Gary Lewis

$40 and $30 bucks!!!! I'll sell two for the $40. But wait, Rear Counter knows of 12 - 11 at Green Sales and 1 at Dennis Carpenter. I wonder what one of those vendors wants for one? So I sent both of them a message.

Cool. That option doesn't work for me, so I assume it is turned off for international customers. It also shows no shipping to Canada. Pretty common, I'm used to that lol. I got this email back: So what do we want to ask? Something like this? Help me word it, guys!

I tried. He has his Ebay page set up so that you cannot contact him (or her). The instrument bezel decals look correct, but the center bezel ones I don't know. The 1985-1986 ones wouldn't be easy with the contours around the radio opening. I went through the "contact the seller" process and sent him this note:

Welcome, Jim. But we are in this together. It takes us all working together to make it the place we want to frequent.

I think you need to contact him, Cory. Maybe you can send him your '86 radio bezel. And if so, I may have an 80 - 84 bezel if needed.

Ahhh crap... It just occurred to me that while this kit is advertised as fitting 1980-1986, if you look at the center bezel decal patterns, it technically only fits 1980-1984, presumably Rosewood or XLS?...I can't image trying to apply these decals over a weave pattern. Dang it. Maybe I'll have to send this guy my 1986 center bezel... Cory - You are telling me something I don't know. What is the difference between the 80 - 85 and the 85/86?

That was quick, Heinz! Did they come back to the States or stay in Europe?

I haven't been able to do it w/o at least tilting the hood back by removing the "link", the front piece with the coil spring on it. That will let the hood go back some. But be careful because the hood can hit the cowl. DAHIK.

WOW!

I wonder if I loosened it up a notch if that might change the 5 MPH bump? I wouldn't think so, but it is worth a try.

Very nice! But it is pretty 'spensive.

Congrat's on posting via the forum. Looks nice and clean. And now you can post pics. As Jim said earlier, there are instructions on the page at Bullnose Forum/Forum FAQ's. Plus, you can use the emoticons.

Cory - I got lost when you said "note the last one on the right". There are so many different ways to scroll through it I don't know which one you meant. Can you give us a screen shot? But this is REALLY encouraging! Most burled wood bezels badly need the purple covered up, so are an excellent candidate for a trial.

David - I'll bump it up a bit more as I get more comfortable with it. But I've been cautious just wanting to get it broken in w/o causing any problems. And yes, the speed control is an 80's system. But the one on Dad's truck was smooth as butter on the 3500 mile trip we took to DE and back with the load of furniture, and it was with this same transmission. So I know it can be done. Bob - I'm sure you know, but these systems have Resume, Set/Accelerate, and Coast. It has taken me some time to re-acquaint myself with the way it works, but now I understand that holding Set/Accelerate is intended to smoothly accelerate and then capture the speed you are going when you let up. But it just keeps going another 5 MPH! However, from what I saw today Coast does work correctly, meaning it relaxes the throttle and then takes the current speed as the new set point when you let up. Jim - I thought the difference between "cruise control" and "speed control" was a legal one. I was thinking I read somewhere that someone else patented "cruise control" and Ford didn't want to pay the royalties so called it "speed control". But I may have gotten that confused with the delay windshield wipers

Jim - Well said. I've heard from a lot of people who appreciate this forum for its demeanor, and that has to include the lack of politics and religion. And you are spot-on with the sympathy w/o being moved. I'm sorry that Ray has left. But that doesn't mean I think we should discuss either politics or religion. Bob - I appreciate your input. It is helpful to know how others handled things. But the problem I'm seeing is that down here in The States there's a huge gulf between people regarding politics. Some won't talk to others if they voted "the other way". In fact, I've seen people leave their church home because of political difference. How did they know what the other person believed? Facebook! People get on and tout their own "truths" and someone else takes issue with them and now they've started a war of words. I've watched it happen between my own friends. Yes, I'm on Facebook. And while I don't have any say over what other people post on there I do have a say in what I see. So I've unfollowed bunches and bunches of people because they get into political discussions. If the person is really close to me and hasn't done it before I might give them the benefit of the doubt. But the vast majority of people are G.O.N.E. from my Facebook feed the very first time they start into politics. And you know what? I've heard others complain about what's being said on Facebook and I say "I've not seen any of that." So I want to keep this forum w/o discussions of politics or religion. I believe it will keep us friends for a much longer time.

Jim - You are right, the live readings are good. But I'm looking forward to the day when I don't need them and the computer is handling that. David - Yes, the off-idle is certainly more crisp with the timing bump. And so far there's been no kick-back nor run-on. Scotty said to drop the dizzy in at 20 for break-in, so maybe I'm being way too conservative? And on the speed control, this one does have the chain connection. And I'm pretty sure it is set correctly as I can quote the instructions: .06 to .125" slack. I have ~.10" slack as best I can measure. There are two holes for the hair pin to go into and using the other one either gives no slack or over the .125, so this one must be it. But, that's all for naught as the speed control now works pretty nicely. I say "pretty nicely" as it does handle the hills well. But you want to set the speed 5 MPH below where you want to run 'cause it is going up as soon as you hit Set. I just did it in 3rd gear at 30 MPH and it went to 35 almost instantly. I can live with that, but I may try yet another module later. However we are set for tomorrow. ROAD TRIP! And yes, it sure is good to be peeling this onion. Maybe tomorrow we can stop at a Sonic and have onion rings!

