Edelbrock E-force Owner's thread and FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Gforce

Neither ethanol nor methanol is more dangerous than gasoline. What matters is the lower explosive limit: the lowest air fuel ratio at which the fuel and air mixture will explode. Next it is the energy content of the fuel, which is highest in gasoline of the three you mention.

Methanol was used at Indy specifically because it is safer than gasoline.

Actually, it was used because it burns clean (almost invisible), keeping smoke from obscuring the vision of other drivers, and helps prevents further wrecks.

Indy now runs on Ethanol.

[BirdTRD]

OK, so the new bypass valve came in today...Yea! It was as easy as @shaynek and @taiguy said it would be.

Here are a few things I learned along the way.
#1 check your bypass valve on a somewhat regular basis. I suspect mine has been leaking for quite some time before ever popping a P0171 code. (you'll see why in a minute). There are several ways to check it, some are like Duh! but they may not be obvious to everyone so be nice.

Before I go any further though, here's what the normal newly installed bypass valve ops are.
Under vacuum = valve open, allowing uncompressed air to bypass the SC rotors and go directly into the intake manifold.
With no Vacuum (car off, the valves resting condition) or with little vacuum or during boost = valve closed, engine is now using SC compressed air.
I tested the new valve with a vacuum pump and it begins to open at ~5in/Hg (-2.5 psi) and is fully open at ~10 in/Hg (-5 psi).

Probably the easiest way to check it is to, with the car idling, pinch off the vacuum hose that comes from the rear of the SC and heads down under to the bypass valve. If nothing happens, i.e. the valve stays open, idle does not change and you don't hear a hissing sound stop....your all good, valve is working, at least has no leaks.

Another way to easily test it is with the car off, disconnect the hose from the SC and connect it to a vacuum pump, whether that's a real vacuum pump or your lips. (just don't suck to hard) The valve should open under the vacuum values listed above, and should hold that vacuum and not leak down.
You could also use a smoke tester, again a real one or a cigar/cigarette or whatever else you might be smokin' that day and gently blow low pressure smoke into the valve and and watch for leaks.

Removing the valve was easy enough, just not a lot of room to work. Thank God the SC didn't have to come off! You basically come in from the front with an 11/32" (9mm is close enough) socket on a long 1/4" drive extension, I also had a wobble head since only one nut is straight on. Once the valve body is loose, the other end of the rod will slip out of it's hole once the lever it connects to gets rotated in the full counter clockwise direction (basically opening the butterfly inside) you'll see what I mean, just look at the part I have circled in red, it can only come out and go in when the slotted hole lines up with that tang.




Curiosity got the best of me so of course I had to open it up and see what was wrong. Not 1 but 2 holes! That's why I'm thinking this has been going on for a while. What I noticed on the bottom side of the blue diaphragm, was a sticky substance that was covered in grit (Orange arrow). That grit, no doubt, came from the engine bay since that is on the "outside" part of the diaphragm that is exposed to atmosphere. So every time that valve pulls in, air from the engine bay and whatever is floating around in that air, comes in contact with the outside of the diaphragm and clings to whatever that sticky stuff is. Now we have an abrasive in the mix so it's only a matter of time until the diaphragm fails. Paging @Edelbrock LLC (they must really hate me by now!)



Even with these holes, the SC produced and maintained enough vacuum to actuate this valve, but you could hear it leaking (now that I know what to listen for with the pinch test). So you have a somewhat "working" valve but a nice vacuum leak which is the source of the P0171 codes. It got so bad the last day I drove it, that I could smell raw fuel. The fuel trims were pegged from the ECU trying to correct the "lean" condition it was seeing. Even with the fuel trims maxed out, the AFR was still "reading" lean (15.5 - 17.5) at idle. I've attached a log if anyone is interested.

http://www.datazap.me/u/birdtrd/log-...&data=10-11-30

So there you go boys and girls, now go check those bypass valves!

[toast]

If you live somewhere that you don't worry about large elevation changes that lip could be sealed with silicone, no?

[BirdTRD]

Originally Posted by toast

If you live somewhere that you don't worry about large elevation changes that lip could be sealed with silicone, no?

It looks like the equalizing air gets pulled in thru the hole where the shaft is mounted, I think that lip (where I cut into) is sealed with the blue diaphragm edge (the part that looks like the base of a condom!) Hmmmm, that gives me an idea for keeping out the dirt...

[BirdTRD]

Ok, this just keeps getting better (or worse I guess).

