Gary Lewis

Also doesn't say anything about what fuel level sender it expects. Hopefully it is the Bullnose sender, but it doesn't say. And, they change out the oil pressure and water temp senders, so the only thing with the 12 - 72 ohm range would be the fuel sender.

Well, today was "Steering Column Day". And I now have a "rebuilt" steering column that looks like this, and it has re-lubed upper and lower bearings, the right key, a cleaned ignition switch, and lubed ignition switch linkage. (It also has one glaring error that I'll explain in a bit. Scott?) As previously said, I decided to use a non-tilt column 'cause everyone getting in is gonna need a handhold, and the steering wheel is too inviting. Plus, we may want to use it to anchor ourselves while on the trail. So I don't want the pot metal part on a tilt wheel to be a potential problem. Given that, I pulled out the steering column that had been in Dad's truck when it had the ZF5. The first thing I did was to pull the lower bearing retainer, and discovered that the bearing was reluctant to turn, like the grease was thick. So I pulled the lower bearing retainer from what had been Big Blue's original steering column and discovered that it wasn't stiff - it screeched! Given that, I pulled the top bearing to see how bad it was, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn't bad at all. But I cleaned it, and the other two as well, and lubed them. Here they are But, when I started installing things I discovered that nothing I could find told me which way the bearing goes in, with the lip up or down. Seen below, the lip apparently goes up 'cause it won't go together with it down. The Nylon retaining washer won't go under the snaps with it that way. But then I wondered which way the red retainer goes in, and apparently I guessed wrong. In the first pic you can see the red retainer shining, but in this pic it is in the other way, and that's a pic taken before I took it apart. But that's an easy fix, if indeed it needs to be fixed. The way it is it protects the bearings from dirt. I'll check it out tomorrow. Then I turned to the ignition lock/tumbler. This was keyed to Dad's keys, so I swapped the tumblers between the two columns. And I lubed them. Last, I checked the alignment of the ignition switch and found it wasn't quite right, so I pulled it, cleaned it, and then aligned it. And as it all went together I lubed the ignition switch linkage. Another box in the list checked!

Given all that, I'd set a limit, appraise your truck, and drive up with the truck, title, and the remainder in cash. If that doesn't work then you've given it your best shot. But I'd also have pictures, if possible, along to show if he is reluctant.

That guy is CRAZY! That's a beautiful truck! How far is he from you? Or, does he happen to be in the Pacific North West? Fly in, buy one of the many Bullnose trucks on CL, and go visit. Let him see you are serious.

Dave - I don't know the answer to the output yoke question, although I think they use the same yoke. However, you should be able to figure it out via this page: Documentation/Driveline/U-Joints. I've not spent any time with that info, but I'll bet you can figure it out. However, I have a T-19 and an NP435 that I can measure - if I understood what you want me to measure. But I'll take a chance - this measures 4.847" on the T-19. Need me to measure the 435?

It's the running boards. Oh how I personally hate the look of running boards. I'm with you, Shaun. Take them off and do some polishing and it'll look good.

I think you can't go wrong. But you know the IDI's, so my bet would be on the '89 if it doesn't need a lot of work. And it is closer to you? Then the 1992 F700 might be my second choice, but it is a lot of truck. And if anything goes wrong it'll be big bucks to fix.

Gary did you forget the picture Alex, any way to post up a picture or 2 of this plate? if this plate is ALUM they have been known to get holes in them from the gases and cause a vacuum leak / poor running motor. Dave ---- Yes, I did.

PEBCAK - Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard. Just tried the iPad, the SLOOOOOOW one. Much faster to load the picture-based '85 EVTM than the partial '84 pdf EVTM. And the '84 is only 19 of 141 pages. So if we were to do the full EVTM in one document then it would take several times longer.

Maybe drive up in another similar truck and offer to swap? Or trade with some cash to boot? If he's just wanting to putt putt around in it then having one running would be a big advantage. But going to see it is key. Having said that, it will reinforce that you have sentimental value for it. And depending on the type of guy he is, it could drive up the price. If you are going to play the sentimental card, take some pics with you of the truck back in the day. Or, maybe even your father?

