Gary Lewis

I'd say let's wait to see what others say, but I'm pretty much with you already. But I forgot to ask if Huck's condenser is what Bill call's "multi-pass". Here it is on the right, with Big Blue's on the left. It looks to me like BB's makes one pass down the condenser through those itty bitty tubes, where Huck's makes two passes through much larger tubes. Larger tubes have a larger surface area, so better cooling. Two passes mean - better cooling.

That looks PERFECT! Hopefully you'll take a shot tonight in the dark, but I can already see what looks like very even lighting. And, with that little draw it won't hurt much if you leave it on. But, there will be strange glow under the truck, so it'll be rather obvious.

Ok, did a bit of updating and adding today. My personal goal is to look everything I need up on the website. And today I needed info on how to remove the A/C clutch on Big Blue, so I scanned in that section of the FSM. That went so easily that I scanned in four more sections and now we have all of the HVAC sections on the site. They are at Documentation/HVAC. But I changed the previous HVAC page out for one that is non-clickable so that Jim can get there with his Android. Here's what I added on the 1985 FSM Instructions tab: A/C General Service: 34 pages A/C-Heater System: 42 pages Heater General Service: 5 pages Standard & Hi-Output Heater: 19 pages Comfort Vent System: 25 pages For a total of 125 pages.

Ok guys, a bit of study on the Rock Auto site shows that they say there were FS6 compressors with multi-groove pulleys in 1985. But a bit more study shows that none of those pulleys are used on FS10 compressors. Given that I looked at the clutches with an eye to removing them to see if they would swap. And I quickly discovered an error in the '85 FSM. As I'll explain in the Merry Christmas thread, I put the FSM sections for the HVAC systems on the web site, and then looked at the way they say to remove the clutch. And that is way wrong for the clutch that's on BB's compressor. The TSM says that you lock the clutch, remove the nut, and then insert a 5/8-11 bolt. Well, the threads are more like M24x20. In other words, a 1" bolt is about the right size, but the thread pitch is M20. And I don't have anything nearly that big. Then I looked at the clutch on Huck's FS10 and how to remove it isn't intuitively obvious to the casual observer. Given that, I'm strongly leaning to going with an FS10. But I think I'll call around to see if there is anyone locally that can test Huck's compressor. Perhaps it is ok. Anyway, here's what the two clutches look like, with Big Blue's on the left with the nut removed, and Huck's on the right:

First, I'm glad you started this thread. And, I see what you were talking about with rust. On the 3/4" step, can you get a 3/4 x 3" tube to put there. (I picked 3" as the guestimated width of the sill.) That would spread the load out as much as possible, and I like that approach. Or, can you get a 3" x 5" tube? That way you won't have to add the 3/4" tube. Something like this one?

It's a key-on 12v power source that supplies power to the gauges and the OP warning light. All new wiring, not factory stuff. The actual path of this circuit is: Battery + to fuse to relay (controlled by key-on source from factory wiring harness, I think R/LB if I recall correctly) to Alt Warn light (and other gauges/lights, all in parallel) and then back to the voltage regulator LG/R wire. I think that approach will work with an incandescent light. But maybe not with an LED. Hopefully you can find a bulb with which to test.

Andre - Welcome! Glad you joined. We have a members map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu) and would be happy to add you - with your permission. Amsterdam! Been there several times. Beautiful city. Love the history, friendliness, and museums. We got out to see the tulips as well as the cheese markets. And, we were there on the Queen's Birthday, which we won't do again. Nice looking truck! But I understand the problem of getting parts over there. We have members in the UK, Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Australia, and New Zealand and they all struggle to get parts. It is much easier here in North America. Speaking of the UK, we lived there for a while and I saw a number of US vehicles on the roads there, so understand at least one aspect of why they aren't so popular there - size. And then there's the cost of petrol over there, and these vehicles are anything BUT fuel efficient. Anyway, WELCOME!

What about a stint? Push a piece of tubing in that will open up the other tubing?

Bill - Please don't miss the question about the ability to put the serpentine pulley/clutch from the FS10 on an FS6. Do you know? If so, I could make a bracket to put the '85 system back on. As for the vacuum reservoir, that's cool! I could use the ball that's on there for HVAC and the reservoir on the housing for speed control, or vice versa. But on the condensor, perhaps Huck's is "multi-pass"? It has two sets of larger tubes instead of the one set of smaller tubes the '85 system has. But I didn't measure height. Will do so in a bit.

Pete - The sending units go in as shown below, although I can get an actual picture later today if you need it. 9002 = fuel tank 9276 = gasket 9A307 = lock ring 9H307 = sending unit/pump The lock ring is tightened with a brass drift so it doesn't give off sparks.

Jim - Going back I see Pete said "My wire comes from dashboard power, goes through the light, and terminates at the LG/R wire entering the voltage regulator." So his "light" shouldn't be truly grounded. But perhaps the "dashboard power" isn't on at this point and we are trying to power things in the dash? Pete - What is your "dashboard power"?

