Big Blue's Transformation

[ArdWrknTrk]

IT'S ALIVE! But, it runs about the way the monster looks.

But let me tell the story. However, I won't embed all the videos but will just give you links, which will keep this shorter. Having said that, there are questions at the bottom I need help with.

Here's what the truck looks like after seeing the light of day the first time in over a year:

After installing the seat, albeit temporarily as I couldn't find the right bolts, we started it up.

. And it ran POORLY! However, I ran it for 25 minutes to break in the cam, during which I realized the tach was doing wonky things, which implied that there was an ignition problem.

So after the 25 minute break-in I shut it off and swapped ignition boxes. That made a huge difference, and

you can tell that it runs pretty well.

However, it still isn't running perfectly smoothly, as you can tell in

.

And, the fuel pressure is bouncing all over the map, as you can see

, but I don't think that has anything to do with the missing.

So, several questions:

1. Is the missing possibly due to the engine not being broken in?

2. If not, where do I start troubleshooting?

3. Or, do I drive it to find out?

First I'd say that the carb is flooding if the regulator is spiking like that.

So, second I'd start there

Third, I'd drive the wheels off it trying to stay ahead of the fuel.

To me it sounds like a rich truck with a decent cam in it.

Do you have the AFR hooked up?

[Ray Cecil]

First I'd say that the carb is flooding if the regulator is spiking like that.

So, second I'd start there

Third, I'd drive the wheels off it trying to stay ahead of the fuel.

To me it sounds like a rich truck with a decent cam in it.

Do you have the AFR hooked up?

If it was running really rich, I think Gary would smell that right away. Gary did you pay attention to the exhaust smell? Jim could be right, it could just be really rich. That could foul the plugs.....and make it seem like ignition.

So, pull those plugs!!!

[ArdWrknTrk]

BB's never going to be "finished". I'm sure of that.

As for taking "absurd overkill to a new level", I'm not sure that's the case. I've seen lots of other people do the things I'm doing. But I may be doing all of them in one truck.

As for what I did today to BB, I got the insulation in:

Then I laid the carpet in, and it fits!

But, I don't like the gray foam showing in the back so would like to put a piece of carpet there, like is used on the Bricknose trucks. Jim provided a pic of his in another thread, but here's the back wall and corner trim on Big Blue. Note how the trim is needing painted. Later!

Now it is time to install the shifter boots. So I started with the ZF. The inner boot was bad, as shown below:

So I installed a new one, as shown below. However, it wasn't as easy as it sounds. There's a snap ring that is difficult to get out, but even more difficult to get in. ZF's manual says to just put it in w/a screwdriver. It is NOT easy, and I tried for 30 minutes. But, if you push the boot through the collar, install the ring in the boot, and then pull the boot back into the collar it only takes a minute.

But, note that there are actually three boots. Courtesy of David, I got a ZF replacement boot that has both an inner and an outer. Tomorrow I'll pull the carpet back out and drill the holes to install that boot pair. And I'll install the t-case shifter and set that boot up for installation as well.

Question Gary, do you have a p/n for this inner foam boot?

Mine is oily and tattered.

[ArdWrknTrk]

If it was running really rich, I think Gary would smell that right away. Gary did you pay attention to the exhaust smell? Jim could be right, it could just be really rich. That could foul the plugs.....and make it seem like ignition.

So, pull those plugs!!!

That's always fun with headers....

Plugs are gonna look crappy.

Rings aren't seated, etc...

[Gary Lewis]

Question Gary, do you have a p/n for this inner foam boot?

Mine is oily and tattered.

Jim - I don't have a part number for just the inner boot. It came with the new outer boot. Want that number and link?

And I don't have the AFR meter on it yet. There are no bungs for the O2 sensors as the bungs will go in the new collectors when I have the exhaust done.

But I'm pretty sure the carb isn't rich. I played with the idle air/fuel mix screws and they were properly adjusted. If I opened them up or screwed them in the idle speed dropped. So I don't think it is rich. And it doesn't smell rich either.

But pulling the plugs is probably a good place to start.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Jim - I don't have a part number for just the inner boot. It came with the new outer boot. Want that number and link?

And I don't have the AFR meter on it yet. There are no bungs for the O2 sensors as the bungs will go in the new collectors when I have the exhaust done.

But I'm pretty sure the carb isn't rich. I played with the idle air/fuel mix screws and they were properly adjusted. If I opened them up or screwed them in the idle speed dropped. So I don't think it is rich. And it doesn't smell rich either.

But pulling the plugs is probably a good place to start.

Well something's got to be done to settle that regulator down.

Yes, please. I'd like a source and part number. (the unobtaitium TC boot too)

But please just drop it in my cab upgrades thread. I'm cluttering this auspicious occasion enough already.

You might point an IR thermometer at the exhaust up near the flange.

(Youre always going to find the head cooler at the back because of coolant flow)

Or, clip a timing light on each plug wire looking for the miss.

There are ways, without having to pull plugs.

(BTW, what plugs are you using?)

[Gary Lewis]

Well something's got to be done to settle that regulator down.

Yes, please. I'd like a source and part number. (the unobtaitium TC boot too)

But please just drop it in my cab upgrades thread. I'm cluttering this auspicious occasion enough already.

You might point an IR thermometer at the exhaust up near the flange.

(Youre always going to find the head cooler at the back because of coolant flow)

Or, clip a timing light on each plug wire looking for the miss.

There are ways, without having to pull plugs.

(BTW, what plugs are you using?)

I think I'm going to go off-line for the evening. I'll check on the part number tomorrow. And I'll also figure out what to do and test.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I think I'm going to go off-line for the evening. I'll check on the part number tomorrow. And I'll also figure out what to do and test.

You know Gary, if you had an ignition problem your tach would be jumping all over the place.

I don't see that in your videos.

[85lebaront2]

Thanks, Rob. But how long did it take Eddy to clear up and settle down?

And you are right about the fuel pressure. Not sure what is going on there.

Gary, you are using the rear tank only right now correct? I still wonder about the ability of those regulators to drop a pump capable 50 + psi down to 5-6 psi. The other item, how much gas is in that rear tank? It looks like it could be drawing air in, then gas, then air.

One item you might try, rig a bypass high pressure to return with throttling valve and with the engine off, key on, adjust it so the regulator isn't trying to throttle that pressure down to 1/10, it may be that it is chattering on the seat, in fact from looking at the gauge, I will bet if you put your hand on the line you can probably feel it pulsing.

[85lebaront2]

You know Gary, if you had an ignition problem your tach would be jumping all over the place.

I don't see that in your videos.

A cap and rotor or plugs or wires won't show on the tach, it only reads primary pulses.

Ray Cecil, a french distributor is almost a mission impossible on a 460 due to the size of that cap and the thermostat housing, if you get it in, I think you have almost no adjustment range due to interference.