Speed
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Posts posted by Speed
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Okay,got all four ball joints and the tie rod ends done,got it aligned (twice),and apparently the lower axle ends are slightly bent,so the alignment is maxed out even with the 2 degree bushings. Apparently the previous owner had bent them playing "Dukes Of Hazard" with the truck. The Ford dealer has a place in Kentucky that straightens them but with the shipping,tear-down and reassembly of the front end,ANOTHER alignment and the cost of the repair I'm figuring it'd be cheaper to just swap in the front end from the parts truck,replace the ball joints AGAIN and get ANOTHER alignment. A job for another life,I think. I drove it to SLC and back a couple of days ago to bring back a friend from his Cancer treatment. I averaged about 19.4 mpg,mostly due to a lot of speeding up and slowing down. The intermittent power window's been working fine for almost 2 weeks. (Hope I didn't jinx it.) Had a little go-round with the ABS-it was acting up and the shop replaced a module,which fixed it. Then,in SLC,a guy cut me off and I had to do a sudden stop. Unfortunately,it happened just as I got the right side wheels on a steel plate covering a hole in the road,and one front tire slid more than the other,and*triggered the ABS light again. Now it stays off sometimes,then goes on for no reason. Sometimes shutting the truck off for about 10 seconds will clear it,sometimes it'll clear for a block or two then light again,sometimes it just won't clear at all. I don't think I'll sweat it for now-the brakes still work fine.
One thing I know I want fixed is he cruise control-I really need it if I want to improve my gas mileage.
Speed
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Okay-I got the exhaust tightened up,Got the wheel bearings packed/replaced,and the Exploder is substantially more fun to drive. Still a bit road-wild,due to the right lower ball joint being shot,but FAR better than before. Gassed it up and drove to Carlin and back,and it seems to be better gas mileage around town than on the highway-To Carlin,a wee bit of creeping around town there,and back got 18.2 mpg,but before that,a week of just town driving around Elko got me 20.4 mpg. The mileage COULD be about the same if I kept the highway speed closer to 65-70 instead of 75-80. (80 is about 3000 rpm.)
The shop who did the exhaust and wheel bearings gave me a quote to replace the lower ball joints,but the owner said,"Huh-THIS is weird. For only another 3/10ths of an hour flat rate you can get ALL FOUR done." That'll make it around $360.00 plus my cost for parts. Not sure if he's set up to align it but that's not bad. As far as "farmed out" work,that'll be about all I need. The rest of it is just little stuff I can do myself.
OH-that reminds me,I was given a '93 Exploder parts car. No title,but it's complete and is a runner. Has an auto. tx and full time 4X4. The guy says he thinks it has a posi rear end too. If that's true,I HOPE it's a 3.73 ratio. That'll also give me a couple of doors and the LF hinges,the inside liftgate cover,and a receiver hitch,and MAYBE even a set of hubcaps. I'm going out to check it out Sunday and do an "inventory" of what I can use.
Speed
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Found a shop that "specializes" in rusted exhaust bolts;their shop looks a mess but they have a good rep for doing good reliable work,so I'm getting an estimate to fix the exhaust leaks and do a wheel bearing pack,installing the locking hubs I'll be bringing in. (I have new Timken bearings and National grease seals to use-they're fine with using the parts I bring in,as long as they're not used or "no-name" junk.) I have a brake hose to replace on the right front,but I can do that myself. I also bought some synthetic ATF to use in the T/C when I install the manual shift unit. Still need a couple of pieces of linkage for that-the tab and retaining nut and washer on the T/C,the shift link to the shifter and the shouldered bolt the shifter pivots on. I could make these parts,but I'd need a transmission to attach everything to,to mock it all up and test its operation on the bench.The way I see it,I'm getting close to having the machine I've wanted for quite a while,comfortable,roomy,reliable,set up the way I LIKE it,runs down the 4 lane at 90+ all day long,with decent mileage thrown in while still capable of bashing around the hills-all for under 2 grand. Down the road I might throw a little more into it for a locking rear end,a receiver hitch,maybe a beefier front bumper with a winch,but that's really about all I could want. I have PLENTY of OTHER trucks for other purposes.
