't have the positive cables on either battery so there's no way that leaving the key on drained the battery. But, I did have a little Battery Tender on that battery. However a couple of weeks ago I noticed that the lights were out on it and played with it enough to find out it was dead. No blown fuse or anything, just DEAD. So I threw it away.

I think the Battery Tender drained that battery. The battery was at 2 1/2 volts when I checked today, but with my charger set on 10 amps it was up to 11.6 volts when I started testing. However, when I finally got a bit of load on it the voltage dropped to 9.5, so the load was obviously over 10 amps and the battery couldn't support it. I'll leave the charger on over night and hope for better results tomorrow.

But, I did do some testing. Turns out that my ignition switch has two On positions. And the first one brings on the gauges but not the ignition. I was checking fuses when I discovered that, and with the key in the On position that brings on the ignition I jumpered the oil pressure switch and heard the fuel pump relay come in. But, the pump didn't run, or at least I couldn't hear it and we didn't have pressure on the gauge.

And, that would explain why the fuel gauge relay didn't work - no juice to it. So tomorrow, hopefully with a charged battery, I can do some more testing.

2.5V !?!?

Even though it's had that much time to recover, being disconnected from the tender.

Offff, that's got to be hard to come back from, for a starting battery!

And that one is an expensive monster.

I think your truck has an ON position and a RUN position... as was pointed out to me when someone had to change their lock cylinder recently.

So, maybe a little wiring correction is in order?

Better to find out these little issues now.