ArdWrknTrk Posted August 5, 2023 Share Posted August 5, 2023 Here's something I need to figure out. Parking brake likes to pop back off when I set it, often repeatedly. Sometimes it will set, only to pop off later. Being in Tennessee, parking on hills is the norm, so I'll need to solve this. Shortly after it finally set, I opened the door and it popped off again. 😖 Probably check that the pawl spring is pulling it into the quadrant teeth Maybe it's broken or the pivot is rusty. Maybe the quadrant teeth are worn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefire Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 Here's something I need to figure out. Parking brake likes to pop back off when I set it, often repeatedly. Sometimes it will set, only to pop off later. Being in Tennessee, parking on hills is the norm, so I'll need to solve this. Shortly after it finally set, I opened the door and it popped off again. 😖 Hi. Maybe a little oil here and there could fix it ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirkware Posted August 27, 2023 Author Share Posted August 27, 2023 Hi. Maybe a little oil here and there could fix it ? Consider the cobwebs officially blown out! Took Larry out for a 25 mile uneventfully trip. Of course, the whole trip was 27 miles, so the last two miles were adventurous. 😂 Adventure 1: going up a steep hill when suddenly I hear something drop and metal dragging. Immediately I think my driveshaft just came loose and coasted into a parking lot we were right at. Died laughing when I realized it was the spare tire carrier. 😆 Apparently I didn't spin that eye bolt properly and it must have shaken loose and dropped. Started it up and the battery was REALLY WEAK... Took a bit to fire up and I figured I may be limping it home. Had to sit through a red light and then up another steep hill. Did fine. Four way stop, no problem, and then... Adventure 2: it just died on me. No where to pull off and a car behind me so I'm coasting at about 25 in a 35, trying to start it back up to no avail. Weak battery and it doesn't seem to be firing. Picked up some speed down a steep hill and remembered I was coming to Holland trail, a wide and not busy back road, but it's a SHARP right turn. No power steering or power brakes while I slowed from 45+ at the base of the hill and rolled off on the side street. Dead battery? Bad alternator? Oh, I was out of gas... Weak battery was the secondary issue. 🤦🏻♂️ Called a friend who gave me a jump, added the two gallons I thankfully had brought with me just in case, and finally got it fired up after pouring the remaining few drops into the carb that was bone dry apparently. Got home ok. So I'm not sure if my battery is just weak or the alternator is bad, I'm leaning towards alternator since the battery should not have been down after a 25 mile drive. I need to figure out why my gas gauge doesn't work. Sending unit was new with the tank a few months ago. Seems Larry has had a few electrical gremlins. But the good news is... We took Larry for a 27 miles drive, including four miles on the interstate. Hit 70 on the ramp and easily passed 80 before slowing down. I let it slow to 60 when no one was around and then fed it the onions... That 351w comes alive pretty quick at higher speeds. Passing will NOT be an issue. 👍👍🙂 Or maybe I'm just giddy that I have a V8 since I'm used to a straight six. 😆 Screenshot was while we were waiting for a jump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted August 27, 2023 Share Posted August 27, 2023 Consider the cobwebs officially blown out! Took Larry out for a 25 mile uneventfully trip. Of course, the whole trip was 27 miles, so the last two miles were adventurous. 😂 Adventure 1: going up a steep hill when suddenly I hear something drop and metal dragging. Immediately I think my driveshaft just came loose and coasted into a parking lot we were right at. Died laughing when I realized it was the spare tire carrier. 😆 Apparently I didn't spin that eye bolt properly and it must have shaken loose and dropped. Started it up and the battery was REALLY WEAK... Took a bit to fire up and I figured I may be limping it home. Had to sit through a red light and then up another steep hill. Did fine. Four way stop, no problem, and then... Adventure 2: it just died on me. No where to pull off and a car behind me so I'm coasting at about 25 in a 35, trying to start it back up to no avail. Weak battery and it doesn't seem to be firing. Picked up some speed down a steep hill and remembered I was coming to Holland trail, a wide and not busy back road, but it's a SHARP right turn. No power steering or power brakes while I slowed from 45+ at the base of the hill and rolled off on the side street. Dead battery? Bad alternator? Oh, I was out of gas... Weak battery was the secondary issue. 