85lebaront2

Got the paint in, the description name is "tusk white" so it is more of an off white. I am sure that in 33 years the car has been painted at least once if not more. I masked, primed and then put roughly 3 coats of the color and same of the clear coat. After the final clear coat dried, I put the left side and rear trim back on, before I do the right side I need some more 3/16" short aluminum pop rivets for the outer window weatherstrip and support pad piece.

Now you know why I do my own work on these.

What has probably happened is the fusible links that feed everything on these trucks have failed. On the right inner fender you will see a group of fusible links attached to the starter relay where the positive battery cable goes. These go into the alternator harness, and re-emerge to go through the firewall under the heater or AC casing underhood. Look for one or more that are burned/melted in that area. Go here on this site for the EVTM (Electrical and Vacuum Troubleshooting Manual) for your truck. Look in the charge and power distribution (Gasoline Engines) for the diagrams. Good luck with it.

One quick question, and I read Gary's response. Those 3 wires, do they go up to the engine harness or the left inner fender wiring, or do they appear to be completely separate from the rest? They may have been something that was added and is now gone. If everything seems to work properly without anything connected to them, I wouldn't worry, just tape them out of the way.

I can't find any oil pressure switch shown in the 1986 EVTM for a 351 with mechanical fuel pump. The bell shaped one is for the gauge. What color are the wires to the 3 prong connector?

Learning more every day. So in the case of say swapping out the C6 for a E4OD/4R100 where it is computer controlled, how does one get that downshift signal get sent to the transmission? Baumann Controls makes a computer controller for many automatics, it is called an Optishift. And full electronic transmission will need a standalone controller, unless you already have a truck with EFI, then it is a matter of finding an EEC for your engine/transmission combination. The downshift signal is simply the EEC or transmission controller deciding between throttle position, road speed. current gear and engine RPM that a lower gear is needed. The other thing, both the transmissions you mention have lock up torque converters, that are also computer controlled. Example, I am climbing a grade with a load and pulling a heavy trailer, speed limit is 55 mph, Darth is cruising at 1500 rpm, rpm and speed drop, at 80% throttle the torque converter clutch unlocks, but it is also enough throttle and speed loss, to initiate a downshift from 4 to 3. Downshift, unlocked converter, RPM goes to 2700, then as the TCC re-engages, drops to 2200. This is with a 460 and 3.55 rear, 4 215/85R16 tires.

I'll be doing more testing Gary, and I could tell even from the little bit I did this evening that the AFR gauge is going to be a HUGE help with this. My engine is really nothing special, and it will run better than this. For all intents and purposes, it's basically a 1996 Explorer engine with a carb on it instead of EFI. Anyway, I just spent a little bit of time looking at the carb, and I'm going to pull it this weekend for a more thorough look. I put my 1.5x drugstore specs on and looked down the primary barrels with a flashlight, and it looks like something isn't quite right in there. If I push the throttle harder towards the closed position, I can see the left plate moving more than the right plate. It might be due to the location of the internal stop(s) in the carb, and be completely normal, but I'll check it out. I think fully closed, I should still be able to slip a 0.010" feeler gauge between the plate and the barrel, so that is a spec I can check and confirm. Anyway, no big deal. I'll get there. Stay tuned for more later. Thanks folks. Rem There are no internal stops in the carb, but if the fast idle is set too high to where it is touching with the choke off, then the throttle shaft can and will twist slightly.

Gary, Nathan, of all the ones you could get into, 1985.5/1986 5.0L EFI is probably the biggest snake pit you could dive into. I know there are something on the order of 10 or more different EECs in that roughly 18 month span and that may be for each drivetrain combination. I discovered this gem on Matt's 86 F150. Hopefully the valve cover emission label or the one on the radiator support is still legible.

The E4OD, 4R7XW, 4R100 and a lot of the transaxles are full computer control. The manual lever selects the hydraulics, but the shift points, line pressure etc. are all computer controlled. The AOD is the only Ford transmission built after 1959 with a throttle pressure valve and associated linkage, C3, C4, C5, and C6 along with the 2 speed (1959-1964) A4LD and FMX use a downshift valve and linkage. This is a vestigial piece of the old throttle valve, with only the forced downshift portion used. All the hydraulically controlled transmissions use a vacuum modulator for engine load input. Due to the fact that beyond about 3/4 throttle the manifold vacuum only slightly changes, most of these (including GM) use a booster valve in the hydraulics.

