Gary Lewis Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 On the fuel, I'd say it depends upon how quickly you want it on the road right now before taking it down in a few months. The fastest would be the bullnose setup and don't mess with the bends or remove the hot fuel or anything like that. That would get you running with a known config quickly. Or you can do the efi stuff and either take the time now to get the sending unit and such converted or run it with the bare minimum. Either way this would be the best labor/time wise in the long term as you aren't having to remove the bullnose stuff later. *Disclaimer: I don't have a good idea of what all this change entails beyond the items you just mentioned* Personally I'd lean toward the bullnose setup to get it running for this summer and enjoying it in nice weather but it's definitely a 'your call' situation. That's the kind of feedback I was looking for. And if nothing else was happening I think I'd agree with you. However, our kids & grandkids are set to arrive Saturday and all work on the truck is going to come to a halt. So I'm doubting it'll be running this summer. Our kids need a safe place, so we are thrilled to share ours with them. But they don't know where they are going from here, nor when. So it may be a while before I get back to the truck. Having said that, if I get back to it soon then I think I'll go for "quick and dirty", meaning the '85 stuff, and get it on the road. But if it runs into the fall before I get back to it then I'll probably go for the EFI approach. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 That's the kind of feedback I was looking for. And if nothing else was happening I think I'd agree with you. However, our kids & grandkids are set to arrive Saturday and all work on the truck is going to come to a halt. So I'm doubting it'll be running this summer. Our kids need a safe place, so we are thrilled to share ours with them. But they don't know where they are going from here, nor when. So it may be a while before I get back to the truck. Having said that, if I get back to it soon then I think I'll go for "quick and dirty", meaning the '85 stuff, and get it on the road. But if it runs into the fall before I get back to it then I'll probably go for the EFI approach. Thanks! Gary, I think your immediate priority with the truck should be getting to a point where you can hit pause, and not have many (if any) loose ends. End a chapter???? Family will always come first. And obviously yours will have to SIP for at least the next couple of weeks. Stay well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 Gary, I think your immediate priority with the truck should be getting to a point where you can hit pause, and not have many (if any) loose ends. End a chapter???? Family will always come first. And obviously yours will have to SIP for at least the next couple of weeks. Stay well Jim - That's the goal. I plan to have the electrical system done and the shop fairly well cleaned by end-of-day Saturday. That, I think, will be the point where I can hit pause. Here's what I think that entails: Passenger's side headlight, marker, and turn signal wiring secured - some convolute, tape, and zip ties. Main battery tray installed - 8 bolts that have already been in and are ready Aux battery tray in - just a few bolts that are to-hand Wiring run across the radiator support - rubber-lined clamps to the ready Driver's side headlight installed - gotta find more of the plastic sliders and two more of the machine screws that hold the headlight bezel to the bucket. But, if push comes to shove I could guestimate where the headlight will be based on the passenger's side and not have to have the headlight in to do the connector. Driver's side headlight connector wired and installed - easy peasy Smart battery isolator installed and the big yellow cable from the PDB on the passengers side terminated to it. General tie-down of the wiring on the driver's side fender liner. Having said all that, the document to put in the PDB to show which fuse & relay is what might be good to get done now before I forget where I documented that stuff. Anyway, I'm close. The pause is upon me and I just need to get a bit more done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Jim - That's the goal. I plan to have the electrical system done and the shop fairly well cleaned by end-of-day Saturday. That, I think, will be the point where I can hit pause. Here's what I think that entails: Passenger's side headlight, marker, and turn signal wiring secured - some convolute, tape, and zip ties. Main battery tray installed - 8 bolts that have already been in and are ready Aux battery tray in - just a few bolts that are to-hand Wiring run across the radiator support - rubber-lined clamps to the ready Driver's side headlight installed - gotta find more of the plastic sliders and two more of the machine screws that hold the headlight bezel to the bucket. But, if push comes to shove I could guestimate where the headlight will be based on the passenger's side and not have to have the