Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

Good job! But, dang!

Yeah, I'm not sure what the problem might be. The wire itself should be large enough, so it must be a connection issue. Hopefully I won't have to run a new wire.

But with family here and us traveling some it'll be some time before I can dig into it. Still, the truck is ready to go anywhere, just can't really use the built in GMRS radio. But I still have the portable ones.

[Gary Lewis]

Yeah, I'm not sure what the problem might be. The wire itself should be large enough, so it must be a connection issue. Hopefully I won't have to run a new wire.

But with family here and us traveling some it'll be some time before I can dig into it. Still, the truck is ready to go anywhere, just can't really use the built in GMRS radio. But I still have the portable ones.

I installed the aux cable that Cory recommended, the one with the right-angle connector and ribbon wire, and it really cleaned things up. All the wires are now hidden. Thanks, Cory.

Also, I found and fixed another rattle. And the brake controller showing green in the pic reminded me. I reached up past it to guide the front of the radio into the bracket and noticed that the controller rattled. Turns out that while I'd tapped the speed control bracket to take a 10-32 screw it wasn't thick enough to do a good job as a nut. But a couple of serious Ford sheet metal screws solved the problem.

[BigBrother-84]

I installed the aux cable that Cory recommended, the one with the right-angle connector and ribbon wire, and it really cleaned things up. All the wires are now hidden. Thanks, Cory.

Also, I found and fixed another rattle. And the brake controller showing green in the pic reminded me. I reached up past it to guide the front of the radio into the bracket and noticed that the controller rattled. Turns out that while I'd tapped the speed control bracket to take a 10-32 screw it wasn't thick enough to do a good job as a nut. But a couple of serious Ford sheet metal screws solved the problem.

Nice'n clean setup! The right angle plug did the job.

Each time I find and solve a rattle in Big Brother, there's a new one emerging... I can swear that all bolts and nuts are tightened with attention! But seems that a Bullnose without any little rattle isn't a happy truck. They need to express themselves.

 

[Gary Lewis]

Nice'n clean setup! The right angle plug did the job.

Each time I find and solve a rattle in Big Brother, there's a new one emerging... I can swear that all bolts and nuts are tightened with attention! But seems that a Bullnose without any little rattle isn't a happy truck. They need to express themselves.

Thanks. And yes, it turned out nice and clean.

But I'm not sure I can agree that a Bullnose needs to express itself via rattles. Big Blue is finally getting reasonably quiet. However, it took a lot of work to get there. There were layers and layers and layers of rattles, including front spring clips, rear spring clips, and then shock absorber bolts. I'd fix one rattle and then could hear more. Or maybe I should say that the sound changed, so I knew I was making progress.

My father had a penchant for finding rattles and he taught me to do it. I remember quite well him getting in the trunk of one of our cars and Mom driving around so he could figure out what the problem was. He was always able to find it and fix it.

So I've been on a quest to find the rattles on Big Blue. And I've been very pleased of late with how quiet he is. Sure has made a big difference in the feeling of the truck.

But I will admit that Dad would have been disappointed in me. If I'd described that one noise as a chuckle he'd have quickly said "shocks". But he would have meant the shocks themselves, and it was really the mounting bolts for the shocks. Still, that's exactly where he would have gone to find the chuckle.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks. And yes, it turned out nice and clean.

But I'm not sure I can agree that a Bullnose needs to express itself via rattles. Big Blue is finally getting reasonably quiet. However, it took a lot of work to get there. There were layers and layers and layers of rattles, including front spring clips, rear spring clips, and then shock absorber bolts. I'd fix one rattle and then could hear more. Or maybe I should say that the sound changed, so I knew I was making progress.

My father had a penchant for finding rattles and he taught me to do it. I remember quite well him getting in the trunk of one of our cars and Mom driving around so he could figure out what the problem was. He was always able to find it and fix it.

So I've been on a quest to find the rattles on Big Blue. And I've been very pleased of late with how quiet he is. Sure has made a big difference in the feeling of the truck.

But I will admit that Dad would have been disappointed in me. If I'd described that one noise as a chuckle he'd have quickly said "shocks". But he would have meant the shocks themselves, and it was really the mounting bolts for the shocks. Still, that's exactly where he would have gone to find the chuckle.

I'm posting this here as well as in the Lighting Upgrades thread.

I ordered Big Blue's Christmas present today: Koito headlight shells and Tungsram +120 headlight bulbs from Daniel Stern. No idea when they'll be here, but maybe I can get them installed just after Christmas.

I had planned to do a before/after set of pics and measurements using a lightmeter app - but I just watched a video that Diode Dynamics created and I'm not going to bother using a light meter as that's apparently NOT the way to measure headlights.

However I will do the pics, and I'll let the camera chose the shutter speed and f-stop in the before pics (high & low beam pics), and then use those settings for the after pics. That will let the viewer see any differences. But I'm relying on Daniel's evaluation that the Koito/+120's are the best way to go if you want a traditional look at the moment.