It must look like I'm lazy,but this last year has wrought havoc with my health,and I've discovered there's a LOT of work I just can't do anymore.
Speed
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Okay-we found the wires for the O2 sensors and got them plugged in. The PO had them tied back and just didn't plug them in when he was "finished" putting the clutch in. The "check engine" light hasn't been on since plugging them in. It seems to have a little less torque than before,idles at about 700 rpm (down from 1000-1100) and now backfires a LOT on compression. Looks like I'll have to remove the crossover pipe bolts,clean threads and reinstall them tighter. So far the two shops I had check 'em wouldn't try to snug 'em up-one guy tried a little but was afraid he'd break one because they were so rusty looking.
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So far no problems other than having to pump up some pedal if I leave it parked for 6 months or so. I'll get one of those valves in the front brake line when I bring the truck home to replace the alternator and add the high power headlights. I'm also going to slide the flatbed about 6 inches closer to the cab and re-attach it. Last time I put it on I left it back a ways because I planned to add dual 4" stacks to it,mounted to a cross-frame bracket between the cab and the bed,but now I think mounting stacks to the headache rack would work fine;and if I decide to remove the bed and install the 5th wheel plate again I can use that time to build the bracket and bolt it to the frame,with nothing in the way. If I do it right,it,and the pipes,will fit with the bed in its original location.
Speed
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The GMC has been upgraded to a dual reservoir master cylinder the same bore size as the original;I eliminated the Hydrovac,but the brakes work well without a booster,and there's room to add one if I need it. I had to use an adjustable proportioning valve which I mounted inside the right frame rail near the battery box,to compensate for the master cylinder's Disc/Drum configuration.
The A/C compressor is for an on-board air system,to inflate tires,run the air horns and possibly operate air brakes if I need to move a trailer so equipped. It wouldn't be DOT legal,but would work for a short distance. I could make a very basic set-up and operate the trailer brakes via a trolley valve on the steering column-I have a couple in the shed.
Speed
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Well,the clutch problem is SOLVED! And I didn't have to do ANYTHING to make it work! I took it to Les Schwabb to get some decent tires on it;they did the swap and PUSHED it out of the service bay,leaving it parked just outside the door. I'd explained the clutch would "work" if started in gear but would drag when stopped,like an automatic would. Apparently that scared 'em. Anyway,I got in the truck to leave,and as I did,my toe got under the clutch pedal and pulled it up a little. Something popped,and after that the clutch worked perfectly. My theory is that the pushrod from the pedal wasn't seating properly,and wasn't letting the master cylinder operate all the way through its range,and lifting the pedal allowed it to "center" itself.
A closer inspection shows only ONE lower ball joint is bad,and it's DESPERATELY in need of a bearing pack. The NEW plan is to junkyard a set of stock locking hubs and spindle nuts/springs/etc. and installing those as I do the wheel bearings. Dutch says if I can make it to his place he'll help me do the lower ball joint (s) and get it aligned. I have some parts-N-tools to bring him anyway. THAT brings me to my next concern.
My mileage has been hovering around 10 mpg,and I KNOW it can do better than THAT. This truck has two NEW O2 sensors,but the plugs they should plug into are missing. I know what the color codes are,one is a 3 wire,the other is 4 wires,of which two wires are paired to the 3 wire one,and the wires go from there-not sure where. I believe the PO butchered the wiring harness to 'em by pinching 'em between the block and bell housing when he installed the clutch and either cut 'em off or tied 'em off somewhere. I've noticed this thing starts GREAT in cold weather,and runs GREAT,but its behavior,and the fact that even with a leaky crossover pipe it NEVER backfires on compression braking,tells me it's running rich. The "check engine" light goes on and off randomly;I'm pretty sure the O2 sensors are most of the problem,but I'm nervous about doing anything with the wiring-I don't wanna risk smoking the ECM,even though there's half a dozen of these at Garcia's Towing in Wells.
