The Unofficial "Ask a Stupid Question" Thread

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

the up close picture looks like the car was repainted at one point.

I mean, it's possible.

The passenger side was side-swiped, and there are clear signs of repair. The driver side, where the chips are, always appeared totally uniform to me.

The washer is rated at 550 PSI by the way, which appears to be the lowest pressure model.

 

[Chingon1]

5/16". Pretty easy to put new ptfe lines by the pump and to the regulator from the stock hard lines.

That easy huh, are you still using the stock connections to the fuel rail? Those slip connections??

It takes as much time to flash the PCM as it does to fill up the tank.

The thing with this system is you still need a flash for the base tune, in addition to still needing bigger injectors and fuel pump, it’s not a standalone controller, I don’t know exactly how it senses E85 vs conventional fuel which may well be clever, but I can tell what isn’t so clever is all it is doing is altering injector flow rates by altering the outputted signal from the factory PCM which is the exact wrong way to tune EFI.

I believe it senses the fuel with that sensor that has the 2 red plugs on each end, you have to connect it to the fuel system before the rail. My biggest worry with completly swapping to E is, if I tune for perfect E85 and get a bad batch with let’s say, e60 or less wouldn’t that blow my shit up?? This system supposedly promises to handle ALL levels of E.

My 2 cents, my Cougar runs e85, changed the fuel pump, 60lb injectors, 80mm maf, 75mm throttle body and a tune.

Plus all the other go fast goodies.

It has been E85 for17 years.

Storing summer blend for winter use is up to you. I drag race the Cougar.

Did you replace the lines also?? The ones that have me worried are the lines got my to the fuel rail with that special connector. There’s a station literally 3 blocks from my place that carries E and would be cool to go that route.

Several sets of injectors came up for sale a few years ago, and while cleaning them I found that ALL of them were contaminated with black goo;
It's dissolved rubber from our lines, which were not intended for alcohol. The worst ones were the 39 pounders, from a car running e85. If I were running e85, I would replace the lines.
30 years on the ones on lazarus, there was some crap, but they cleaned up easily.

how did you go about swapping lines? Just buy E rated hose or what?

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

Yep

https://www.amazon.com/ColorRite-Mustang-Automotive-Touch-up-Clearcoat/dp/B00JC7SBFS

"Yep" to what? I made a stupid mistake?

And should I be using a Mustang color?

Do such chips usually grow?

 

[Jae 'Bird]

The other day, I washed my car. I always you this battery powered pressure washer gun that we have.

I have a gas powered pressure washer and it does 3000psi on the 0° nozzle at 2.5gpm, your unit is advertised at 550 psi, which would be at the 0° setting as well which I highly doubt you used (no one uses the 0° to wash a car) so that means you were less that 550, there is almost no way that that kind of pressure could peel paint, it would already have to be peeling badly for that dewalt unit to do anything. I say this not to insult your equipment but to put your mind at ease that you definitely did not cause it with your cleaning.

 

[Jae 'Bird]

"Yep" to what? I made a stupid mistake?

And should I be using a Mustang color?

Do such chips usually grow?

yes to the touch up paint I think he means, and yes chips can grow if in the right conditions, its usually advised to touch up chips as seen as you can to seal them and prevent any peel.

 

[Grog6]

Modern fuel line is rated for ethanol.
The tank piece, the rail piece, and any other rubber pieces should be replaced. The metal should be fine, but I'd flush them with acetone.
There's a short piece in the tank, submerged. I've heard of those dissolving, with cheap amazon pumps.

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

...I think I know the culprit: the yard guy was here the other day. That weed wacker he uses alongside the driveway, if that sends rocks flying, that could easily explain the paint chips.

 

[Ericv8thunderbird]

...I think I know the culprit: the yard guy was here the other day. That weed wacker he uses alongside the driveway, if that sends rocks flying, that could easily explain the paint chips.

That would do it!

 

[Zep5.0]

That easy huh, are you still using the stock connections to the fuel rail? Those slip connections??



I believe it senses the fuel with that sensor that has the 2 red plugs on each end, you have to connect it to the fuel system before the rail. My biggest worry with completly swapping to E is, if I tune for perfect E85 and get a bad batch with let’s say, e60 or less wouldn’t that blow my shit up?? This system supposedly promises to handle ALL levels

I have braided lines front to back. There are easy slip for connectors for the fuel pump inlet and outlet that you can use for braided. I'm sure they do the same for non-braided PTFE.

E60 would still have 100+ octane as E85 has 105. Plus E60 has more gasoline content, so you'd be running a touch richer to overcome the lower octane. I doubt you'd be at the point of that hurting your engine. Now if you were 12:1 compression running boost you would need to be more scared.