I looked at the blue diaphragm more closely (under a loupe actually) and discovered 2 more tears just beginning. They line up right where the edge of the metal "cup" is (for lack of a better term). In fact, all tears seem to start from there so it may have nothing to do with the grit??? When I felt around that edge of the cup, I found tiny dings or rough spots right where 3 of the 4 tears start.

[umpadupa]

who do I have to get in contact with to get a bypass valve? I'm having the same problems :/


and another code is when throttle body sensor. Any ideas?

[Gforce]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

Actually, it was used because it burns clean (almost invisible), keeping smoke from obscuring the vision of other drivers, and helps prevents further wrecks.

Indy now runs on Ethanol.

Actually, both methanol and ethanol burn clean. The one safety drawback of methanol as race fuel is you cannot tell if it is on fire by eye. Ethanol flames are easier to see, clean but not clear. Methanol is clean and clear, invisible in daylight. Methanol actually burns with a faint blue flame which can be seen out of the sunlight.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Gforce

The knock sensors don't care. They have no moving parts. What may matter is borderline detonation which knock sensors have to permit in order to have sometung to sense.

Road engine manufacturers select the compression ratio primarily for the fuel they expect their customers to agree to pay for. In North America most customers won't pay for anything but regular which is 87. In Europe the lowest octane you can normally buy is 91, that's their regular. Their premium is 95 generally.

Only high compression using high octane fuel delivers best fuel economy. Compression ratio is selected first for fuel price in North America, not fuel economy.

They have exactly the same as we do and just their numbers are higher since they rate on a different system. Their 91 is actually the same as or 87. It has nothing to do with them being willing to buy higher levels.

[shaynek]

Originally Posted by BirdTRD

Ok, this just keeps getting better (or worse I guess).

I looked at the blue diaphragm more closely (under a loupe actually) and discovered 2 more tears just beginning. They line up right where the edge of the metal "cup" is (for lack of a better term). In fact, all tears seem to start from there so it may have nothing to do with the grit??? When I felt around that edge of the cup, I found tiny dings or rough spots right where 3 of the 4 tears start.

I bet this will happen again. Hopefully now they know and may end up changing suppliers

[Gforce]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

They have exactly the same as we do and just their numbers are higher since they rate on a different system. Their 91 is actually the same as or 87. It has nothing to do with them being willing to buy higher levels.

They don't sell 91. 95 is their "regular". You drive much in Europe do you?

Just so you know, Europe uses the exact same octane rating system. MON and RON. Only RON is displayed at the pump.

North America weirdly uses pump octane rating which is the average of MON and RON.

[BirdTRD]

Originally Posted by umpadupa

who do I have to get in contact with to get a bypass valve? I'm having the same problems :/

Call Edelbrock Support @ 800-416-8628 and follow the prompts to get to the right department. Once you get a real person, you'll need to speak to Topher (Chris Sharma). You can try to email him at csharma@edelbrock.com but I have better luck over the phone.

Originally Posted by umpadupa

and another code is when throttle body sensor. Any ideas?

not quite following you on this part

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Gforce

They don't sell 91. 95 is their "regular". You drive much in Europe do you?

Just so you know, Europe uses the exact same octane rating system. MON and RON. Only RON is displayed at the pump.

North America weirdly uses pump octane rating which is the average of MON and RON.

Ya I remembered wrong and a quick check says it is Australia that uses the 91 (our 87). Europe has 95 (90 in ours) as regular. The fact remains that their 95 is not our 95 which was my point. If making the statement you made but converting to our reporting system their regular is 90 not 95. You stated before that they had higher octagon since they would pay for it and that is not an accurate statement.

[execute1902]

I just got my 1556 installed yesterday and now my oil temp is constantly at high (under load) when at idle it is at the middle, but as soon as I start to move it goes to High. So my questions if anyone could help...

Is this normal?
Is this safe?
Should I use a different oil then the factory recommended weight, does it matter?


Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance for any input

[Zut]

Originally Posted by execute1902

I just got my 1556 installed yesterday and now my oil temp is constantly at high (under load) when at idle it is at the middle, but as soon as I start to move it goes to High. So my questions if anyone could help...

Is this normal?
Is this safe?
Should I use a different oil then the factory recommended weight, does it matter?


Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks in advance for any input

Oil or water? It would be odd for oil to fluctuate that quickly.

What kind of temperatures are you seeing, and how are you measuring?

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