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Turbo'n Grandpa's 88


turbo91xlt

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1992
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videos! We want videos!!
 


Enemy

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New Fuel System

Happy 2017 all!

Been getting a few little things done on the truck and one major fix. I was having some really bad fuel starvation issues from fuel leaving the pickup area under accel after 1/3 tank, and also draining the fuel rail after 25psi and dropping pressure running e80. I thought the 340lph pump would take it a bit further but not so much. :annoyed:

For starters I picked up a new hanger and sending unit from LMC since the old sending unit was gittin a little senile lol. A little bit of dremal work on the base of the hanger and cutting down the stock feed tube, the Walbro 450 fits nice and snug. I used a stainless snap-loc tie wrap to secure the base to the hanger. The outlet of this hanger matches the 3/8 outlet of the Walbro so I didn't feel the need to increase line size here. I cut the old feed tube and flared it on the hanger, then coupled it to the pump with a piece of Gates 30R10 submersible hose and stainless clamps. The use of this hose is critical if you run e70 or more! The coupler hose that came with the Aeromotive e85 pump was spongy when I removed it. The price of the shit sucks, but you will not have to worry about the corn eating it.
http://www.gates.com/products/automotive/passenger-car-and-light-truck/fuel-system/submersible-fuel-line-hose
My somewhat local Oreilys had it in stock. Napa has a version of it as well, might be cheaper.




For the 3/8 outlet to the 1/2" fuel line I am using a stainless Swagelok fitting, I adapted my -6an return line to the factory return using the same fittings used on the GM flex sensor..
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/LS1-LT1-EFI-Fuel-Line-Fitting-6-AN-Male-to-5-16-Inch-Female-Black,60380.html


To solve the fuel pickup issue.... I first went and slammed three Moscow Mules, found a good stick to bite down on to keep the shock and pain from biting my tongue off while keeping the profanities to a minimum..... and purchased a SMALL piece of Holly Hydromat.
HOle. Lee. Shit. :shok:



The clockable lock ring is a nice touch to line it up how ya want, and it just so happens that it fits the rear tank perfectly front to back! I have tested it doing boosted pulls at 1/8 to empty tank, ZERO starvation and it will suck the tank completely dry. Sticker shock has wore off a bit...



So my fuel gauge is now fixed and the 450 Walbro is quieter than the Aromotive, and is now easily feeding it to 26 psi so far with ease. Have much retuning to do though, I was running out of fuel earlier than I though and was compensating with lots of injector pulswidth. Targeting the 30's next!!
 
Last edited:

alwaysFlOoReD

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I really like the detail and pictures you put into your posts. Care to share pricing too?
 

Enemy

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Yea no problem!
The first painful price is the Gates 30R10 hose, it's about $30 a foot lol.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/GAT0/27097.oap?ck=Search_27097_-1_-1&keyword=27097 <- This is the 3/8", if one needs 5/16" the part # is 27093
Really sucks when ya only need about 4".
I shopped around on the Walbro and found one for $100 without any supporting hardware like a wiring pigtail, connector hose or fuel sock since I didn't need any of it.
http://walbrofuelpumps.com/walbro-f90000267-fuel-pump-e85

And when a fuel pickup cost more than the pump, well now shit is just getting weird..
At Jegs for $160.. Ouchy..
http://www.jegs.com/i/Holley/510/16-111/10002/-1
Then about $45 in the end fittings for a total of around $340 minus the new sending unit and hanger. Not terrible considering what a custom fuel cell would cost I suppose. Knock the 160 dollar hydramat off if I would never get rowdy with the truck under a 1/3 tank lmao!
 

85_Ranger4x4

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Could be worse, my sender/pickup is made out of unobtanium. Under half a tank and all bets are off what it will read and how much fuel is actually in the tank. :fie:

Looking good though. :icon_thumby:
 

alwaysFlOoReD

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Just a note for other peoples;

When I built my race truck I was thinking I would need to add foam blocks to my aftermarket fuel cell. I have never found the need to add foam in over 6 years of off road racing. Granted there could be need if I was running more than a stock motor. I have a 91 ranger 4.0l EFI and before I bought any foam I pieced together a fuel system from mostly stock parts. This includes an after market low pressure pump to use as a lift pump, then a filter, to the stock mid 80's fuel reservoir, then to another fuel filter used as an adapter for the fuel line that goes to the frame rail high pressure pump, then on to the engine bay. It seems that the fuel reservoir does the same thing as foam or that sock. I had all that stuff on hand, so I don't know that it would be economical to copy me, just a heads up for information's sake.
 

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Damn good info! That will keep the starvation from the HP pump nicely! I didn't study the 2.9 low pressure/high pressure system much before discarding it, mainly figured it was easier on the tank valve for Ford to do it that way? Great way to utilize it!
I have a bud in the sand car world experimenting with the Walbro MP-14 Smart valves right now. Interesting concept when they are "ganged" together in the tank. If only we had easy access to inside the tanks to place them properly.