If your spacer looks like the one below, it is EGR. And the exhaust comes through ports in the intake manifold to a slot below the spacer. The valve opens to let exhaust gas into the intake below the carb and dilute the air/fuel mix with inert gas. As for gaskets, Felpro is a very good brand and I should have mentioned them.

I assume it wasn't continuous duty because it had a momentary switch to activate it and because it was much smaller than the relay I put in (which I know is rated for continuous). When we bought the RV (used, out of a rental fleet) the salesman said the switch and relay were for jump-starting the van engine from the camper battery. And yes, that was really all it could be used for. So I agree, "what were they thinking?" David - I do know I'm blessed, and I thank God for her every day. Bob - Hope the trip is going well and you are in the warmth with no problems. As for the relay, a momentary switch pretty well tells the tale.

I'm pretty sure the small blocks all had the E7TE heads as standard from the late 1980's until the end in 1997. Starting in or around 1987. However, I'm no 351W expert...I've only read up on the 302, but I thought they had the same heads with the small exception that when fitted to a 351W they had the larger bolt holes. I've bought and sold a couple sets of them, and they seem to go for between $60-$100 a set used. They are a decent upgrade over the D8 heads and will bump the compression up some. I don't mean a high HP upgrade in stock form...but if you had an 80's small block with 8.3:1 compression and wanted to get it up to 8.9:1 compression, the E7 heads would help with that. If you get them ported they are an excellent head...but that gets into a whole other discussion. Randy - I agree with Cory that used heads go for up to $100/pair. But rebuilt heads do go for up to $300/pair as it'll cost you ~$200 to have the used ones gone through. So those heads aren't a steal, but aren't a bad price either assuming they are well used. But I'd not go to the effort of installing used heads w/o having them gone through. It is waaaaaaay too much effort to then find out they have a burned valve. Or, worse yet, are cracked.

The problem is that there is often a wild difference between what a vehicle is actually worth, and what the seller thinks it is worth. So I guess you have to decide what it's worth to you and start throwing some offers at the guy. Unfortunately, a 2wd Bullnose Flareside sitting in a barn with no floor in the bed is not worth a lot of money. Good example below: https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/188390769221328/ Unfortunately for all of us, these trucks still do not have a huge resale value unless they're showroom clean. I guess it really depends on the overall condition. The rotten wood floor in the bed is nothing...that happens to all of them. How much rust is there? The Freewheeling package doesn't add crazy value either, again, unless the thing is absolutely mint. I've seen a few of them sell in the past couple years...2wd Flaresides with one of the Freewheeling packages, and they went for around $5000. These were running and driving trucks, with original paint, but well worn and definitely needing work. But, I see them like the one on Facebook above all the time. $2500 is a ballpark figure for a 2wd Flareside that's worth rebuilding. If it runs and drives and is currently on the road...$4000-$5000 maybe. If it's really nice, original paint, and maybe just needing a few minor things...maybe $7500. It is possible for them to get up into the $15,000 range but that would be a fully restored specimen. I'm talking 2wd mind you, not 4x4. Four wheel drive goes up in value again... You can go on to the Hagerty website and sign up for a free account, and download a vehicle report that shows the value of the truck. I just switched to Hagerty myself so they sent me a report, but interestingly enough, the 2wd Flaresides show a spike in value in or around 2019. They are Canadian values, but would be nothing more than direct exchange conversions from USD. I overpaid for my 1984 Flareside, and by quite a bit too...but it was somewhat local (250 miles away), it was mostly all original, and it was exactly what I wanted. I had been looking for a couple years for the right one, so when it finally showed up, I had to pay for it. Personally, I wouldn't waste a lot of time trying to pull on the guy's heart strings. I'd just roll in there with a wad of cash in my hand, and start negotiating. If he's too high, he's too high, and you'll have to walk. In any case, good luck with it! Yes, good luck with it! I've said several times that I wouldn't pay more than scrap or parting-out price for a truck in a field or a barn - unless it has sentimental value. And in your case it certainly does. My reasoning is that since you can't drive it there's no way to know what is wrong. But somethings are wrong or it wouldn't have been parked all these years. And the years and the mice/rats haven't helped it any. So there is going to be a LOT to do to get it back on the road. But in this case it may well be worth it, whatever "it" is. If my dad were still alive I'd be all over getting his truck finished, at whatever the cost.

