Gary Lewis

So gas it getting TO the carb, but maybe not IN the carb? To determine that, pull the air cleaner and look down the carb, engine off, and open the throttle briskly. You should see a stream of gas shoot into the carb. That would be from the accelerator pump and it tells you that gas is getting into the carb and that the accelerator pump is working properly. If there's no stream then it is possible that gas is getting into the carb and the accelerator pump is not working. And a cold engine won't like to start w/o that extra squirt of gas, although it should if the choke is fully shut. So, is the choke shutting fully? With the engine cold it should be shut after you open the throttle just a bit. You can see illustrations and instructions on your carb here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/carter-yfa-1bbl.html

Ned, What color is the strain relief where the wires enter your ignition module? Red, yellow, green, maroon? The other two plugs, distributor and power, look completely normal for DSII -with the exception of the green distributor wire-and perhaps it is as simple as plug & play since you are not going to be using any wires going to the YF carb on the 300-6 now in the truck. Depending on your trucks DSO (maybe Denver?) it's likely altitude compensating and that cylinder may be a barometric sensor. I've never encountered one here in the Northeast. I've used the term "DS-II" improperly as there were several variations of the ignition modules that did not use a computer, which I think meant they were EEC-II's The one we know best used the blue grommet ignition module. But there were also two different ones with a yellow grommet, and one with a brown grommet, as shown here: Electrical/Ignition. And Jim is suggesting there were also ones with green, maroon, and red grommets. From what I've read the red module was also a CA unit, but created a much hotter spark. Some have suggested running them instead of the blue one, but I've never seen one and that's not been an option for me. Besides, surely they take a different coil? Jim - Do you know anything about the green and maroon ones?

See below ;) I hit the garage at 6am to get some information for another member and then got working on the truck. I pulled the manifolds off so I had access to the 5 freeze plugs. 1 had a rubber one and another was leaking from rusting out. Because of the rusted one I waned to replace them all. The kit I got from Rock Auto only came with 3 of the 5 plugs I needed so had to hit the local parts house and got the last 2 they had. Then the fun started how to get the old plug out? I started with the rubber one man I had to fight to get it out. I did not want to knock the others into the block. Started on the rusted one and after it fell apart but still had the outer ring on the block how to get this out? Using a flat punch I was able to move it yep into the block! A little work and I was able to get it out of the block. I removed the rest the same way, knock into the block and using vice grips to pull them out worked pretty good. I then took a find grinding stone on a drill and cleaned up the openings of the freeze plugs. Then the next fun started coat the openings and the edges of the new plugs with This stuff is almost as bad as never seize, it gets all over you and it is sticky! I used a big socket to get the plugs started and used the hammer to drive them flush with the block then back to the socket to drive them in a little more like the old ones were. I do have a bearing / seal driver but the drives would not fit right and the bolt that holds them to the handle would hit the plug and why the socket. Being on a roll I got the gasket areas cleaned and remounted the manifolds. Yep fun with EFI exh. manifolds and no helping hands to hold the EFI when tightening nuts. Speaking of thick washers & nuts I have 1 of each left over. I checked 100 time and cant find where it goes? I have to check old pictures and see if I can find where it goes. I got everything back together but the air filter, a vacuum line or 2 and coolant as I wanted the sealer to set up some before I filled it backup. When almost done I hit the vacuum line to the carb bowl vent and the check valve? fell apart. I heard something hit the floor but could not find it when I looked. I have the spring part but think there is a washer type thing missing so will have to deal with that. all of this was done by 2pm and that includes the parts store run and taking the trash to the dump. Tomorrow I want to fill it with coolant, see if I can find where this washer & nut goes and fix the bowl vent thing. Dave ---- Well done! That Permatex is what I like to use on soft plugs. But you are right, once it is on you it is hard to get off. As for getting the old ones out, I've been successful punching through them with a pry bar close to one edge, then using it to pry that edge out, and use the vise grips to bring the rest out. But whatever works. I have no clue on the extra nut and bolt, but on the check valve, post a pic of what it looks like as I may have one. MAY.

