Turbo 300 in a F150

[Turbo_B]

Truck has been parked at a friends house for a few weeks - trying to sell my house and the realtor doesn't seem to be impressed by the truck in the drive way and suggested that moving it may help sell the house...

So last week I got the truck out for a drive, did a U-turn and built about 3psi and heard a funny noise, followed by a funny smell and steam. Pulled over and discovered that the fan clutch had hit the radiator. After running to the parts store down the street several times I got the truck running and back home.

I found that the passengers side hydraulic engine mount had completely collapsed!

They have been replaced with a set of solid mounts.

 

[Turbo_B]

Did the 3G alternator upgrade this weekend. Did a lot much more studying on the swap than necessary.

The 3G alternator is more expensive than my stock alternator, but makes 130amps, has a larger case, and an improved charge wire connection at the alternator.

I was able to find a new looking alt on a 95 E-150 with a Six. Grab the bolt that goes through the threaded ear on the alternator as your 2G bolt won't fit. Also removed the alt wiring harness from a FWD car, this gave me 4 feet of what looks like 6ga wire as well as the plugs for the 3g alt. I should have also grabbed the alternator fuseblock - have to add a fuse later.

The large case 3G alt will bolt into the alternator bracket using the existing holes. No modifications to the alternator or the bracket.

I chose to use the large 3G pulley - so I had to swap to a 101 inch belt. The stock belt would have worked with the small 2G alternator pulley, but I did not like how tight the belt was.

Wiring diagram:

 

[Emerald 74 4X4]

I did this on my six too. Since mine is older, I have different brackets. Ended up modifying the bracket a bit. Eventually, I was able to install the belts, but only with the alternator not bolted up, since it was too much of a stretch with it bolted up. It not like my belts are easy to change anyways with a crank sensor in the way and no clearance between the water pump pulley and the electric fans to slip them out. If I have to do belts, I have to pull the radiator and fans (all one unit), the crank sensor and bracket, and the alternator. Its all a matter of bolts I suppose.

Did you upgrade to dual belts, or did you currently have dual belts?

My previous little 2G couldn't take the load from the 2 fans and eventually gave out. This new 160 amp 3G is great.

 

[Turbo_B]

I am lucky on this part- I have a factory serpentine system. Space between the electric fans and the water pump is tight, but I can squeeze a belt past them.

I suspect that like you, my electric fans were the cause of failure of my two 2G alts. The most recent alternator (installed in October) became finicky after about 3500 miles!

I still have plans for EDIS, but have not gotten to the machine shop. My thinking is that I will have the 36-1 pattern machined onto the back of a New stock balancer and mount the sensor to the bracket with the factory timing marks. Should make belt changes easier. My MGB (Megasquirt and EDIS) has the problem of removing the sensor bracket to change the belt- going to try my best to avoid doing that again!

 

[Turbo_B]

Finally getting around to Installing the ZF5- got a set of air helper springs as well.



Replaced the front seal on the ZF5- have to split the case to get to the seal.

 

[Turbo_B]

Long time since I updated this thread - then again its been a long time since I have done much to the truck. It has been running well, then in December on my way home from work it stumbled and shut off while traveling down the interstate. I had my laptop hooked to it when it shut off, it was like it lost ignition. The truck tach showed 0 rpm, laptop showed rpm still so I knew the coil had stopped firing. Did my due diligence and did some checking. Actually had spark but the truck would not start! After a little bit of messing around the truck started again and I made it home and parked it.

TFI failure or not I jumped off the distributor boat and went EDIS!

I bought a spare damper years ago for this, after searching Georgia for a competent shop I decided to mail the damper and trigger wheel to Simmons Balancing in Charleston SC. I used Simmons several times before - they did the EDIS damper for my MGB.





I didn't take many pictures so it is hard to see. I ground the cast timing tabs off the timing cover, welded two bosses onto the cover, tapped and helicoiled the bosses and mounted the crank sensor directly to the timing cover.



And for those who like wire covered engine bays!



