My '82 Flareside

[Gary Lewis]

As for these "plates", I just took the ones from my Bronco, they are aluminum. They'll be fine. And since I am using a rubber mat in the Bronco, I'll use my black plastic ones in the Bronco, win/win . . no money exchanged.

Glad you understood. I THINK what I was trying to say is that everyone but Ford knows they are "sills". IOW, you can call them "scuff plates" but we know better. However, in the light of day that didn't come across - even to me.

Anyway, it looks like you have things going well. Mix and match. 👍

[PetesPonies]

Glad you understood. I THINK what I was trying to say is that everyone but Ford knows they are "sills". IOW, you can call them "scuff plates" but we know better. However, in the light of day that didn't come across - even to me.

Anyway, it looks like you have things going well. Mix and match. 👍

Old ones do get scuffed badly. Especially ones that are not ridged. The ridges seems to hide the wear more.

[Gary Lewis]

Old ones do get scuffed badly. Especially ones that are not ridged. The ridges seems to hide the wear more.

I have been planning to powder coat the ones for Dad’s truck. However, not all powder finishes are created equal. The clear isn’t as durable as an opaque finish, and the textured finishes seem delicate as well. So I’m not sure what to do yet.

[1986F150Six]

I have been planning to powder coat the ones for Dad’s truck. However, not all powder finishes are created equal. The clear isn’t as durable as an opaque finish, and the textured finishes seem delicate as well. So I’m not sure what to do yet.

After reading this thread, I looked at my truck [original 1986 with rubber mat] and it has the aluminum ones. Later, I will have to check my son's truck [original 1984 with rubber mat], but I believe it has the black plastic ones.

Gary, 2 or 3 years ago, you acquired a set of aluminum ones from me. Are those the ones you are using for Dad's Truck?

[PetesPonies]

After reading this thread, I looked at my truck [original 1986 with rubber mat] and it has the aluminum ones. Later, I will have to check my son's truck [original 1984 with rubber mat], but I believe it has the black plastic ones.

Gary, 2 or 3 years ago, you acquired a set of aluminum ones from me. Are those the ones you are using for Dad's Truck?

Here's something some of you may not know. ABS plastic is used a lot on vehicles. many try and fix it with epoxies, etc. But you can get ABS cement/solvent at the home stores. It is used for plumbing. It dissolves the ABS for a true fix. Sometimes a bit with a soldering iron first, then ABS cement and you have a great repair. Here I used the cement to fix the radio bezel. This was a non-DIM radio and the previous owner cut it out and didn't do so well :) They had this plate to cover, but it didn't cover the hole right. I did a bit of trimming, used the ABS cement to attach the pieces, front and back, painted it afterwards and here you go. I have used the ABS cement to fix motorcycle side covers, lot of things.

[PetesPonies]

Here's something some of you may not know. ABS plastic is used a lot on vehicles. many try and fix it with epoxies, etc. But you can get ABS cement/solvent at the home stores. It is used for plumbing. It dissolves the ABS for a true fix. Sometimes a bit with a soldering iron first, then ABS cement and you have a great repair. Here I used the cement to fix the radio bezel. This was a non-DIM radio and the previous owner cut it out and didn't do so well :) They had this plate to cover, but it didn't cover the hole right. I did a bit of trimming, used the ABS cement to attach the pieces, front and back, painted it afterwards and here you go. I have used the ABS cement to fix motorcycle side covers, lot of things.

And now trying to get the AC flapper/doors to operate. I said on another post, mine wants to blow at the windshield only. The cable for outside air blend, works fine. But I have no operation of either vacuum actuator. I can manually move the actuator arm and the air will redirect as it should. So I have a vacuum issue or an actuator issue, or both. And why I said or both is . . I feel no vacuum signal coming from any of the 4 lines. I didn't have the right size hose to fit the actuator exactly . .but when I tried to draw a vacuum n it, the actuator didn't budge, and air kept coming in . . no vacuum. So either the hose was at fault as it wasn't as tight as it should be, or the actuator is in fact bad as well . .which means both the vacuum source and actuator is bad :) I included a pic i have from my '83 Ford books ( my truck is an '82 ). Unlike the pic, my vacuum come from the intake, then to a horizontal "tee" or manifold, mounted on the firewall. The pic doesn't show it that way. I then have a hose coming off that tee or manifold, going to a very small plastic vacuum reservoir, with a check valve in the line and another tee. There was another very small vacuum line hooked to it, but going nowhere. I capped it off. So basically, my source from the intake manifold going to the small plastic vacuum line manifold on the firewall. Another line coming from that to the vacuum reservoir with an inline check valve. Pretty simple, all lines look good, but didn't check the condition of the reservoir . .yet. The controller inside is difficult to maneuver well enough to really get at it . . but I need to make sure the source vacuum is getting to the controller. . . .because as I said, getting no vacuum at any of the lines leaving the controller. Thoughts? Does the '82 pc look any different than this?Maybe not detailed enough to show how the lines are actually run on the engine side?