I ALSO need to go to school on adjusting the headlights on this thing-this is the first ever "modular headlight " set up I've ever owned. I have to find a 3mm socket too. I gave it a set of 100W headlight bulbs,so I should have a LOT more range than I'm noticing.
I have my "Gotta Do" lists done for each vehicle now,and I have most of the parts,excepting a clutch and ring gear for the BroncWorth and some sort of an A/C compressor bracket for the '54 GMC.
Speed
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The MAIN reason I've always liked the 420 is the "deep as an oil well" low gear. Was there ever a 435 or 465 with anything close to the 420's low gear? Were either of 'em offered with the E-brake option(?)?
Regarding the limitations of the Jimmie Six,I've NEVER been a fan of high revs. When I had my 80 Harley 80 incher,I had 'er geared to run 80 mph at around 2500 revs. IT was happy there,I was happy there,it was perfect,and with solid lifters and a points ignition it had plenty of torque to get rolling even riding two-up with a load of yard sale treasure.
BTW-the 4 main six seems to be VERY critical of balance,so when a build is done you have to have the rotating assembly balanced REALLY well. Another thing that will make it live longer is a set of lighter pistons-those stockers would be a liability if it's gonna wind more than 3500. (Not sure how a set of light,higher compression pistons would hold up in a 2 ton truck,though-I'd assume lugging it down to 300 rpm would no longer be an option.) I'd be curious -to see what changes happen with pistons 1/3 the weight of stock ones,with a couple of points higher compression-horsepower curve,torque curve,MORE torque or less,MORE horsepower,or less? At what rpm?
I've set my own redline for the 302 at around 2750 if needed,but usually around 2600 against the factory's 3400. Besides,a Jimmie doesn't NEED more than 2600 to do its work-twisting it beyond that's just bangin' your head against the wall.
It looks like finding the 4 speed I'd like will be a long shot,so I'll roll with the Clark for now.
My next projects have to be a new alternator,and 5/8" pulley,a new 5/8" belt,rebuilding the rear section of drive line,better headlights,swapping the Cherokee black leather bucket seats in,and a new clutch. (MAYBE new rear axle seals and brakes...) And an EXHAUST system. I've decided on a high flow quiet muffler in 3",going back into a 3" stack on the left. A LOT of this will have to wait until later,as I have other more pressing things to deal with. The alternator/belt/pulley is a MUST HAVE.
Speed
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Nothing is as easy as it seems. I got a call from the shop manager asking me to come to the shop. When I got there I expected the truck to be apart waiting on installation of its new clutch but NOTHING was done. Turns out the rear spring hangers and shackles are rusted through,and the mechanic said he wouldn't do the clutch until I got these parts replaced. (It ALSO needs front wheel bearings and lower ball joints.) I have the parts located,it'll be a little spendy but it fixes everything I need to start driving the Exploder. Then,all that's left is little stuff-a door,some power window switches,a heater fan switch,a shifter for the manual shifted Transfer case I'll be installing when Spring comes and a set of locking hubs. Grand total will be under $2,000.00 for something I've wanted for a long time.
Speed
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I don't know about quality,but I'll be getting my switches from LMC. It seems like everyone has problems with the window switches. It'd be worth sourcing the best of 'em and offering a conversion harness and switch to fit whatever vehicle you own.
Sounds like the mechanic had plans to bleed the clutch again but he says he'll go ahead and change out the clutch first. He's convinced that quick release coupling at the release bearing will allow air into the system so he'll have to bleed the system again anyway.
