Hi I would still have to check if its the 2.3 or 2.5, are parts available to do the flex fuel conversion? Thanks

Shawn

 

Welcome to the forum

1997 is 2.3l, 1998-2001 was 2.5l

Not flex fuel but you can convert gasoline only engines to run on E85 only with just a few changes, mostly larger injectors
To do dual fuel(flex), gasoline or E85, requires changes to the engine computer to allow it to open injectors longer without setting codes

No, never looked for or came across any conversions specific to the 2.3l Lima engines on the things I have read


EFI(fuel injection) computers calculate each injectors open time based on 14.7:1 air fuel ratio for gasoline, E85 has a ratio of 9.8:1 so way different
Its a WEIGHT ratio
14.7 pounds of air to 1 pound of gasoline
9.8 pounds of air to 1 pound of E85
So more E85 is required for each pound of air that comes into the engine

If you calculate the right size of the larger injectors needed to add the extra fuel the computer will never know its running E85, nor does it care

Flex fuel computers can open the injectors longer when running E85, and shorter when running gasoline without setting codes or reaching "limits"

 

Thanks that's very helpful I'm a technical person was expecting much worse. I am able to make large amounts of ethanol for next to nothing :) apparently I got lucky buying this old truck for pandemics. Thought vales O rings and fuel system parts would need replaced.

 

Any suggestions which fuel injectors? Then either change the injectors or have another rail for the ethanol option that can be switched on or off?

 

Any fuel system made after 1990 will for sure have ethanol resistant parts and seals

No, you will be on your own for the conversion, at least from my knowledge

The dual fuel aspect will be the where the money goes of that's your wish
No, on dual injectors
Contact Ford Computer programmers(tuners) they may(should) be able to change the software to allow dual fuel use
Check with local "Speed Shops" and/or Dyno-tune places they will know Ford programmers that can help you out, its not cheap so ask prices

 

But again, the computer should be fine as is with the newer injectors?

 

Yes, you just need to use larger injectors that add more E85

The computer "knows"(programmed for) the fuel pressure, 35psi, and the current injector size, ??? you need to check that

Fuel injectors are rated in Pounds per Hour of fuel flow, so a 14lb/hr injector can flow in 14 pound of fuel in 1 hour
A 20lb/hr injector 21 pounds an hour

Computers OPEN time for each injector is calculated based on fuel pressure and injector size, and then on the incoming air's WEIGHT(MAF sensor does that)
Fuel is then added to the engine and computer watches O2 sensor feed back, O2s can only see Oxygen
If exhaust has too much oxygen then its Lean and computer opens injectors longer
If exhaust has too little oxygen then its Rich and computer closes injectors soon
These are called Short Term Fuel Trims(STFT)
STFT 0 is what the computer calculates in the fly
STFT +4% means computer is opening injectors 4% longer
STFT -4% means computer is closing injectors 4% sooner that calculated

Computer will allow +/- 15% usually, but will start setting codes if it stays, if reaches 20% either way

With larger injectors more fuel flows in, E85, so you are "tricking" the computer
But you need to find out what size that would be, its above my pay grade, lol