Gary Lewis

You can just make out the spoiler in these photos: https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ford-trucks.com-vbulletin/1024x768/80-dscn8397_6deb83e75e715ab97bb89c4e5b7394e9ce5f9e3f.jpg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ford-trucks.com-vbulletin/2000x1504/80-20160917_184951_1__9ff480b0d8c43050df3101ed633e536cd2f53338.jpg Hard to see the spoiler in the 2nd one. I get distracted by the .... protrusions. But, the first pic reminds me that I need to contact Jason Hambrick about the show. That little spoiler can't be doing much given its small size. But we looked one on a '93 F150 over to see about adapting it to the Bullnose trucks, and discovered it won't work. The bumper is the wrong shape.

From what I can see everything looks to be good. Given that, I'd go with RTV. The keys for getting RTV to work for me are to make sure you get the manifold in place correctly w/o sliding it around, and then snugging it down and letting it set overnight. So I use long bolts with the heads cut off as guides to align the manifold to the head. Just screw them into the heads loosely and lower the manifold over them. Then install the other bolts loosely, and unscrew the guides. Once all bolts are in gently screw them in to where they are snug. Leave it over night and come back the next day to torque them down. And, I use RTV on the front and rear dams that tie the sides of the block together. Place a smooth 1/4" to 1/2" bead of RTV on them. But the dam and the manifold have to be CLEAN so the RTV will adhere to them.

The circuit is shown on Page 46 here: Electrical/EVTM/1981 EVTM/Lights. You pretty obviously have power to the switch on the pink/orange hash wire, but you should check. And you apparently always have power out on the black/pink wire. But if you go to Page 48 you'll see that it says to check the adjustment of the switch if the backup lights stay on.

The MPG package trucks were turning in mid-20's. But they had extremely-tall gearing, no frills, etc.

Haven’t seen pitting on the heads, but have seen lots of pitting on aluminum intakes. As said, Brandon smoothed his up with JBWeld. For cleaning up, I’ve used Rolloc discs, but there are two problems with them. First, they leave an abrasive residue, and it is hard to keep it out of an assembled engine. Second, I’ve read that they leave high and low spots on the gasket surfaces that are hard to seal - especially on soft material like aluminum. So some say that scrapers are the only way to go.

That's good news! And I don't think you were lazy. I suspect that all of the cylinders would have come up to 130 if you'd tested them. But, after running the engine for 1,000 miles or so they'll be even higher. And, you should be feeling good. It is going to go well.

I had a page on Push Bars on the website, but didn't have that illustration, so added it. And notice that the illustration is for the vans, not the pickups. But, as shown on my page, they list one for the trucks, although it is a different part number. As for the spoiler, I should add that to the webpage. I know that either the '82 or '83 dealer's book tells about a gas mileage option that included the spoiler, so I should reference that as well.

Luke - Happy to do that. But tell me more about the Arduino. I have one planned for Big Blue to translate between the later style fuel sender and the Bullnose fuel gauge. I've already written the code and checked it out on a simulator. But it'll have lots of extra time so I've been thinking of doing something similar to what you did, although I want to put the display(s) in the clock windows. Anyway, I'll watch the video, but if you have other info on what you did I'd love to see it. What display did you use? Why the two Arduinos? Etc.....

You can probably get the same part at Home Depot in the bathroom fixtures section. Those things are ugly!

Yipes!!!

Excellent point, Ken. Just turn the engine slowly with a 15/16" socket on the crankshaft bolt until the drain plug is at the bottom, pull it to drain the converter, and then refill things when the plug is back in.

Yes, it does include lots of time running the engine before the leak was fixed. We winched the '60 Chevy pickup onto the trailer with Big Blue's engine running to charge the batteries, and that took some time. And then there was the drive home, and that took over two hours as I wasn't in any hurry. Plus going up to John's the next morning, getting the pickup off the trailer, and then coming home again. All in all probably 3 hours of running, and who knows how much fuel went on the ground during that time. I don't actually know when the leak started as I didn't smell any fuel until I got home. I'm using Big Blue to pull the trailer on Saturday to help some people move from south Tulsa to Skiatook, a round trip of 70 miles. So we shall see if the MPG improves any.

