Gary Lewis

I don't know about that. I installed a 4bbl one by myself on the 390 in my '72 F250. That was when you could sit IN the engine compartment. And I was ~25, so 1/3 my current age and probably 3 times stronger. But I had no leaks of any kind. Looking back on it I'm amazed.

Here's Big Blue's after powder coating:

I don't know that you have a problem. I'm thinking that you've never gotten the system completely full and then kept coolant in the recovery reservoir. It does no good to get the system completely full if there isn't coolant kept in the recovery reservoir to suck back in when everything cools. So give it a try with that cap. I'm not sure there is anything wrong with it. At least it has all of the needed bits: Yellow: This seal is the one that keeps pressure on the system until it reaches 13 psi, at which point it overcomes the spring and lets coolant out into the neck of the radiator and then on into the recovery reservoir. Red: That is the seal at the top of the radiator's neck, and it channels the coolant to the reservoir when the spring opens and lets it out. But when things cool it ensures that there's a tight seal so a vacuum is drawn in the radiator. Green: The check valve closes with pressure, but as the system cools and a vacuum forms it opens and the vacuum sucks coolant back in from the recovery reservoir.

Discussing things with René this morning about cooling systems I remembered that I have a copy of Ford's Service Technician Specialty Training (STST) manual on Engine Cooling System & Components. So I scanned it in and put it on the page at Documentation/Cooling Systems/Engine Cooling System Training Manual. Hopefully that will help someone out on how the cooling system is meant to work.

René - I remembered this morning that I have a copy of Ford's Service Technician Specialty Training (STST) manual on Engine Cooling System & Components. So I scanned it in and put it on the page at Documentation/Cooling Systems/Engine Cooling System Training Manual. You might want to look at pages 9 - 12 for a better explanation than I've given of the radiator cap, coolant recovery reservoir, and thermostat. As for having driven over the Alps at 35C, that's "only" 95F. We frequently see well over that and a properly maintained system handles that fairly easily. But if you don't have a coolant recovery reservoir then when it gets up to those temps it will push coolant out due to expansion. And when your system cools it'll suck air back in where you once had coolant. So now you have less coolant in the system. That air then may get trapped in the system in high spots and more coolant comes out as the system heats up. So you may continually lose coolant and ultimately overheat. Yes, you can get by w/o a coolant recovery reservoir. But your system isn't working as well as it was designed to work.

You have it connected correctly. The hose near the cap goes to the overflow reservoir and the lower one goes to pre-heat on the EFI system - if your system uses that. But Ford decided after a few years that the pre-heat isn't needed so most of the radiators are capped there. However, that port is under full pressure so it cannot be connected to the recovery reservoir w/o problems. As for not having coolant in the reservoir, you apparently don't have the cooling system completely full. If the system is full up to the neck of the radiator and has no air in it then when the coolant gets hot and expands the pressure valve in the cap will open and coolant will come out into the reservoir. After you've driven the truck and it cools down completely, like over night, pull the radiator cap and fill the system up until it is FULL. Put the cap on and then put coolant in the overflow reservoir - maybe 2" of coolant or up to the Full Cold line if yours has that. It may take two or three rounds of driving/cooling/filling, but once you get the cooling system full and all the air out you can check the level of coolant just by watching the reservoir. When cold it should be at the same place every time. If not, you have a leak.

The little disc on the radiator cap that is at the very bottom and dangles loose when turned right side up is actually a check valve. It closes under pressure, like when the system warms up. But it opens when the system cools and starts to pull a vacuum. When it opens the coolant in the overflow reservoir gets sucked back into the radiator. But if there’s no coolant in the reservoir it sucks in air. So you need the overflow reservoir and you need to keep some coolant in it. A properly operating cooling system will push coolant out into the reservoir when it warms up, and the warmer it gets the more it pushes out, and then suck it back in as it cools.

Sounds like you are going about the bed very methodically, which I like. Best to make SURE everything lines up before drilling holes. As for the thud, I hope everything works out! That driveline is a great combo and while I admire the 300, the 302 with a manual has more charisma.

Cool! I wish we'd been there. Looks like a long, but fun day. I'm not sure that first obstacle would have put me off. I think the power of Big Blue would have pulled me through w/o the problem of hopping. Maybe? But it doesn't look that bad. As for restarting, the EFI might have made it easier for me as it sounds like you were loading up. But I do see that you used it several times, so I'm glad I have that feature. And that bit at 13:25 doesn't look as bad in the video as it does stopped. But it probably got your attention, for sure. Janey liked the shot at the top, and I'd really love to have a shot of us with Big Blue there. And she's just said maybe we can do it in the future. But it is a bummer about the tires. Why do you think you had those problems? Too little air? What pressures were you running?

Another thing that caused problems was the use of the F450 master and hydroboost. Both are longer than the original stuff and that caused the A/C muffler to touch the brake master, which causes all sorts of noises in the cab. So it is tight under the hood. But it sure runs good.

You are most welcome, buddy. I will be careful moving the Bee, but you’uns be careful on your trip. And, have fun!

