Another round of projects.

I'm glad to hear it's not kickng back anymore.  

Base timing is probably going to be 8° BTDC @ 650 rpm in neutral with the vacuum advance clamped off or disconnected.

I'm interested to hear why the starter relay is being triggered in run.

I read through the ingition switch adjusting, attempted the adjustment, and got the same result.  Then I ran to get a different known operational switch...  Same issue.  Just to be completely sure I drove to town and got a brand spanking new switch and the problem remains.  The problem clearly is something other then the ignition switch so now I guess I need to investigate what to check and how to resolve the condition.

Condition:

Turn key to run, starter cranks.  It is a strange issue.  I would appreciate any input on what to check next.  Back to scratching my head.  The good news is the truck with trying key starts right up, but have to shut it down so it doesn't crank.  

Power is somehow getting to the Red/Light Blue wire going to the starter relay when you turn the key to run.  As shown below, there are only supposed to be three connections to that wire: ignition switch, which is supposed to be the source of the power; ignition module which is a consumer of the power; and the relay, which is also a consumer.

I'd pull the connection at the ignition module and see if that makes a difference.  If it still cranks in Run I'd trace the R/LB wires and see where something else is connected to them.

ArdWrknTrk wrote

I'm glad to hear it's not kickng back anymore.  

ME TOO!!!

I can "easily" start it up now.  I simply crank the distributor maybe 8 or 10 degrees, turn the key on, walk to the solenoid and touch the ignition energizing wire to where it belongs and it starts up without touching anything.  Then I turn the distributor back to the witness scribe in the accumulated dust and it settles in to a nice rpm.  Blip the throttle and it is back down on low idle and the choke is then fully open.  Just need to figure out this start/ignition issue and I think the truck could be back on the road.  Brakes work, clutch is working, most the lights work now.

Slowly overcoming the issues.  Hopefully it isn't on the road to becoming parts, but time will tell.

I still think it has to do with the plug at the module.
We're already aware that someone has gotten 'creative' with this truck in the past.
If the colors don't reverse at the plug (or the plug has been unpinned and the colors are reversed at the plug)
Then the starter relay is going to be powered in run.

It would also explain why the ignition module isn't retarding in start, if it is retarded all the time.

Gary...

I am officially impressed and appreciative.  

Unhook the new Napa echlin ignition box.  Hook up solenoid wire and turn key to run...  Nothing.  Go to start and it cranks.  So I hooked up the original duraspark box with the melted out epoxy and it acts right and even cranks and starts right up without messing with the distributor.  The issue is the ignition box I got.  Now I need to figure out what I am supposed to get.  I want to go ahead and put the new one.  

ArdWrknTrk wrote

I still think it has to do with the plug at the module.
We're already aware that someone has gotten 'creative' with this truck in the past.
If the colors don't reverse at the plug (or the plug has been unpinned and the colors are reversed at the plug)
Then the starter relay is going to be powered in run.

It would also explain why the ignition module isn't retarding in start, if it is retarded all the time.

The factory harness to the echlin Napa box flips colors so does the factory duraspark box.

Obviously the DuraSpark module is defective.

Are you using the same TP-40 module that Gary and I are?

Dad used to say "I'd rather be lucky than good."  

Glad you found it.  As Jim said, obviously the module is defective.

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Obviously the DuraSpark module is defective.

Are you using the same TP-40 module that Gary and I are?

It is a Napa echlin TP-40.  I made a quick run to town and back and the guy behind the counter swapped it out with the one they had on the shelf no questions asked.  I came home, installed the new box, and everything is once again right in my world...  A big sigh of relief.  Now all that is left is everything, but I can go bolt up the steering column fully and put the dash together.  You hit the key and it fires right up, goes to high idle, blip the throttle, and it is down on low idle and sounds so much better...  

Thanks to BOTH Jim and Gary.  You guys were on the point with the issue.  Luck or skill I will take either.

So now I suppose the next order of business is an additional oil change since I can start and run it.  I want to circulate the seafoam for another hour in the oil before changing the oil on the truck.  I have the filter and oil here (perhaps tomorrow I can get that done).  Then find a "good" used tire for the front that keeps going flat.

Not sure what after that yet.  Honestly I have been incredibly lucky in this gamble of purchases.  

Welder was locked up and unknown... Freed and fixed up.
Truck had sat for maybe 20 years... Got it going now.
Compressor is functional.
Two decent trailers, one needs a wood deck, but I am in good shape.  I think I am invested just under $1800 in everything now.

Congrat's!!!  This purchase has worked out very well for you.  

I'd say your resourcefulness has contributed at least as much to this deal.  

