Noise in a new 6.7L diesel.

[TXiceman]

I competed the install of a Yaesu FT857D radio, with a Lil'Tarheel II antenna, Turbo Tuner and a dual band VHF/UHF antenna. Power wires direct from the right side battery and the radio is mounted under the passenger seat.

I have a coaxial 6 turn choke on the HF antennas lead as close to the antenna as possible with ferrite chokes on the coax at the radio. The antenna is mounted at the right front corner of the bed and is grounded to the bed and frame with braided RF ground strap.

There is a popping noise that increases with engine speed. I cannot get the DSP or NB to hardly touch the noise. The rig works great as long as the engine is off.

My next steep will be to add RF ground straps from the hood to the fenders and frame. Them I will try adding ferrite chokes on the power feed.

The noise is exactly like an ignition noise, if it had spark plugs; so it has to be from the injectors.

Tomorrow I am going to experiment with the antenna disconnected at the antenna and then at the radio to see if the noise is entering from the power feed or the antenna system.

I had the same issue with my 2002 7.3L, but it was not as severe and I did help it with chokes on the antenna feed.

Any ideas or feed back would be appreciated. Who could I contact at ford fro some help on this issue?

Ken

[N3LYT]

I'm pretty sure that engine uses piezo injectors they can be noisy. Ford should have a dept. that deals with RFI maybe your local dealer can help with that. A choke on the power feed may help you if they run parallel to the injector wiring. Diesel have become way complex! Let me know how you like your Lil Tarheel I have one on my Tacoma and it has been outstanding I also have a bracket on my camper that I use and have had excellent results with that too.

[TXiceman]

Love the Lil' Tarheel II. I had it mounted on the roof of my old Avion silver trailer. last night I changed the Ameritron SDC 1102 out for a Turbo Tuner. It works slick.

Know any one that needs an Ameritron SDC 102 programmable turn counter?

Ken

[N3LYT]

Originally Posted by TXiceman

Love the Lil' Tarheel II. I had it mounted on the roof of my old Avion silver trailer. last night I changed the Ameritron SDC 1102 out for a Turbo Tuner. It works slick.

Know any one that needs an Ameritron SDC 102 programmable turn counter?

Ken

I might be interested! Have presets? I set mine with a Bird A100 it's a bit tedious to change bands that way.

[TXiceman]

Here is the manual on it. It has the connector on it for a Tarheel.

http://littletarheel.com/SDC-102.pdf

Send me a PM and we can discuss.

Ken

[Radio]

As I recall, there are only two ways to get RFI from the vehicle into the radio.

1. Antenna
2. Power Supply.

Make a shorting plug or find one of those 5 watt CB dummy loads and install that in place of your antenna. If you still hear then noise then it has to be coming from power. Kenwood makes an inline power RFI filter that will take that right out.

Those little "clip on" ferrite beads can reduce injector/ignition noise. I've used those to quiet the motors on heater fans and windshield wipers, too.

[N3LYT]

Originally Posted by TXiceman

Here is the manual on it. It has the connector on it for a Tarheel.

http://littletarheel.com/SDC-102.pdf

Send me a PM and we can discuss.

Ken

PM sent, Tim

[Radio]

So....what ever happened with the noise? Did you get it fixed?

[NN5I]

Originally Posted by Radio

As I recall, there are only two ways to get RFI from the vehicle into the radio.

1. Antenna
2. Power Supply.

Would that it were so. But noise can come in more ways than that. It can be radiated noise that enters the radio's enclosure (cabinet) and is picked up directly by the internal wiring (a very common path, especially in the days of Tennessee Valley Indians, and still common in many kinds of consumer electronics); and it can be conducted over the grounding system (such as a ground lead that isn't short enough electrically). Good shielding and grounding practices can take care of most of it.

[TXiceman]

Still trying to find a way to reduce it. I think I have everything bonded to everything else. There is no noise on VHF/UHF.

Trying to see if Ford has done any RFI studies on the truck. With all of the computers on board, they are bound to have some information.

Ken

[oldmanbill]

One source not mentioned is the exhaust system which can create noise and generally on hf. It is generally hung on rubber with the only contact at the engine and some are poor connection electronically. Depending on your pollution system some sensors can connect to the wiring system. I ran hf in big trucks for years and have had that come up.

Another source is radial tires and driveshaft which are not your problem as you describe it but keep that in mind in the future. I once had a ticking sound on 40m that was finally cured by braided ground straps to the exhaust system.