Rosebud

[ArdWrknTrk]

The "tubes" are probably part of the piece inside the frame. They were on mine. They are just curled pieces of the liner's metal.

The tubes I spoke of would be HD tubing that just fits the bolts, and is welded to the frame on both the inside and outside.

I agree with Gary.

The 'tubes' are just part of the frame liner, not strong enough, nor welded to the frame rail where they would tie inside to outside and stiffen the box.

If the tubes were longer and thicker (enough) so bolt clamping pressure was applied to only them, then the rail wouldn't propagate a crack from the stress riser.

[FuzzFace2]

I agree with Gary.

The 'tubes' are just part of the frame liner, not strong enough, nor welded to the frame rail where they would tie inside to outside and stiffen the box.

If the tubes were longer and thicker (enough) so bolt clamping pressure was applied to only them, then the rail wouldn't propagate a crack from the stress riser.

You guys are talking of tubes thru the frame to keep it from cracking have you looked at the Crown Vic front end swaps?

From the factory the frame has tubes all the way thru and welded top & bottom.

When doing this swap onto a truck frame you need to grab the tubes and weld them into the frame of the truck. The tubes are longer than the trucks frame is wide, looks to be about 1" to 2" longer.

Most have the tube stick out above the trucks frame and have the CV cross member sit flat on the bottom of the trucks frame.

So I guess they learned something?

Dave ----

[ArdWrknTrk]

You guys are talking of tubes thru the frame to keep it from cracking have you looked at the Crown Vic front end swaps?

From the factory the frame has tubes all the way thru and welded top & bottom.

When doing this swap onto a truck frame you need to grab the tubes and weld them into the frame of the truck. The tubes are longer than the trucks frame is wide, looks to be about 1" to 2" longer.

Most have the tube stick out above the trucks frame and have the CV cross member sit flat on the bottom of the trucks frame.

So I guess they learned something?

Dave ----

No A-arm swap, just the stock box.

Big tires and lifts make it worse.

[Operator1]

The "tubes" are probably part of the piece inside the frame. They were on mine. They are just curled pieces of the liner's metal.

The tubes I spoke of would be HD tubing that just fits the bolts, and is welded to the frame on both the inside and outside.

Yep, after doing some pressure washing, I can see it.

 

[Operator1]

ID it so you know from whence it came? I don't have a clue. Sorry.

I did manage to figure out from the casting numbers that it's a 1989 engine. It has a flat tappet cam in it but the holes for a roller lifter spider are drilled and tapped. the flexplate had "1983 t bird" written on it in paint marker, so now I'm worried that it could be a 28 oz. plate, because I can't find any numbers on it, or any info that I feel good about, on the web. I thought the cylinders looked like they had been washed down, so I got my dad to look at it (I'm 41 and have studied this stuff since I was 9 and his opinion on engines still means more to me than my own). He said it looked like the engine had sat long enough for the cylinders to start rusting before it was put to use again. That makes sense to me because even though the walls look bad, the biggest spot I have found in a cylinder is 4.008".

I've been going over the electric system today, while I think about what to do with the engine. Removed the EEC harness first. Next, I had to figure out why a starter button had been rigged up with a piece of extension cord. The "why" isn't so obvious, as the original wiring for the starter seems to be working. The worst wires so far are the ones coming from the alternator. Twisted, taped, and melted wires for everyone! I have a 1-wire alternator laying around, so I might just try to swap it in there.

This truck is so dirty, I'm starting to think it may have been buried at some point (a'la Lone Wolf McQuade). I've been pressure washing more and more as I dig deeper into this thing. Today I found a wrench in the bottom of the right front fender.

[ArdWrknTrk]

ID it so you know from whence it came? I don't have a clue. Sorry.

I did manage to figure out from the casting numbers that it's a 1989 engine. It has a flat tappet cam in it but the holes for a roller lifter spider are drilled and tapped. the flexplate had "1983 t bird" written on it in paint marker, so now I'm worried that it could be a 28 oz. plate, because I can't find any numbers on it, or any info that I feel good about, on the web. I thought the cylinders looked like they had been washed down, so I got my dad to look at it (I'm 41 and have studied this stuff since I was 9 and his opinion on engines still means more to me than my own). He said it looked like the engine had sat long enough for the cylinders to start rusting before it was put to use again. That makes sense to me because even though the walls look bad, the biggest spot I have found in a cylinder is 4.008".

I've been going over the electric system today, while I think about what to do with the engine. Removed the EEC harness first. Next, I had to figure out why a starter button had been rigged up with a piece of extension cord. The "why" isn't so obvious, as the original wiring for the starter seems to be working. The worst wires so far are the ones coming from the alternator. Twisted, taped, and melted wires for everyone! I have a 1-wire alternator laying around, so I might just try to swap it in there.

