Diesel injector noise - Open Roads Radio forum for Ham, Amateur Radio and RV camping

TXiceman · 05-07-2013, 07:48 AM

I have been fighting my 2012 Ford Power Stroke for severla months trying to get the injectior noise out of the radio (FT857D, turbo tuner and Lil' Tarheel II).

I have tried powering it from the power supply from the house...nosie is still there.

Bonding straps on the hood, body to chassis, doors to chassis, chassis to frame, exhaust to the frame. The only thing not bonded is the tailgate.

Torrid chokes on power cables, etc.

NB and NL on the radio does very little to touch noise.

Does not bother VHF or UHF, only HF (6m up to 80m).

Noise disappears when HF antenna is disconnected.

Any suggestions? I ask Ford and they say, not their problem.

&3,
Ken

NN5I · 05-07-2013, 09:33 AM

If it's really injector noise, you might put small toroids around the injector control wires, or shield them. Your engine uses electrically-controlled injectors that are rather fancy. The injectors are controlled by the engine computer, which sends 110-volt pulses to the injector to turn it on. These pulses, of varying duration depending on how much fuel is to be injected, actuate solenoid valves that admit high-pressure oil (about 3000 psi, I think) to a large piston. That piston, in turn, actuates a small piston that in turn actuates a valve that admits fuel at very high pressure (over 20,000 psi) into the engine cylinder.

Anyway, the 110-volt pulse to the injector's oil valve could be pretty noisy. A toroid on the control wire might help, or maybe you could shield those wires.

TXiceman · 05-07-2013, 11:18 AM

Carl, the way that engine is stuffed under the hood, there is no getting to the wires to the injectors. Under the dash is equally bad.

Ken

wa8yxm · 05-07-2013, 11:58 AM

Contact Ford, if it's making that much noise it is a possible part 15 violaiton.

Most auto makers do have a "Electroinc noise" division since those trucks and cars may be used by radio dispatched serivices so they need to control it.

NN5I · 05-07-2013, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TXiceman

Carl, the way that engine is stuffed under the hood, there is no getting to the wires to the injectors. Under the dash is equally bad.

Ken

Yeah, well, you could trade it in on a Corvette.

N3LYT · 05-07-2013, 04:49 PM

Yes the injectors are all but impossible to get to maybe there are some hams that are on the Ford diesel site that may have an answer. Putting a cap on each one shouldn't take more then 1 week or two. I have actually heard noise in my HF from a Ford diesel close by.

TXiceman · 05-13-2013, 11:20 AM

Contacted FOrd and I get the ...what are you talking about...ain't Fords problem.

Also sent an email to the site for a Ford Ham club and so far the response has been total silence...maybe they injector noise drowned out my signal to them.

Ken

wa8yxm · 05-14-2013, 09:37 AM

Oh it is Ford's problem, the truck quite likely voilates part 15 of the FCC rules. But alas, proving it is another matter.

Since I drive a gasser,, I can not give specific info on taming the noise.

N3LYT · 05-15-2013, 07:00 AM

This seems to be a known issue people have tried every thing from grounding every thing, moving the antenna, tin foil, ferrite beads and nothing has helped. The reports I have heard were mostly 20 meter noise levels of S9 or more. Some have found the voltage spikes to be as high as 1000 volts. I think a nasty gram to Ford might be in order maybe file a complaint with the selling dealer and get some thing in writing. Ford also had fuel pump noise issues and they did eventually correct that.

fulltimers-47 · 09-04-2016, 11:55 AM

if your ant is mounted on your bumper/try ground strap from ant mount 2 frame of truck might work

electricflyer · 09-04-2016, 04:55 PM

This web site answers a lot of questions about mobile operation problems. Take a look at "ignition and injectors" to see if that helps.
http://www.k0bg.com

N3LYT · 09-04-2016, 07:17 PM

Ford's injector wiring is the valve cover gasket yes you heard that right the injector wiring and the glow plug wiring is part of the valve cover gasket their injectors are noisy some big trucks have the same issue they often wipe out my radio when they pass going the other direction. Good luck fixing it.

TXiceman · 09-04-2016, 09:13 PM

I put about $100 worth of ferrite chokes on the larger computer cables and cut the noise way down, to where the radio is usable mobile.

Ken

N5NA · 09-10-2016, 08:51 PM

Don't know if it would apply to your 2012 but here is what I did to my 2015.

http://www.n5na.net/s9y/index.php?/a...rence-RFI.html

73, Alan N5NA

Radio · 09-11-2016, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N5NA

Don't know if it would apply to your 2012 but here is what I did to my 2015.

http://www.n5na.net/s9y/index.php?/a...rence-RFI.html

73, Alan N5NA

Alan,

Thanks for the input and welcome aboard!

TXiceman · 09-11-2016, 08:27 PM

Alan, pretty much did all that you referenced. On mine, I find the drivers side battery quieter than the passenger side battery. I also added flat braid ground straps from the negative terminals on both batteries to the frame.

I previously put ground straps on all the doors, tailgate, hood and bed.

I don't think my next truck will be a Ford. Love the way it rides and pulls, but Ford needs to do a better job on the injectors.

Ken

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