MPG may not be that much worse than your pedal-to-the-metal approach on Li'l Red. But you won't be going anywhere very fast. So, why did they sell it? What will it cost to register it? Maybe it is your answer to a 2nd vehicle while Li'l Red is down. Then flip it?

That does look like a lot of work, but the lift truck must have saved you a bunch of pain. My father and brother have removed and reinstalled Onans several times, and it isn't easy w/o the fork lift. On the fuel sending unit/pump, I think it is possible that they could have change out the pump. But not probable. And even if they did, it works other than for the generator - right? So I think your idea of one of the white hoses being kinked is likely. If you can blow through it, with difficulty, but not suck through it then it sounds like it is kinked and with pressure you are un-kinking it.

Another issue with an LED is that it doesn't take much voltage difference to illuminate them. But it takes a lot more voltage differential on an incandescent bulb to get it hot enough to have a visible glow. So put an incandescent in and see what happens.

Wow! That's a LOT of truck! So what is the plan? What year is it? Does the 370 have the same bolt patterns as the 460? Can you run it in your truck, at least for a while?

You found that in the middle of the night? Where? On a truck still in service? You are teasing me!

That's a whole lot of work! Well done!

Ok guys, lots of good info in your posts. Thanks. Basically it is looking like I have two options: Either the complete underhood '85 system or the complete '90 system. I say that because the '90 evaporator will not fit in the 'Bullnose housing. Both evaporators have the same tube spacing, but the Bricknose unit has a tab for mounting the receiver/drier and it won't go in the Bullnose housing. To do the '85 system I'd have to put the serpentine pulley/clutch unit on the '85 FS6 compressor. Bill - will that work? And, I'd have to make a bracket to hold the FS6 in the FS10 cradle - and I don't know that it would be easy to align the pulley. To do the Bricknose system I'd have to replace the underhood HVAC housing with the Bricknose unit. I'm leaning to this approach for several reasons. One is that when I get the EFI on it I can say it is a '96 engine, A/C system, fuel system, power steering system, and hydroboost braking system. (I know the Sag is from a van.) Nothing has been kludged together. Another reason is that the FS10 is apparently the better unit. Plus, the Bricknose condenser is 1.17" thick as opposed to the .882" thickness of the Bullnose unit. Thoughts? On the left is the Bricknose evaporator in the Bullnose housing with the tab hitting the housing. On the right is the Bricknose housing with the notch for the tab. Also, the green arrow points to something on the side of the Bricknose bracket. What's that?

Scott - Do you know who Archion is? His name is Matt Vose. Real nice guy.

None of the VDO gauges (at least in the "Vision" series) work with the Ford sender ohm range. So I will be dropping the tank to install a new sender. That will be a whole nother adventure I'm sure. Yes, they are wide-band. Not sure anyone makes narrow-band gauges anymore, although I had one on the old race car. But it was built in the 90's. Not a great deal of information you could get out of it. What sender are you going to use?

That's why I'm glad I found a motor with the correct bracketry, as my only other choice would have been to upgrade to the serpentine bracketry and an FS10 compressor, which meant custom A/C lines. I do have the compressor, evaporator, condensor, and all the lines from Huck, the 1990 half truck. So, assuming the Bricknose evaporator fits in a Bullnose HVAC housing then I can go that way. If not, will a Bricknose HVAC housing fit a Bullnose? And, while this system has had paper towel plugs in the major ports, it has obviously been apart for a couple of years. And I don't know that the compressor was good. Nor do I know the condensor nor evaporator are good. However I can find that out when I pull a vacuum on the system. So, what do I really need to replace before pulling a vacuum? Edit: Or, come to think of it, will the clutch/pulley combo from the FS10 compressor fit on the one from Big Blue? If that's the case I could make a bracket and use that as the system is complete and works.

Ok, I've captured what we have said so far here: Documentation/Interior/Carpet. If we have more examples please let me know. Rick - Can you point me to a picture in the forum of your carpet? I can add a link to it. Later I may add a spreadsheet as the list gets more complex.

Whisler - Missed your post. I do have glasses I wear for reading, so maybe we are brothers? At least in Christ. Phil - I may have more tee shirts from Germany, I've lost track. Seem to have at least one from every country we've visited save for the UK. And we lived there so you'd think I'd have one of those. So, where have you been in the States? I've been to many, many places in Germany, including having seen the ampelmännchen, gone down the Danube, driven along the Main, and even visted Rostock.

That's a good thought, but you can't really do that with A/F guages, there is a "free-air" calibration procedure that pairs the sensor with the gauge. Once they are paired, you can't mix n match. I would have to go through the calibration procedure again, which involves pulling the sensor out of the exhaust system (they must be in free air to calibrate properly). I haven't really done any driving, except around my yard. The numbers tend to change so fast that comparing one to the other "on the fly" is difficult. Once I get it on the road, I'll know more. I forgot that you have to calibrate them. So no, that won't work. I'll be anxious to see what you find when you get it on the road. Those are wide-band O2 sensors, right? Edit: I forgot to ask if the Vision series of gauges have different ones for the different fuel senders on these trucks. But I'll go look