Something that crossed my mind is this;When I got this truck there were supposed to be two nuts welded to the inside of the firewall that were to bolt the master cylinder in-the bolts were to be inserted from under the hood,and the one closest to the transmission was a genuine pain to get to-the brake booster hung right over it and my arm had to bend backwards to start it. the other hole was useless,the nut had broken loose,so the hole it left was almost the size of a dime. I went ahead and broke the other nut off the firewall,and put a modified "clip nut" on each ear of the master cylinder,and using bolts with medium sized flat washers,I was able to bolt the master cylinder in from INSIDE the truck-MUCH easier. Here's the question-the clip part of the clip nuts is,I'm guessing maybe ..020-.040" thick,and that's what is between the cylinder and firewall-would that stand the master cylinder far enough from the firewall to affect the clutch travel? I doubt .040 is enough to make a difference,but then,I didn't think a BB sized air bubble would keep the clutch from working either. Popular opinion in the shop is that the PO installed something wrong or something he installed is defective. (release bearing-is it supposed to have a spacer or something behind it to push it forward from the transmission a set distance??) Seems like there was a hard plastic "sleeve" about a half inch or so thick that kept the release bearing from bottoming against the front of the transmission,but this might have been a different application.Looking at the Manual I see there IS a bolted in "alignment collar" of sorts,and a spring behind the release bearing;I think forgetting either one could cause a failure to release.
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STILL waiting for the Exploder to be finished. They finally got the hydraulics working but it still isn't disengaging fully.
Since I have a full new clutch set,he's replacing it all;should be done today,but I'm figuring Friday. Then I'll take it over and get tires on it. I have a set of P235/75-15's for it that only have about 100 miles on 'em. I've decided to replace all the power window switches and I'm going to replace the left rear door complete,since the linkage,switches and motor are all toast in this one. (Besides-this truck is the only one I've ever had that doesn't have at least one door of a different color. Can't stay that way-it's TRADITION. Regarding the 4WD,while it's on the rack I'll look at the wiring to the shift motor,and see if I can figure out why the 4X4 isn't working-that's kinda necessary up here. After THAT,all it needs is a real trailer hitch,wiring plug and brake controller. Oh,I also need to figure out why the heater fan doesn't work;I checked all the fuses/breakers in the truck and all is well there. Hope the switch isn't bad-it's about $70.00 new. (That's where a toggle switch will come into play...)More to follow....
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The Exploder-I mean Explorer,has a hydraulic release bearing,with two stub lines coming out of the bell housing and a bleeder also outside the bell housing. As near as I can tell,the lines at the bell housing use quick couplings that keep everything sealed up until they're connected. I have some shop time booked Monday to get this thing finished. I decided the next project is a front axle rebuild on the Toyota. It's had one axle that's been a little noisy for some time,but it worked fine at 45 mph or under,but last time I locked the hubs it shook like hell even at 15 mph. I noticed it got even worse when I made a right turn. I have a couple of good axles I bought from a guy last Summer when he changed his rock crawler over to the Chevy style axles. I figure this is the time to swap the good axles in and re-seal the pinion and steering knuckles,and convert to Synthetic lube. Maybe drain and re-fill the REAR axle with Synthetic too. I wanted to go for a couple of Yukon pocket-lockers too,but their price has gone beyond ridiculous. One painful step at a time,right?
Speed
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Hope you all had a Merry Christmas! 😇
After about a Month of work,I got the Explorer back,it STILL isn't fully functional but the mechanic said to drive it a little and see if it works better or worse,bring it back in a week or so and we could go from there. It got worse-well,it stays the same some of the time,is worse some of the time,I'm taking it back tomorrow to see if he can take another run at tilting the truck's nose up high on the hoist (to encourage the air to go to the lines so a pressure bleed might get the air out.) That got a lot of air out of the system with the pressure bleeder last time. 🤔I think there's some value to using vibration to jar the air bubbles loose from wherever they're hiding. He DIDN'T do that last time. Dutch suggested using an electric engraver with the point flattened and going all over the lines and M/C to make all the bubbles go to the highest point THEN bleeding it.
