85lebaront2

I believe I recall a minimum pressure for those air lift or air lift clones to keep the bladder positioned properly. I know the air shocks I had on my 64 Falcon had a minimum pressure.

You need to know who made the AC kit not just the compressor brand. There were/are a number of companies that make them. A good old fashioned parts store, like maybe NAPA may be able to match up the pulley. I would also suggest you get a smooth back belt as that tog cog belt is not helping the bearing in that pulley. Some of those, you can replace the bearing if it is retained with a snap ring.

Oh yes, I forgot that bit. The wideband worked perfectly today. So I may call on Monday and talk to Steve to see what he thinks the problem might be, where the sensor is to be mounted, and how far in/out of the pipe it needs to be. Gary, if they work well I would consider de-rating your rear springs from the K code down to something softer for running lightly loaded. It will also help in overlanding as the rear will be more flexible.

I agree with Gary, a little work on the 6 and it will have a load of torque for rock crawling.

Chad, you are running into what I did on my Chrysler, in the change to factory R134 systems, the lines and compressors changed. Go look at a site called Vintage Air, they make kits for all sort of vehicles. If you have an Automotive AC shop they may have a source for a connection block. The issue is the change from the FS-6 to FS-10 compressors, FS-6 has the ports in the middle of the compressor body with two connection blocks. The FS-10 has the connections on the rear head of the compressor. The valves at the compressor end of your hoses can be eliminated if necessary in order to connect the lines, they are service valves that were pretty much eliminated on later models.

I do to an extent also. Walker and Monroe were Tenneco Automotive and a couple of others I believe. Since at one time my employer was owned by Tenneco (a) I get a check each month as part of my pension from them and (b) I do try to buy their products. I haven't needed a muffler in years, but Darth has Monroe shocks all around. They honored the lifetime warranty on my front shocks even though I had lost the receipt. Sears shocks were made by Monroe, and Sears did honor my rear shock lifetime warranty by replacing them with Monroes.

Gary, on my Innovate, it is mounted at the short cross tube where the factory 1990 O2 sensor went. I used the Ford bung that was already there. I did have the original sensor fail, but I really don't know how old it was when I bought the whole thing used.

My two Spectra ones work fine, although the first front one was bad out of the box 10 years ago. No problem, new one was on it's way before I even removed the bad one. Send it back, no, just pitch it. It did help that the warehouse manager was my son.

The plastic bushing (packing) inside that nut really needs care! I'm glad you managed to get it off in one piece. Hopefully the heads you get will have a way to attach the tab. But if you are changing the alternator mount you might want to eliminate the pipe entirely. I think my previous photos show the nipple and hose going directly to the water pump. Jim, the EFI engines did away with that strange heater return pipe.

In my case, probably like Jeff's, my driver's door (left front) was replaced with one from a standard cab or super cab. Those trucks have the sticker on the door post, crew cabs have it on the back face of the left front door as the B post does not have a large enough flat surface for the sticker. I wisely took a picture of my original sticker as has been seen on here. We made a close match as far as information with our high tech label makers at work. I thought I had a picture of the one we made, I will get one later today. Here is my original one: And here is the one we made in the lab at work:

The low pressure switch is the cycling switch. The only "continuous duty" systems have at a minimum an expansion valve to control the amount of liquid refrigerant admitted to the evaporator. Some systems have both an expansion valve and some type of suction pressure or temperature valve to keep the evaporator at a minimum temperature of 34° F. I have not had a Ford product since my 1971 Colony Park until my two Flexes with an expansion valve system. Chrysler still had them as recently as my 2005 Town & Country minivan.

The sound I always liked on a 6 was a Jaguar 4.2L E-Type. They have a nice throaty drone.

1994 was when Ford went to R134. That is why I used 1994 up condenser and evaporator on Darth making his system a dedicated R134 system. FWIW, Chrysler changed in 1993 at least on the minivans. On my Chrysler I found that the updates were introduced starting in 1992 with different condensers and evaporators with compressors being phased in.

Mat, a number of years ago the company my son was working for hosted a seminar on R134 conversions. Part of the requirement the EPA wanted was a "refrigerant containment" system involving replacing the high pressure relief valve with a high pressure shut-off switch. This would, in theory, kill the compressor power and release the clutch. Only problem, like most items, mechanical or electronic, it wasn't fool proof. On the older York or Tecumseh twins and Chrysler V-twins, the clutch bearing is on the crankshaft and a seized bearing results in a continuous compressor run. I personally have had an FS10 on my 1994 Taurus, weld the clutch together due to an internal compressor failure on the highway which it spun long enough to weld itself, then snapped the serpentine belt. I have also had a Chrysler C171 explode the high side discharge hose when the expansion valve stuck shut just as it was starting to balance everything, and this was with R12. Pressure spiked so fast I couldn't even unplug the wires in time.