I wouldn't hold your breath, most dually 4x4's came with 4.10's. I'm still trying to find a definitive answer on that. Maybe try this one? It's a 97 though, so it has ball joints and bolt on calipers. Good find, Shaun! I've found their website and it does show that axle is available. So I'll contact them on Monday. Just call me Paladin - have trailer will travel. (WAY before your time.) And, by the way, here's a screen shot from the search function on the website. DRW has but one ratio according to them. I'll have to take a peek at the '86 dealer facts book and see if I can figure it out.

Steve - Thanks. Vinny - I do have an '87 and I think you sent it to me. Maybe you don't really have one?

Ok guys, from what you've said I can try the F350's pitman arm, but with the Sky kit it may not work. As for the hubs, $275, inc shipping, gets the hubs. But, here's the latest news: On eBay they state that the axle has 3.54 gears. But, when poking around their site it shows the same truck but says 4.10 gears - although they want $175 less than on eBay. I don't think this one is going to work out. Wrong hubs and wrong gears is more than I want to bite off, at least until I wait a bit and see what others might find. But I will call them on Monday to find out what they say they about the gearing. And, I'll check to see if they might have the right hubs.

Update: I just looked through the pics and it appears this is for a DRW truck. Don't know how I missed that. So, how much am I looking at for new hubs? I'm finding them to be 'spensive: East Coast Gears: $220/ea, used. What am I missing?

Ok, thanks. But just so I am sure I understand, If I go with F350 springs I need the rear spring hanger off that, or a similar, F350. But, if I go with SD springs everything comes in the Sky kit. Right? But, what about the pitman arm? Get the one from the F350?

I just got a new version of the Griot's Garage Handbook today. And while perusing it I found a Disposable Car Cover. I'm thinking seriously about getting one as I don't want Dad's truck to get covered in dust while I'm working on Big Blue. I've included a screen grab from their video (but I can't figure out how to embed it here, so don't bother to click the Play button ), but wondered if any of you have seen them. Any thoughts about them?

You are literally on the map - with lots of others in VA. And, good job on the sig. It really helps us to know what your truck is, and I highly prefer to call people by name so love that you put yours in the sig. (I thought about doing that myself, but decided to go incognito. )

David - You did post in the main section! Perfect! I'm going to guess that your ignition switch isn't correctly adjusted. See the instructions on the Ignition Switch tab here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/ignition.html. However, if it is a tilt column there's a part that frequently breaks and can cause similar problems. Check out the writeup here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/steering-columns1.html

Welcome, David! Glad you found us. What part of VA? We have a member's map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map) and I'd be happy to add you if you'd like. Just need a town/city. How 'bout placing "1986 F-150 xl 4x4. 4.9l 4 speed manual" in a signature. Up above click on: - Options - Your subscriptions (edit) - Account settings - Edit Your Signature This is a folder for introductions and not everyone sees posts here. So if you have questions the best place for them would be in the main section. However, you are welcome to post your questions here if you want.

No, there wasn't a seal under the wing nut, but it is a good idea to put one there, although it needs to seal around the threads.

In theory I found a 3.54 SRW D60 locally. It is out of an '89 F350 w/a 460, but since the axle is advertised by itself I'm assuming it is out of the truck. However, that probably means the crossmember, which will be the right one, is still there. And the panhard rod may be there. Unfortunately they are closed today. (I know of three local salvages that are closed on Saturday, which really seems bizarre.) So I'll call them on Monday. But, 'twixt now and then I'd like a good list of the bits I am looking for. And, are there two lists - '89 F350 vs later SuperDuty? In other words, if I'm buying springs separately then I'd like to price the springs that are probably still on the truck vs SuperDuty springs since the latter will give a better ride. But, do I need different bits for one vs the other? I think I need: D60 axle Cross member Springs Panhard rod Mounting brackets: what ones specifically? Panhard rod - I think that the one that attaches to the cross member, so maybe it would be on the x-member if I get it from them. Do I need any spring brackets, or am I getting all of them from Sky? U-Bolt Plates U-Bolts? Are these specific to a D60? Do they need to be new? What is a u-bolt flip? (Yes, I understand they'd be upside down, probably to provide additional ground clearance.) Pitman Arm: If I got this from the F350 would it work? Or do I need a dropped arm? Does it matter which springs I go with? As you can see, I still need lots of hand-holding. But, I think I'm ready to go get it if they have most of what I need.

