Big Blue's Transformation

[1986F150Six]

Ok, the TechnoVersions MeterMatch is now on order and should be here Thursday. Maybe in time to install it for Friday's trip.

Gary, why not wait until after the trip? That will lessen the variables and minimize the chance of something unforeseen with the new electronic device acting up.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Ok, the TechnoVersions MeterMatch is now on order and should be here Thursday. Maybe in time to install it for Friday's trip.

Gary, why not wait until after the trip? That will lessen the variables and minimize the chance of something unforeseen with the new electronic device acting up.

The current setup doesn't give much "range" on the gauge. With the tank full the gauge reads well below Empty, and it stays there for a loooooong time. Then it starts moving and with five gallons in the tank it reads just shy of 1/2. And an empty tank reads about 7/8 on the gauge. And all of this is with lots of interpolation and consternation on my part.

So I'd like to get a bit better reading on the gauge to feel more comfortable as we drive. I'll have both tanks full, but still.....

Anyway, back to work on the t-case. The brownie appears to have taken most of the ATF taste out of my mouth. (Yes, Janey made brownies on Saturday, show day. )

[1986F150Six]

The current setup doesn't give much "range" on the gauge. With the tank full the gauge reads well below Empty, and it stays there for a loooooong time. Then it starts moving and with five gallons in the tank it reads just shy of 1/2. And an empty tank reads about 7/8 on the gauge. And all of this is with lots of interpolation and consternation on my part.

So I'd like to get a bit better reading on the gauge to feel more comfortable as we drive. I'll have both tanks full, but still.....

Anyway, back to work on the t-case. The brownie appears to have taken most of the ATF taste out of my mouth. (Yes, Janey made brownies on Saturday, show day. )

Breakfast casserole, too?

[Sac79]

Ok, the TechnoVersions MeterMatch is now on order and should be here Thursday. Maybe in time to install it for Friday's trip.

But, that came after a huge comedy of errors! You can't make this stuff up!

Last night I sent the gentleman at TechnoVersions a note and asked him to call me soonest this morning so I could see that he has them in stock and that he might be able to get it here quickly.

This morning I needed to drain maybe a quart of ATF out of the t-case in order to be able to pull the front output yoke to seal it. So I got an empty quart bottle and put a funnel in it and pulled the plug on the t-case. Out shot a bright red stream of ATF and I was catching it nicely with the bottle/funnel combo in one hand and the wrench and plug in the other. Until I dropped the plug into the funnel.

The funnel QUICKLY filled up as the plug stuck in the outlet to the funnel, so I put my thumb over the outlet on the t-case. And there I stood with a tall, ungainly bottle with a full funnel on top of it in one hand and a wrench in the other, but with that thumb over the drain hole. And the phone rang.

Obviously I didn't answer it. But I did realize that I was going to be there a LONG time as the level in the funnel was not going down at all. Then I realized that the funnel was tightly sealed to the top of the bottle, both being round and one having a taper, and there was no way for air to get out. So I lifted the funnel with my teeth. YUK!!!!

That started the ATF dripping, and I mean D.R.I.P.P.I.N.G. out of the funnel. So I stood there contemplating my next move. I decided that if I was VERY careful I could set the bottle and funnel on the arm of the lift and it might not spill. And then, with a free hand, I could pull the fill plug out of the t-case and put it in the drain hole. That worked, but not without another stream of ATF shooting out of the t-case before I could get the plug in.

So, here's a shot of the carnage. You can see the pile of paper towels that I used to sop up the ATF. And on the arm of the lift is the bottle and funnel.

And here's a somewhat before and after of the ATF in the funnel. On the left is the level after maybe 15 minutes of dripping - after I'd put the paper towels down, called TechnoVersions back, and placed the order. And on the right is the plug in the funnel after another 15 minutes of dripping.

Now back to the Coke to get the taste out of my mouth!

Interesting morning you had there Gary! Glad it all worked out reasonably well, you could easily have had a face full of ATF...

[Gary Lewis]

Breakfast casserole, too?

David - Nope, no casserole. But we had rice this morning since it is cool and rainy.

Rob - It did work out well in the end, but it took a bowl of spicy soup and lots of crackers to get the taste out of my mouth. Mostly.

Anyway, I got the yoke cleaned and re-installed and the ATF in the t-case topped up. Pretty sure it won't leak. The factory shop manual says:

Install front and rear output shaft yokes. Install the anti-spill oil seal. Coat the face of the yoke nuts and output shaft threads with Threadlock and Sealer, E0AZ-19554-A (ESE-M4G204-A) (Type II) or equivalent and tighten to 136-176 N-m (100-130 ft.lb).

And looking at what I took off, I didn't see sealer on the threads, although there might have been some on the face of the nut. After cleaning all the parts with brake cleaner to ensure there wasn't ATF on the surfaces that would prevent the sealer from adhering, I put Loctite 567 Thread Sealant on the first inch of the splines of both the output shaft and the yoke, and slid the yoke home. Then I put the "anti-spill oil seal" in place, and put 567 on the threads of the nut and the output shaft as well as on the faces of the washer and nut. There was plenty of thread sealer.

After torquing the nut on the yoke I installed the driveshaft and then the skid plate, and topped up the t-case. And we are ready for 4-wheeling!

[1986F150Six]

David - Nope, no casserole. But we had rice this morning since it is cool and rainy.

Rob - It did work out well in the end, but it took a bowl of spicy soup and lots of crackers to get the taste out of my mouth. Mostly.

