Big Blue's Transformation

[ArdWrknTrk]

Thanks, Jim. I'll use the rubber.

The split skid plates are off Dad's truck, but I don't really want to use them on that truck, so will use them on Big Blue.

And the diff cover was installed at Vernon's request - and I've checked the main cap supports and they were improperly adjusted.

Is there anything hasn't muddled up?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jim, when I did the disc conversion and ended up having to do the ring and pinion on his 10.25" I drilled and tapped a 3/8 pipe hole in the bottom of the casting. I put a hex socket pipe plug in and it is nearly flush with the casting. Drain plug is circled in the picture and is in the lowest point in the housing.

That's a nice touch Bill.

Sure would make it easier to do a fluid change, and you could install a magnetic plug too.

[85lebaront2]

That's a nice touch Bill.

Sure would make it easier to do a fluid change, and you could install a magnetic plug too.

The fill plug is magnetic, but yes you could, I didn't have a magnetic one or I would have.

[ArdWrknTrk]

The fill plug is magnetic, but yes you could, I didn't have a magnetic one or I would have.

I have a 14x1.25 spark plug tap.

That's a really common drain plug size.

[kramttocs]

I have a question for y'all, down below. But let me pose it here - before you know the specifics: What should I use to protect the tanks from the straps and the skid plates.

Well, today was four steps forward and one back. The first step forward was that when we backed out of the garage this morning both of the new tanks were in the driveway.

The step back was that the guy at the salvage had not only cut the outside hose to the rear filler neck, but he'd cut the inside hose! And there's no way to get up in there and get the remaining hose out. In fact, on the front tank's filler neck you can see a crimped hose clamp waaaaaay up inside the neck, far out of reach.

Bobby, the guy at the salvage said "Just put a hose barb in and extend the hose." But that's going to reduce the fuel flow and I'm not willing to do that. So I rejected that one and ordered a SCITOO E7TZ9034B FN725 Fuel Tank Filler Neck Pipe Tube. There were less expensive ones, but they wouldn't get here for two weeks, and this one is to be here Sunday.

The next step forward was when I stopped by the post office and they had the front fuel delivery module. Didn't appear to have any plans to deliver it, in spite of the statement on the sticker they left that said they would two more times. And that confirms what a friend had said - with this post office you get one strike and you are out. I sure hope Amazon or UPS outsources USPS some day.

The next step forward was when we got home - the two fuel filler hoses were on the front porch.

And the last step forward was when the rear tank & skid plates went in, as shown below. But it wasn't as easy as it sounds. First, the tank won't go in with the trailer hitch in place, and that hitch is too heavy for me to hold up while I pull all six bolts. So I set it down on the tool box with the lift, removed the bolts, and picked the truck up. Then I did basically the reverse to put the tank and skid plates, plural, up there. It isn't exactly in the perfect position, but a bit of tweaking will get it there.

But that brings me to my question - how to protect the tanks. The front/mid-ship tank will be up against a crossmember at the top and held in place by straps going under the tank. The rear tank goes up against straps at the top, and is held in place by the skid plates. The MPC shows the insulators as 9240 and says " INSULATOR (FUEL TANK)" and then says "improvise unless listed below". But, it doesn't say what they are made of.

I have a motorcycle inner tube and am considering using strips out of it to protect the tanks. Will that work? Is there something better?

Are you undercoating your tanks or leaving them as is?

The trick flow does look good on there.

[Gary Lewis]

Is there anything hasn't muddled up?

Scott - Do I need to undercoat them? They'll be protected by the skid plates, so???

Is there anything hasn't muddled up?

Let's see:

• Engine: far from the rebuilt one that took four years to deliver. Surely was directly from a salvage due to the valve covers marked by a salvage and the fact that it was totally worn out and leaked like a sieve.

• Carb: The accelerator pump was inop as the skirt was off on one side

• Electrical: Safeties for the fuel pump bypassed and bypassed the dropping resistor to the fuel pump

• Radiator support hacked to improperly install the aftermarket oil cooler

• Grille hacked to improperly install the aftermarket oil cooler

• Clutch: fluid put into the sock rather than into the master cylinder and clutch ran dry and was't fully releasing

• Crossmember: Hacked for who knows what reason?