Dane - I think you just sealed it for me. I tend to use fairly high-powered Windows devices. But recently stumbled across our old iPad in a rubber shell. It was intended for the grandkids, but they've outgrown it. So I have it in the shop, and used it on the t-case rebuild. It is S.L.O.W. And it isn't fun to use on large PDF's. If you go from one PDF to another, as I did between the Ford instructions and the Borg Warner ones, it has to think about it for a while. But I'll bet it would handle jumping between the picture-style EVTM's just fine. I'll try it after a bit and see.

And the 17 amps is when on high, so with the relay you won't be pulling that much through the fuse. I think your plan on the GVOD is good - put an inline fuse where you tap off and go right to the OD.

The more I play with the pdf version the less I like it. IOW, I'm starting to agree with you, Scott. Let me set out some of the advantages and disadvantages I see - at the moment: PDF: Searchable: You can open the doc in another browser tab and search for a connector #, wire color, component, etc Links: We can, with effort, create links on a page. So if you are looking at a circuit and it says the circuit goes to Page 9 we could have a link that would take you to Page 9. But, that takes work. JPG: (Current format for the '81, '85, and '86 EVTM's) The index gives the blurb Scott was talking about and you can quickly scan it to find what you are looking for. The Index page on the EVTM itself is poor IMHO. Easy to copy a page's URL and paste it into a post. Can't do that with the PDF. Would have to do a screen snag for everything. I'm still sorting through this in my mind. But one thing I worry about is people downloading the PDF version and some vendor getting angry. Hard to download the pictures of pages. But, I can make the pictures more crisp.

Scott - I added AC/DC to the Resources/Electrical folder.

Did you have an idea where we should put that? I'm not sure. Maybe we need a Calculators page in Electrical? Or just a link?

Those would be worth $100 if you needed them, but you'd also need the whole fuel injection system.

Can't tell from the pics, Randy. The number you show is a date casting, I think. You are looking for a number like D8OE or E7TE. But this page tells you where to look as well as how to decode what you find. Having said that, why do you need heads? From an '89 van they'll be "smog heads" that aren't much, if any better than what you have. Large humps in the exhaust ports that restrict the flow. If they were Explorer heads, like the GT40's or GT40P's, then they might be worth something. But I don't think these are special, although I don't know that for sure since I can't see the right #'s.

Good to know, Bill. But I'm gonna try this one 'cause I have it. Want to make sure it isn't too big or somesuch, and then if I have problems I'll replace it - and use one w/o the fitting. But, for $6.24 delivered I'll have nine extra plugs. Shaun - I was pleased with the way it came out. Pretty sure there will be no flex in the firewall now.

Alex - I think you have a vacuum leak. I'm surprised that the idle mix screws didn't fall out at 7 turns, but you shouldn't need them out more than maybe 2 1/2 turns. So you have air coming in somewhere that you are compensating for by running the screws out. And that is why it won't idle below 1100. And that spacer is a prime candidate for leaks. I don't know for sure which spacer you have, but it is probably an EGR spacer, and the "vacuum diaphragm" is probably the EGR valve. This is a complex area. If you don't want to run EGR then you will need to change the ignition curve to compensate for the lack of exhaust gas in the mix. So I'd suggest you run EGR. But you absolutely have to make sure there's no leak of air in, and it is easy to have one there. In fact, some of the EGR spacers warped due to the heat and are very hard to seal. Brand of gaskets. Not Mr Gasket, for sure. Holley or Motorcraft would be my pick.

Steve - Yes, it is clearer, and you can zoom in on it. Dane - I've added "Index" in the upper corners to a few pages and clicking on that will take you to the Index. And I've added a button that says Go To Index on Page 4, but that doesn't seem to come through on the browser. Anyway, we'd need to add links to the Index on each page. Having said that, we can add links on the pages. For instance, if it says the other end of this wire is Page 9, you could click on that and it would take you to Page 9 - if I add that.