1986 F-250 XLT 6.9 idi C6 switch to 300 4 speed

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks Gary for the encouragement.

I have sprayed everything down with rust check and covered it all so it will be waiting for me in the spring. I have too many other things I have to get done before winter. Trees to cut back etc.

Wow you became a ham in 63 back when you had to study hard for the license. This was more of a bucket list thing for me, I didn't get my ticket until 2018 after I retired. Electronics has been a life long hobby but I never knew any ham operators until later in life.

You are right it is a good winter hobby, I prefer the technical side of it, fixing radios that don't work and homebrew.

I am working on my morse code and up to making slow speed contacts, call sign is VE4RTH.

I have the winter to think up what to do with the intake. I think I will have to figure out some kind of hot tank, if I could simmer it in a drano solution I think that would probably work. I have some ideas on how to do that. Good for the cylinder head too.

I should probably contact a machine shop and see if they still hot tank and how much they would charge, but I think that was cast iron era and too aggressive for aluminum and also all the environmental concerns.

I will check in every now and then over the winter.

Yes, I think the hot tank might be too much for aluminum. That's why I was thinking to block off the carb port, point the runners in the air, and fill them with acetone or somesuch. You could then block the top of the runners with something to minimize evaporation, and then come back periodically to stir and top up.

As for the ham license, yes it required study. But I actually learned it - because I wanted to. I remember about 5 years later walking up to a guy who was studying for his final in Electronics. I looked over his shoulder and said "5-tube superhet". He wheeled around and said "How do you know that!?!?!?" Duh! I pointed out the 5 tubes, then started explaining what the 35W4 rectifier did, the 50C5 amplifier did, etc. He was incredulous.

And the difference was in "wanting to". He "had to" and I "wanted to". That makes all the difference. And looking back on it, that explains Mrs. Boxburger. She was a "townie" in our little college town that was taking math courses because she wanted to. We hated her because she blew us away on the tests.

Fast forward about 50 years and I was Mrs. Boxburger. I took a community college course on machine shop, and the kids surely hated me. I know that 'cause the teacher said they did. On the final I got done and no one else was done, so I put my answers to the side, took the test again, and compared. Exactly the same. I turned it in and went out in the shop. Along comes the teacher and said I didn't miss a thing. Next comes a guy from Poland who asked what I put on such and so question, and I told him. He asked where I got that and I told him it was in the book. He said "You read the book??????" I didn't have the heart to tell him that the night I got the book I skimmed it from cover to cover. And as we did each chapter I re-read that chapter and did the exercises on my little lathe-mill-drill machine.

[nic55kel]

Yes, I think the hot tank might be too much for aluminum. That's why I was thinking to block off the carb port, point the runners in the air, and fill them with acetone or somesuch. You could then block the top of the runners with something to minimize evaporation, and then come back periodically to stir and top up.

As for the ham license, yes it required study. But I actually learned it - because I wanted to. I remember about 5 years later walking up to a guy who was studying for his final in Electronics. I looked over his shoulder and said "5-tube superhet". He wheeled around and said "How do you know that!?!?!?" Duh! I pointed out the 5 tubes, then started explaining what the 35W4 rectifier did, the 50C5 amplifier did, etc. He was incredulous.

And the difference was in "wanting to". He "had to" and I "wanted to". That makes all the difference. And looking back on it, that explains Mrs. Boxburger. She was a "townie" in our little college town that was taking math courses because she wanted to. We hated her because she blew us away on the tests.

Fast forward about 50 years and I was Mrs. Boxburger. I took a community college course on machine shop, and the kids surely hated me. I know that 'cause the teacher said they did. On the final I got done and no one else was done, so I put my answers to the side, took the test again, and compared. Exactly the same. I turned it in and went out in the shop. Along comes the teacher and said I didn't miss a thing. Next comes a guy from Poland who asked what I put on such and so question, and I told him. He asked where I got that and I told him it was in the book. He said "You read the book??????" I didn't have the heart to tell him that the night I got the book I skimmed it from cover to cover. And as we did each chapter I re-read that chapter and did the exercises on my little lathe-mill-drill machine.

