WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[Gary Lewis]

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.

For whatever reason the pic is coming through fine now, so I took it out of my post. And I can easily download them from the page, but thanks.

Roger on the water pump bolts. All understood.

As for the intake bolt, where it goes should be obvious when I put it together, but it wouldn't hurt to add the pic. So, please.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[ctubutis]

I'm guessing that Chris' truck, like Big Blue, doesn't have a 2nd tank.

I have 2 tanks, Gary.

I plugged in one of those aftermarket power-part duplicators and have it duct-taped to the ahstray:

I have a CB radio taped to the console in similar haphazard fashion, not sure if I'm gonna keep this setup or not. From what I can tell, NOBODY uses the things anymore:

The fix-a-flat stuff didn't work, that spare tire is dead. I need to find a 16x8 8-lug steelie somewhere.

[Gary Lewis]

I'm guessing that Chris' truck, like Big Blue, doesn't have a 2nd tank.

I have 2 tanks, Gary.

I plugged in one of those aftermarket power-part duplicators and have it duct-taped to the ahstray:

I have a CB radio taped to the console in similar haphazard fashion, not sure if I'm gonna keep this setup or not. From what I can tell, NOBODY uses the things anymore:

The fix-a-flat stuff didn't work, that spare tire is dead. I need to find a 16x8 8-lug steelie somewhere.

Didn't realize your second tank is working. Twice the miles! Let's see, if yours are 16 and 19 gallons then you have 35 gallons and close to 350 miles. If your mid-ship is a 19 then 38 gallons and 380 miles. At about 675 miles total you could, conceivably, make it with one fill up.

As for the power port, you plan to run lots of things?

Spare tire? A must!

[NotEnoughTrucks]

I'm guessing that Chris' truck, like Big Blue, doesn't have a 2nd tank.

I have 2 tanks, Gary.

I plugged in one of those aftermarket power-part duplicators and have it duct-taped to the ahstray:

I have a CB radio taped to the console in similar haphazard fashion, not sure if I'm gonna keep this setup or not. From what I can tell, NOBODY uses the things anymore:

The fix-a-flat stuff didn't work, that spare tire is dead. I need to find a 16x8 8-lug steelie somewhere.

Looks road trip ready Chris!

[grumpin]

I'm guessing that Chris' truck, like Big Blue, doesn't have a 2nd tank.

I have 2 tanks, Gary.

I plugged in one of those aftermarket power-part duplicators and have it duct-taped to the ahstray:

I have a CB radio taped to the console in similar haphazard fashion, not sure if I'm gonna keep this setup or not. From what I can tell, NOBODY uses the things anymore:

The fix-a-flat stuff didn't work, that spare tire is dead. I need to find a 16x8 8-lug steelie somewhere.

Duct tape...the handyman's secret weapon!

According to Red Green!

[Dyn Blin]

As I've been repainting the interior trim and mitigating 36+ years of sun damage, I'm thinking about how to preserve the results (the current heat wave keeps it in mind, too).

In addition to chemical preservatives ('currently using 303's protectant line), I've been thinking about sun shades. The windshield area isn't much of a problem to find sunshades that fit (I also found Weathertech still offers a pricey, but custom Bullnose-era option).

That leaves the side and back windows. I had a supply of closed-cell double-foil-sided sheeting left over from using it as a vapor barrier on my door projects (great stuff, Amazon has it here)

I made some templates using construction paper and cut the sheets accordingly. Although they are fairly stiff, I coated one side with rattle-can Plasti-Dip black (to flip and use on the opposite side window when it gets cold again to melt what little frost we see) that seemed to make it a bit more rigid. I cut the stock a couple mm outside the template outline and it fits snugly between the window and sills. If they get limp over time from use, I'll glue some magnets to one side to help keep them in place. They're flexible enough to roll, but they seem to fit behind the seat better flat, so maybe I'll even laminate a stiffer sheet of some type of plastic from the local TAP store if needed.

One $50 sheet was enough to give both doors a vapor barrier, and cover the side and rear windows (and open some room on the garage shelves).

[Gary Lewis]

As I've been repainting the interior trim and mitigating 36+ years of sun damage, I'm thinking about how to preserve the results (the current heat wave keeps it in mind, too).

In addition to chemical preservatives ('currently using 303's protectant line), I've been thinking about sun shades. The windshield area isn't much of a problem to find sunshades that fit (I also found Weathertech still offers a pricey, but custom Bullnose-era option).