Good memories!

Filled up Big Blue today: 19.000 gallon tank -16.959 fillup -2.590 added two days ago ------------ -.549 gallons I'd driven 5.5 miles since adding the 2.590 gallons, and assuming 10.0 MPG for those miles the tank was totally and completely EMPTY! No wonder BB was stumbling badly as I pulled into the station the other day. And, that makes the math on Big Blue's MPG while towing: 140 miles divided by 19.0 gallons gives 7.4 MPG. I hope the EFI trick makes a difference there. I know he's running quite rich when towing as the tailpipe is black.

Matthew 16:23

We've immortalized Luke's Big Blackie: Picture Galleries/Big Blackie. I think there are more pics that we can add, soon.

We have a new page on the website: Picture Galleries/Big Blackie. Luke - Please tell me what you'd like that page to say. Send me a note with text, links, etc. And refer to it in your adverts if you want. Also, there were only 43 pics in the zipped file. Do you have more that you can zip? I can put everything you have up, but as it turns out it is far easier to do so from a folder on my computer as I just select them all and hit Go. Otherwise I have to select individually.

Gary - what do you think about the tuning I posted above? I'm still having some weird performance issues on the lower band...maybe it's fuel/ignition, maybe its the transmission. One I did notice - shifting out of OD did nothing to alleviate the studdering/shuddering/slamming that was sometimes occurring as I tried to accelerate away from a stop light at a medium rate (eg - not gentle cruise/roll out and not flooring it). I don't know enough about the AOD to comment about those procedures. But it seems like a reputable place, so they are probably good. However, if you are having the problem both in OD and out of OD then it may not be the transmission. Perhaps it is engine related? Ignition can be on and off, causing serious bucking. Is it worse when the engine is hot or cold? Does it happen under heavy throttle as well as medium throttle? In other words, is it throttle-related?

I don't see a need to clean them at all. They look new - not like the crusty ones I pulled out of the '95 F450's plenum nor the ones out of the '90 F250's plenum. So I'm going to run them as-is. Thanks!

LOL! That explains why I missed the link. I posted and asked where you found that, and as soon as the post showed up I saw the link. So I edited the question out of my post. Dueling edits! $1800 isn't bad for an E4OD. However, I didn't read enough of their advert to see what all they do to it in the rebuild. I spent $2400 on the one for Dad's truck, but then it has a lot of significant upgrades that easily would have added up to the $600 difference - if not more.

I got it from here: Ford AOD Transmission Also whats the difference between the AOD and the E4OD? Same thing, just different nomenclature? That's a good find. As for the differences, the E4OD is based on the C6 and is a MUCH bigger transmission than the AOD. It stands for Electronic 4 (speed) Over Drive. Completely different transmission than the AOD. Where the biggest engine the AOD was put behind was the 302/5.0L, the E4OD was used behind the 460's, the diesels, and the V10's. Have a friend with one in a motorhome behind a V10.

Yippee! Glad that appears to have worked out well. Gotta be a good feeling. I know how I felt the other day when I got Big Blue's fuel leak fixed and can use him again.

Steve - I can't answer the questions of size, but you do have the inlet and return labeled correctly. The larger one is the inlet and smaller is the return. By the way, the injectors in the pic reminded me - you did get my note that the injectors got here. Right? Thanks again!

And that's for the 302/5.0L? Know what else it fits? It looks to me, from the catalog, that it is specific to the 302, but I'm not sure.

That's funny! Yes, it seems a sin, but I can't "rescue" all the Bullnose trucks in the world - much as I'd like to do. So, guys, I need a little help from my friends!