This truck is so dirty, I'm starting to think it may have been buried at some point (a'la Lone Wolf McQuade). I've been pressure washing more and more as I dig deeper into this thing. Today I found a wrench in the bottom of the right front fender.

Bonus tools are the best tools!

[Gary Lewis]

ID it so you know from whence it came? I don't have a clue. Sorry.

I did manage to figure out from the casting numbers that it's a 1989 engine. It has a flat tappet cam in it but the holes for a roller lifter spider are drilled and tapped. the flexplate had "1983 t bird" written on it in paint marker, so now I'm worried that it could be a 28 oz. plate, because I can't find any numbers on it, or any info that I feel good about, on the web. I thought the cylinders looked like they had been washed down, so I got my dad to look at it (I'm 41 and have studied this stuff since I was 9 and his opinion on engines still means more to me than my own). He said it looked like the engine had sat long enough for the cylinders to start rusting before it was put to use again. That makes sense to me because even though the walls look bad, the biggest spot I have found in a cylinder is 4.008".

I've been going over the electric system today, while I think about what to do with the engine. Removed the EEC harness first. Next, I had to figure out why a starter button had been rigged up with a piece of extension cord. The "why" isn't so obvious, as the original wiring for the starter seems to be working. The worst wires so far are the ones coming from the alternator. Twisted, taped, and melted wires for everyone! I have a 1-wire alternator laying around, so I might just try to swap it in there.

This truck is so dirty, I'm starting to think it may have been buried at some point (a'la Lone Wolf McQuade). I've been pressure washing more and more as I dig deeper into this thing. Today I found a wrench in the bottom of the right front fender.

On the starter button, check to see if you have a tilt steering wheel. The key there will be a T-shaped slot where the turn signal goes into the steering column's cover.

If it is a tilt wheel you may have a broken part in it. Big Blue apparently has that part broken and sometimes it won't pull the ignition switch far enough to start. Read up on it here: Interior/Steering Columns.

Or, it is possible that the ignition switch itself isn't properly adjusted. Read about that here: Electrical/Ignition.

On the engine, how much taper or out of round is there?

[Operator1]

On the starter button, check to see if you have a tilt steering wheel. The key there will be a T-shaped slot where the turn signal goes into the steering column's cover.

If it is a tilt wheel you may have a broken part in it. Big Blue apparently has that part broken and sometimes it won't pull the ignition switch far enough to start. Read up on it here: Interior/Steering Columns.

Or, it is possible that the ignition switch itself isn't properly adjusted. Read about that here: Electrical/Ignition.

On the engine, how much taper or out of round is there?

No tilt wheel. But I know what you’re talking about. The funny shaped piece that hooks to the rod. At first, the starting circuit wasn’t working, so I checked the ignition switch and it was good. So I unplugged a plug under the brake booster to check for continuity through the NSS. That was good. After I plugged that plug back in the starting circuit has been working fine. Gotta love old wiring.

On the engine, I have checked random spots all over the cylinders in all directions and have seen 4.003-4.004 consistently, except right at the top measured vertically they are 4.007-4.008. 1/2” below that they are right back to 4.004.

Due to budgetary constraints I will probably do some honing, rings and bearings, and throw it back in there. It’s killing me to not do a nice build on it, but there is just too much other stuff to fix.

[Gary Lewis]

No tilt wheel. But I know what you’re talking about. The funny shaped piece that hooks to the rod. At first, the starting circuit wasn’t working, so I checked the ignition switch and it was good. So I unplugged a plug under the brake booster to check for continuity through the NSS. That was good. After I plugged that plug back in the starting circuit has been working fine. Gotta love old wiring.

On the engine, I have checked random spots all over the cylinders in all directions and have seen 4.003-4.004 consistently, except right at the top measured vertically they are 4.007-4.008. 1/2” below that they are right back to 4.004.

Due to budgetary constraints I will probably do some honing, rings and bearings, and throw it back in there. It’s killing me to not do a nice build on it, but there is just too much other stuff to fix.

Glad you seem to have gotten the wiring/starting problem fixed.

On the engine, what size rings will you go with? Stock? I'd guess you'll have to, and run the original pistons.

[ArdWrknTrk]

No tilt wheel. But I know what you’re talking about. The funny shaped piece that hooks to the rod. At first, the starting circuit wasn’t working, so I checked the ignition switch and it was good. So I unplugged a plug under the brake booster to check for continuity through the NSS. That was good. After I plugged that plug back in the starting circuit has been working fine. Gotta love old wiring.

On the engine, I have checked random spots all over the cylinders in all directions and have seen 4.003-4.004 consistently, except right at the top measured vertically they are 4.007-4.008. 1/2” below that they are right back to 4.004.

Due to budgetary constraints I will probably do some honing, rings and bearings, and throw it back in there. It’s killing me to not do a nice build on it, but there is just too much other stuff to fix.

You know, you can jumper the safety switch with a spare fuse from the fuse box. *idea!

Surprisingly, the slots are a perfect fit.