ONE thing is obvious-this truck is WORTHLESS on any kind of snow,ice or mud without the 4WD working😠. (Only 1 wheel driving and no appreciable tread on it,and a clutch that drags enough to keep pushing the truck except on dry pavement.) I got in contact with the guy who owns the truck ( Bronco II) the manual shift T/C is from,he gave the truck to a friend but the friend says the shifter is still there and I can have it,so that's one less thing I need to find. Apparently the linkage is missing,but I can make that;the part I can't make is the little arm the linkage connects to that fits the stub shaft sticking out of the T/C case. I figure I could probably get by with the stock automatic hubs until I find a set of manual hubs. Not the best choice for mileage,but will work if needed.
Not planning on ANY work on the trucks for the next 10 days or so,the high temps here will be the low/mid 20's-not conductive to working outside.🙂
Speed
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This truck had a 270 and a 420 originally,but probably had the Brownie installed before the current 302/Clark,which was pretty much standard issue for the Military trucks of larger than Deuce and a half sizes. The Clark doesn't have an E brake. Since I have other work to do on this truck (slide the bed forward,bigger alternator,dual batteries,100W headlights,new clutch,re-tube drivelines and change the front yoke,build a proper exhaust system),if you know anyone who has a one ton up 420 with the trans. E-brake who wants to trade it straight across for an overdrive,I'll pull the Clark out for 'em. I don't want to trade for a worn out 420 though,it needs to be in at least fair,usable shape. I suspect the Clark may need an output shaft bearing,but it works fine otherwise and is quiet,for a crashbox.
Speed
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Thanksgiving Dinner was about a 7;the meat was tough and the dressing was good,but not enough. Enjoyed visiting with my Sister though. Yeah,I rode the Harley over-it was raining,but not slick. On the way home,it was SUPPOSED to be snowing hard,but it was clear skies and dry roads. Not sure what the wind chill was-temperature was about 35 degrees,not bad at all. That's been about the high in the last few days,and appears the same will be true for another week,with occasional snow/rain. WONderful!
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Turns out the new throwout bearing/slave cylinder was dysfunctional too. The Mechanic got everything in place,filled,bled properly,and it STILL won't disengage the clutch. BUT-Since I have a NEW clutch set,a NEW sealed hydraulic system for the clutch and NEW flywheel,I asked for an estimate to install it. Still waiting to hear back. I expect the labor to be around $500.00-600.00,and I know there'll be no warranty. Can't wait to have it done. Once I have it operable,I think the next job will be swapping the engine in my One Ton Chevy.Having THAT done I'll have it reliable enough to run even on the freeway,though somewhat slowly.(It seems pretty "short-legged",for some reason. Maybe it's a combination of restricting my RPM's to 2,000,to reduce the oil usage and switching from the original 235/85-16's to 9.00-16.5's,)
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Used the '90 GMC to run an errand,seems to be a sound truck. I need to get the hard water haze off the windshield. A friend told me about something called "Barkeeper's Friend" he says works awesome. I'll write a review when I try it.
Monday I'll go to DMV and get the required paperwork to apply for a duplicate title,an affidavit of non-use and an official Bill of Sale. The PO says he'll fill out all the papers but will NOT take time off from work to go to DMV with me to get this done. (I THINK I can still get a 30 say Temp. Permit on it at this point.)
