Gary Lewis

If you are going to loosen the bolts to prop the bed up, do you plan to use different bolts than stock? Or tack weld the bolts to the bed? The reason I ask is that the original bolts frequently twist in the bed, so I tacked them to the bed to make it easier to get off next time.

Well, I'm still worried as the cable is still on my work table. I don't know where to ship it! So if you sent me an email please do so again at janeyandgary@gmail.com. By the way, I like your hose routing. In the early Bullnose years they went diagonally across the engine. Back to the firewall is MUCH better.

Moved the feed to the Innovate AFR meter from key-on power to the R/O wire that feeds the Rocketman voltmeter in the gauge cluster. Then, once the Key-On relay becomes the Engine Running relay by triggering it via the alternator's stator output the voltmeter and the AFR gauge will only come on when the alternator fires up. I made the connection by soldering the AFR power wire to the pin from C208A, the connector that plugs into the cluster, as shown below. You have to keep the wire tightly wrapped around the terminal w/o much solder as it is a tight fit into the connector. But it goes in to the heat shrink, which provides coverage as well as strain relief.

Time for an update. Basically I think we are not going to need to change our name. Instead, while we may wind up forming an LLC, I think we will only use that LLC's name on legal documents and maybe post it someplace on the website. And if we do need to create an LLC then Oklahoma says "The name SHALL contain either the words limited liability company or limited company or the abbreviations LLC, LC, L.L.C. or L.C." So I think we could do anything we want and stick LLC behind it - and then only use it for official things. Why do I say that? The paralegal from the lawyer called this morning and said that the lawyer doesn't think we qualify to be a 501C7, mainly due to the lack of fees. But he did want to discuss alternatives. That got into a discussion of setting up a "Single Member LLC" in Oklahoma and filing as a "Disregarded Entity" for taxes using Schedule C. And that went way over my head! So after going back and forth a bit I suggested that I put together a note to them that explains a bit more about us and my thinking regarding the situation. Then the lawyer can come back with his recommendation. So here's the email I sent them:

It is possible to run a Q-Jet on a square bore intake. I did it back in the 70's on my '72 F250 Camper Special w/a 390. I used a spread-bore to square-bore adapter and hogged out the intake to match it. There are some adapters still made for that today. I do like the Q-Jet. I have one sectioned so I can see the passages, which came in handy when my nephew called and couldn't get one to idle correctly on a big engine. Many of them, including that one, had restrictions in the idle passages so you couldn't make the idle mix too rich. But when you put a carb from a small engine on a big engine those restrictions have to be drilled out. The one on my 390 worked out very well.

I first looked fast and read «how many clicks the forum has gotten since 2 1/2 years ago». I told to myself that I am member from that date, don't be too enthusiastic, I'm probably responsible about half of them. So that's why the #'s are up! You do a search to find this place.

The "how it works" wasn't for your benefit.

Jim - I didn't, but I do now. Thanks! Jeff - I'm betting that yours will be correct. But we know which stud should have the red paint on it. Correct is the one on the left. Reversed is the one on the right. But even if it is reversed it is easy to swap the wires in the connector.

No argument at all, the AVS is better than the AFB, and the 1406 is essentially an AFB. As for being a bit much, that's the beauty of the AVS - you can easily adjust the opening point of the air valve. So if it comes in too soon and the engine bogs just loosen the lock screw, tighten the adjustment screw a bit, tighten the lock screw, and now it won't.

Never tried it, but heard that between the rail and the train wheel it works well. Not really scientific nor precise, but couple of trials could have result with the right washer thickness. A bit dangerous for the fingers too. I’ve done it with a penny. F L A T. And much wider than it was originally. Not what was needed. I’ll stick to S L O W L Y removing the material. One and done, and my fingers will grow back. .

The others explained about the rolling idle. As for the CarterEdelbrock, a 1406 is my favorite. And a good used one is fine. Easy to rebuild and no fabric holding fuel in to leak. I’m

I understand the feeling, Shaun. I've not really been interested in working on Big Blue of late, but Janey is feeling better so I spent most of the day in the shop. So I am glad you are making progress as well.