Amen, brother! That's me. I think I said it elsewhere recently but I've had Turkish coffee in Istanbul, Greek coffee in Athens, Italian coffee all over that country, French coffee all over that country, as well as Nicaraguan coffee in two separate coffee plantations where they roast and brew it. Oh, and coffee laced with chicory at Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter in New Orleans last weekend. And when I get home I go straight for the Starbucks. Verona is my first cup of the day, and French Roast is the second. Then in the afternoon, like 30 minutes ago, another cup of maybe Verona. I just drink coffee, leaded with some sugar. I am definitely not into flavored coffee or any creamer. When I was still working I would have a cup with breakfast, one when I got to the lab, usually one mid-morning and one mid-afternoon. Now I just generally have one in the morning. I prefer 8 O'clock original.

If it wouldn't look strange the 1980-86 bumper is a lot stronger, it is pretty heavy gauge steel.

Yes, and if I had extra loose money around I would order it.

https://www.amazon.com/Master-catalog-introduction-Edoardo-Weber/dp/B0007JV562 Nice! maybe Santa will bring me one, I think we paid less than $10 for it in the early 70s.

That might be true. Preston Carburetion was a Holley Warranty Center, and we also sold Rochester, Stromberg, Carter and Weber carbs. There is one book I would love to find a copy of, it was a book put out by Weber, titled "Technical Introduction to the Master Catalog" It explained in great detail how each part of the metering circuits, both idle and main along with transition circuits functioned. I haven't been able to find one anywhere.

If the throttle plates have shifted, the easiest way to check everything on a Holley is to actually remove the throttle body. With the throttle body removed, hold it up to the light so you can see if the throttle plates look even in the holes. If they do not, first remove the secondary closing link (J shaped link on the linkage side), with it off and the idle stop screw backed off so it isn't touching, carefully loosen each of the 4 screws on the primary throttle plates. move the shaft slightly side to side to find the centered position. Holding the shaft in the closed position, tighten the screws (I usually press the throttle plates closed and tighten the screws. Recheck the throttle plates against the light, if there is a difference, your throttle shaft may be twisted. On the secondaries, if you do not want to mess with the stop screw, remove the lever the secondary diaphragm connects to, this will allow the plates to fully close. Repeat what was done on the primaries to align the secondaries. While you have the throttle body off, take a picture of the top side for Gary, so he can see the idle circuits. After both sets of throttles are centered and tightened, reinstall the closing link, it should just push the secondaries closed when the primaries are closed. When you reassemble the carburetor, make sure that the secondary diaphragm does fully close the throttles, if not either it is the wrong part (there are two different lengths) or it is assembled wrong (pain it the rear to get right sometimes). If you want a "sanity check" on the secondaries, with the choke and primary throttles open, blow compressed air down the passenger side primary venturii. If everything is right, the secondaries will open. If your carb has an additional hole in passenger side rear venturii, they may not open fully as it will bleed part of the vacuum signal. It is to "accelerate" the secondary opening once there is enough air flow. Some Holleys have it and some don't.

Jim, I don't know if my D44 service kit includes a spindle puller. The only thing I know it is missing is the inside seal installer (I keep looking for one that is reasonable).

Gary, I had no problem with a defective rebuilt ZF power steering pump from Rock, I elected send me a replacement first and returned the bad one (it was a Cardone rebuild) which would not pump at all. I received the credit about a week later once Cardone had examined it.

That's exactly what I did on the ball joints. And, I ordered them from Rock Auto for two reasons. First, because their delivery date was several days before Amazon's. Second, because most of the poor ratings for these ball joints were not for the ball joint itself but for Amazon or their partner. In most of those cases the parts were either the wrong thing in the right box or were missing a part, like a seal or a zerk fitting. And in most, if not all of those cases, the boxes had been previously opened. We shall see. Now you know why I generally do not buy vehicle parts from Amazon.