Back from my test of the speed control, and I'm sorry to see the above. I like Ray and am sorry to see him go. But I am also sure that a Ford truck forum is no place for debates on religion and politics. I'll report on what I found on the test in a bit... While I may not agree with all rules and I find it hard to avoid minor cursing since cursing is so common in my field of work I still try to follow the rules mainly cause this is an alternative site to FTE for asking questions. Just like I use Muscle Fords Forum for my more generic performance questions that I may not get answered on FTE or on here. Such as on my single exhaust sizing. Ive gotten a few different answers between these three places from going as planned or changing my plan to have 2 1/2" tail pipe as well to just going 3". Sure didnt make life easy for me as I still am not sure which way to go just like I was before I posed the question lol. Ok, here's the report from a 15 mile drive: Alignment: Much better. Still not one where you can go to sleep, but now you can take your eyes off the road to find a control w/o worrying where it might go Idle: My guess of 1/4 turn on the idle stop screw was pretty close as it got me ~650 RPM at hot idle. Speed Control: It works! So I checked the initial advance, which was at 12 BTDC, and bumped it up to 15. Checked the AFR at idle and it was ~14, which is too lean IMO. Adjusted the idle AFR and found max vacuum and RPM and then gave it just a bit more gas. Wound up at 11:1 on the AFR, 650 RPM, and 18 1/2" of vacuum. Now for the speed control. As said, it works. BUT, it isn't as smooth as I think it should be. We are back to the original servo and all functions work. However, as you crest a hill it lets off too much and then has to come back in, only to back off a bit too much again. So I'm thinking of changing out the electronics.....

Back from my test of the speed control, and I'm sorry to see the above. I like Ray and am sorry to see him go. But I am also sure that a Ford truck forum is no place for debates on religion and politics. I'll report on what I found on the test in a bit...

Jim - Sometimes I find that enrichening the idle mix just a smidge from "best vacuum" works better. I don't like to let my engines idle for long periods of time, so I'm not worried about the little bit of extra fuel. But right on "best vacuum" hasn't been best for me. On the distributor curving, perhaps a link to Scotty's procedure? That's because it is a deep discussion and isn't something that many of us will undertake. However, including info on the basic procedure (base/centrifugal/vacuum) and then a discussion of tuning vacuum advance to the vehicle might be in order.

...what can I say? I saw it coming awhile back when I voluntarily resigned admin privilages. But I have to finally call it. If this online garage is full of men too sensitive to disagree with one another, this aint the place for me. Farewell amigos. Bye, Ray.

Ray - The site is to discuss Ford trucks, and maybe a Chizzler here and a boat there. But not religion nor politics. Both of those are extremely divisive and will drive a wedge between the members here if allowed to be discussed. Now, back to our previously-scheduled program. I marked up the fog light bracket to help me when I make the permanent one, and then removed it and the lights for the trip tomorrow. And now I'm re-installing the previous speed control servo to get that feature working again. And perhaps the throttle return spring will take the oscillations out. I'll jack the idle stop screw up a bit to get the hot idle back to maybe 600, then take the truck for a ride to see if the speed control works and get it warm. Then when I get back I'll adjust the idle speed & AFR and check the timing. Back soon...

Jim is right, you either need to source a hydroboost pedal from another Ford truck or move the pin where the hydroboost attaches. That is because of the leverage difference. And given your lack of availability moving the pin might be best. And he's right that you don't want an F450 master. But the Astrovan approach works. But Hydrotech might have one as well. On your drawing I've added the cooler, the one on the frame crossmember, but otherwise it is correct:

Matt - The best writeup is on the page at Documentation/Driveline/Brakes and go to the Master Cyl's & Boosters tab and then the Hydroboost Upgrade tab. The instructions there are from Hydratech, and they sell kits for upgrading trucks. And yes, you can use your C-II pump. The pump supplies the pressure to the hydroboost system, which has two outlets - one is pressure to the power steering box and the other is the return. The return from the power steering box goes to the cooler on the frame and then the two returns, the power steering and the hydroboost, merge and go back into the pump. Need a diagram?

Matt - Rather than put the pics, plural, here why not have you go to that post in Big Blue's thread. The reason is that there is an explanation there that might help. However, bear in mind that Big Blue is an F250HD, which means the frame rails are a lot wider than those on an F150 or Bronco. And the 460 itself is much wider than a 351W. All of which means the header has to be a whole lot closer to the frame than in your case. On the gaskets and headers, I'm running L&L headers and they have a 1/2" thick flange that goes against the head. That is much thicker than most headers and seems to be a big part of why I've not had gasket problems. I'm not saying L&L are the best, but that the thickness of the flange is important.

Jim - What booster? I cropped it to match Cory's shot, using the windshield wiper motors and the DS-II modules as the references. Note where the clutch master cylinder is and how close the vacuum booster comes to it in his pic.