Gary Lewis

Well, I got things set up the way I think they should be and the motor is ok, but there is still a bit of bind. Jim, I did have to take the rear A-brackets off and flycut 1/32" of each one. That gave me 62 1/4" at the rear and when I got the middle brackets installed, w/o the kickstands, the spacing was 62 3/16" at the front and a nice gradual taper to the rear. And the motor was happy. However, the left rail had a very slight tilt to the inside and the right rail had a bigger tilt. So I corrected both of those with the kickstands but the motor was just barely getting the cover closed. So I backed off on the right side a bit and the motor is ok with the results. And here's how close to level the right side is. Close. After that I warmed the engine up completely and did a bit more tuning. Discovered that the idle screws weren't out the same amount, so I started at 2 turns and adjusted in until I got to 12:1. Reset the idle to 550 RPM and it idles better than it has. Then I put the accelerator pump lever in the inside hole to give it the biggest shot it has. So I think I'm ready for tomorrow.

I only found half of the puzzle so far. I think I found the valve cover sticker under a lot of grease but no usable information remains. Yep, that would have been the guy. But you can get it down to a very short list of parts lists, and then by comparing them I think you'll get the part numbers you are after. Ford tended to use the same part on several different parts lists, with a change here and there. Maybe you'll get lucky.

Cool! You are going to fit right in.

The way to find the part numbers you need is to determine the calibration code for your truck, which then gives you the calibration parts list. To do that, go to Documentation/CALIBRATION INFO & PART #'S and read the intro. Perhaps you have the calibration code on the valve cover? If not, go to the Application To Parts List tab. There you'll find a bunch of #'s for various trucks and you can get it down to a short list of #'s for your truck based on the various parameters. Then go to the Parts Lists tab and scroll down to those lists and compare them. You may find that they all use the same delay and purge valves, which will answer your question(s).

Bill - My father's instructions were "When all else fails, dig the instructions out of the trash." Jim - Yes, I think this will make a big difference and help the motor a bunch. I'll be back in a bit to 'splain how it went...

Welcome! Glad you joined. As Scott said, we need to see pics of the '81. How 'bout starting a thread in the main section on it and showing us what you've done? Where's home? I ask because we have a map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu) and we could add you with a city/state or zip.

Jim - I think you are onto something! The kickstands are not used with the clamps that I drilled and bolted through the bed lip. Instead, they are used either with the ones called "straight grip" or the ones called "short grip" in the instructions below. In my case it would be the "short grip" ones because that's what brackets were shipped with the kickstands. And only those brackets and not the articulated piece that goes with those brackets and pushes against the underside of the bed top. So that's how I installed them - just the "short grip" brackets and the kickstands. But after your comment I've looked more closely at the instructions and while they don't say to use the part that goes against the underside of the bed top, they show it in the illustrations. So I need to install that piece, which will pull the rail back towards the bed, so I'll need to shim each side. And then, when the rails are the right distance apart I can tighten the kickstands to push up on the inside edge. Thanks!

Yippee!!!!

I think Scott answered your questions, but congrat's on it starting so easily.

Looking good, Bill. It is taking shape!

I paid $2.87 yesterday. Cost me $35 to get from 1/4 tank to full. It's gonna get worse though because people started panic buying yesterday due to the hack of the pipeline. Today there were lines at every single gas station I passed, and some stations were out. I talked to my buddy in Southwest Florida and the same is happening down there. I drove very conservative on the way to and from work (max 3k rpm shifts, speed limit, cruise control, etc), and managed to only burn 1/8 of my full tank. I'm trying to stretch my fuel out to Monday and hopefully the panic buying will end by then. Bruce - I hope to have a lot of fun in my home state. Wish you could come, but hope the grandchild arrives soon. Jim - After I posted I went back out to check and the front and rear are right where they are supposed to be - 62 3/16" apart. The problem is in the middle. Apparently the kickstands are placing enough force on the rails to bow them in, and at one spot they are 62 1/8" apart. The instructions say it is ok to be slightly wider, but not closer, so I'll back the kickstands off a bit and see if that helps. Shaun - I paid ~$3.50/gallon for 87 octane pure gas. 89 octane was ~$4.50/gallon and 91 was ~$5/gallon. I've been running 91, but just couldn't pull the trigger on that.

Filled the truck up today - for $103. Gas prices have gone up dramatically. Then I adjusted the idle air/fuel mix. Opened the screws 1/2 turn each, which put the idle AFR at 11:1 instead of the 13:1 it was running previously. That dropped the idle so I brought it back up, but that left the vacuum at 16" instead of 18" where it had been. That seems to have helped the off-idle flat spot, although that was from a pretty simple test. We will find out on Friday on the trip. Next up was installation of the bed rail supports, and now the rails sit perfectly level. In fact, they are very stiff if you try to push down on the inside edge, so they aren't going to give. You can see that they are level here, on the left, and see how the brackets and kickstands are installed, on the right. However, I apparently have the rails too close at the back end as the cover slows dramatically in the last half of its travel toward the tailgate. Not exactly sure how I'm going to fix that as there are no spacers in use back there. So I may have to take a bit off each of the rear brackets. We shall see.

The codes are at Documentation/Specifications/Exterior Paint Codes.

All of the above, sometimes in the same day.

Cool!

That, my friend, is an understatement! Some of which gets suggested on forums?

Thanks, Scott. Yes, there's always something to keep you busy. I guess we'll see on Friday of the tightening up fixes things. I'm in Tulsa now running errands, but hope to be home just after lunch and plan to install the brackets for the bed rails then as they came in last night. Then I'll take it out and gas it up as well as adjust the idle mix rich to see if that helps with the lean spot off-idle. And tomorrow I'm planning to get into a tight spot with a hot tool and see if I can put always-on power to the bed cover. If so, we'll be ready to head north on Friday. See you there!

Man, those are some SERIOUS shocks! But what are the things in the first pic? Do they accommodate the longer shocks? Remind me, what all are you doing to the suspension?

You might check out this thread: Dual snorkle air duct size. There are pictures and a link in it.

Very nice truck. Should bring a pretty price. It always amazes me how much difference there is between the '79s and the '80's. Wow! Even the seat is different, with a split back.

I like the way you are repairing the board. That should last and isn't dependent on the glue holding the trace on. And the panel looks great, save for the wrinkle. And as Jim said, perhaps it'll lay down when it gets hot. But in any event it should be hidden by the seat. Well done!

Yes, the new distributor will work w/o swapping out the carb. But the computer will have its knickers in a twist and won't control the carb, so the air/fuel ratio won't be spot-on. You'll need to wire in a relay with at least #12 if not #10 wire from the battery to power the HEI. You can trigger the relay with the wire that currently powers the coil.

Amen, brother! My understanding is that the YFA will operate w/o the computer, and obviously the HEI will. But you will have a lot of other wires, sensors, etc that will no longer be operating. And the system won't operate as efficiently. It might be easier to relocate the TFI module than to change the system so significantly.

Yes, I probably would have been smart to buy a set of those clamps. Instead I have a wall rack of the worm gear clamps. But I can assure you all of those on the power steering system are tight now. But for a bit of good news, the addition of the fender-mounted relay has fixed the problem I was having with the starter. So I am working through the teething problems.

Two steps forward and one back is till progress, and progress is good!