Restore of my 1986 Bronco XLT

[ArdWrknTrk]

Carburetors are a long solved problem.
Newer gaskets are Teflon coated, O-rings and diaphragms are epdm too.

One big problem the drag racers had was methanol eating the zinc out of brass jets and zamak bodies, but Holley and Weber/Edelbrock sell aluminium body carbs and you can get stainless steel jets easy enough.

As with any of these modifications because of the cost of fuel we tend to hit efficiency limits long before any payoff.
I see this when people want to swap an overdrive gearbox, aluminium heads so they can run lower octane fuel, whatever.
Not many can simply accept that they are driving a heavy, un-aerodynamic beast with 65 year old engine technology.

You can put lipstick on a pig.
You can even have cosmetic surgery done.
Nothing you do is going to change that it's a pig.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, it is possible to set the type of fuel in the EEC-V ECU via Binary Editor.  In the Binary Editor Help document Page 24 tells you how, as shown below.

But that isn't going to be easy to do at the gas station.  You have to shut the vehicle down, connect the laptop, and write a new file into the ECU.  That takes several minutes, and there is a chance you will "brick" the ECU in doing it - I did.  If that happens it may or may not run depending on when it failed in the write of the new code.  In my case it ran but belched black smoke all the way home and had no power.

I suspect the latter was because I'm running slightly larger injectors than stock, so the factory table of how long to hold the injector open made the mix rich.  But if you are going to run E85 you'll need injectors that are at least 1.5 times the stock ones (14.64/9.75) in order to get the right AFR.  So the factory table is going to be way off.

I'm not saying that you cannot run E85.  But I think the idea of changing the code in the ECU each time you fill up with different fuel is going to be a pain.  You won't have 100% of the new fuel, so that AFR for that tank won't be "right".

I'm with Jim - I drive a very inefficient truck that is not going to be economical to drive.  But I'm not driving it for economy.  I'm driving it because I like it and I'm willing to pay the extra money to do so.  It has enough power, but I could have had more power and efficiency if I'd have put more money into it when I built it, but I picked a middle-of-the-road approach that will do the job and last a long time.  And I'll use the money I saved in the build to pay for fuel.

[Gary Lewis]

As I think about it, Binary Editor is not the only way of programming an EEC-V ECU.  I looked at TunerPro after I bought Binary Editor and found that it has some options that I don't think BE has.

One option I think I saw was for the folks that wrote TunerPro to write a special set of code for you.  It was expensive, like maybe $2k, but maybe I'm not remembering correctly.  Anyway, I wonder if they have a way to monitor a switch connected to an unused pin on the ECU's connector to change the desired AFR?

Having written code before I can see that would be easily done.  Just monitor the input and write one of two pre-set numbers into the memory location.  Maybe just check it once on startup or maybe check it each time through the loop.

But you'd still have the issue of not having a tank of pure fuel.  You'd always have some residual of the last tank, so there will be a blend.  In a Bronco with a 32 gallon tank the best you'd have would be to have maybe 2 gallons left of the old stuff, so you'd have a 94% pure mix: (32-2)/32 = 94%.

I don't know anything about TunerPro, but maybe Bill does?

[85lebaront2]

Gary, I was waiting on you to use it and tell me how it worked, ie easier/harder than BE, capabilities etc. As for me doing anything, it will have to wait on my back surgery/recovery as either the engine change needs to happen or the heads may need to be changed (I have an extra set of F3 heads, but there are a few bad exhaust manifold bolt holes that will need something done to them).

There is a 16 year old that I may be able to enlist for the lifting/carrying of the heads.

[Gary Lewis]

I'm happy with BE, Bill.  Might have gone with TunerPro if I had to make the decision in a vacuum, but with you already having gone with BE that was a no-brainer.

As for your surgery, I pray that goes well.  But if you are talking about changing the heads on your 460, you'd better get that 16 yo to do the heavy lifting or use a shop crane.  Those things are HEAVY!

If you have F3's then I'd send them out to be refurb'd.  Or drill & Helicoil them yourself.  But if you send them out they could lap the valves and put new seals on.  Or you could.

Heal up.  We need to talk about this stuff I've got sitting here for you.  But not on Rene's thread.

[ReneH]

Hi together,

it has taken a while for me to answer as we are still in holidays.

@Jim: I know, what I'm driving and I love it! But as here in Europe everything changing regarding the fuel-types and taxes, I only will be save, that I can drive on. And if I'm able to save money, I'm a friend of it.

@Gary and Bill
That sounds good! Maybe we'll find a way to create a good setup. I think with two tanks, this is maybe possible.

@Bill
I also wish you the best for your surgery! Let's write, when you're fit again cause of the EEC-V and the MAF, we're talked about some weeks ago.

[Gary Lewis]

Have a good trip!  Buy a house there?  