headlight in to do the connector. Driver's side headlight connector wired and installed - easy peasy Smart battery isolator installed and the big yellow cable from the PDB on the passengers side terminated to it. General tie-down of the wiring on the driver's side fender liner. Having said all that, the document to put in the PDB to show which fuse & relay is what might be good to get done now before I forget where I documented that stuff. Anyway, I'm close. The pause is upon me and I just need to get a bit more done. I didn’t have an immediate thought. I agree with Scott, Jim and you. It got me thinking again as to what I’m going to do when the day comes that I can’t get parts for the fuel tanks. The rear sender for my truck is apparently unobtanium now. Inline fuel pump? Can I put a “manual” pump on this engine? Maybe a rock tied to a hose so it will stay on the bottom?! Glad your family has a safe place to come to. Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 I didn’t have an immediate thought. I agree with Scott, Jim and you. It got me thinking again as to what I’m going to do when the day comes that I can’t get parts for the fuel tanks. The rear sender for my truck is apparently unobtanium now. Inline fuel pump? Can I put a “manual” pump on this engine? Maybe a rock tied to a hose so it will stay on the bottom?! Glad your family has a safe place to come to. Enjoy! Dane - One of the things I like about the Arduino solution to my fuel system problem is that it can be useful for others. So many Bullnose fuel system parts are unobtanium, but the later parts aren't - and are better. So if we had a way to adapt the output of their senders to the Bullnose gauges we'd be "in". And that's what the Arduino does. As said, the beauty of the fuel delivery modules is that they have everything in one - pump, sender, and switching valves. All it takes to connect them is a wye in the lines. And while Bill says that I'll need to take the dropping resistor out of the circuit, I think he means for EFI. But I doubt it needs to be done for a carb'd engine as you are going to have to run a return-style regulator, so having the resistor in just means you have less pressure to drop. And, speaking of the regulator, I think it will be easy to add a short piece of nylon tubing with the correct connector on it to a barb to fit the regulator and mount that right beside the carb since the fuel lines come up over the back of the engine when using the FDM's. The Arduino will just need power, ground, and a connection to the circuit coming from the sender and going on to the gauge. I plan to break into the circuit where shown below and take the line from the gauge into the Arduino and then the line from the Arduino will go on to the gauge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Dane - One of the things I like about the Arduino solution to my fuel system problem is that it can be useful for others. So many Bullnose fuel system parts are unobtanium, but the later parts aren't - and are better. So if we had a way to adapt the output of their senders to the Bullnose gauges we'd be "in". And that's what the Arduino does. As said, the beauty of the fuel delivery modules is that they have everything in one - pump, sender, and switching valves. All it takes to connect them is a wye in the lines. And while Bill says that I'll need to take the dropping resistor out of the circuit, I think he means for EFI. But I doubt it needs to be done for a carb'd engine as you are going to have to run a return-style regulator, so having the resistor in just means you have less pressure to drop. And, speaking of the regulator, I think it will be easy to add a short piece of nylon tubing with the correct connector on it to a barb to fit the regulator and mount that right beside the carb since the fuel lines come up over the back of the engine when using the FDM's. The Arduino will just need power, ground, and a connection to the circuit coming from the sender and going on to the gauge. I plan to break into the circuit where shown below and take the line from the gauge into the Arduino and then the line from the Arduino will go on to the gauge. Interesting! I’m still learning about Arduino. If I understand what you said, you’ll use a later, as in 87-96, and wire Arduino into the wiring on the truck. Honestly I’m not worried about the gauge so much, just want the thirsty girl to get fuel! I’ve had a 74, 88, 92 and 94 Ford truck. The 92 and 94 are the only ones that the fuel gauges worked properly on. My 68 Chevy had an aftermarket saddle tank, so I’ve been watching mileage for tank capacity for a long time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 Interesting! I’m still learning about Arduino. If I understand what you said, you’ll use a later, as in 87-96, and wire Arduino into the wiring on the truck. Honestly I’m not worried about the gauge so much, just want the thirsty girl to get fuel! I’ve had a 74, 88, 92 and 94 Ford truck. The 92 and 94 are the only ones that the fuel gauges worked properly on. My 68 Chevy had an aftermarket saddle tank, so I’ve