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My '74 Chevy one ton is inoperable-the starter doesn't work. MY opinion is the ignition wire's either disconnected or damaged. The point of mentioning this is that I had an appointment to get to on Monday,but the truck wouldn't start,so I drove the Explorer,still clutchless. Once that was handled I drove over and filled the gas tank and a 1.25 gallon gas can,just for emergency use. Then I took it to a local Garage I trust to get its clutch hooked up and bled. I called this AM,Wednesday,to ask how it was going,and the mechanic said he got it assembled,filled and bled it and it still has no clutch function. I've asked him to work up an estimate to just break it down and do a COMPLETE clutch job,labor only because I have ALL the parts for it new. Hope to hear from him Friday. I don't wanna spend that much on the clutch job,but I need this thing done,and I know I'm unable to do it myself. I think the labor and parts costs are nearly the same,it looks like the labor will probably be around $500-600. I know they can't offer a Warranty if they use owner-supplied parts,but the parts are good quality and the mechanic does excellent work,so I'm not worried. In the meantime,with nothing to drive operable,I'll probably ride the Harley over to my Sister's place foe Thanksgiving dinner. Hope it doesn't snow more than a couple of inches-this bike gets pretty unstable in any more snow than that.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Speed
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" Sure you want to give the Clark up for an SM420 four-speed? Tired of double-clutching? "
I don't mind double clutching-actually I "half-double clutch",half the work. As I reach the "float" part of a shift,I just slide it into neutral and let off the gas,then as the rpms come down close to idle on an up shift I hit the clutch and shift into the next gear;on a down shift,I lift the throttle and pull it into neutral,jazz the throttle a bit and shift to my next lower gear. I actually LIKE the weird shift pattern-it kinda amazes passengers,who think it'll have its gears on the same pattern their half ton GMC does. The main thing is that I like the feel of the 420,it shifts easier and is a LOT quieter going down the road. Being mostly synchronized isn't a bad thing either. Without looking up the individual gear ratios,it feels like its ratios are close to the same as the first four speeds of the Clark,but I really can't use the Overdrive on the Clark anyway,unless I can grow another hundred or so horsepower. The Clarks 5th gear is a .85,and the Brownie I have is a .74 Over;I don't have the power,even EMPTY,to run both overdrives,so if I have to give one up,going to a 420 main box will give me virtually all the gears I have now except one overdrive. Only downside I see is I'll have to have BOTH drivelines modified,but if it's gonna be on the highway at all that's probably a good idea anyway. Plus,if I get a 420 from a one ton or bigger truck it'll have my beloved transmission mounted E-brake!!!
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I have a grocery bag of tubes and when I still had a list of what tubes the GMC radio needed I went through 'em,but there were no matches. I'll trade 'em for a set of the right tubes for my radio. (BTW-Elko High School's Electronics Class has my tube tester,they'll probably check any tubes you have for free.) Hey,I discovered Summit Racing sells H-4 Halogen headlights in a 7" round. They're around $56.00 a pair,and I can get 85/100W bulbs for 'em for a couple of bucks each.You want some REAL light to drive by for your older car or truck-this'll do the job!
Speed
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The heater on this truck actually works pretty good;it's noisy but functional. (I think it's still the 6 volt motor;a 12 volt replacement isn't too expensive.) I need to build some defroster hoses-the originals just crumble when I try to do anything with 'em. I know I can buy a set for under 20 bucks-they're just such a pain to route so nothing interferes with their fit. (Wipers linkage in particular.)
Hey,I still have that 12 volt radio that fits my truck-actually I have one from a '60 GMC LCF,one from a '53 or so Chevy truck and another one for parts, I can't remember what it was in;I'm looking for someone who can/will build me a good,reliable radio for my truck. I like the tube type radio-it pulls a LOT stronger signal reception than the transistorized junk they sell now. The GMC one is complete except the tubes are missing and the dial lens needs to be replaced. I think LMC sells that-I don't know what tubes it takes or where they go. I'd like to get that done and find an FM converter for it,the old school one that fits under the dash. I think LMC also sells the chrome speaker box that mounts above the windshield and they have an upgraded speaker that fits it. I figure once I swap the Clark 5 speed for a good SM420 and build a decent exhaust (3" pipe,Summit Racing Flowmaster knock-off w/3" in and out,short piece of flex pipe after a 90 degree,feeding into a 3" stack that extends about 18" above the top of the cab,with a straight cut end and a rain-cap,assembled with band type clamps,I'll even be able to hear it. I doubt I'll be using the 5th wheel plate anymore on this truck,so I'll attach the stack to the headache rack on the flatbed. (That reminds me-I need to move the bed forward on the frame about 4 more inches to center it over the rear wheels. I don't think I'll need that much room for the stack's clearance.) I also found a deal on H-4 Halogen headlights for this truck and have some 85/100W bulbs to install in 'em. It'll be SO NICE to be able to see what's down the road far enough ahead I don't have to worry about surprise obstructions!