But it does seem like you've been dealt a good hand, this round.

I can remember the last time I was replacing trailer deck was the midst of winter.
Fortunately there were only three to do.

I am fortunate in the trailer deck department as a friend of mine since grade school owns a sawmill.  I save the "good" logs from the firewood work I do and haul them up to his sawmill and get to cut my own boards.  I helped with his first sawmill getting it fixed up and going before he sold it and upgraded to this one.  I basically just pay for the bands and fuel and get to run the mill myself.  I probably have enough oak logs laying that are good to deck the 5.5' x 12' trailer with all 3 inch thick oak boards.  Then treat them with used motor oil to make them last.  I think a day of cutting on the saw mill, soaking the boards, mounting the boards, and mounting the new LED lights on that trailer and I might be able to get 1000 or more for it with some paint...  

One or both of the two trailers will be sold eventually.  I need to get some project money back.  I hopefully get the truck going enough to make back a good chunk of the investment.  The idea of breaking even minus my free time I used and getting to keep the welder and compressor makes the project budget very happy.

Just have to wait to see how everything ends up.  I put the dash together after supper.  Took out the throttle bracket and shortened it so it aligns.  Now I need to start making considerations of how to filter the air.  I have a couple of ideas.  This is where the project ends up for the day...





You can see my bent up choke heat tube and the throttle linkage height now adjusted.

I dug out the timing light. I think I will have to mark the timing mark a bit more clearly, but I can see it occasionally.  Perhaps I just need to wait until it gets darker this evening.  I am having a bit of trouble idling it down to 650.



The vacuum advance unhooked and plugged.



But I do "think" I had the timing very close by ear.  I will find out this evening.

Back to my normal methods...  

The egr was "about" 1 5/8” thick.  Removing the egr I shortened the throttle cable bracket so the screw to fit the next hole down.  It was offset, but didn't have any issues mounting the cable rotated slightly after extending the notch down appropriately and trimming off the top.  I probably moved the throttle down 11/16” but this was enough to relieve the bind in the cable and still allowed the throttle cable to clear the valve cover.

The next issue was air cleaner.  So to clear the valve cover and go to the normal brackets for the air cleaner on the driver's side of the valve cover.  To do this I needed to make a spacer 1 5/8” to fill from the carb to the air cleaner housing.  To me it was easier to make this spacer instead of a spacer under the carb.  



I dug through my pieces of drops from the lathe and found a piece with the right i.d. to fit over the diameter of the carb inlet.  I cut it to 1 5/8” length.  Then I dug through the pile of drops until I found a piece big enough o.d. to not fit in the last piece and a small enough i.d. it could make a new piece to center the air filter on like the carb does.  I then machined the i.d. to "close" but larger to the carb inlet and the o.d. to just under the last piece I cut.







I fit the two pieces together and fully welder the lip on the inside and ground everything relatively smooth.









When the rain started I headed in for lunch, but the air cleaner can easily fit back in it's stock location now.  I need to make a couple of gaskets, but I think the solution will work.  Took about an hour, a couple of pieces of pipe, could have done it all basically with a grinder if I didn't have access to a lathe.  It also requires a bolt about 1 1/2" longer to go down from the top of the air cleaner to the carb now.

Nice!

Well, that looks like something I might have done.  Have lathe, will turn.  

But do you think it is strong enough to hold up that air cleaner?  

I had a solid chunk of aluminum that had enough material I could have turned a "nice" adapter out of, but...  This was a welders truck.  It wouldn't look right.  Plus this took maybe 30 minutes and that would have taken hours.  

Gary Lewis wrote

But do you think it is strong enough to hold up that air cleaner?  

I was more concerned if the truck rolled over to make sure the adapter wouldn't be the weak link when the engine is sitting on the adapter.  

I grabbed a new air filter in town and went ahead and bolted the Air cleaner on for now.  I am sure it will have to come off.  I got a lot of "normal" projects done today, but am glad to have snuck a couple of hours in on the welding truck.  Got the oil changed and figured out the air filtration issue.  I am hoping to sneak some time early tomorrow to set the timing right, but I will have to wait and see how much work there is to do.  Also, as I was getting ready to start cutting a gasket to go between the carb and adapter I walked past where I had the used oil filter draining and thought "Maybe that gasket is close".  Turns out it was close enough for me...  It just slipped and stretched around the upset on the carb inlet.  So I even got a gasket figured out.

Yes, carving it out of a solid block is SLOW!  And there is a lot of waste - unless you have a rather large hole saw.  And, as you said, it is a welder's truck, not a machinist's.  But I'd worry about breaking the carb off if it tilts sideways very much.