Anyway, I got the yoke cleaned and re-installed and the ATF in the t-case topped up. Pretty sure it won't leak. The factory shop manual says:

Install front and rear output shaft yokes. Install the anti-spill oil seal. Coat the face of the yoke nuts and output shaft threads with Threadlock and Sealer, E0AZ-19554-A (ESE-M4G204-A) (Type II) or equivalent and tighten to 136-176 N-m (100-130 ft.lb).

And looking at what I took off, I didn't see sealer on the threads, although there might have been some on the face of the nut. After cleaning all the parts with brake cleaner to ensure there wasn't ATF on the surfaces that would prevent the sealer from adhering, I put Loctite 567 Thread Sealant on the first inch of the splines of both the output shaft and the yoke, and slid the yoke home. Then I put the "anti-spill oil seal" in place, and put 567 on the threads of the nut and the output shaft as well as on the faces of the washer and nut. There was plenty of thread sealer.

After torquing the nut on the yoke I installed the driveshaft and then the skid plate, and topped up the t-case. And we are ready for 4-wheeling!

Looks good!

[Gary Lewis]

Looks good!

Thanks, David.

Didn't get much more done on Big Blue today, just a few very small things. I put the floor mats in after I washed them a few days ago, and put the cover on the winch. However, I don't like the way I have the cover secured so need to find a better approach. And I lubed the front u-joint on the front shaft after I got it installed as you'd better not lube it until the caps are captive.

I checked the coolant in the radiator, which was full, then added a bit to the reservoir. And added windshield washer fluid to that reservoir as well. Checked the engine oil level and it is sitting right on Full, having not used any in the first 150 miles. The power steering fluid is right on Full as well, but I changed out its diaper as it is still leaking. And the brake fluid is up to snuff, as you can easily see through the clear reservoir. And the clutch fluid is right where it should be.

Speaking of the power steering system, the new pump isn't due in until Thursday, so that'll be too late to install for Friday. And the Meter Match won't be in until Friday, so we'll go with the current setup on the gauges. Maybe I ought to make a note to stick to the dash about the readings I mentioned earlier.

Tomorrow I take BB in to have the alignment checked, and then need to stop and get some rear view mirror glue. (Yes, I know that the pros have some better stuff, but we don't have a glass shop in town, and I'd like a mirror for Friday.) And then I'll leave the truck out until after church and go out and adjust the headlights after dark. In the interim I need to check tire pressures and wash the windows.

Road Trip!

 

[Machspeed]

Thanks, David.

Didn't get much more done on Big Blue today, just a few very small things. I put the floor mats in after I washed them a few days ago, and put the cover on the winch. However, I don't like the way I have the cover secured so need to find a better approach. And I lubed the front u-joint on the front shaft after I got it installed as you'd better not lube it until the caps are captive.

I checked the coolant in the radiator, which was full, then added a bit to the reservoir. And added windshield washer fluid to that reservoir as well. Checked the engine oil level and it is sitting right on Full, having not used any in the first 150 miles. The power steering fluid is right on Full as well, but I changed out its diaper as it is still leaking. And the brake fluid is up to snuff, as you can easily see through the clear reservoir. And the clutch fluid is right where it should be.

Speaking of the power steering system, the new pump isn't due in until Thursday, so that'll be too late to install for Friday. And the Meter Match won't be in until Friday, so we'll go with the current setup on the gauges. Maybe I ought to make a note to stick to the dash about the readings I mentioned earlier.

Tomorrow I take BB in to have the alignment checked, and then need to stop and get some rear view mirror glue. (Yes, I know that the pros have some better stuff, but we don't have a glass shop in town, and I'd like a mirror for Friday.) And then I'll leave the truck out until after church and go out and adjust the headlights after dark. In the interim I need to check tire pressures and wash the windows.

Road Trip!

Gary, Safelite Glass in Broken Arrow would more than likely have your glue. They also have the best dang glass cleaner I've ever used! I had to have my windshield replaced in my daily driver a few months back. When I got in the car, the glass was so clear I had to touch it to confirm there was something there. It was kind of weird driving it home too, as there was no wind slapping me in the face. Strange, I know. Anyway, they gave me a can of their cleaner and this past weekend I cleaned the windows on Blackie and was blown away at how clear that windshield was.

[Gary Lewis]

Gary, Safelite Glass in Broken Arrow would more than likely have your glue. They also have the best dang glass cleaner I've ever used! I had to have my windshield replaced in my daily driver a few months back. When I got in the car, the glass was so clear I had to touch it to confirm there was something there. It was kind of weird driving it home too, as there was no wind slapping me in the face. Strange, I know. Anyway, they gave me a can of their cleaner and this past weekend I cleaned the windows on Blackie and was blown away at how clear that windshield was.

Thanks, John. But for now I'm just going to pick some stuff up locally. Need to get the mirror on for our trek on Friday to Kendall's in Noble. Been there?

And I'll have to try some of that glass cleaner! But just plain old Windex will make things a whole lot better than they are now.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, John. But for now I'm just going to pick some stuff up locally. Need to get the mirror on for our trek on Friday to Kendall's in Noble. Been there?

And I'll have to try some of that glass cleaner! But just plain old Windex will make things a whole lot better than they are now.

Just back from the alignment shop. Here's the before-adjustment pic showing that I dialed in the camber and caster very close with the eccentrics, but that changed the toe-in.

And then Steve/FoxFord33 did his magic: