HHO 88 Ranger.

[turkeylurker]

Greetings to my fellow Ford Freaks. I have an '88 Ranger 2.3 that I am building a HHO setup for.

I am looking for information about how I can recalibrate the 02 sensor for maximum benefit.

If you have info on this kindly let me know.

Mikey

 

[2000StreetRod]

Welcome & EFIE

Welcome to the forum! There's a subforum for alternative fuels that includes HHO. It is my undestanding that the PCM detects a lean condition via the O2 sensors and increases the richness to compensate. This negates the fuel savings resulting from HHO. In order to have the PCM assist rather than fight HHO economy some means is needed to trick the PCM. Raising the O2 output with a bias voltage can make the PCM think everything is OK when the exhaust is actually lean. One commercially available unit is called an electronic fuel injector enhancer (EFIE). You can find them on eBay and even buy a kit that you assemble yourself. I don't know anything about the quality or effectiveness of specific units.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the HHO, hybrid, and alternate fuel section.

 

[turkeylurker]

I've tried. I can't find the forum that you moved my inquiry to. when I try the search engine I get redirected to advertisers.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Here's a link: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=140

 

[turkeylurker]

Thanks Brooklyn. With your help I am here.

Ah, I'll look into that EFIE thingy

Thanks

 

[2000StreetRod]

Potentiometer won't work

I believe I saw an earlier post by you about having only a single wire O2 sensor and wanting to just use a potentiometer. The post apparently got lost during this morning's forum crash. The older O2 sensors didn't have heaters like the new ones and took longer to warm up before their output was reliable. The new ones with the heaters are ready in about 20 seconds. The reason a potentiometer won't work is because it can only reduce the O2 output voltage to the PCM. That will make the PCM think the mixture is even more lean and it will try even harder to richen the mixture. You have to use some sort of active device to raise the O2 voltage. You can't use a fixed "dummy" voltage because the PCM is expecting to see the voltage vary back and forth between 0.2 and 0.8 volts. If it doesn't vary according to a specific test rate then the PCM will cause the "check engine light" (CEL) to come on.

 

[turkeylurker]

I have ordered an EFIE from http://www.eagle-research.com/ and a Pulse Width Modulator from a highly-rated source in AZ that I found via E-Bay.

I've got an ammeter and voltmeter coming from JC Whitney. I have already assesembled the gas generator cannister from plastic pipe.

I made the electolyzer reactor with 17 2" stainless steel washers stacked around a 5" nylon bolt with a double thickness nylon washer between each of the washers.

the folks at Eagle Research mentioned that it may take 4-6 weeks to get my EFIE, but I looked around at what is available and I think their product will best suit my needs.

So I'll just have to be patient.

Pictures and test data shall be forthcoming.

Mikey

 

[turkeylurker]

Thanks

Hey 2000StreetRod, I erased my earlier post about the one-wire setup after I did some online research and found that indeed the stock sensor on my '88 is a 4-wire setup. I haven't had to get underneath my pickup for some years now. I had the engine and tranny completely rebuilt about 4 years ago and other than having to replace the battery it has been highly reliable.

I was hoping I'd managed to erase the evidence before anyone became aware of my brain-fart! Oh well.....

 

[2000StreetRod]

eventually might build one

When I post on a thread I automatically receive an email when someone else posts on the same thread. There is no way to erase that.

I eventually will probably build my own EFIE with an offset and an amplifier capability to improve my gas mileage even though I don't plan to build an HHO system in the near future. The purpose of the amplifier is to narrow the deviation from the desired air/fuel ratio. I'm also considering a custom tune for an A/F ratio of 15.4:1 instead 14.7:1 but first I have to verify an increase in low speed torque over stock.

Does your Ranger have a knock sensor to allow the PCM to detect and prevent detonation from a too lean A/F ratio?

 

[2000StreetRod]

Pressure relief valve

I suggest that you consider installing a pressure relief valve in your generator. Several people (including an engineer I know) have had their generator explode.

 

[turkeylurker]

No, no knock sensor on my '88. i wish it did have one. It used to run fairly well on regular gas, but when they forced us to burn that 10% ethanol crapola it started knocking terribly and I was forced to buy mid-grade gas. Now it only pings a little when its cold and under hard acceleration, which is how is should be.

 

[turkeylurker]

Pressure relief valve?

I plan to splice my supply of HHO gas into the hose near the PCV valve.

Other than the bubbler there should not be any point at which there is a restriction.

Mikey

 

[2000StreetRod]

recombination

I'm only guessing but I think the explosions are from the oxygen and the hydrogen recombining in the presence of a spark or high heat. Fifty years ago when I did some electrolysis experiments I collected the hydrogen separate from the oxygen by separating the electrodes. Don't the HHO bubblers allow the two gases to collect together?

Is the point of introduction you're considering an input to or output from the crankcase? I would not have the hydrogen flow thru the crankcase.

 

[turkeylurker]

Yes, the HHO devices combine the oxygen and hydrogen thru a single hose.

A friend who has built his own HHO setup spliced his HHO gas into his fuel system via a "T" by his PCV valve, and I was figuring on doing that myself.

Upon further examination is seems better to bore a hole into my air induction system and attatch a hose bibb fitting there.

 

[2000StreetRod]

downstream of MAF sensor

If you add an inlet to the main intake tube for the hydrogen will it be downstream of the MAF sensor and therefore unmetered? If so, your engine will run leaner which I suspect is what you want.

 

[turkeylurker]

Yes, I think so. From what I have seen in many You-Tubes and other sources one should connect the HHO feed downstream of the MAF sensor.

I've got to wait 4-6 weeks for my EFIE to arrive, and so I've got lots of time to tinker arouund installing the rest of the system. The `ammeter and voltmeter arrived from JC Whitney yesterday and my PCM has been shipped out of Phoenix. Once it arrives I'll begin building a control panel that fits into the dash compartment above the glove box.

The welder I had lined up to weld the electrodes onto either side of my array stack hasn't gotten around to accommodating me yet. but since his shop is directly across the street from my house it will likely happen soon. Yes, there WiLL be pictures!

 

[turkeylurker]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMtUBc0rhPE

This is an approximation of what I am building.

 

[turkeylurker]

Seasons Greetings my friends.

My EFIE from Eagle research has arrived! Do any of you have advice for me as to which wire on my O2 sensor I should cut into to make this operational?

 

[turkeylurker]

Greetings
I am most pleased to announce that on Sunday the 7th of Feb. I finally got my HHO system operational.

I tried to fabricate the reactor/generator chamber myself and failed miserably, so I ordered a commercial unit (some assesembly required) and got it installed today.

It makes HHO in mass quantities, And my Ranger seems to like it.

Hooray!!