🤦🏻♂️ Called a friend who gave me a jump, added the two gallons I thankfully had brought with me just in case, and finally got it fired up after pouring the remaining few drops into the carb that was bone dry apparently. Got home ok. So I'm not sure if my battery is just weak or the alternator is bad, I'm leaning towards alternator since the battery should not have been down after a 25 mile drive. I need to figure out why my gas gauge doesn't work. Sending unit was new with the tank a few months ago. Seems Larry has had a few electrical gremlins. But the good news is... We took Larry for a 27 miles drive, including four miles on the interstate. Hit 70 on the ramp and easily passed 80 before slowing down. I let it slow to 60 when no one was around and then fed it the onions... That 351w comes alive pretty quick at higher speeds. Passing will NOT be an issue. 👍👍🙂 Or maybe I'm just giddy that I have a V8 since I'm used to a straight six. 😆 Screenshot was while we were waiting for a jump. Two steps forward and one step back, but it sounds like a successful trip overall! Does Larry have a single tank? Where was the gauge reading while out for a drive? You can probe the resistance to ground from a connector without dropping the tank. According to the EVTM the ground is up by the radio. As for your battery do you have the 1G or 2G alternator? Your '86 has an ammeter, correct? If a 2G I'd strongly suggest getting rid of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted August 27, 2023 Share Posted August 27, 2023 Consider the cobwebs officially blown out! Took Larry out for a 25 mile uneventfully trip. Of course, the whole trip was 27 miles, so the last two miles were adventurous. 😂 Adventure 1: going up a steep hill when suddenly I hear something drop and metal dragging. Immediately I think my driveshaft just came loose and coasted into a parking lot we were right at. Died laughing when I realized it was the spare tire carrier. 😆 Apparently I didn't spin that eye bolt properly and it must have shaken loose and dropped. Started it up and the battery was REALLY WEAK... Took a bit to fire up and I figured I may be limping it home. Had to sit through a red light and then up another steep hill. Did fine. Four way stop, no problem, and then... Adventure 2: it just died on me. No where to pull off and a car behind me so I'm coasting at about 25 in a 35, trying to start it back up to no avail. Weak battery and it doesn't seem to be firing. Picked up some speed down a steep hill and remembered I was coming to Holland trail, a wide and not busy back road, but it's a SHARP right turn. No power steering or power brakes while I slowed from 45+ at the base of the hill and rolled off on the side street. Dead battery? Bad alternator? Oh, I was out of gas... Weak battery was the secondary issue. 🤦🏻♂️ Called a friend who gave me a jump, added the two gallons I thankfully had brought with me just in case, and finally got it fired up after pouring the remaining few drops into the carb that was bone dry apparently. Got home ok. So I'm not sure if my battery is just weak or the alternator is bad, I'm leaning towards alternator since the battery should not have been down after a 25 mile drive. I need to figure out why my gas gauge doesn't work. Sending unit was new with the tank a few months ago. Seems Larry has had a few electrical gremlins. But the good news is... We took Larry for a 27 miles drive, including four miles on the interstate. Hit 70 on the ramp and easily passed 80 before slowing down. I let it slow to 60 when no one was around and then fed it the onions... That 351w comes alive pretty quick at higher speeds. Passing will NOT be an issue. 👍👍🙂 Or maybe I'm just giddy that I have a V8 since I'm used to a straight six. 😆 Screenshot was while we were waiting for a jump. Congratulations! In spite of the defugalties you have a good outlook. And, speaking of "feeding it the onions", as you peel this onion you are working your way toward a massive plate of Onion Rings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirkware Posted August 27, 2023 Author Share Posted August 27, 2023 Two steps forward and one step back, but it sounds like a successful trip overall! Does Larry have a single tank? Where was the gauge reading while out for a drive? You can probe the resistance to ground from a connector without dropping the tank. According to the EVTM the ground is up by the radio. As for your battery do you have the 1G or 2G alternator? Your '86 has an ammeter, correct? If a 2G I'd strongly suggest getting rid of it. Single tank. Brand new, and a new sending unit with it, just a few months back. Gauge was on E, but it's always on E... I've had 10+ gallons in it and it never moved. If I'd been thinking, I'd have pulled into a gas station and filled it up, but I started the drive planning on going five miles so that never entered my mind. Ammeter... Yeah, maybe I should be paying attention to that. I'm not used to having one as my 70 has idiot lights. 