I'm not a fan of Holley carbs either, so I understand your frustration. But I have taken a file to the cover of the accelerator pump to make it flat. However, I don't think you want to use RTV on a carb. It hasn't worked for me and I don't think it will for you. I'd get the cover flat and hope it'll seal against the new diaphragm. Speaking of the diaphragm, could I get you to edit your post to change your comment about it? We try to keep this forum family friendly, and that isn't. As for the rolling idle, I think that is usually due to a very lean condition - so lean the engine almost dies but then comes back. And I don't think the accelerator pump will do that. But, I'll tag Bill, who used to run an ignition and carb shop, and I'll be he will know.

Yes, "the fat yellow wire with the blue connector that is not connected to anything" is the one. Put your meter on it and it should be hot.

Math works! Remember that I calculated that .012" difference in the thickness of the gasket would make 1/4 turn difference in the heat sink for the O2 sensor? Well, I took a new gasket that measured .055" down to .043" and the dot, and therefore the unseen opening, are pointed upstream in the exhaust, as you can see below. But, it was not nearly as easy as that sounds. I discovered that a file really didn't take much off, apparently because I couldn't push down on the gasket hard enough. So I glued the washer to a 12" steel ruler and used the belt/disk sander. But that didn't last more than a few seconds before the heat melted the glue and the washer came off the ruler. So then I tried sandpaper on a flat surface and discovered that anything coarser than 320 grit caused the washer to grab. So the real work was done on 320 sandpaper, stopping every few minutes to measure. And via those measurements I learned that it wasn't quite flat, so I marked the high spots and then took them down to match the rest of the washer. Finally I got the needed .012" off and my fingers said it was either time to quit or rob a bank as I no longer have fingerprints. I opted to for the former and installed the heat sink.

WRONG! That last guy didn't know what he is talking about. The schematic he included shows that fuses 4, 8, 12, & 16 are always hot. This post explains how I did it. Hope that helps, but if it isn't clear then don't hesitate to ask.

Lots of ways to do that, Chad. First on the always-on connection, the fuse box only currently has one, and that is Fuse 1 for the speed control & stop/turn/hazard lights. It is rated for 15 amps, but you might need the hazards while you have the e-brake on, so that might not be a good idea. And not having looked at the fuse box lately I don't remember if there are any un-used slots that could be always hot. Having said that, both Scott/krammtocs and I've added fuses to the fusebox so maybe we did add an always-hot circuit? I can look later if you want. But, under the hood near the brake booster should be a big yellow wire that is always hot. And if you don't have the aux battery or trailer package then it isn't being used. So add a fuse and you have your always-hot circuit. You can see that wire at the top of the schematic below. As for switched power, you can see in the schematic what your options are. But #6 might be an option as you shouldn't be using the e-brake and speed control at the same time. And, if you don't want any of those search in Big Blue's Transformation thread for what I did on adding fuses. I think it is somewhere near this post, but I can look later if you don't find it.

HF has a sale on today.

You should replace the blend door's hinge. It isn't a question of "if" but "when" the hinge fails, and this is the perfect time to replace it. See the page at Documentation/HVAC/Blend Door Repair.

Interesting! I wouldn't have thought of that. Hope it holds!

Sending email to you today. I might be able to plastic weld that top. Thank you Gary! Cheers to you. I lied - forgot that this is a holiday so I can't ship it today. Tomorrow.

Nabble doesn't rotate them. That's exactly the problem - your pics are rotated and Nabble doesn't fix that. But when we move to Invision, hopefully soon, that problem will be fixed. As for a 2-post lift, which I think is the way to go, mine is asymmetrical. And on my 2015 F150 Supercrew I put the pads on the frame. Don't remember exactly where, but on the frame somewhere that is reasonably flat. Just checked my/our owners manual and it doesn't say where to put a lift. And my booklet that shows where to lift is too old to show our 2015's. But those trucks are fairly well balanced when compared to Big Blue with the 460, dual batteries, winch, etc up front. And my lift, which is rated to 9000 lbs, works on Big Blue. Yes, there is the problem with the door positioning. My lift has the longer/smaller arms on the front and on many vehicles it isn't possible to position them to where you can fully open the door. But if the lift was symmetrical I think it would be worse as that would have less of the front of the vehicle protruding out of the lift. Maybe that would let you open the door a bit farther as it wouldn't be the rear edge of the door that hits?

That's funny! But a '93 Ranger?

Progress!!!

Glad you got it done! But that last rivet is exactly what I found on all my rivets - wouldn't come out w/o a hole drilled in them to relieve the side pressure against the frame. So I used a 1/4" bit to drill about the depth of the frame and was able to punch them out - but not easily.