FuzzFace2 Posted March 1, 2023 Share Posted March 1, 2023 I mentioned above that a thermostat isn't an on-off switch. They modulate flow to keep the engine at operating temperature. (which is why I figured the sensor is installed at the outlet) I guess I was right at 1 time till they went and moved it I will have to read that link to under stand it better. Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted March 4, 2023 Author Share Posted March 4, 2023 Maybe some more direct inquiry is in order? In my brief communication with them a couple days ago, it was mentioned that they used to monitor the temp at the "cold side" of the radiator, but they moved to the hot side, or radiator inlet. After reading a bit more on the topic, I understand it better and see why it is better to read the temp at the hot side (inlet) of the radiator. https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/core-temperature My 195F thermostat will only just crack open at 195F, and wouldn't be fully wide open until somewhere between 205F and 215F (according to the above article). So, Derale's recommendation of setting it at 10F above the thermostat opening temp should theoretically keep the thermostat at a steady state of 50% open. I think I mentioned that I got the harness pulled through the firewall last week. Here's what it looks like... I'm looking forward to it but I'm not looking forward to it if that makes any sense lol. I hurt my back again earlier this week so I'm hobbling around like an old goblin and will be pretty much useless without being able to bend over under the hood and under the dash, but anyway. I'll try to find some easy tasks to do. My new NVU gauges showed up also. I got the Woodward Black vintage series, and I bought a new fuel tank float/sender from them as well. Neat that they have the speedometer option in KM/hr, although this old truck will never get to 140 km/hr, let alone 240 km/hr lol. Still, it will be nice to have accurate gauges. So much wiring...only thing worse would be installing EFI on top of all this. I have an electronic trans, electric radiator fans and electric fuel pump, DSII ignition, etc. I'm now seeing why people love those 1-wire GM distributors so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 I think I mentioned that I got the harness pulled through the firewall last week. Here's what it looks like... I'm looking forward to it but I'm not looking forward to it if that makes any sense lol. I hurt my back again earlier this week so I'm hobbling around like an old goblin and will be pretty much useless without being able to bend over under the hood and under the dash, but anyway. I'll try to find some easy tasks to do. My new NVU gauges showed up also. I got the Woodward Black vintage series, and I bought a new fuel tank float/sender from them as well. Neat that they have the speedometer option in KM/hr, although this old truck will never get to 140 km/hr, let alone 240 km/hr lol. Still, it will be nice to have accurate gauges. So much wiring...only thing worse would be installing EFI on top of all this. I have an electronic trans, electric radiator fans and electric fuel pump, DSII ignition, etc. I'm now seeing why people love those 1-wire GM distributors so much! What a huge amount of progress Cory! Those gauges look great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted March 4, 2023 Author Share Posted March 4, 2023 What a huge amount of progress Cory! Those gauges look great. Thanks Jim! I get a bit overwhelmed with it sometimes, but I just make it a point to try to do at least one thing. If that means connecting only ONE wire, then that's what it is lol. I honestly never intended to get into this much work, but here I am. There were times when I wanted to abandon the whole thing, but couldn't do that either. I worry about it not working properly...I have done so many things to it I start to wonder what parts or sections are not going to work lol. I don't think I have it in me to pull the engine or transmission again lol. As I said, I really didn't mean to get into it this far. The things I get myself into. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuzzFace2 Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 What a huge amount of progress Cory! Those gauges look great. Thanks Jim! I get a bit overwhelmed with it sometimes, but I just make it a point to try to do at least one thing. If that means connecting only ONE wire, then that's what it is lol. I honestly never intended to get into this much work, but here I am. There were times when I wanted to abandon the whole thing, but couldn't do that either. I worry about it not working properly...I have done so many things to it I start to wonder what parts or sections are not going to work lol. I don't think I have it in me to pull the engine or transmission again lol. As I said, I really didn't mean to get into it this far. The things I get myself into. Looking good Cory Yea looking at all that wire I would like to run away but you are in too deep to do that You do tend to go over board on your projects but in the end they look great. Just hope you hold on to this one and enjoy it for a bit before letting it go. Now finish your coffee and get out there and do 1 or 2 things so you can get it on the road soon. Dave ---- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 What a huge amount of progress Cory! Those gauges look great. Thanks Jim! I get a bit overwhelmed with it sometimes, but I just make it a point to try to do at least one thing. If that means connecting only ONE wire, then that's what it is lol. I honestly never intended to get into this much work, but here I am. There were times when I wanted to abandon the whole thing, but couldn't do that either. I worry about it not working properly...I have done so many things to it I start to wonder what parts or sections are not going to work lol. I don't think I have it in me to pull the engine or transmission again lol. As I said, I really didn't mean to get into it this far. The things I get myself into. Never a dull moment, eh? This project has kept you busy and thinking through the winter precisely because it's more than just a Flareside refresh. 