I believe Snap-on. Try this, it looks like the same thing: https://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-Drive-Long-Socket-SHB14427/dp/B07R8J7XPP/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1X6J1B8KE686L&keywords=long+t27+torx+bit&qid=1660074765&sprefix=Long+T27%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-5

I purchased a long T27 drive made for the 5.0L plenum screws, primarily the center right one. It is possible to get it with a 3/8" drive T27 and a 6" roughly extension. It needs to be the last one you remove though.

Jeff, you reference getting a new door label from Marti. I have all the original info from Darth's label. but it went with the original dented/rusted LF door. How does one go about doing this? Thanks, Bill

Gary, on item #3, Varsol can be used for testing, it is thin enough but not as volatile nor flammable as gasoline.

I will send you Darth's VIN although I do have a pretty good idea on what he was built as since I am apparently only the 3rd owner and the first was a local horse breeder, Delmar Stables located in Suffolk VA.

Gary, here is the one on Darth, it is in the hose manifold. And here is a closeup before I installed the lines. It is a high pressure shutdown for the compressor and is in the 1996 EVTM.

A couple of observations. First when Ford "downsized" the F series for the 1980 model year, they had no plans on using the 460 in them. The length and width of the 460 vs the 351M/400 is not huge, but when it wasn't planned for it became a problem when Ford realized that GM was hurting the sales of the heavier pickups used for towing. There are only two sizes of radiators for gas engines, the one for the six and the one for all V8s so you are trying to cool a 460 with a radiator for a 302/351/400. The other issue goes back to the physical size of the 460. To quote Gary Lewis looking at some pictures of Darth "How high did they have to drop that from to get it in?". The engine is a tight fit and there isn't much room for air flow out. The other, lifetime warranties, I had a very nice Modine radiator in Darth that I purchased from a shop in York County VA. I did the original install and when it developed a leak a few years later, I needed it done quickly, so paid the shop the labor and materials to replace it. Eventually it needed another, (a) Modine was out of business (b) radiator shop was out of business due to the owner having a massive fatal heart attack right after his 65th birthday. As a result I have a "lifetime warranty" Modine radiator on a shelf in my garage next to my spare, no longer available radiator/intercooler assembly for a Chrysler product (fits G,J & K bodies). Maybe one day, someone will resurrect Modine.

Example, as I posted, weighed Darth on a certified scale here in town where grain trucks are weighed. Weight, almost empty tanks and only an aluminum camper shell. 4 of my wheels are now Ford Alcoa aluminum ones which reduces my empty weight. Here is my sticker from the back of my left front door: Note the GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) it is 10,000 lbs, now take the tare weight off: 10,000 - 6400 = 3600 lbs capacity which gives 1.8 tons on a nominal 1 ton truck. Now, try adding the front axle GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) and the rear axle GAWR together. 3900 + 7400 = 11,300 lbs and subtracting my tare weight of 6400 lbs you get 4900 lbs or 2.45 tons.

FWIW, my 1977 F150 2WD, originally a 300/C4 and 3.55 rear did reasonably well until I put the 11.5 ft Wolverine slide in camper on it. Highway speeds I had essentially 0" manifold vacuum which is why I ended up with the 390 Camper Special engine and C6. With that combination, less camper, 16-17 mpg with a .030 over 390. I did have the correct Holley carb and DS-II distributor for that engine and a self designed dual exhaust using actual Corvair Turbo mufflers. Truck was pretty quick empty, but you had to be careful to avoid frying the rear tires.

Um, a ton is 2,000 lbs. One and a half tons would be 3,000 lbs. I saw where you said the truck weighs 6,000 lbs. I'm a bit surprised by that, given its lighter running gear, but I guess it's possible? John may know better as Blackie is comparable to your '85. I'm sorry, I guess I don't have any better advice given that you seem to have done everything and it still can't get ten mpg. Have you considered an LS swap? Jim, I would like to know where he got 6000 lbs. Darth weighed on a certified scale (not a truck stop one) with both tanks essentially empty, a maybe 100 lb aluminum cap and no one in him, 6400 lbs and that is after installing the E4OD and EFI top end. I am darn sure the 35" more cab, including a bench seat, two more doors with internals and two more 245/85R16 tires even on the Alcoas should easily add over 400 lbs.

Jim, I knew it would have come with one, my question was is it there and if so could it be clogged. I was also of the impression that the 351 HO was in the F250s through 1987, then dropped. AllData is interesting, they show the 351 4 barrel in both light duty (with cats) and medium duty (no cats). We are also talking about a 36 year old truck that who knows exactly what has been done to it over the years.