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My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

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Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Gary Lewis wrote

So, just get longer bolts - which probably are G5's.

I went to the fastener shop yesterday to get a bunch of stuff on my list, and I grabbed 4 new 7/16" X 2.25" bolts to replace the long ones in my bellhousing, only to find out my existing bolts were 2.25", lol. (I thought I had measured them previously to be 2" long). Oh well, this is how I roll. Buy once, then measure, and then buy again!

I took a look at them again, and maybe they're not quite as bad as I thought, but I think I'll get longer bolts just for peace of mind;).

I got everything done on my list yesterday except wire in the M5OD reverse switch. A wire in the harness was broken, and it was too close to the plug to do anything with, so that's another plug that is getting deleted. It's a 4 wire plug, but the two red wires have a factory jumper in the plug, so there's only the two purple wires for the reverse switch to actually worry about. I have some 16ga 2-wire Belden cable here, so that will work perfectly. I'm pretty sure that factory wire is only 18ga?

Now, something I was mildly worried about was bleeding the new clutch master, line, and internal slave. That turned out to be a non-issue. I filled the master, and pumped the pedal by hand a dozen times, and then repeated that two more times. After that, it was gravity filling fast enough that it would drain the master reservoir in approximately one minute. Once fully filled, I ran another 8-10 oz through it, and then closed the bleeder. It seems to be working fine...I think...I can't really tell until I get the thing running.

1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

Gary Lewis

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

On the clutch bleeding. even after doing what you did Big Blue's system wouldn't fully release the clutch. But everyone told me that driving it would finally get the air out, and it did. After perhaps 2 miles of lots of shifting, and double-clutching to do the shifting, things got better. And after maybe 5 miles it got good enough that it was shifting fine. So don't give up on it if it doesn't fully release the clutch at first.

As for the wiring, I had that connector in my hand yesterday and would have to agree that the wire is no larger than 18 ga - if that. I gather you are going to cut in above that connector, loop the red/light blue wire back to the starter, and extend the black/pink to the backup light switch with the Belden cable. Should work fine.

And on the fasteners, I made a pledge years ago to buy 1.5x however many I needed for a project, and put the extras in a drawer so I'd have what I needed later. That has worked marvelously and I now usually have what I need. However, the "drawer" is now a series of plastic trays with lids that let me take all the bolts of the needed size to the job and do the selecting there, plus a cabinet of smaller drawers for the smaller fasteners. Works a treat.

I say all of that to say keep the short bolts when you go get longer ones, and start accumulating.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Can I pull fuel through my mechanical fuel pump?

I guess what I'm asking is, can I prime my fuel system by putting a vacuum on the fuel line just before it enters the carb?

Gary Lewis

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

Dunno. Never tried. But you can prime it by applying pressure to the gas filler. I wrapped a spray gun/nozzle with a towel, turned the regulator down to 10 psi, and stuck it in. I think I had to turn the pressure up a bit to compensate for the vent line being open, but it didn't take much and I had gas at the carb.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Gary Lewis wrote

Dunno. Never tried. But you can prime it by applying pressure to the gas filler. I wrapped a spray gun/nozzle with a towel, turned the regulator down to 10 psi, and stuck it in. I think I had to turn the pressure up a bit to compensate for the vent line being open, but it didn't take much and I had gas at the carb.

Interesting. I hadn't though of doing that, but that sounds easy enough. Thanks Gary.

1986F150Six

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary Lewis wrote

And on the fasteners, I made a pledge years ago to buy 1.5x however many I needed for a project, and put the extras in a drawer so I'd have what I needed later. That has worked marvelously and I now usually have what I need. However, the "drawer" is now a series of plastic trays with lids that let me take all the bolts of the needed size to the job and do the selecting there, plus a cabinet of smaller drawers for the smaller fasteners. Works a treat.

I say all of that to say keep the short bolts when you go get longer ones, and start accumulating.

And, for those who have never visited the Garagemahal, everyone of those drawers/trays is clearly labeled!!!

Gary Lewis

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

Dad would have said "If that's a complement then I thank you."

Coming from David I do believe it was a compliment. But there's another member, who probably won't see this due to being AWOL, that doesn't mean it as a compliment.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Stupid question....

Does it matter where the hoses go on the heater core?

Gary Lewis

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

No stupid questions. Anyway, I don't think it matters. (If you plumb it backwards does it work like an air conditioner?

) But, I put the factory illustration up here: Cooling Systems/Heater Hoses.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Another thing I need to tend to is the loose knob on my 5spd stick.

It's been glued before, and somebody wrapped saran wrap around the stick as well...lol.

If I clean it all up, what would be best to adhere that bugger back on?

Black silicone? or something more like a JB WEld?

Any suggestions from the BTDT crowd?

Gary Lewis

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

If you use JB Weld you won't be able to get it off unless you coat the splines with something like grease. And, you'll have to take the shifter off and turn it upside down or the JB Weld will run out. A better solution than JB Weld would be the ribbon epoxy that's like a putty since it wouldn't run out, but it'll be dicey making sure the knob will come off when you want it to do so. Maybe that's where the Saran Wrap could be used?

Another approach would be to drill the knob for a set screw. But you'd probably just be drilling into plastic so couldn't torque down much on the screw.

Then there's RTV. If the shift lever was really clean the RTV would adhere pretty well, but still let you get the knob off.

Now, how did I do it? Duct tape. I wrapped a couple of turns of it around the splines and jammed the knob down over that. And as long as I didn't pull up pretty hard on the knob it stayed put.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

1986F150Six

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

I don't know if this is the correct knob (?): https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-F-150-F-250-Ranger-Bronco-5-Speed-Transmission-Shift-Knob-OEM-5L5Z-7213-AA/321797478231?epid=1711222394&hash=item4aec9fd757:g:F8AAAOSwoG5Z735C

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

They're are the current replacements, yes. The originals have white lettering and lines. I don't need a knob, I just need to get the original one stuck on there better;).

Just out of curiosity, what does that Ebay ad show you guys in the US for shipping?

Gary Lewis

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

Free.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Gary Lewis wrote

Free.

$44.11 for me;(

Gary Lewis

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

YIPES!!!!!!!

Must be one of those things getting retribution tariffs.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Gary Lewis wrote

YIPES!!!!!!!

Must be one of those things getting retribution tariffs.

Haha!

1986F150Six

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

This may sound crazy, but worked. The shift knob for my son's 1984 F150 was loose. It has a tapered opening which one literally drives on the splined shift rod. I inserted 3 or 4 wooden match sticks [vertically] and pressed the knob down. I then trimmed the sticks so they were not exposed. It held well until I found a NOS replacement knob, years later.

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary Lewis wrote

No stupid questions. Anyway, I don't think it matters. (If you plumb it backwards does it work like an air conditioner? ) But, I put the factory illustration up here: Cooling Systems/Heater Hoses.

Thanks for this Gary. I took pictures of the hoses but somehow can't find them now. I was pretty sure that they did cross over on the fender liner, and your link confirms that. I can't imagine that it matters much, but if that's how they're supposed to be that's how I'll stick 'em.

Rembrant

Re: My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

I just got this thing fired up in the truck. Starting it was no problem at all, but now it's overheating...at least according to the factory gauge. Upper rad hose is hot, but the lower rad hose is still cold next to the steering box.

Is it possible that I have the thermostat in backwards? Or, what else? The temp sensor is an aftermarket one, so maybe it is not correct?...

Any suggestions on how to check and see what's going on?

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