Here is a description from Walbro:

"Walbro in-tank pickups are great for fuel cells/tanks without internal baffles. They have 70 micron mesh that serve as a pre-filter. When the pickup is submerged in gas it draws through the mesh. The pickups hold small amount of gas when not submerged. When that small amount of gas is depleted the pickup will shut preventing the pump from sucking air. When the pickup becomes submerged again it will open to begin drawing gas again.

The pickups are usually run in quantities of 3 or 4 depending on the configuration. When there is a possibility of the fuel system being run completely dry, Walbro recommends running one pickup with a bleed in it.

The Walbro pickups have a 5/16" fitting on top. They are approximately 3" in diameter and 2" tall."
 

Enemy

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Could be worse, my sender/pickup is made out of unobtanium. Under half a tank and all bets are off what it will read and how much fuel is actually in the tank. :fie:

Looking good though. :icon_thumby:
Thanks sir! So LMC doesn't carry a hanger for your tank? Curious if yours is dual or single? Maybe a sending unit/float off a different year hanger would mount up, curious if they use the same ohm for empty full :dunno:.
Yeah I was a little shocked when I found one for mine..
 

85_Ranger4x4

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Thanks sir! So LMC doesn't carry a hanger for your tank? Curious if yours is dual or single? Maybe a sending unit/float off a different year hanger would mount up, curious if they use the same ohm for empty full :dunno:.
Yeah I was a little shocked when I found one for mine..
Rockauto had the fuel tank straps.

For the fuel pickup/sender mine is kind of a freak, '85 is the first year for fuel injection offered in a Ranger so they all got the bigger hole in the tank for the EFI fuel pump. And then in '86 carburetors got pretty scarce.

I guess between the '85 2.8 and the later 2.0's there isn't enough demand to make the right sender.

When I have the bed off and drop the fuel tank to paint the frame I am going to try to mix and match parts in the sender from a different one and see if it helps.
 

Jim Oaks

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jchaillier

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Wow

This is my favorite truck. Nice job! I had a 1987 that was barely touched when I was 16 and I wish I had been smart enough to keep it after I hit a deer with it. Can't wait to get started on my own someday.
 

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Thanks guys! :beer:

and man, does that suck launching deer. Had somthing similar happen with my 95 F150 and I got rid of it a while later. Another truck that I find myself slapping myself upside the back of my head for getting rid of.. Cant find a clean obs truck anymore. That damn hindsight is a somebitch sometimes lol!

And "cash for clunkers"..
Thats a somebitch too..
I curse thee creators and enforcers of thee said "bill" to slow painful death...
That's about all I got to say about that..:annoyed:

Anyway! What do you have in mind for a Ranger build?
 

Enemy

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Fun With ABS!

Couple small updates! I have been playing around more with ABS and finishing up some little details. Built a "cold air" box for the filter in hopes of keeping some of the engine heat away and pulling more air from behind the grill. Started with a sheet of 1/8" ABS and put it in my little sheet metal brake with a touch of heat for the bend. Same with the little L- brackets glued to it. Finished it off with a Corolla deck lid gasket formed to the hood. Behind that I butchered up the old 2.9 filter cover and boxed it in to conceal the wiring and relays for a cleaner look.







Was going to start some ABS mods on the center console/cup holder for a couple more gauges, but on the last drive the ebay T5 decided once again that it does not like me.. at least the 3-4 fork didn't like my last shift lol... Thankfully 1-2 and 5-R was still there cause 250 miles from nowhere would of sucked otherwise. Got it limped home and tore it down to find the problem!
I don't know what these forks are out of, but they are porous and brittle! I received a new one from TheGearBox (in a Tremec bag) and it is 100x the quality, looks more like a forged unit. So now I'm waiting on a Tremec 1-2 fork and a couple other little updates to swap out while I'm in it just for piece of mind, er whats left of it :icon_twisted:

Much more to come :D
 
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Enemy

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10.5 Clutch

Too many times now have I heard or read that 'if you could build a 2.3 manual drivetrain all over again ,what they would do different first..
"Convert to 10.5 flywheel and cobra clutch"
Just found the final pieces, did the job and found out why! Clutch pedal is effortless and linear throughout the entire throw. Shifts aren't nearly as violent either like with the little stage 2.5 clutch, maybe help me to form a better relationship with my ebay T5? :D The little clutch was not very fun to drive around town for an extended period in stoplight hell. While I was at it, i had the input shaft turned down from V8 spec to 2.3 diameter so I could ditch the bronze conversion pilot bushing, it lasted all of 5000 miles before it started chattering. Another thing to add to the 'If I could do it over' list lol
Downpipe is going to be interesting! The adapter flange takes away the simple 2-bend route..

Oh yes... It WILL be ugly.. And another reason header wrap was invented :D
Working on that over the winter weekend..
After 80's last week... WTF.
Asshats effin' with the weather I swear..



 
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Mark_88

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That's a beauty build...:icon_thumby:

I'm going to have to read the whole thing some day but Photobucket is giving my computer fits again...popups and redirects...but from what I did see I definitely will tune in again soon...
 

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