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.

 

[Sniper83rdID]

Yep

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

Damn.... 131 different colors available and yet no '96 Laser Red...

 

[Grog6]

Duplicolor E4 paint removed all the paint from my hood; it caused the primer to let go, and peel off in sheets, lol.

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

Question about "pinging"? At least I think that's what it is...

Very occasionally, not often at all, I get what I would describe as pinging or engine knock (though I never thought the word "knock" was appropriate).

I'm familiar with the sound because, years ago, my 2000 Continental would do it on regular gas but not on premium, usually uphill in too high a gear.

The situation when I hear it occasionally in my Thunderbird is this: accelerating at say 3/4 throttle in 3rd gear, potentially sometimes in 2nd. A quick acceleration, but not full throttle; think 3,500 to 3,700 rpm upshifts.

It's a faint ping, and I immediately respond by easing off the throttle a bit. I know I could just try higher octane fuel, but I really don't want to, simply because the engine isn't spec'ed for that.

Doing some reading, I'm guessing that I'm looking at a mild lean condition, potentially due to a small vacuum leak. Thoughts?

There are no codes whatsoever, no odd idle, no roughness, no stalling.

Today, I cleaned the MAF sensor, reset the computer, and added a Rislone fuel system cleaner. I wonder if the removal of the air silencer does cause accelerated residue buildup on the sensor (?).

You all will probably tell me to hunt down a vacuum leak, which ugh, with a small leak, could be extremely tedious. There's a known leak aft of the HVAC check valve, but it's so small that it takes at least all night to lose the vacuum in the HVAC system.

 

[Rodeo Joe]

Thoughts?

Shit gas?

Joe

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

Shit gas?

Doubt that. I always buy brand name gas, and I change it up between stations pretty regularly.

 

[Zep5.0]

While you're likely buying "good" gas, as-in not gone bad, it may not be as good as it was back in 1997. You likely need more octane.

I'll share what I'm doing, as I am a cheap-@ss. I have a Sierra with the 5.3LT engine, which is 11.5:1 compression and direct injected. It calls for regular gas, but my last truck has the same basic engine that could also run on E85. What I found was the old truck ran significantly better on E85 (more power, and smoother acceleration at any given engine speed or throttle level). That led me to try 91 octane, which was somewhere in the middle power-wise, but the driveability was much better because I never felt the engine pull timing.

So, today on my new truck I can't run E85, and I am certainly not paying $1 more per gallon for 91 octane over the 88. What I found is very good octane booster that cost $4 per tank that raises my octane ~3 actual numbers.

BOOSTane Professional Octane Booster, Formulated to Increase Octane for High Performance Race Engines, 32oz (2 Pack) https://a.co/d/0bFI4fu0

You can but smaller bottles the first time and then reuse them by filling with the bigger canister above.

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

@Zep5.0
I may give that a try on the next tank as I just used the fuel system cleaner.

 

[Zep5.0]

@Zep5.0
I may give that a try on the next tank as I just used the fuel system cleaner.

If you use a fuel system cleaner, use a Lucas brand injectors and upper cylinder cleaner. You may have carbon build up which can cause pinging. It effectively raises compression and also creates flash areas for pre-ignition

 

[Jae 'Bird]

@Zep5.0
I may give that a try on the next tank as I just used the fuel system cleaner.

I can vouch for the lucas, I use it in all my cars and I have consistently seen a slight improvement in my milage, its usually enough to pay for itself and then some, but ymmv (literally)

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

On second look, that Rislone cleaner I added also includes octane booster. But driving today, and provoking the same scenario, the slight pinging is still present.

So octane booster and cleaning of the MAF sensor and resetting the computer combined didn't eliminate the pinging.

Again, it only happens very sporadically. Quoting from my post above, so you don't need to scroll: "The situation when I hear it occasionally in my Thunderbird is this: accelerating at say 3/4 throttle in 3rd gear, potentially sometimes in 2nd. A quick acceleration, but not full throttle; think 3,500 to 3,700 rpm upshifts."

Meanwhile, I'm trying to understand how short term fuel trims relate to vacuum leaks, so I took a few screen shots from my app. What do these tell you? Remember that the PCM was reset just yesterday if that matters.

 

[Grog6]

Question about "pinging"? At least I think that's what it is...

I have had pinging on all my stock tuned cars, because they run them lean as hell, on purpose.
When they get carbon buildup, due to leaky valvestem seals, leaky rings, and the oily crud in the EGR/pcv system. Different engines have specific problems, buy this paragraph covers most cars these days; they all share these features.