I am just painting the areas that are pretty well inaccessible once the trim is installed. Most likely my friend who owns the big MAACO in Hampton VA. will be painting it.

You probably have an ignition module that is in the process of failing completely. I used to deal with that on MGs with the Lucas Opus ignition systems. That was basically the way I could get them warranteed. Same with the infamous Chrysler "lean burn" systems. In both cases, if it wouldn't run and was over a year old, the owner was SOL, if it ran like crap, missing backfiring or whatever, it became an "emission" warranty item and was cover to 5 years 50,000 miles.

I used to have one that did a beautiful job, it may have come from NAPA. It may still be in the container with the rest of my tools in Newport News. It did both straight and right angle ends.

Ok some more progress, first I dug into my stash of NOS parts for the front window guides. On the convertible since there is no frame for the window the guides are two small pieces of what is probably nylon running on an oval tube that is bolted into the door top and bottom. I did the left side first as I knew those were broken, when I got to the right side, I found those were in good shape and everything just needed readjusting. The up stop on the 1986 is greatly improved from 1985 and earlier, it is a large metal tab bolted to the window with no up-down adjustment. It engages a bracket with a nylon sleeve that (a) stops the rear portion of the window going up and (b) holds it solidly in place. The adjustments are: window for and aft, front of the window up or down and the guide assembly allows some in/out tilt and fore and aft tilt adjustment. The front up or down is used to level the window. When everything is right, the window comes solidly against the weatherstrip on the windshield frame and sits level parallel to the top of the door. The rear quarter windows are interesting, they use a drive tape and the adjustments on them are a royal PITA. The windows are operated by a drive tape (toothed plastic) that literally crosses itself due to the cramped location. The window attaches with two big washered 1/4-20 nuts through roughly 3/4 X 3/4" square openings in the window "carrier" that slides up and down in a channel. The fore and aft positions and top to bottom tilt are adjusted there, in and out and in and out tilt along with vertical position are done by 6 bolts and one nut for up and down and 3 bolts and one other nut for in and out and in and out tilt. The previous picture has both left side windows up after all adjustments were made. Today I worked on the area in front of the deck lid and down the sides where the trim around the top goes, which also holds the top boot on with the top down. Because this trim (a) drops down over the inside at the back of the top well and (b) drops down over the quarter panels to hide the pop rivets that tie the sections together, I decided to play body man. I had removed the small panel between the top well and deck lid to facilitate saving the molding clips. Since it was glued, pop riveted and sealed to the main part of the body shell this was loads of fun. I removed the panel by taking the deck lid loose from the hinges and letting the pneumatic lift struts push it back clear of the opening. with the hinges flat, I could dig the caulking out and remove the two self tapping screws, then drill 3 5/32" pop rivets out and pry the back edge up until the epoxy broke. After that I was able to slide it from under the molding clips. This allowed me enough slack that I could use a pair of channel locks and a 3/8" socket to push the small metal retaining bolts up through the clips enough to be able to hold the heads with a pair of Vice Grips while I broke 33 years of accumulated rust and sealer loose. Once I had them off, it was time to reinstall the filler panel (maybe 2" deep) with fresh epoxy (J B Weld) and sealer and 3 new pop rivets. Today after the sealer and epoxy had set, I removed the clips again along with the side ones and masked the adjacent areas and sanded and primed them with gray Rustoleum primer. The correct paint is ordered so I can paint the inaccessible areas before I put the clips and trim back on.

If it is pulling from the bottom of the intake ports, you will have a lot of vacuum on the crankcase pull the PCV valve out and plug that opening in the valve cover, on the other side, remove the breather cap and try covering the hole with the engine running, normal result will be a gradual pressure buildup, if you have a vacuum under these conditions the intake gasket is leaking around the ports.

Pull the check valve out, stick a small piece of vacuum line in and use a baster to see if fluid comes out. Other is remove the master cylinder and see if there is fluid behind it against the seal on the booster, if there is remove the seal, and have someone push the pedal down, if you strike fluid, there is your problem.

Could be a taxidermist showing off his work.