• Headers: Touching the frame

• Exhaust: Touching the frame and with welds that a kindergartner would be ashamed of

• Nice Trick Flow rear diff cover not properly installed

I don't know. Maybe he didn't mess up the seat?

 

[kramttocs]

Scott - Do I need to undercoat them? They'll be protected by the skid plates, so???

Is there anything hasn't muddled up?

Let's see:

• Engine: far from the rebuilt one that took four years to deliver. Surely was directly from a salvage due to the valve covers marked by a salvage and the fact that it was totally worn out and leaked like a sieve.

• Carb: The accelerator pump was inop as the skirt was off on one side

• Electrical: Safeties for the fuel pump bypassed and bypassed the dropping resistor to the fuel pump

• Radiator support hacked to improperly install the aftermarket oil cooler

• Grille hacked to improperly install the aftermarket oil cooler

• Clutch: fluid put into the sock rather than into the master cylinder and clutch ran dry and was't fully releasing

• Crossmember: Hacked for who knows what reason?

• Headers: Touching the frame

• Exhaust: Touching the frame and with welds that a kindergartner would be ashamed of

• Nice Trick Flow rear diff cover not properly installed

I don't know. Maybe he didn't mess up the seat?

Nope, I wouldn't say need to at all.

Just curious.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Scott - Do I need to undercoat them? They'll be protected by the skid plates, so???

Is there anything hasn't muddled up?

Let's see:

• Engine: far from the rebuilt one that took four years to deliver. Surely was directly from a salvage due to the valve covers marked by a salvage and the fact that it was totally worn out and leaked like a sieve.

• Carb: The accelerator pump was inop as the skirt was off on one side

• Electrical: Safeties for the fuel pump bypassed and bypassed the dropping resistor to the fuel pump

• Radiator support hacked to improperly install the aftermarket oil cooler

• Grille hacked to improperly install the aftermarket oil cooler

• Clutch: fluid put into the sock rather than into the master cylinder and clutch ran dry and was't fully releasing

• Crossmember: Hacked for who knows what reason?

• Headers: Touching the frame

• Exhaust: Touching the frame and with welds that a kindergartner would be ashamed of

• Nice Trick Flow rear diff cover not properly installed

I don't know. Maybe he didn't mess up the seat?

I wouldn't put undercoat on anything I wanted to last.

But I live on the fringes of winter salt Hell.

And I personally think the Magchloride brine is worse than the rocksalt.

Like ive said before, cosmoline or the witches brew that simulates it.

Of course then the truck is a mess to work on. (but it won't rust out)

[kramttocs]

I wouldn't put undercoat on anything I wanted to last.

But I live on the fringes of winter salt Hell.

And I personally think the Magchloride brine is worse than the rocksalt.

Like ive said before, cosmoline or the witches brew that simulates it.

Of course then the truck is a mess to work on. (but it won't rust out)

Kind of like most things, all depends upon the prep. Generally I am a fan of undercoating but if done wrong can be a whole lot worse off than not doing it.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Kind of like most things, all depends upon the prep. Generally I am a fan of undercoating but if done wrong can be a whole lot worse off than not doing it.

Ok, I didn't undercoat the tanks, but I did trial-fit the front tank, and had to bend the rear strap a bit to get it to fit right. Then I cut up the inner tube into strips and used contact cement to glue them to the tanks and to the truck where the tanks hit.

 

Then I turned to the fuel lines. First I removed the rear tank lines, which were to run to the switching valve, although I didn't have that. The front lines were already out. Then I checked out the lines from Huck. Turns out there are some damaged connectors and I think I'll have to get a repair kit. However, I'm going to see if I can merge Big Blue's with Huck's.

 

But, I have to figure out exactly how the lines are to run. Fortunately I have the '95 FSM and the illustrations below are going to help a bunch. I'm inserting them here in case someone else needs them.

 

My plans are to end the lines exactly like they need to be for the EFI, meaning with the right connectors at the right locations. Then I plan to create lines that will plug into those connectors and run to the pressure regulator - which, by the way, shipped today.