Speed
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There is not a lot of altitude change until I-84 over to Boise,where its actually lower than Elko. What I was hearing is that most of Southern Idaho is around 4,000 feet,Elko is 5,100,and there's several summits of about 55-5800 feet. Not sure yet what route will get me to Idaho Falls w/o any weigh stations. I DO know how to bypass the Elko one. Higher altitude won't bother me with this truck-I have enough gearing at my disposal to climb whatever's in front of me. Right now,the truck's needs are a fresh alternator and 5/8" belt (to replace the 7/8" belt-you can't find pulleys to work with a 7/8 belt!) I also want to install some LED bed marker lights,but those aren't as critical.
Speed
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Having looked more closely,I discovered the manual T/C and the electronic T/C are both Borg Warner 1350 units but with different shift mechanisms. Everything else appears the same. I'm pretty sure the wiring will even fit both applications,but on the manual T/C the two switches might only serve as indicator lights.
Installing the clutch master cylinder,I discover one bolt goes into a VERY hard place to reach,impossible to me. I thought of a way to bolt it in from the INSIDE,by using "clip nuts" which I'll clip over the mounting tabs on the master cylinder,then run the bolts through from the interior. I'm still not clear on the line connection;it includes a roll pin that holds the line into the master cylinder,and a rubber washer,which I'm not sure where it fits. I'll figure it out.THEORETICALLY it'll work fine. I hope to have this one done Friday before dark-I can't wait to do an oil change on it and drive it down and fill the gas tank.
Speed
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The '90 GMC's a runner. I replaced the gas filter,which was plugged almost completely,but still no start. Next I pulled the ignition module and had it tested-it failed. I bought a new one and installed it and the engine started after about 3 seconds of cranking. Runs a little cobby,but I'm sure that's just stale gas. So far everything works except one back up light and one tail light bulb,soon to be replaced.
Next,I'm working on getting the clutch hydraulics replaced on the '93 Ford Explorer I recently bought.
Speed
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I know-OH GREAT-he has ANOTHER problem child to heal!
This one is a 1990 GMC K2500 Extra Cab 4X4;5.7L,700-R4
The PO says it quit him on the highway,he put a new fuel pump in it and it still wouldn't start. Here's what I've tried so far. I listened for the pump running,it did, dumped 5 gallons of fresh gas in the tank (The gauge showed empty),tried bleeding the lines to the T/B,the left pipe showed fuel,the right side pipe,not so much,(It was EXTREMELY tight,and the nut was rounded,it took a pipe wrench to finally get it loose),and that's about all I had time for. I suspect maybe
A-an ignition module
B-an ECM
C-a plugged fuel filter
Next will be checking the codes,which I SHOULD have started with,but I really expected it to be an easy fix.
Other issues with this truck are 2 light bulbs out,the right fender scuffs the door,the left window (power) is missing a piece of the channel and the switch doesn't work,and the shift indicator doesn't work. I'd be surprised if the A/C works.
Speed
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I just acquired a manual shift T/C that,at first glance,looks like it'll work in my Exploder. It was removed from a Ranger around the same age (?) because the owner thought it was the cause of a vibration,but even with another T/C the vibration remained just as bad. It was traced to a bent driveline.
I'm not at all familiar with these Ford set-ups,so I don't know how this'll work out. Might need driveline work,and will need a shifter. don't know yet if it'll bolt to my transmission. I notice when I change the hubs to locking hubs there's an "adapter kit" I'll need (for an additional $60.00). What does it consist of,and why is it needed?
Used to be the Ford dealer's Parts Man could tell me what fits,what doesn't and what it takes to MAKE it fit anyway,but this kid doesn't know anything about vehicles older than 2000,and THEN,if it isn't in the books it doesn't exist. Anybody out there been through this particular swap? Any knowledge,experience or bits of wisdom will be appreciated.