😂 Not sure on the alternator. I would presume it's whatever was stock. I'll have to look it over. I may pull it and have it tested. Do you run a stock alternator or have you upgraded? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted August 27, 2023 Share Posted August 27, 2023 Single tank. Brand new, and a new sending unit with it, just a few months back. Gauge was on E, but it's always on E... I've had 10+ gallons in it and it never moved. If I'd been thinking, I'd have pulled into a gas station and filled it up, but I started the drive planning on going five miles so that never entered my mind. Ammeter... Yeah, maybe I should be paying attention to that. I'm not used to having one as my 70 has idiot lights. 😂 Not sure on the alternator. I would presume it's whatever was stock. I'll have to look it over. I may pull it and have it tested. Do you run a stock alternator or have you upgraded? If you have a new sender and it was reading empty there's an open circuit (somewhere) Best to test the ground side first and then look for pulsing 5V coming from the ICVR to the sender with the key on. The troubleshooting section of the EVTM here on site can help you figure it out. '86 was a year when your truck could come with a 1G (fender mounted regulator box) or a 2G (integrated regulator) The 2G's had a power plug with two black orange wires that would corrode, melt and sometimes burn up. 🔥 The 1G has a power cable bolted to a lug on the back. The ammeter was never any good anyhow, but the wiring is different, so I asked because tracing the fault has different steps. Again the testing methodology is available in the '86 EVTM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirkware Posted August 27, 2023 Author Share Posted August 27, 2023 If you have a new sender and it was reading empty there's an open circuit (somewhere) Best to test the ground side first and then look for pulsing 5V coming from the ICVR to the sender with the key on. The troubleshooting section of the EVTM here on site can help you figure it out. '86 was a year when your truck could come with a 1G (fender mounted regulator box) or a 2G (integrated regulator) The 2G's had a power plug with two black orange wires that would corrode, melt and sometimes burn up. 🔥 The 1G has a power cable bolted to a lug on the back. The ammeter was never any good anyhow, but the wiring is different, so I asked because tracing the fault has different steps. Again the testing methodology is available in the '86 EVTM. As always, thanks for the great info! I need to read up and go through that troubleshooting. May have to print out the EVTM and put it in a binder. I really need to just order a complete service manual for Larry. I'm just cheap so I haven't yet. 😜 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted August 27, 2023 Share Posted August 27, 2023 As always, thanks for the great info! I need to read up and go through that troubleshooting. May have to print out the EVTM and put it in a binder. I really need to just order a complete service manual for Larry. I'm just cheap so I haven't yet. 😜 You can buy an authorized reprint of your specific year EVTM. https://www.themotorbookstore.com/1986-ford-f-series-truck-electrical-vacuum-troubleshooting-manual.html I found a used '87 copy on eBay for $25 delivered... It's been well worth it for all the help they offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted August 27, 2023 Share Posted August 27, 2023 Do you run a stock alternator or have you upgraded? Sorry, I didn't catch this question. After my 2G killed batteries a couple of times and then melted the wires I gave up on replacing it and went with a 130A 3G from a '92 Taurus 3.8l V6. There's a few wiring changes involving an actual power cable and a Megafuse... Since you have an ammeter you would need to disable it or have it converted to a voltmeter by Rocketman Innovations (~$50) Gary has a writeup under 'Bullnose Upgrades' in the documentation. https://www.garysgaragemahal.com/3g-conversion.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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