Gary Lewis

I have a stash of wiring harnii from which I pull the needed connector. But some of them are still available. See the catalogs on: Electrical/Wiring Connectors.

The label has a part number for the label. 😳 Much like the number on the part is not the part number. One of Ford’s “Better Ideas”. 😩 So, you would have to find the calibration code on the engine. Anyway, I think the bottom of the carb has/doesn’t have the EGR fitting. If I’m right, you need that carb or a similar one. But the other number on that line is what would have been on the tag.

Jonathan - Good find on the air cleaner. And, that vacuum label is the cleanest I've ever seen. But, do you have the calibration code for that label? I'm going to guess that it is 5-77-R01 as that is a Canadian manual transmission from 1980 through 1986. It looks like the calibration parts list, which is the shortest I've seen, has a carb, the Air Cleaner Temp Sensor, two different vacuum motors depending on the year, the cold weather module (9E862), and a distributor. Exactly what is on that label. And, since there's no mention of EGR I'd bet that carb D5TZ 9510-AG would be the one you want.

There are two ways to replace the steering box: A "remanufactured" box from someone like Cardone will make a big difference. A better-built box from someone like RedHead or BlueTop will make a bigger difference. Ford used the cast iron case as the lower bearing, and while it is constantly being lubed it still wears. A remanufactured box still uses that worn bearing. However these two companies bore the spot out and press in an actual bearing, meaning the box is better than new.

There's been some bad press lately about RedHead steering boxes. Apparently an employee from there has started a new company named BlueTop and supposedly it has better reviews. But I still have a RedHead for Dad's truck.

The senders have to be matched to the gauges, so buy the senders with the gauges. Or, there's an adapter device that converts, but that will cost a lot more than new senders. As for the operation, there will be no change. The gauges don't have to work for everything else to work fine.

I don’t mind it going to email... it’s way better than being limited to 30 stored messages Good point. That is lots better

There's no PM function here. Wish there was. Glad you found out where it came from.

You can edit your own posts and fix that from a computer.

That's actually very good progress. I'm in the same mindset - if I can get ahead faster by buying something in then that's probably what I'll do. So I like the way you've done the steering. That can be a very fiddly, time-consuming area to work on, so letting the pro's do it has big advantages. And, I agree on the KC Daylighters. They are period-correct and look good on these trucks. Well done!

You are a dynamo! Really good progress, and you are handling the little issues with aplomb. Well done!

I'm thinking that the readout could take the form of: "12.8 V1" for the main battery "13.4 V2" for the auxiliary battery "195 F" for coolant "40 PSI" for oil pressure But, it would be so much nicer to be able to make it "12.8 Main Battery". Or "Batt 1: 12.8". Anyway, I'll keep looking for the display. A fluorescent one would be cool as it would be period-correct.

Luke - I'd looked at that display briefly before and decided that it wouldn't work because the characters are just too small. But, I did a bit more reading and found the pic shown below, which proves that you can actually create characters bigger than the little ones their library produces. Yes, they are via brute force as they are really pictures of characters. I don't think it would be hard to create pics of all of the possible display's I'd need, but they might take up a lot of storage. And, it would be tedious. But, it could be done. As for dimming, I wonder if you could vary the duty cycle to achieve that?

Be careful with the Rislone. In my experience it thins oil and cleans things. So, I'm not sure I'd use it for low oil pressure. Nor on an engine that might be really dirty inside - assuming the transmission's lack of maintenance is any indication. David/1986F150Six had an instance last fall where his clean oil over the years stripped the sludge out of the engine and partially plugged the oil pump's pickup screen. So you want to go slowly on the cleanup.