😉 You will get it sussed. Then it's time to enjoy cruising and car shows when the weather gets better. What's that idler to the left (right in pic) of your alternator? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted March 4, 2023 Author Share Posted March 4, 2023 Looking good Cory Yea looking at all that wire I would like to run away but you are in too deep to do that You do tend to go over board on your projects but in the end they look great. Just hope you hold on to this one and enjoy it for a bit before letting it go. Now finish your coffee and get out there and do 1 or 2 things so you can get it on the road soon. Dave ---- Haha, thanks Dave! Good to see all the east coasters up and at 'em so early! I am just finishing my 2nd large cup of coffee while I organize my work bench lol. With my back issues today, I can't do much...maybe run some errands and do some "bench top" work if I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rembrant Posted March 4, 2023 Author Share Posted March 4, 2023 Never a dull moment, eh? What's that idler to the left (right in pic) of your alternator? Jim, good question on the idler. That was a lesson I learned the hard way, I guess lol. It is the factory idler wheel when the belt was in the stock location. See below from when I hauled this old 302 home. It's a belt routing that I believe is specific to the 1994-1996 pickups with SBF. Problem was...I deleted the smog pump below the alternator with no provisions for ever being able to reinstall it...in other words, I cut the mounting tabs off and smoothed them out on the big aluminum bracket. Lots of people have eliminated factory smog pumps, I didn't think a thing of it at the time. Unfortunately, it rendered the belt tensioner useless...it just rotated to the full stop. After buying several belts to try and make it work (it still didn't work), I scrounged a new aluminum mounting bracket from a junked F150 out in the woods here, and I was just about ready to order an idler pulley to replace the smog pump when I found a thread on FTE with the same issue I had. A guy posted up a picture of how he had been running his 351w for the past decade, and I gave it a try with my little 302, picture below: It seems like it will work just fine, but I haven't run the engine yet so the jury is still out. If it works on a 351w, it should surely work on a 302, but we will see. I'm now stuck with the factory idler wheel just sitting out in the open. If everything works OK, I will probably remove it and just stick a stainless button head bolt in it's place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 Never a dull moment, eh? What's that idler to the left (right in pic) of your alternator? Jim, good question on the idler. That was a lesson I learned the hard way, I guess lol. It is the factory idler wheel when the belt was in the stock location. See below from when I hauled this old 302 home. It's a belt routing that I believe is specific to the 1994-1996 pickups with SBF. Problem was...I deleted the smog pump below the alternator with no provisions for ever being able to reinstall it...in other words, I cut the mounting tabs off and smoothed them out on the big aluminum bracket. Lots of people have eliminated factory smog pumps, I didn't think a thing of it at the time. Unfortunately, it rendered the belt tensioner useless...it just rotated to the full stop. After buying several belts to try and make it work (it still didn't work), I scrounged a new aluminum mounting bracket from a junked F150 out in the woods here, and I was just about ready to order an idler pulley to replace the smog pump when I found a thread on FTE with the same issue I had. A guy posted up a picture of how he had been running his 351w for the past decade, and I gave it a try with my little 302, picture below: It seems like it will work just fine, but I haven't run the engine yet so the jury is still out. If it works on a 351w, it should surely work on a 302, but we will see. I'm now stuck with the factory idler wheel just sitting out in the open. If everything works OK, I will probably remove it and just stick a stainless button head bolt in it's place. I like that belt routing. It should work well. And the overall plan is really taking shape. I like it. As for walking away, I understand the feeling. I had more wires than you do, and it was quite a slog to get them all hooked up. But I got there and it was well worth it. You will too and will love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salans7 Posted March 4, 2023 Share Posted March 4, 2023 Thanks Jim! I get a bit overwhelmed with it sometimes, but I just make it a point to try to do at least one thing. If that means connecting only ONE wire, then that's what it is lol. I honestly never intended to get into this much work, but here I am. There were times when I wanted to abandon the whole thing, but couldn't do that either. The things I get myself into. I struggle with this as well. I never intended to be tearing apart my F350 and building it from the ground up, but here I am. With my work schedule and just overall project fatigue, I find it hard to do anything on the truck because of how much things like finances, time, weather, and random setbacks have tried to knock me down over the years. The one thing that saves me is my old F150, which I was in a similar situation with. I think back to how much I miss that truck, and how much I wish I would have just kept chugging along on it. That always puts the F350 in perspective for me and I get right back to it until the next setback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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