Gary Lewis

Scott - I checked my trove of zerks and none of them would fit in that very tight area. But maybe there's a really short angled one? I'll go looking. And I've never seen an angled grease needle like that. I have a straight needle on one of my guns and there's no way to get on with it, and I doubt I could with the angled needle. But I'll check. Jim - This is the first one I've ever met where I couldn't get to the fitting by turning the suspension. I was working with it on the lift and with the suspension fully drooped the shaft basically goes straight in such that there was not enough extra clearance no matter how I turned it to make a difference. Maybe if it was on the ground it would, but I don't think it is much harder to roll the toolbox under the truck as a support for the shaft, pull the 4 nuts, and drop the shaft than to drop the truck down and crawl under, find I need to roll it, get back out and roll it, etc. I'd never lubed a u-joint with a gun when the caps weren't contained, but the c-clamp did the trick easily and grease came out of all four seals. Bob & Bruce - I'd bet you guys are right that the u-joint is in wrong. I wasn't aware that the hole is on a bit of an angle, nor that the angle needs to point at the shaft. So it could easily be on wrong. However, pulling the whole shaft off and pressing the joint out is way more work than just dropping the rear of the shaft to lube it. So until I have to replace the joint I think I'll do it that way. Or, if I can find a really short angled zerk like Scott suggested that might work. Thanks, guys!

I do! You be careful on that drive tomorrow.

A couple of things for today. First, I lubed the rear u-joint on the rear driveshaft, but had to pull the u-joint off and hold the end caps with a c-clamp to do that. The issue is that there's just no room to get onto the zerks fitting. And, there doesn't seem to be anywhere near enough room to put an angled fitting in there. Any thoughts? Second, I forgot to post yesterday about my "bib" for changing the oil filter as well as the new filter. The bib is aluminum foil and worked perfectly. The filter is from Royal Purple, which came with the truck from Vernon. And with that, I pronounce Big Blue READY for the trip to Ouray.

Thanks, Bob. I didn't think I remembered poison ivy there, but it is good to know. THE TRUCK IS READY! I may have said yesterday that all of the lubes had been checked, but that wasn't quite right as I'd forgotten the tranny, although it has now been checked. And I hadn't lubed the rear u-joint, but got it today. See the to-be post in Big Blue's Transformation on that. So tomorrow I'll spend the time before people get here to pack for Ouray. I already have a start on that, but need to get a lot more done so I'm ready for Monday.

You REALLY shredded that tire! I don't know that I've seen one that bad. You'd better get a spare for the spare.

Quick checks: Fuel Pump Bolts: vertical is an M-Block, meaning 351M or 400, and horizontal means Windsor Valve Cover Bolts: 8-bolts means M-Block. Windsors have 6 bolts.

We lived in Katy for 6 years and brought the kids over several times to the Schlitterbahn. Loved it. And actually love the whole area. That's cool that we have similar trucks. I'm anxious to see what you do with yours. But you say it is a 351W. Are you sure? An '81 shouldn't have come with a Windsor. Maybe someone replaced the 351M?

You are now on the map, although I hope you put your swimsuit on. (Might have gone down that river a few times on a tube.) As for the engine, lets see what suggestions others have before you waive that flag.

You are right, there are many layers. When you get rid of one noise you start finding others. And there are usually plenty of them. But I'm getting many of them worked out on Big Blue. Keep at it and you will, too.

Welcome to the forum! Glad you joined. What part of Texas? I ask because we have a map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu) and we can add you with a city or zip. On the engine, I wouldn't try with the starter. I'd use the socket on the crank bolt and rock it back and forth a bit. And keep adding ATF to it.

John - It was HOT the day before when I did the wash and wax. Yesterday wasn't too bad under the lift. David - Not sure there is any poison ivy where we are going, but the first aid kit has the stuff for it. Thanks.

Right choice of emoticon's, Scott. My father would have said "Glutton for punishment". Yep, one more day. And just a bit more to get done. But, basically "there".

Josh - If you need the truck today I say put the carb back on and try it. Won't be that hard to take it off to plug that hole. And you might if you continue to have a mystery coolant leak. But you might do your best to measure the hole so we can help you find a plug for it. Or, maybe you have and it really looks like 5/8"? As for the rebuild, that was a whole lot of yuk for such a small carb. And the different needle and seat might have been an issue. But I'll bet the culprit was the folded corner on the accelerator pump. But I'd leave the plumbing alone at this point. Once you get it running correctly then you could seen about removing it and determine if it has been helping or not. But if you pull it today it might not run right and you won't know if it is the carb or the lack of heat. Good luck!

Wow, someone's up EARLY! Are you practicing for tomorrow? But the Mac's BBQ is ordered and I'll swing by and pick up the Charlie's Chicken after that. Janey made rolls yesterday and said she's going to bake something else tomorrow morn. I'll be at the church building from at least 5 onward, so any of y'all that are coming from that time on come to the building.

New / old? Fairly new to me, as you know, but haven't really had a chance to wear it much - if any. Maybe this is that chance? So it is going. Seems fitting.

I posted yesterday that I washed and waxed Big Blue to get ready for both the show and the trip. Today I cleaned the windows, vacuumed the carpet, changed the oil and filter, lubed everything, checked brake, power steering, and coolant levels, and rotated the tires. Plus I put up the GMRS antenna and put the mike in place. I think it is ready! My brother was to get instruction on how to use Gaia today from his son, and possibly borrow his iPad to run it on. Our wives talked today and coordinated who is bringing what food stuffs, water, soft drinks, etc. So all that is left is from me to get my clothing picked out and packed. But one of the things I'm going to take is my "new" jacket. May not get cold enough, but maybe? http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/uploads/6/5/8/7/65879365/thinking-26_orig.jpg

We aren't serving food at the show, so...

Day after tomorrow! Yep! But who's counting? (I am! )

Slide locks were a 1980 & early '81 thing. You can see the slide in the door in the illustration below near the "Before 3/81" text. The door panels have a rectangular cutout for the sliders. But that 3/81 date isn't accurate, as previously explained.

I think you'll be a lot happier if you do rebuild the carb while it is off. I'm not a fan of carbs that use fabric below the fuel line. Eventually the fabric fails and you have a problem. I'm not saying you need to change to a different carb, just saying that this happens and it has to be fixed or you'll have an overly rich fuel mix.

That's a reasonable plan and won't hurt anything. But I still think you have a problem with the accelerator pump on the carb. Don't forget that you said the engine runs better if you close the idle mix screw. That screw is supposed to control all of the fuel going to the engine, so if you close it and the engine runs, much less better, then there's another source of fuel. And, Bill/85lebaront2 said "The Carter YFA is a fairly simple carburetor, which has one major weak point - the combination accelerator pump and metering rod control. This is a diaphragm with manifold vacuum on bottom and fuel on the top side. When this diaphragm fails the fuel is drawn directly into the intake." That fits your symptoms perfectly as it would be another source of fuel. If the carb sat for years it is possible that the diaphragm got old and cracked. So while it won't hurt to plug that hole and put the carb back on, antifreeze won't burn so it isn't the source of the extra fuel.

Eddie - Thanks! And, to add to the questions, your truck does have pin style locks, right? My info indicates that Louisville had changed back to pin style before 6/18/81. Dave - The lock change happened at various times depending on the plant. My notes say "The door locks changed fairly close to 03/81 in most plants, but not in all of them. Kansas City produced trucks in 03/81 with slide locks, but by 04/81 had gone to pins. But Twin Cities was still using slide locks as late as 07/81."

I've seen that one before, but it is a nice one.