Speed
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What I'm hearing is that the shift motor is a weak point on this system,though on this truck I think there's an electrical issue. Neither switch on the dash lights up,so today I'll be checking/replacing fuses and looking for a possible relay that might also be faulty. I suppose if I can make it work again I can live with the electric shift set up until Spring. Since the clutch M/C I bought comes without a pushrod or the connection to the pedal I can't do the install until Monday or so,so I've been working on other things it needs,wiper blades,light bulb replacements,adjusting doors,etc. I'll be spending some time reading the repair manual on it and studying the wiring diagrams to figure out what goes where. I'm lucky,my favorite wrecking yard over in Wells has 3 of these,so parts shouldn't be a huge problem. BTW-all the gauges work fine except it hasn't shown any oil pressure;I suspect the wire's off the sender,or the sender's bad. I know replacing the sender on the BroncWorth gave it 15 pounds more oil pressure,'course it was already showing about 20#'s warmed up. This one is completely flatlined,making me think the wire's off or broken.
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A new development on the clutch issue. The P.O. apparently lost the clutch M/C,pushrod AND the "slave cylinder" he said he replaced is a hydraulic release bearing,so I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have pulled the transmission just to replace a throw-out bearing. it doesn't look to have been tampered with,so I ordered a new one piece sealed and bled clutch hydraulic set up,and a new clutch. Once it arrives I'll pull the transmission out a couple of feet,send the flywheel to be resurfaced and reassemble it with new parts. Also,I expect to have to replace some power window switches and the power mirror switch,since both mirrors adjust but only one direction. A couple of window switches are sketchy too. I might get a can of contact cleaner and see if I can "tune 'em up".
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On the electric T/C,I checked out the link you posted. Thanks for posting it. I've decided my best bet will be to make the stock set up work again,and spend some time researching other ways to get the set up I want,maybe an earlier pre-electric shift transfer case,like the one in my '84 BroncWorth,could be arranged.
Needing Cherokee,Comanche Information
in Jeep® XJ Cherokee, MJ Comanche Pickup and Grand Cherokee
Posted
I decided my best move is to swap my '81 Yota axles over to the '82,swap the P/S set up over,and pull the engine,Transmission and T/C and whatever else could be used from the '81 and scrap the rest. I REALLY don't need ANOTHER truck,and this one (the '81) needs too much work to save.
I'll get the '81 up on stands under the frame,pull the wheels off and borrow a set of those wheel dollies,pull the front and rear axles and springs complete and wheel them over under the other truck and jack them up into place. I bought new urethane bushings to use under the other truck,but will have to buy new bolts and lock nuts for the springs since they weren't included in the sets. I MIGHT invest in shocks for it while I'm at it. In the meantime,I installed the new bracket and 105@ 10si alternator on the '82,and have some 100W headlights for it that I won't install until the truck is functional. The '82's front fenders are pretty whanged up on the front edges,so I'm looking at cutting the bottom foot off the front of each one. I'll also swap as much of the brake system over as I can,since it's all new on the '81. I'll buy a set of stock mirrors for the '82,that'll only cost around $60.00. I'll ALSO want an electric fuel pump for it,I might have one in the garage somewhere. I MIGHT consider a better set of seats,since these are hammered and the frames are pretty flimsy. What's a good fit in the Yota pick up? Not a lot of room in those things. If I can find an A/C compressor and bracket for a 22R motor I'll set it up with on-board air. One more thing I'm considering is using the gas tank from the '81 as a second tank for the '82. I think I can mount it on the left side similar to the stock location,and just put the filler tube into the truck bed. I figure that'll give it about 600 miles range. I'd put a manual selector valve in the lines and wire both senders through a "left-off-right" toggle switch
My friend Ben says he'd build me a set of bumpers,a grille guard and a hitch for it,with a suitable degree of overkill. I might put a winch on it,or just a spotter hitch,which I can then plug my 5K winch into at either end of the truck.
Speed