I am still running the cast iron intake and I think heat and aggressive chemicals are the way to clean it.

My experience with solvents especially at low temperatures on the cylinder head does not give me much confidence in that approach accomplishing too much.

I think there is a good reason the machine shops used to use hot tanking back when most of what they were working with was cast iron. Items that I have seen cleaned like that are pristine. Anyway all winter to ponder that one.

The all american 5 tube superhet the model T of radios. I am sure anyone studying electronics back in the day would have to be familiar with that one. I still love the tube type equipment and have several tube receivers and also transmitters with tube finals. I currently have a (1953 or so) hallicrafters S107 receiver on my bench - changing out capacitors etc. even the caps in the IF transformers.

You are so right about the difference between studying out of interest rather than for a job or out of compulsion.

About 2 years ago I was lucky enough to score a copy of the RCAF electronic training manual for radar techs etc. from 1955. I think most of the text was from the war years when the only agenda was the efficient transfer of knowledge. I love reading stuff like that. Here in Canada we have two classes of radio license, basic and advanced. When I wrote my ticket I did them both at the same time and easily passed. It seemed impressive to some of the other amateur radio club members but I had read all the texts and more because I found them fascinating.

[Gary Lewis]

I am still running the cast iron intake and I think heat and aggressive chemicals are the way to clean it.

My experience with solvents especially at low temperatures on the cylinder head does not give me much confidence in that approach accomplishing too much.

I think there is a good reason the machine shops used to use hot tanking back when most of what they were working with was cast iron. Items that I have seen cleaned like that are pristine. Anyway all winter to ponder that one.

The all american 5 tube superhet the model T of radios. I am sure anyone studying electronics back in the day would have to be familiar with that one. I still love the tube type equipment and have several tube receivers and also transmitters with tube finals. I currently have a (1953 or so) hallicrafters S107 receiver on my bench - changing out capacitors etc. even the caps in the IF transformers.

You are so right about the difference between studying out of interest rather than for a job or out of compulsion.

About 2 years ago I was lucky enough to score a copy of the RCAF electronic training manual for radar techs etc. from 1955. I think most of the text was from the war years when the only agenda was the efficient transfer of knowledge. I love reading stuff like that. Here in Canada we have two classes of radio license, basic and advanced. When I wrote my ticket I did them both at the same time and easily passed. It seemed impressive to some of the other amateur radio club members but I had read all the texts and more because I found them fascinating.

Ahhh! You still have the cast iron intake. Then hot-tanking it might be the right approach.

As for that manual, I'm sure it would be a fun read. Somewhere I have some old amateur radio books that I'd basically memorized to get my license.

And, I think I still have my Heathkit (DX100 I think) transmitter and Knightkit R100A receiver - both of which use tubes.

[nic55kel]

Ahhh! You still have the cast iron intake. Then hot-tanking it might be the right approach.

As for that manual, I'm sure it would be a fun read. Somewhere I have some old amateur radio books that I'd basically memorized to get my license.

And, I think I still have my Heathkit (DX100 I think) transmitter and Knightkit R100A receiver - both of which use tubes.

Hi Gary et al,

Looking forward to getting going on this project again but mother doesn't want me to (mother nature).

Things were making a little progress at the beginning of the month

Then we had a big snow storm last weekend and possibly another this weekend.

I have enjoyed Ham radio over the winter. I love and have a few all tube rigs myself, something about 800 volts dc and that glow in the dark, but I am eager to get outside and do mechanical work again.

I think when the weather does break it will be summer overnight.

[BigBrother-84]

Hi Gary et al,

Looking forward to getting going on this project again but mother doesn't want me to (mother nature).

Things were making a little progress at the beginning of the month

Then we had a big snow storm last weekend and possibly another this weekend.

I have enjoyed Ham radio over the winter. I love and have a few all tube rigs myself, something about 800 volts dc and that glow in the dark, but I am eager to get outside and do mechanical work again.