[salans7]

I'm posting this here as well as in the Lighting Upgrades thread.

I ordered Big Blue's Christmas present today: Koito headlight shells and Tungsram +120 headlight bulbs from Daniel Stern. No idea when they'll be here, but maybe I can get them installed just after Christmas.

I had planned to do a before/after set of pics and measurements using a lightmeter app - but I just watched a video that Diode Dynamics created and I'm not going to bother using a light meter as that's apparently NOT the way to measure headlights.

However I will do the pics, and I'll let the camera chose the shutter speed and f-stop in the before pics (high & low beam pics), and then use those settings for the after pics. That will let the viewer see any differences. But I'm relying on Daniel's evaluation that the Koito/+120's are the best way to go if you want a traditional look at the moment.

I bought myself an early Christmas present that will be used to fix issues on my F350, but it's on backorder.

Hopefully your lighting items come in sooner than later.

[Gary Lewis]

I bought myself an early Christmas present that will be used to fix issues on my F350, but it's on backorder.

Hopefully your lighting items come in sooner than later.

Daniel Stern said that the stuff I ordered is in stock, so it should come soon. Sorry about yours being backordered.

[Gary Lewis]

Daniel Stern said that the stuff I ordered is in stock, so it should come soon. Sorry about yours being backordered.

First, the headlight shells and bulbs are under the tree, so I hope to get them installed next week.

But the plans for overlanding has changed, as explained in the Big Blue To The Ozarks? thread. But there are numerous water crossings on that trail, and one thing that the guys on the OOAT's FB page have pointed out is that I don't have a snorkel.

I don't want to cut a hole in the fender and put a snorkel on, but I'm wondering if I can put a little one on for trips like this. In the pic below you can see that the air inlet tube that's on there has a lip on the end that attempts to prevent bugs, water, etc from coming in. But I'm wondering if I can make an add-on piece that will screw to the front of the radiator support, come out through the grille, and then go up and open just above the hood.

Thoughts?

 

[Nothing Special]

First, the headlight shells and bulbs are under the tree, so I hope to get them installed next week.

But the plans for overlanding has changed, as explained in the Big Blue To The Ozarks? thread. But there are numerous water crossings on that trail, and one thing that the guys on the OOAT's FB page have pointed out is that I don't have a snorkel.

I don't want to cut a hole in the fender and put a snorkel on, but I'm wondering if I can put a little one on for trips like this. In the pic below you can see that the air inlet tube that's on there has a lip on the end that attempts to prevent bugs, water, etc from coming in. But I'm wondering if I can make an add-on piece that will screw to the front of the radiator support, come out through the grille, and then go up and open just above the hood.

Thoughts?

I don't have much experience with deeper water crossings, so take this for what little it's worth. I've always felt that the best benefit to a snorkel is to get the air intake up above dust in a dry environment. If you're in deep enough water to need a snorkel it seems to me that you have a lot of other problems, like water in the crank case, the ignition, the fan destroying itself or the radiator. I think I'd be more inclined to do something more temporary and reversible, like an open-element air cleaner (as the simplest option) or maybe a stock-type closed element air cleaner but with the air intake pointing back toward the firewall.

My thoughts there are that the cold air intake in the grill is probably the worst place to be getting dry air as the bow wave from the front bumper can push up there pretty easily.

An open element air filter won't let water just wash in. If it gets splashed in one area it'll likely pull air through where it's dry. And on top of a V8 engine is probably the second driest place in the engine bay.

The driest place is likely behind and above the engine, so if you can get something to pull air from there that would probably be the best.

[Gary Lewis]

I don't have much experience with deeper water crossings, so take this for what little it's worth. I've always felt that the best benefit to a snorkel is to get the air intake up above dust in a dry environment. If you're in deep enough water to need a snorkel it seems to me that you have a lot of other problems, like water in the crank case, the ignition, the fan destroying itself or the radiator. I think I'd be more inclined to do something more temporary and reversible, like an open-element air cleaner (as the simplest option) or maybe a stock-type closed element air cleaner but with the air intake pointing back toward the firewall.

My thoughts there are that the cold air intake in the grill is probably the worst place to be getting dry air as the bow wave from the front bumper can push up there pretty easily.

An open element air filter won't let water just wash in. If it gets splashed in one area it'll likely pull air through where it's dry. And on top of a V8 engine is probably the second driest place in the engine bay.

The driest place is likely behind and above the engine, so if you can get something to pull air from there that would probably be the best.

Bob - Thanks, but you do remember that I have an EFI system, not a carb. Right? So I’m quite limited on the options.

But I agree that the bow wave could easily reach the middle of the grille, which is where the opening is. So I’m looking for a way to raise that temporarily, like a snorkel that goes through the grille and up to above the top of the grille.

I hope to get out to the shop tomorrow morn and see if that’s even a possibility. Maybe I’m all wet.