Was it worth the swap? Will take some driving to determine that. But the RPM signal is much more stable, the engine is smoother, and starts quicker.

 

[motzingg]

cool!
so are you running the megasquirt built in spark management or the standalone spark?

what coil pack did you end up with?

 

[Turbo_B]

I have the complete EDIS6 system out of an Aerostar 4.0 or something similar. I am using the EDIS 6 coil, module, and crank sensor. The trigger wheel came from DIY Autotune and was turned and pressed onto the dampener.

I have megasquirt controlling the spark angle through the EDIS module.

 

[MECH_E]

Just checking in to see how the trucks running...you keep it at relatively low boost (below 10) ? Ever get the ZF in? EDIS work out for the best (it most definitely should)?

Cheers

 

[Turbo_B]

The truck has been running well since December - except for the rodent that ate the fuel line and then two weeks later the PIP wire going to Megasquirt...

Some of the knocking issues I had at 8psi were definitely due to the TFI. Its at 10psi now but that is about all it will run until I buy more parts -the wastegate boost reference line is unhooked, drive pressure pushes the gate open at 10psi consistently! The timing is very retarded at 10psi, but it moves pretty well. I have considered replacing the wastegate with stronger spring model, but haven't pulled the trigger. I am certain that it will handle more boost with the EDIS system, wastegate just won't hold more boost!

There are pictures in this thread somewhere of the ZF5 - it went in over two years ago with a custom drive shaft. Works perfectly!

I should post pictures of the oil pump drive I made. Engine hasn't had a distributor in a few months!

 

[MECH_E]

Interesting on the wastegate opening just from the 10psi drive pressure. If I remember correctly, the stock wastegate was supposed to open at about 20 psi for the HX35 (what I have as well). Im looking to install mine this coming week and thought I would have to modify the wastegate linkage and spring to get it to open sooner. However, if you say it opens at 10psi with no reference hooked up then that will actually work perfect for me as far as intial testing and working out the bugs. I plan on running higher boost later once I too go distributorless but 10psi would be a nice stage 1 kind of level. I never could get megasquirt to work with the TFI so Im running locked timing but should be akay as far as knock goes since Im running e85.

Did you document the ZF swap anywhere on here? I'd like to see what clutch/flywheel combo you used and all. My m5od seems to be on its way out and thats before I've even turbod.

Well good to hear she's running nicely...later.

 

[JonL]

The bearing went out on my T70, so i upgraded to T73 with a .96 ar housing it is kinda laggy now. My injectors are too small goes lean at around 12 psi. My thought was moving more air due to less back pressure. Switched from E85 back to 91 octane, because you dont need as much fuel. Turns out i can run 15 psi without any knocking now. 91 octane TFI ign
Ps Mech E im also an ME .

 

[Turbo_B]

I guess I should have prefaced my wastegate pressure by saying that I have a 4psi wastegate actuator! That Holset actuator you have has a much more serious spring in it.

The clutch setup between a M5OD and the ZF5 is the same. I have a stock 11" clutch (its a drop in for the M5OD 10"). Swapped the speedo gear. Only custom part is the driveshaft!

JonL - What cylinder head are you using? I have an EFI head and the TFI system wouldn't retard the ignition far enough to run 10psi with 93 octane. With the EDIS system I have very little timing at peak boost - so low you would't think it would work!

 

[MECH_E]

Cool deal guys, hope you dont mind us hanging out in your thread TurboB haha.

JonL, thats interesting in both regards how your injectors are now to small with less psi and that you can avoid knocking with 91 octane at 15 psi. I went ahead and got 82 lb injectors to make sure I could run as much e85 as I wanted. Good to know another ME on here, now I know who to throw ridiculous hypothesis at haha

TurboB, didn't realize you had a different wastegate actuator. Did you modify the stock actuator or just mount a new one to the original linkage? Nice to know the ZF is a reasonable swap, now if I can just find one! That 11" clutch hold tighter (assuming your stock trans ever slipped)?

Speaking of trans, hows your m5od holding up JonL? You ever change the clutch to something stronger than stock?

Nice to check in with the two of you, I more or less followed your builds in planning mine. Look for some updates in my thread soon. Cheers

 

[motzingg]

Ps Mech E im also an ME .

thats 3 of us... turns out a low rpm straight six with a turbocharger on it is almost the textbook ideal engine for a mid-weight pickup truck!

i'm also going to be running the M5r2... of course i'm not planning on nearly the power or boost that you guys are running... there are a couple guys on here and on Fordification that run them behind built 302's, 351's, and even 4BT cummins. The user Eggman on fordification rebuilt his and posted pictures, it looks like a pretty stout little transmission. 350-400 ft-lbs no problem, i'm sure some of those built 4BT's that are running them make a lot more torque than that, not to mention diesel engine braking that can go well over the max torque of the engine.

I think the noise about them being weak is mostly urban legend, or them being confused/associated with the M5r1's which definitely WERE a weak trans in the rangers.

Plus, i like the m5r2 ratios better, for daily driver/commuter/car duty. I use my truck as a truck more than most people, but lets face it, its still 90/10 or 80/20 getting used as a 'car' vs hauling more than 500 lbs.

I use a product called 'gear saver' by bel-ray in some of my motorcycles that take ATF or motor oil as a transmission fluid (2 strokes with wet clutches) and it results in much smoother shifting, clutching, etc. Any thoughts on something like that? It will cost a fortune to fill it up, but its probably something i wouldn't change for 50,000 miles.

 

[bubba22349]

Ps Mech E im also an ME .

thats 3 of us... turns out a low rpm straight six with a turbocharger on it is almost the textbook ideal engine for a mid-weight pickup truck!

i'm also going to be running the M5r2... of course i'm not planning on nearly the power or boost that you guys are running... there are a couple guys on here and on Fordification that run them behind built 302's, 351's, and even 4BT cummins. The user Eggman on fordification rebuilt his and posted pictures, it looks like a pretty stout little transmission. 350-400 ft-lbs no problem, i'm sure some of those built 4BT's that are running them make a lot more torque than that, not to mention diesel engine braking that can go well over the max torque of the engine.

I think the noise about them being weak is mostly urban legend, or them being confused/associated with the M5r1's which definitely WERE a weak trans in the rangers.

Plus, i like the m5r2 ratios better, for daily driver/commuter/car duty. I use my truck as a truck more than most people, but lets face it, its still 90/10 or 80/20 getting used as a 'car' vs hauling more than 500 lbs.

I use a product called 'gear saver' by bel-ray in some of my motorcycles that take ATF or motor oil as a transmission fluid (2 strokes with wet clutches) and it results in much smoother shifting, clutching, etc. Any thoughts on something like that? It will cost a fortune to fill it up, but its probably something i wouldn't change for 50,000 miles.

For my 94 F 150 I picked up some Synthetic gear oil to put in the 5 speed and rear axel have not had the time to change it out yet, but I think it will work good. Also went to full Synthetic engine oil last oil change also, hoping to see a small improvement in MPG. Coastwise when found on sale it was about 1/2 again as much as the standard oils and fuild's.

 

[motzingg]

yeah my concern is that the trans was designed for atf and gear oils might be too thick to properly lubricate the journal bearings. maybe? i dunno.

 

[bubba22349]

Yeah your right I misstated that in above about the trans fluid! I did get the Synthetic ATF for use in the trans, Casttol.

 

[motzingg]

cool, let us know how it goes!

i'll probably put regular in it to start with and give it a couple hundred miles, almost like a flush... the oil was clean when it came out but the transmission has been literally tipped up on end and shaken up a couple times since the removal, and its doubtful it was ever changed.

i know manuals don't get hot the same way an automatic does, but anything i can do to prolong the life of this thing is money ahead.

 

[bubba22349]

My truck has just under 137,000 on it I have not had any big problems with it but the trans was rebuilt for some reason around 50,000 by receipt I found in glove box.