Thanks for the explanation, Luke. I'll make sure I think through how to drive any displays I install so I can keep the lead length short. Or, chose a display with RS232 capabilities. (Boy, does typing RS232 take me back. And, if I remember correctly, it is actually RS232-C that we use.) So far my expected uses are: Match the Bricknose sending units to the Bullnose gauges Battery voltages - both primary and auxiliary, with low limit alarm Coolant temp, with high limit alarm Oil pressure, with low limit alarm On-board air pressure - to monitor that to-be Techumseh-driven system Potentially to data log the EEC-V EFI system I'd been planning on using an Uno, but will look at the Teensy. But I need shields to sink the almost 1 amp that the fuel gauge can draw, so will have to bone up on Teensy and its optional shields. As for the display, I really do want to use the clock openings, making it look as factory as possible. And I'm thinking I want a pushbutton in the first opening, much like the factory clock, that would let me toggle through the various things being monitored, which would be displayed in the middle and right openings. This way I won't need the hard to see under dash add-on gauges. But finding displays that will work there has been difficult since I need alpha as well as numeric (7-segment) to tell what is being displayed as well as to show whatever just went into alarm. Any ideas?

Chris - Welcome!!! And, you are now on the map. Glad you found us. How 'bout joining the growing crowd of folks coming to the Garagemahal Ford Truck Show & Swap Meet on Sept 15th? Information about it is here: http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/2018-Garagemahal-Ford-Truck-Show-Planning-f8328.html. I also need to point out an oddity of this forum - subscriptions. Basically, unless someone is replying directly to your post you won't get notified via email unless you specifically subscribe. I tried to explain that here: http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Subscriptions-td9735.html.

Thanks a lot guys. Its been about a year from the moment I first dug some ground. I got another year probably before I really get it to where I want it. Then I have to build my wife a house, instead of living in a double wide.... 1200 square foot double wide trailer....3040 square foot man cave.....I got my priorities straight guys!!! .....and she still loves me and brings me beer and sandwiches....I don't know how I got so lucky... You are indeed lucky, Ray. Not to mention the boys she's brought you. Anyway, it is looking great! Mine is FULL and cluttered. Dirty, really. So, I'm envious of the size.

The 1981 shop manual says the backup light switch is not adjustable. The catalog says that the switch is part # D8BZ 15520-A, is Motorcraft part SW-1486, and carries ID #D8BR 15520-AA on it.

You are on the list. Forgot to add “maybe” but will.

Big Blue, with 3.54’s and no OD, is spinning that 460 at about 2500 ROM @ 65 MPH. Way to fast for my tastes. Should drop to 1900 with the ZF5. Will the 460 pull that? I should think so. Dad’s warmed up 351M pulled the same gears perfectly on the highway with a LOAD of furniture in the bed. Motored up the big climb on I-40 between Nashville and Knoxville on cruise - with the same ZF. 😉

Would you have any interest in a good used set of "protrusions"? They only have about 1200 "smiles" on the pair!!! No thanks, I doubt they'll help Big Blue's MPG. (There's very little that can help a 460 beyond EFI and OD - both of which are "in the works" as you know.) And, they seem to draw unwanted attention. As for time, there's precious little of it these days, and what I have is mainly for the grandtwins.

With my "in town" weekly route, which normally returns ~17 mpg, I experimented with and without the spoiler. I recorded ~1/2 mpg better with the spoiler mounted. I believe the percentage would go up @ higher speeds. That's significant. And it all adds up. But I'll bet that the higher the MPG capability of the truck the higher the MPG benefit. In other words, trucks with a 300 six and tall gears that get in the mid-20's probably see a higher benefit than one with a 460 and low gears.

There's no lock nut on it? Usually those have a nut on the neck that you tighten down when you get it adjusted correctly. I'll look later today to see if I have the adjustment procedure in the shop manual.

I know you meant that in jest as even you don't drive that slowly. But I actually thought about it - just for a moment. It would help the MPG, but unfortunately that's the peak of the odd "buzz" that goes through Big Blue when towing a load. Starts about 50 and is gone by 60, and at 55 you feel in in everything. I'm pretty sure that it has to do with the header touching the frame and transmitting engine vibes, so it isn't something that is harmful. But it is also not comfortable. Just another of the MANY things that will get fixed when I do get to EFI Big Blue. But, having already figured out that a piece of 3/16" plate under the driver's side engine mount will fix that problem, I might go ahead and cut that plate and install it. I have Huck's engine on the stand, so can easily use his mounts to get the dimensions of the plate. Hmmmm......

At Lowes: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Moen-Home-Care-Chrome-Wall-Mount-Grab-Bar/1122019 Yep. Not exactly the same, but close enough. And that's what I think of when I see one of those on a truck.