[85lebaront2]

On the F3 heads, I have (A) an old Souix valve grinder and (B) the seat refacing griners and guide inserts. Yes, shop crane or 16 year old, who actually has a job, he is working at the Food Lion in town.

He also does lawns, since my Ford YT16H had developed an electrical gremlin, It wasn't running unless I chrarged the battery (It takes a group 26 or similar). I hired him to do it and he came on the 12th and did a great job and apologised he couldn't use the rider, had to use a push mower and his string trimmer was dead at that time. I have two Husqvarna trimmers, one Mary's cousin gave me not working and said if you can fix it, keep it, if not throw it away. It ran great once I cleaned it. So I replaced the missing engine shrouds and shield for the cutting head. He went to every corner, up to the foundation. For the lawn he charged $20, said he normally gets $10 for trimming but no charge.

On Rene's thread, I have an EEC-V from a 351 van W/E4OD and an 80mm MAF that was sold to me on eBay as a 90mm condition unknown. It had a bad sensor, but I have enough MAFs I just swapped sensors (matched PNs) with a good one.

[ReneH]

So, I have a little problem now, as we're still in holidays and having all our baggage in the trunk...

I'm unable to sink the tailgate window...if I have the headlights on, I see that there is current applied, when trying to move the window down, but the window doesn't move.

So it seems not to be a problem of a limiter switch...

Does anyone have a hint for me?

[Gary Lewis]

I'm guessing that it is a ground problem because in my experience things like "this happens when I do that" are grounding problems.  And usually I've found that one device is using the other as a ground until you turn the 2nd one on and then it is no longer a ground.

The page below shows the ground for the rear window's motor to be G701 and in the EVTM the page after that shows G701 to be the one on the firewall basically behind the radio.  I would check that ground and the one on the other side of the firewall where there is supposed to be a ground wire from the engine to the firewall near the windshield wiper motor.

[grumpin]

It could be trying to move the window motor and its bad and that's why you're seeing a current draw.

[ReneH]

Yes, that was my first though...I don't hope so, cause we have to get out all the baggage over the rear bench. And it's also very loud on the highway, if you can't open the tailgate window...

I have all tools with me, including a multimeter...

[ReneH]

I'll try that later, the car is currently in an underground car park, so I can work on it relatively good.

I haven't connected the driver's tailgate switch, cause it was bad in my unit...but I can reconnect it to check, if this helps.

Maybe also one of the connectors is bad or has a too high resistance...

The thing, that make me pensive, is that everything was good when we started. Then, I think three days ago, I've parked the car in the blazing sun and we went to the beach. When we're back some hours later, the window won't move, but i can hear my relays click, when turning the key in the tailgate or using my remote...

While driving back to our friends, I tried to lower the window without success...some miles later it suddenly works again...so I haven't checked anything...

[ReneH]

I've searched the ground inside the engine bay...but I'm not sure where it should be near the wiper motor.

But I'm relatively sure, that ground connection is given...the light won't get darker, unless there is much current flowing...so as this is the fact, there seems something wrong with the motor...I think I have to remove the panel of the tailgate and try to help the motor going down...maybe it stucks? Is this possible?

Is there another way to get the window down?

[Gary Lewis]

It sounds like a poor connection that changes with differing conditions.  I'd be pulling connections apart to check or clean them.

But I don't know how else to get the window down.

[viven44]

Can you try pushing in on the left side of the tailgate?

Sometimes that latch can be sort of open and prevent closing the switch  which cuts power to the motor… you may need 1 person to push on that side and the other to operate the switch

The way to get the window down is by removing the inner panel and finding the harness from the motor…. Apply 12v and ground to the 2 pin harness… if it goes up, reverse the polarity, that should make it come down … usually those motors are very sturdy.

If you hear it spinning but no movement then the inner plastic gears are bad and you will need to change them or change the motor

[mat in tn]

there is this thing that happens to fuel pumps as they are getting old/weak. they need help starting. bang on the fuel tank with fist or rubber mallet and try again and often the shock rattles the motor enough to start.
 the window motors are basically no different and that may explain it starting to work again on the way back. you hit a couple bumps! I'm one who will pull a motor apart and regrease the end bearings, polish the contacts and inspect the brushes. look for loose magnets also. but that's only after all else is proven to the motor.

[viven44]

If it works after hitting a bump, then the switch on the left latch is probably not in full contact... so definitely try pushing on that left tailgate side and try to bring down the window...

That motor is pretty robust in my experience... usually the plastic gears are the first things to go... but you will still hear it spin though if thats the case..

This image below shows the plastic gears getting chewed up
https://images.app.goo.gl/PHs7taReqAvcSVzY8

[viven44]

Good to know Matt, my rear fuel tank's pump is old as can be.. The gauge doesn't work anymore. I will add a rubber mallet to the tool box now

[ReneH]

Ok, I will try this again, cause this was also my first idea. But in my opinion, it speaks against it, that I always could close the window, but not open it anymore...

The motor and the gears haven't made any suspicious sounds before...