[ctubutis]

I feel no vacuum signal coming from any of the 4 lines. I didn't have the right size hose to fit the actuator exactly . .but when I tried to draw a vacuum n it, the actuator didn't budge, and air kept coming in . . no vacuum. So either the hose was at fault as it wasn't as tight as it should be, or the actuator is in fact bad as well . .which means both the vacuum source and actuator is bad :) I included a pic i have from my '83 Ford books ( my truck is an '82 ). Unlike the pic, my vacuum come from the intake, then to a horizontal "tee" or manifold, mounted on the firewall. The pic doesn't show it that way. I then have a hose coming off that tee or manifold, going to a very small plastic vacuum reservoir, with a check valve in the line and another tee.

There was another very small vacuum line hooked to it, but going nowhere. I capped it off.

So basically, my source from the intake manifold going to the small plastic vacuum line manifold on the firewall. Another line coming from that to the vacuum reservoir with an inline check valve. Pretty simple, all lines look good, but didn't check the condition of the reservoir . .yet. The controller inside is difficult to maneuver well enough to really get at it . . but I need to make sure the source vacuum is getting to the controller. . . .because as I said, getting no vacuum at any of the lines leaving the controller. Thoughts? Does the '82 pc look any different than this?Maybe not detailed enough to show how the lines are actually run on the engine side?

I'm thinking that tiny plastic tube you capped off is what supplies the HVAC control panel.

All that stuff is part of the HVAC plumbing and generally isn't depicted in engine-control diagrams.

The reservoir maintains vacuum so the vents to fall back to defrost during periods of low engine vacuum (pulling uphill, for example).

A hand-held vacuum pump can be used to test the vacuum solenoid thingers.

[PetesPonies]

I feel no vacuum signal coming from any of the 4 lines. I didn't have the right size hose to fit the actuator exactly . .but when I tried to draw a vacuum n it, the actuator didn't budge, and air kept coming in . . no vacuum. So either the hose was at fault as it wasn't as tight as it should be, or the actuator is in fact bad as well . .which means both the vacuum source and actuator is bad :) I included a pic i have from my '83 Ford books ( my truck is an '82 ). Unlike the pic, my vacuum come from the intake, then to a horizontal "tee" or manifold, mounted on the firewall. The pic doesn't show it that way. I then have a hose coming off that tee or manifold, going to a very small plastic vacuum reservoir, with a check valve in the line and another tee.

There was another very small vacuum line hooked to it, but going nowhere. I capped it off.

So basically, my source from the intake manifold going to the small plastic vacuum line manifold on the firewall. Another line coming from that to the vacuum reservoir with an inline check valve. Pretty simple, all lines look good, but didn't check the condition of the reservoir . .yet. The controller inside is difficult to maneuver well enough to really get at it . . but I need to make sure the source vacuum is getting to the controller. . . .because as I said, getting no vacuum at any of the lines leaving the controller. Thoughts? Does the '82 pc look any different than this?Maybe not detailed enough to show how the lines are actually run on the engine side?

I'm thinking that tiny plastic tube you capped off is what supplies the HVAC control panel.

All that stuff is part of the HVAC plumbing and generally isn't depicted in engine-control diagrams.

The reservoir maintains vacuum so the vents to fall back to defrost during periods of low engine vacuum (pulling uphill, for example).

A hand-held vacuum pump can be used to test the vacuum solenoid thingers.

I couldn't find my Mityvac. Some things I haven't found since the move south. But my lips work well, still need the proper size vacuum hose :)

I assumed the backside of the plastic manifold, on the firewall, had a hose going inside to the controller.Hmmm. Here is what I have and the slight difference from what I found in the '83 book.

This pic is from this site . . . . and it is close to what I have.

http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/uploads/6/5/8/7/65879365/1806833_orig.jpg

[Gary Lewis]

I couldn't find my Mityvac. Some things I haven't found since the move south. But my lips work well, still need the proper size vacuum hose :)

I assumed the backside of the plastic manifold, on the firewall, had a hose going inside to the controller.Hmmm. Here is what I have and the slight difference from what I found in the '83 book.

This pic is from this site . . . . and it is close to what I have.

http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/uploads/6/5/8/7/65879365/1806833_orig.jpg

If your system is like all I’ve seen, there is no line from the back of that little distribution block or manifold into the cab. As Chris said, it should be the line you have capped off. That system is shown here in a picture that you can click on to make bigger: Underhood/Vacuum Systems.

What usually happens is the little line gets brittle and breaks where it goes into the cab. So you’ll have to get creative to fix it. How much of yours is left sticking out?

[Gary Lewis]

After reading this thread, I looked at my truck [original 1986 with rubber mat] and it has the aluminum ones. Later, I will have to check my son's truck [original 1984 with rubber mat], but I believe it has the black plastic ones.

Gary, 2 or 3 years ago, you acquired a set of aluminum ones from me. Are those the ones you are using for Dad's Truck?

David - I do believe those are the ones I'm using. But, I've lost track of what I have and from whence it came.