been watching mileage for tank capacity for a long time! Yes, the Arduino does the translation. There will be either a table or an equation that translates the later sending unit's output to what the Bullnose gauge needs. And, since it is either a table or an equation, we could dial it in such that it reads correctly, no matter what sending unit is used. In fact, since it is a computer, it'll have the ability to converse with another computer, tablet, iPad, etc. And that device could be used to tweak the table. So, once the design is proven it could be used for a lot of things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpin Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 Yes, the Arduino does the translation. There will be either a table or an equation that translates the later sending unit's output to what the Bullnose gauge needs. And, since it is either a table or an equation, we could dial it in such that it reads correctly, no matter what sending unit is used. In fact, since it is a computer, it'll have the ability to converse with another computer, tablet, iPad, etc. And that device could be used to tweak the table. So, once the design is proven it could be used for a lot of things. Incredible! That sounds amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 30, 2020 Author Share Posted March 30, 2020 Incredible! That sounds amazing! I hope it works as well in real life as the simulation did. As for what I did today, I got the vast majority of the wiring done. But, before I lose you I need some help. The rubber-lined clamps I have are too small for the size of the cable, so I have it in temporarily using zip ties. But I need suggestions on how best to secure the run across the radiator support. And now for what I got done. I found all of the hardware needed for the driver's side headlight, so it is now starting to look like a truck. Then inside the engine bay I got the wiring neatened up on the passenger's side and then the battery tray and battery in. Here's a shot, although the battery is not clamped down as I'm not sure this battery has the right clamping spots for the later clamping method. Anyway, it is there, and it took everything I had to get it there. On the driver's side I got the wiring done and the auxiliary battery tray in place as well as the coolant reservoir sitting in place. However, I've not found the bracket that holds the far end of the reservoir to the fender, which is why it is just sitting there. And, what you can't easily see in the previous pic is the smart battery isolator as it is hiding behind the reservoir. So here's another shot. It has the large, probably #6 cable from the PDB on the passenger's side going to it, as well as the fuse link for the trailer circuit. Then this side of it will have the aux batteries positive cable. And, by the way, the red zip tie is getting replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kramttocs Posted March 30, 2020 Share Posted March 30, 2020 I hope it works as well in real life as the simulation did. As for what I did today, I got the vast majority of the wiring done. But, before I lose you I need some help. The rubber-lined clamps I have are too small for the size of the cable, so I have it in temporarily using zip ties. But I need suggestions on how best to secure the run across the radiator support. And now for what I got done. I found all of the hardware needed for the driver's side headlight, so it is now starting to look like a truck. Then inside the engine bay I got the wiring neatened up on the passenger's side and then the battery tray and battery in. Here's a shot, although the battery is not clamped down as I'm not sure this battery has the right clamping spots for the later clamping method. Anyway, it is there, and it took everything I had to get it there. On the driver's side I got the wiring done and the auxiliary battery tray in place as well as the coolant reservoir sitting in place. However, I've not found the bracket that holds the far end of the reservoir to the fender, which is why it is just sitting there. And, what you can't easily see in the previous pic is the smart battery isolator as it is hiding behind the reservoir. So here's another shot. It has the large, probably #6 cable from the PDB on the passenger's side going to it, as well as the fuse link for the trailer circuit. Then this side of it will have the aux batteries positive cable. And, by the way, the red zip tie is getting replaced. Interested as well in the arduino setup. Sounds slick. For cable management I am using a small set of the SS clamps and then this one for the larger ones: "Cable Clamp Assortment Kit, LOKMAN 46 Pieces 304 Stainless Steel Rubber Cushion" (on eBay). Note: these also work well with a button head bolt to secure the speedometer to the drivers floorboard if that clamp has fallen off. That's the worst thing about that little angle bracket - it's plain looking enough to lose easily Aux battery tray and isolator look great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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