That leaves the side and back windows. I had a supply of closed-cell double-foil-sided sheeting left over from using it as a vapor barrier on my door projects (great stuff, Amazon has it here)

I made some templates using construction paper and cut the sheets accordingly. Although they are fairly stiff, I coated one side with rattle-can Plasti-Dip black (to flip and use on the opposite side window when it gets cold again to melt what little frost we see) that seemed to make it a bit more rigid. I cut the stock a couple mm outside the template outline and it fits snugly between the window and sills. If they get limp over time from use, I'll glue some magnets to one side to help keep them in place. They're flexible enough to roll, but they seem to fit behind the seat better flat, so maybe I'll even laminate a stiffer sheet of some type of plastic from the local TAP store if needed.

One $50 sheet was enough to give both doors a vapor barrier, and cover the side and rear windows (and open some room on the garage shelves).

That's an interesting approach. I'll bet it makes a huge difference in the UV light that gets through as well as the heat.

As explained to me years ago when Conoco was in the plastics business, UV and heat are the two main enemies of plastic. Heat bakes the plasticizer out, which is what gets deposited on the inside of your windows on summer days. That makes the plastic brittle.

And UV breaks the plastic down chemically, which is what happens to the tops of the door panels as well as the dash pads at the speaker holes.

So something like 303 that is supposed to keep the UV from going through will help. But the real key is to prevent the UV from coming into the cab in the first place. And, if the same thing keeps the temp down all the better.

[grumpin]

That's an interesting approach. I'll bet it makes a huge difference in the UV light that gets through as well as the heat.

As explained to me years ago when Conoco was in the plastics business, UV and heat are the two main enemies of plastic. Heat bakes the plasticizer out, which is what gets deposited on the inside of your windows on summer days. That makes the plastic brittle.

And UV breaks the plastic down chemically, which is what happens to the tops of the door panels as well as the dash pads at the speaker holes.

So something like 303 that is supposed to keep the UV from going through will help. But the real key is to prevent the UV from coming into the cab in the first place. And, if the same thing keeps the temp down all the better.

Man oh man! The wind has been blowing tree debris all over my truck.

I decided to blow it out and off real quick. I cannot believe how much stuff was under the windshield trim. Lifted it gently with plastic to blow it out of there.

Then there is all the debris under the cowl. That's going to be an all day project someday.

Thinking of putting some sealant on the inside of the trim, and screen in the cowl area so I could vacuum it out.

[fords4life]

Man oh man! The wind has been blowing tree debris all over my truck.

I decided to blow it out and off real quick. I cannot believe how much stuff was under the windshield trim. Lifted it gently with plastic to blow it out of there.

Then there is all the debris under the cowl. That's going to be an all day project someday.

Thinking of putting some sealant on the inside of the trim, and screen in the cowl area so I could vacuum it out.

I finally got the new smog pump installed this weekend after the factory 32yr old pump finally locked up. I'll admit I'm surprised at how much better the truck runs with the smog pump installed than it does without it.

[ctubutis]

I finally got the new smog pump installed this weekend after the factory 32yr old pump finally locked up. I'll admit I'm surprised at how much better the truck runs with the smog pump installed than it does without it.

I leave mine off, I installed it only for the Emissions test (after which time I got Antique plates and don't need to worry about it again until I sell it :)).

Your name is Nathan or Nolan or close to that, correct? You're in Greeley?

Hi, I'm Chris, I'm down in Littleton/Centennial, that CL link caught my attention (that thing is/was <5mi from my house) which later resulted in my learning about your EFI problem. But is that the truck that got totaled by the insurance company from hail damage?

Regardless, yeah, I have some of Bill Vose's specialty Rotunda tools, some stuff for monitoring & recording what the computer is seeing from the sensors; Bill loaned it to me, jeez, 3 or more years ago when I was heavy into diagnosing the Taurus SHO (1995).* Let us know if you think you want to use it - but you'll probably need to make an overlay to "program" the thing (it's exceedingly crude, seems to be analog signals) for your engine. I have a bunch of PDF files in e-mail, I was thinking of having a local office-supply store print them on Mylar or somesuch, see if that'd work.

* I eventually decided to stop micro-analyzing and to just swap out the ignition module again, the formerly-cold-blooded car now seems to be lots happier. :) Those boxes are kinda cool, but something of a pain to use.