Burning up fuel shut off solenoids.

[Jesus Freak]

@Jesus Freak How long was that screw you used to prop open your FSS? I just left the key in the ignition all night and I'm worried about the FSS. I'm leaving on a 1500 mile road trip in a couple weeks. I'd like to have a backup in case the FSS craps out on me

It had to be a 1-1/2". It was a regular roofing metal screw.
But like @franklin2 said, it should just be able to just stay engaged. My issue was a janky connection in the wiring harness that was causing the issue. I cut out the bad spot and made a better connection and I haven't had any issue.

But, if you drive old vehicles, and I don't care how "fixed up" they are, always be ready to go "MacGyver" on them in a pinch or get full coverage with AAA and they'll tow you and get you a courtesy vehicle. It just cost as much as a brand new truck to insure on that level.

 

[zjspeedy]

Just hopped on for the first time in a long time, good thread. Halfway through I figured the problem had to do with electric. Bad connection won't allow proper voltage/current to pull in the solenoid. Also to note would be the output voltage from the alternator. If memory serves me right, output voltage from alt should be 14.5 to 16.5 volt. If you are frying or blowing solenoids (especially liquid cooled i.e. fuel flow cooled) by design they should last. Too high a voltage however may over heat and Crack the solenoid casing and potential short out. For example a solenoid designed for 12v that is getting 18 plus volt is definitely not going to last. That fuel shut off solenoid would just be the weakest link since it is cooled by the fuel when the housing cracks. Just a tidbit of knowledge for future reference.

 

[The_Josh_Bear]

If memory serves me right, output voltage from alt should be 14.5 to 16.5 volt.

Just to help your memory out, a healthy alternator should put out right about 14.6v at full charge. It'll lower to 13.8ish when the batteries are fully charged and there isn't much load. At least it does with my 3G.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Mine normally sits at 14.3-14.4 while running. It drops .2 volt when the lights are on. Now for the oddity. There is an area south of me in Oklahoma where the voltage, at least the reading on the gauge drops every time I've driven through it. I've seen it drop all the way down the 13.6 volts. the first couple of times, I thought my alternator had quit. Now I just keep driving and the voltage slowly comes back up to where it normally sits. I don't know if it's the alternator or just the gauge. My only guess is that there's some type of magnetic anomaly in the ground in that area.

 

[zjspeedy]

Sounds about right, but I know have seen it up to 15.5 volt with new alt. And voltage regulator.

 

[KansasIDI]

Mine normally sits at 14.3-14.4 while running. It drops .2 volt when the lights are on. Now for the oddity. There is an area south of me in Oklahoma where the voltage, at least the reading on the gauge drops every time I've driven through it. I've seen it drop all the way down the 13.6 volts. the first couple of times, I thought my alternator had quit. Now I just keep driving and the voltage slowly comes back up to where it normally sits. I don't know if it's the alternator or just the gauge. My only guess is that there's some type of magnetic anomaly in the ground in that area.

Solar electromagnetic activity has drastically increased over the course of the last few years. It can cause all sorts of bizarre problems.

 

[KansasIDI]

A couple of weeks ago I took these pictures. Abnormal activity for Kansas…

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[IDIBRONCO]

Solar electromagnetic activity has drastically increased over the course of the last few years. It can cause all sorts of bizarre problems.

Sort of. It's not so much an increase in solar activity overall as it is a decrease in the strength of the Earth's magnetic field which is letting in more solar radiation. The end results are the same from our point of view, but the cause is different. This also wouldn't explain why it only happens in that particular area since the solar radiation levels fluctuate and don't always affect the same place on the Earth's surface.
I have thought about going out and seeing the auroras, but decided that sleep was more important to me. One of those things that happen as we get older.

 

[franklin2]

Sounds about right, but I know have seen it up to 15.5 volt with new alt. And voltage regulator.

The voltage that high can cause the batteries to use water. It should not run that high on a consistent basis.

 

[Jesus Freak]

A couple of weeks ago I took these pictures. Abnormal activity for Kansas…

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Sort of. It's not so much an increase in solar activity overall as it is a decrease in the strength of the Earth's magnetic field which is letting in more solar radiation. The end results are the same from our point of view, but the cause is different. This also wouldn't explain why it only happens in that particular area since the solar radiation levels fluctuate and don't always affect the same place on the Earth's surface.
I have thought about going out and seeing the auroras, but decided that sleep was more important to me. One of those things that happen as we get older.

Just north of me where I get hay in a community called Blackmon, they could see Aurora stuff. A guy my kids was working for showed them some pictures he took of it at like 2am, they said it was green. That might be my solenoids problem then, thanks guys for bringing that up, and I thought it was a wire.......what a dunce!

 

[zjspeedy]

The voltage that high can cause the batteries to use water. It should not run that high on a consistent basis.

No, it would not run constant at that voltage. It would taper down to 13.8 to 14 once charged up.