I thought you said "May I look at the '87 EVTM" when you were here. Like you knew I had one. And I reached up, pulled it out, and handed it to you. So I assumed you'd given it to me. I'll go out and check after while to make sure I have one - after the rain stops as I might melt. But I'm pretty sure I do. However, the Bullnose garage, aka Garagemahal, doesn't reject anything.

Don't I have an '87 EVTM from you? I was just thinking about capturing those pages somewhere for vacuum info.

Vinny - What year EVTM is that from? It is good stuff!

Yep, you have the right song. Knew you would. And yes, I have the cross member found, only 25 miles away, and she's assured me that it won't be going anywhere - especially since it is down in the "wet area" and she can't get to it. It is starting to rain right now and is supposed to rain seriously today and then again several times this week. Having said that, I am coming to the conclusion that the piecemeal approach may yield a better result, with less time required of me, although probably more money. But, I want to get all of the options in front of me before I decide.

I thought the right thing, and the purpose of this fishing expedition, was to replace Big Blue's cross member? Like I said, I'd go upstate looking for an F-350 but it's way out of your range and shipping would be prohibitive. The way I've described it is that the cross member is a MUST. Say it is the "cake" for my birthday party. A D60 is icing on the cake, and Super Duty springs represents the candles. You can't have a birthday party w/o cake, but you could have cake w/o icing - and at my age a cake w/o candles is much safer. I have the cross member located, close by and only $50. But I'm coming to the conclusion that the way to get the best ride is to source this piecemeal. Cross member there, D60 where I can find it, and SuperDuty springs from wherever. (Actually, the salvage that has the cross member may have the SD springs and was to check yesterday. She called back close to quitting time and I missed the call. And they are closed today, so I don't yet know.) The downside to a piecemeal approach is that it is probably more expensive. The upside is there is a lot less work and time for me in parting out the truck. And:

Sorry. I forgot the air cleaner. I've never had water in the air cleaner. But I've had lots of water on the lid and some then went down the stud in the center and through the carb into the engine. And with the way the lid curves down on the edges outside the base I don't think the gasket in question is where the water is getting in. But your air cleaner has the temp sensor poking through the lid and it might come through there. So I don't think sealing the perimeter of the lid will make a difference. My guess is that your seal to the cowl, meaning between the garage door gasket and the cowl, isn't water tight. I had problems there when I originally used RTV, which did not stick to the seal. Then I had to clean all that off in order to use the Black Jack, which solved the problem.

And, to save you tracing, a white/black wire should go to the back of the alternator to the S terminal, which stands for Stator. But look closely at what lettering there is on the black choke cap. Some tell the voltage, and that makes a huge difference. If it is 12v then it is an all-electric cap, which should be used with a choke casting with the hot air port blank, meaning closed. But if it says 6 or 7 volts, I don't remember which, it is for use with hot air.

The HVAC "heater" and the choke hot air are two different things. The choke's hot air, if so equipped, comes from the loop shown below on the right, which was taken from that Chokes page linked to above. You can see in that pic where air comes from on the back of the carb via the fitting you were questioning, which provides filtered air. Then it flows down and through a passage in the exhaust manifold, and then back up to the fitting I'm questioning. From there it is drawn across the bi-metallic spring in the choke and then into the carb, mixing with the rest of the air about to enter the engine. So if your carb isn't set up for a hot-air choke then the fitting you are questioning will not be used, but should be capped as it'll allow un-filtered air into the clean, already-filtered air, otherwise.

From the pic of the choke I don't see the fitting for hot air. There is something there but it looks to be the generic casting that all of the 2150 chokes had, although some of them didn't have that casting drilled and tapped for the fitting. So, check out the fitting that is circled below. Is it blank, or is it open? And, in that pic there's an arrow to a connector. What is the color of the wire into it? If it is white w/a black stripe then it is from the alternator's stator connector and that means the choke heater is an electric assist unit, meaning it is supposed to be used in conjunction with hot air via the connection in the circle. But it is possible that someone changed out the heater?

Congrat's!