Very occasionally, not often at all, I get what I would describe as pinging or engine knock (though I never thought the word "knock" was appropriate).

Pinging sounds like marbles in a can or rushing leaves, depending.

I'm familiar with the sound because, years ago, my 2000 Continental would do it on regular gas but not on premium, usually uphill in too high a gear.

The situation when I hear it occasionally in my Thunderbird is this: accelerating at say 3/4 throttle in 3rd gear, potentially sometimes in 2nd. A quick acceleration, but not full throttle; think 3,500 to 3,700 rpm upshifts.

It's a faint ping, and I immediately respond by easing off the throttle a bit. I know I could just try higher octane fuel, but I really don't want to, simply because the engine isn't spec'ed for that.

Buy shitty gas car runs poorly. Whooda thunkit?

Doing some reading, I'm guessing that I'm looking at a mild lean condition, potentially due to a small vacuum leak. Thoughts?

If you've never replaced them, the vacuum lines are shot.

There are no codes whatsoever, no odd idle, no roughness, no stalling.

Pinging due to poor fuel or carbon buildup wont set a code.
Carbon buildup is best addressed by "Seafoaming."
If we don't have an article, I'll write one later.

Today, I cleaned the MAF sensor, reset the computer, and added a Rislone fuel system cleaner. I wonder if the removal of the air silencer does cause accelerated residue buildup on the sensor (?).

Removing the air silencer doesn't add more air.

...with a small leak, could be extremely tedious.

A propane torch, unlit, will pinpoint a vacuum leak in seconds. listen for the idle change, and the tip of the torch is on the leak. propane doesn't burn faster than you can move, so it's far less dangerous than other alternatives.

There's a known leak aft of the HVAC check valve, but it's so small that it takes at least all night to lose the vacuum in the HVAC system.

That should not be an issue.

 

[3_97_Sports]

On second look, that Rislone cleaner I added also includes octane booster. But driving today, and provoking the same scenario, the slight pinging is still present.

So octane booster and cleaning of the MAF sensor and resetting the computer combined didn't eliminate the pinging.

Again, it only happens very sporadically. Quoting from my post above, so you don't need to scroll: "The situation when I hear it occasionally in my Thunderbird is this: accelerating at say 3/4 throttle in 3rd gear, potentially sometimes in 2nd. A quick acceleration, but not full throttle; think 3,500 to 3,700 rpm upshifts."

Meanwhile, I'm trying to understand how short term fuel trims relate to vacuum leaks, so I took a few screen shots from my app. What do these tell you? Remember that the PCM was reset just yesterday if that matters.

Whenever I hear or anticipate that the car wants to ping while changing accelerator position, I tap the brake with my left foot to unlock the torque converter, and bypass the ping that way. I don't mess about when I want to speed up.

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

Whenever I hear or anticipate that the car wants to ping while changing accelerator position, I tap the brake with my left foot to unlock the torque converter, and bypass the ping that way. I don't mess about when I want to speed up.

I actually had this idea of adding that function to my custom "shift paddle" stalk, so I can unlock the TCC at any moment by hand.

I have had pinging on all my stock tuned cars, because they run them lean as hell, on purpose.
When they get carbon buildup, due to leaky valvestem seals, leaky rings, and the oily crud in the EGR/pcv system. Different engines have specific problems, buy this paragraph covers most cars these days; they all share these features.

And octane booster wouldn't fix that?

Pinging sounds like marbles in a can or rushing leaves, depending.

Yes, it's that.

Buy shitty gas car runs poorly. Whooda thunkit?

Well, on the Continental, I think it said premium recommended, so I experimented with different octane grades, plus it had a knock sensor.

If you've never replaced them, the vacuum lines are shot.

I only replaced the lines between the intake and the carbon canister. Most others should be stock.

Pinging due to poor fuel or carbon buildup wont set a code.

But pinging due to a vacuum leak would?

Removing the air silencer doesn't add more air.

I know. My point was just if removing the silencer allows more dirt in, even past the filter, to cause residue on the MAF sensor.

A propane torch, unlit, will pinpoint a vacuum leak in seconds. listen for the idle change, and the tip of the torch is on the leak. propane doesn't burn faster than you can move, so it's far less dangerous than other alternatives.

We do have a torch. I'll give it a try.

 

[Grog6]

IDK about a conti, but if our knock sensor triggers, the performance goes to shit.
No, you won't have them. I added them in a dumb moment. The conti should not have knocked after it triggered, lol. It rolls the timing way back.
Fix the vacuum lines in the egr circuit, there are 8 of them. Vacuum leaks effect a change in the iac, and cause the eec to change the mixture. pinging often