I think when the weather does break it will be summer overnight.

Hi Bob,

I followed this snow storm on Weather Forecast channels, hoping it wasn't going to reach East. We had strong winds, very little snow and lot of rain.

I hope for West friends that "Mother" will melt this snow rapidly and finally give you a real spring!

Stay brave and good luck!

[Gary Lewis]

Hi Gary et al,

Looking forward to getting going on this project again but mother doesn't want me to (mother nature).

Things were making a little progress at the beginning of the month

Then we had a big snow storm last weekend and possibly another this weekend.

I have enjoyed Ham radio over the winter. I love and have a few all tube rigs myself, something about 800 volts dc and that glow in the dark, but I am eager to get outside and do mechanical work again.

I think when the weather does break it will be summer overnight.

Wow! That was some storm! I hope you see Spring soon and can do mechanical work again.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Hi Gary et al,

Looking forward to getting going on this project again but mother doesn't want me to (mother nature).

Things were making a little progress at the beginning of the month

Then we had a big snow storm last weekend and possibly another this weekend.

I have enjoyed Ham radio over the winter. I love and have a few all tube rigs myself, something about 800 volts dc and that glow in the dark, but I am eager to get outside and do mechanical work again.

I think when the weather does break it will be summer overnight.

Is that a Fiero???

[nic55kel]

Is that a Fiero???

Yes Jim that is a 1986 GT Fiero.

It has been a long time project that I don't seem to move on very much.

I have a couple of sc3800s that I think would work very well in the car.

Trouble is there is nothing wrong with the 2.8 that is in it and with a 4 speed it is a fun little car.

Also as I get older climbing in and out of it becomes less and less fun.

I am seriously considering seeing if anyone wants to buy it once the weather breaks.

Last year at this time I had been outside working on vehicles for almost a month.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yes Jim that is a 1986 GT Fiero.

It has been a long time project that I don't seem to move on very much.

I have a couple of sc3800s that I think would work very well in the car.

Trouble is there is nothing wrong with the 2.8 that is in it and with a 4 speed it is a fun little car.

Also as I get older climbing in and out of it becomes less and less fun.

I am seriously considering seeing if anyone wants to buy it once the weather breaks.

Last year at this time I had been outside working on vehicles for almost a month.

Given the weather it seems you can't make much progress with outside projects, Bob.

Fiero's held so much promise!

Too bad GM killed them to keep from cannibalizing their other sports cars.

As I remember a lot of people viewed them as kit cars (and given their parts bin roots they kinda were)

But just as Pontiac's engineers were getting the bugs worked out and giving the Fiero some real teeth.... poof! gone.

Selling it on to someone who would enjoy it for what it is makes a lot of sense.

Looks incredibly clean for a 36 year old Canadian vehicle. Having a plastic body and being useless in snow has to help.

[nic55kel]

Given the weather it seems you can't make much progress with outside projects, Bob.

Fiero's held so much promise!

Too bad GM killed them to keep from cannibalizing their other sports cars.

As I remember a lot of people viewed them as kit cars (and given their parts bin roots they kinda were)

But just as Pontiac's engineers were getting the bugs worked out and giving the Fiero some real teeth.... poof! gone.

Selling it on to someone who would enjoy it for what it is makes a lot of sense.

Looks incredibly clean for a 36 year old Canadian vehicle. Having a plastic body and being useless in snow has to help.

Yes I love the concept of the car and it is actually a really rigid platform.

The suspension until the 1988 model is primitive but still a lot of fun to drive.

Just be aware of the trailing throttle oversteer when cornering near the limit.

As you say GM discontinued them just when they were becoming a real threat.

If GM had put the twin dohc 3.4 V6 in it that they were developing at that time there would have been almost nothing to touch it performance wise.

I have seen bad rear frame rail corrosion on cars driven all year round here.

I don't think mine has seen much of winter. The only real rust is where the battery box used to be!

It is a real marmite car just need to find someone who loves them or someone who hasn't owned one yet and thinks they will love it. I have owned 4 over the years, so that proves my opinion of them.