Big Blue is apart to rewire such that the AFR meter comes on when the engine starts, not when the key comes on. So the dash is apart as is the PS PDB. But those things need to be apart to wire the subwoofer, so the timing was good. However, things have happened that have prevented me from working on it, so it is dragging out. As for those countries, you skipped the country between Honduras and Costa Rica - Nicaragua. The twins lived there long enough to consider it home at one point. But yes, they are beautiful.

I’m not sure it is a trap, but the engine compartment certainly is FULL. The aux battery adds to the problem, but so does the EFI system with the remote air cleaner & power distribution box. The combination of those two means that the coolant/washer reservoir had to be relocated to the PS fender. But there’s also a PDB on that fender. Then there’s the somewhat large 460, ….

Well, minor problem. Rock Auto nor O'Reilly's lists a flywheel for the 1955 235. So I called DeWayne at Skiatook Auto Parts and none of his stuff lists one. But he can get a new ring gear, so if the 216 flywheel is the same diameter maybe I could replace the ring gear. But, the guy in my home town that came up with the 235 that is seized said I can have the flywheel, clutch, et al off of it if it is any good. So I've sent a note to my nephew and maybe he can pull it off and see if it is any good. Also, I need space in front of the pickup under the carport, but that is where the Super Bee is setting. So Steve/FoxFord33 and I are going to pull the trailer out, which is next to both vehicles, back it up to the Bee, and winch it on. Then put the trailer back in its spot and I'll have plenty of room in front of the pickup. I'll back my new truck up to that spot and use the shop crane to lift the 235 out of the bed and put it on skates. But all of that hinges on getting Big Blue going again, so I need to finish the sub-woofer install and button everything up.

Yes, that is the worst part about having a dog. We've done that many times and plan on not doing that again. But I know many, if not most, people get another puppy pretty quickly and that seems to help. So it makes sense and I'm glad you are able to get one you know you'll like so quickly. As for the road, apparently US50 is needing a lot of maintenance in that area. It was closed off and on a few years ago due to bridges and other bits failing, but we got lucky on the way out and it was open again. Otherwise we were going to go south through Durango as the detour over CO92 is a long way out of the way. But then you went a bit out of the way if you went through Grand Junction and back. Your campsite looks a lot better than I'd imagined. I saw the pics my brother sent of their trip 2 weeks ago and I didn't see a single tree. But then they weren't taking them in Moab itself but out on the trails.

Looking great! Really well done. But I'm anxious to find out how your lap is after the large thud.

Ok, so you don't have the aux battery tray.

“ewissions™” I missed it! And maybe that’s the bracket for the toolbox? Maybe we could see a better pic or two?

By the way, I just noticed that you appear to have the aux battery setup but with the later coolant/washer reservoir on it. But I can't really see the aux battery tray, so maybe not?

Yes, it does look much better. And I'm sure it'll run better. As Jim said, with a carb the desired air/fuel ratio can only be achieved when you keep the inlet air temp constant. So it certainly will run better with the original system in place.

You bought the modulator and TPS but don't have them installed yet, right? And after filling the transmission did it drive any differently? As for the washer reservoir, I've not found a good way to seal the top back on - assuming you can get it off w/o breaking the old plastic. And I really think you'll be sorry you don't have the overflow reservoir for the cooling system if you were to merge the two. The system needs some place to put coolant when it heats up, and you really want it to suck that coolant back in instead of sucking air back in.

It is sad about Kirby. That had to put a damper on the trip. I'm so sorry! As for Loveland Pass, we came over it from the other side in a snow storm while driving a '69 Super Bee. We had our lap belts on, but when we saw the little Dodge Dart off the side of the road with the right front wheel dangling in the breeze, and 3 more levels of the highway visible below, we put the shoulder belts on as well. So I don't have any memories of what Loveland Pass looks like, but your pictures do look good. But I do remember Black Canyon Of The Gunnison in a better light - literally. When my brother and I took Big Blue to Ouray a few years ago US50 was closed just after Blue Mesa Reservoir so they diverted us on CO92, which is surely how you got to the NP. We didn't go into the park but did get to see the canyon from the highway like you did, and it is stunning! However, it was very dry then and Blue Mesa Reservoir was so low that boats were moored hundreds of yards away from what is normally the shore. It had been that way for years so the river was low and we couldn't hear it. So that video shows me what we missed. Cool!

Gary still wants to do the trip, and Janey is still planning to go. But I'm so thankful that her heart attack occurred a month before the trip and not during. However, she is getting stronger and maybe next year or the year after? Anyway, I'm off to the other thread to do the trip vicariously!

Good explanation, Bill. Thanks. Ian - In addition to what Bill said, a flywheel is used with a manual transmission while a flex plate is used with an automatic transmission. So this engine originally had an automatic transmission behind it. But our pickup has a manual transmission, like Big Blue has, so we need to have a flywheel, clutch, and pressure plate. If you want to read up on that you might like this page: Your Clutch System – Clutch Disc vs Pressure Plate vs Flywheel vs Clutch Kit. We are going to need to replace the flex plate with a flywheel, clutch, and pressure plate as we have the manual transmission. I'll see if the engine in cousin Kirk's shop has a good setup that we can buy, but we may want to buy a new kit.

You are now on the map, Ryan.