WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[ctubutis]

Cool, Chris. That should help bunches toward being comfortable. Running out on the interstate won't be fun nor safe. Aye; Limon to Goodland is pretty desolate as I remember, too.

Do you know your calibration code? Or is there a tag on the carb? I ask because I'm curious if yours is a high-altitude carb. If so it'll lean out down here, which might help your MPG or it might cause pinging. Anyway, if you know then I'll look. If not, I'll see if I can figure it out.

Also, what initial timing are you running?

It's a total aftermarket setup, Gary... Edelbrock Performer 400, Holley Truck Avenger 670, I totally forget what size jets I put in. It came with something by default but I immediately reduced the jets two sizes before installation, then later bumped them up one based exclusively on the color of the spark plugs. My usage of that truck is at 5200'+.

IIRC the base timing is somewhere between 10 & 15 but I can't say I remember exactly where.

[Gary Lewis]

Cool, Chris. That should help bunches toward being comfortable. Running out on the interstate won't be fun nor safe. Aye; Limon to Goodland is pretty desolate as I remember, too.

Do you know your calibration code? Or is there a tag on the carb? I ask because I'm curious if yours is a high-altitude carb. If so it'll lean out down here, which might help your MPG or it might cause pinging. Anyway, if you know then I'll look. If not, I'll see if I can figure it out.

Also, what initial timing are you running?

It's a total aftermarket setup, Gary... Edelbrock Performer 400, Holley Truck Avenger 670, I totally forget what size jets I put in. It came with something by default but I immediately reduced the jets two sizes before installation, then later bumped them up one based exclusively on the color of the spark plugs. My usage of that truck is at 5200'+.

IIRC the base timing is somewhere between 10 & 15 but I can't say I remember exactly where.

Ahhh! Had forgotten you have an aftermarket system.

Ok, bring it on!

[grumpin]

I replaced the Spectra Premium front-tank sending unit today, the float had totally come off:

I'm hoping to take this truck to Podunk next month, knowing how much gas I have left will be a lot less stressful.

"I'm hoping to take this truck to Podunk next month, knowing how much gas I have left will be a lot less stressful."

To simplify things I just go 100 miles and switch tanks on around town and short trips. If I take her on long trips I run the rear dry and switch and start looking for a station.

Would be nice to know though.

I've researched the fuel sender/pump setup on the rear tank of my truck and I'm beginning to think I'm not going to find the proper one for my 19 gallon steel tank.

I can only get 17 gallons out of it. Guess I'll have to pull it out someday and see what's going on. Or not, plenty else to do.

[Gary Lewis]

"I'm hoping to take this truck to Podunk next month, knowing how much gas I have left will be a lot less stressful."

To simplify things I just go 100 miles and switch tanks on around town and short trips. If I take her on long trips I run the rear dry and switch and start looking for a station.

Would be nice to know though.

I've researched the fuel sender/pump setup on the rear tank of my truck and I'm beginning to think I'm not going to find the proper one for my 19 gallon steel tank.

I can only get 17 gallons out of it. Guess I'll have to pull it out someday and see what's going on. Or not, plenty else to do.

I'm guessing that Chris' truck, like Big Blue, doesn't have a 2nd tank. But I understand your issue on the '85/86 460 fuel system. "Prone to failure", "expensive", and "no longer available" seem to be the best descriptions of the parts thereof. Especially of the switching valve.

Running one tank dry and switching to the other reminds me of my '72 F250 w/a QJeted 390. I routinely ran the front tank dry and switched to the rear - but one time as I did that we coasted to a stop in the middle of absolutely nowhere in New Mexico. Long story short, I disassembled the carb 'cause there was fuel going into it and it had to be fuel-related. No problem found. Finally I realized there was no spark. Apparently during the coasting a film of oil had coated the points, and since I was running capacitive-discharge ignition there wasn't enough current through the points to burn it off. A quick swipe of a business card through the points and it started and ran fine - 90 minutes after stopping and just as the sun set on a deserted road in a deserted countryside.

[85lebaront2]

Bill - Do you check with a straight edge? Are you checking for twists or just bowing? I have the manifolds off Huck, the 1990 half-truck, so need to check them.

And, if they are warped is there any reason not to have them milled? Or, maybe I can fly-cut them on my mill? (Hmmm, that might be a problem in trying to bolt them down.)

And, you reminded me that I need to call Just Stainless back. They called on Thursday and needed to confirm details of my order, which includes exhaust manifold bolts. Thanks!

Yes, I checked the extra one (the one I installed) with a straight edge at the top, middle and bottom of the ports (that way if it is twisted it will be evident). The one I removed I didn't worry about, but obviously it was either bent or warped as the bolts had always been a royal PITA to get all 8 finally started, the one on now, no problem, started the two end bolts, dropped the gasket in, started the #4 bolt (counting from the front) as that is the alignment hole then all the others, snugged them then tightened them.

On your stainless bolts, can he get you the special "double ended" ones for the manifolds" You have to have them for the heat shields and coil bracket along with the dipstick tube. There is also one on the intake that has a 5/16" stud on top, it's for the inner end of the coil bracket.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, I checked the extra one (the one I installed) with a straight edge at the top, middle and bottom of the ports (that way if it is twisted it will be evident). The one I removed I didn't worry about, but obviously it was either bent or warped as the bolts had always been a royal PITA to get all 8 finally started, the one on now, no problem, started the two end bolts, dropped the gasket in, started the #4 bolt (counting from the front) as that is the alignment hole then all the others, snugged them then tightened them.

On your stainless bolts, can he get you the special "double ended" ones for the manifolds" You have to have them for the heat shields and coil bracket along with the dipstick tube. There is also one on the intake that has a 5/16" stud on top, it's for the inner end of the coil bracket.

Bill - Glad I mentioned the stainless fasteners as I'd forgotten the stud for the coil bracket. (Double-ended = stud - right?)

We talked about how many exhaust studs I need and he said with the shields it is 5 and w/o the shields it is 1. I don't have the shields, so was going with 1 for the dip stick tube. But you mentioned the coil bracket, so I need 2 exhaust studs?

And. I'd also forgotten about the coil bracket going to the intake fastener. Hmmmm, got some more work to do.

Any other ideas?

[85lebaront2]

Bill - Glad I mentioned the stainless fasteners as I'd forgotten the stud for the coil bracket. (Double-ended = stud - right?)

We talked about how many exhaust studs I need and he said with the shields it is 5 and w/o the shields it is 1. I don't have the shields, so was going with 1 for the dip stick tube. But you mentioned the coil bracket, so I need 2 exhaust studs?

And. I'd also forgotten about the coil bracket going to the intake fastener. Hmmmm, got some more work to do.

Any other ideas?

You need the heat shields, otherwise the exhaust manifolds will cook your plug wire ends, these are not like the sheet metal ones used to pre-heat the air for the carburetor. After dinner I will see if I can get you a count on number and length.

[85lebaront2]

You need the heat shields, otherwise the exhaust manifolds will cook your plug wire ends, these are not like the sheet metal ones used to pre-heat the air for the carburetor. After dinner I will see if I can get you a count on number and length.

With the later heat shields, PN F1TZ-12A406-A, it takes one long and one short manifold bolt with a 3/8-16 stud out of the head side, roughly 3/4-1" long on the right side.

[Gary Lewis]

With the later heat shields, PN F1TZ-12A406-A, it takes one long and one short manifold bolt with a 3/8-16 stud out of the head side, roughly 3/4-1" long on the right side.

Left side requires two short and one long, one short one is for the coil bracket.

One the intake, there is one of the vertical bolts, in front of #7 intake port with a 5/16-18 stud on top for the upper part of the coil bracket (no picture on that one).

Here are some other bolt lengths that might be of interest, water pump bolts, 3 different lengths.

Hope these help!

Bill - That helps a bunch. Thanks!

Several things. First, on the water pump bolts, are the all the same size and flanged-head, but just different lengths?

When you say "Left side requires two short and one long, one short one is for the coil bracket" you are saying these need to be studs. Right?

And on the right side I see one short and one long stud. Correct?

Yes, that really helps.

[85lebaront2]

Bill - That helps a bunch. Thanks!

Several things. First, on the water pump bolts, are the all the same size and flanged-head, but just different lengths?

When you say "Left side requires two short and one long, one short one is for the coil bracket" you are saying these need to be studs. Right?

And on the right side I see one short and one long stud. Correct?

Yes, that really helps.

Water pump bolts are 5/16-18 X specified length, and yes flange head. Manifold studs, right side only needs the two, left needs 3. I don't know why you aren't seeing the pictures, they all load fine for me. I can email you the originals if you want. I can get a picture of which intake bolt needs to be a stud end tomorrow.