California D50

[1980d50]

Hey all, I'm new to the site, but not to these trucks. I had an 86 back in the day that I would selectively street race... never lost. I had to give that truck up to the smog gods. I recently picked up a home depot hauler, because nothing fits in my cars. This truck is a beat up 1980 D-50 that seems to run pretty well. I will be trying to figure out where all the vac hoses go in order to pass smog... Let the fun begin!

63326333

[pennyman1]

thats a 1980 spring special sport model - my part truck is its rusted away twin brother. Welcome to the site

[BradMph]

Welcome to the Site. If you need smog connections, you can check our manual section and Wiki section for help. California still makes you pass smog test with a vehicle 33 years old? I thought there was an exempt age after a certain amount of years in the state. I guess registering it as a classic would be out of the question, lol.

hey Pennyman, that would be twin Brutha! according to the trucks paint.

[irotagrup]

yes year 1975 is th last smog exempt year... it used to 30years and older

[irotagrup]

yes year 1975 is th last smog exempt year... it used to 30years and older, most back assword state ever

[Lon Moer]

yes year 1975 is th last smog exempt year... it used to 30years and older, most back assword state ever

:shakehead:


Thanks Gov. Arnold!
:bang:

[irotagrup]

not sure it was arnold, seems like that happened with Gov. Davis but im not really that sure

[maxx]

gotta love livin in bama no inspection whatsoever

[Lon Moer]

not sure it was arnold, seems like that happened with Gov. Davis but im not really that sure
It was Arnold, even after Jay Leno had personally asked him to veto it.
But Brown would also sign it if it still "needed" to been, so it still wouldn't have mattered in regards to our trucks.

[BradMph]

If it wasn't for east coast screaming Acid rain acid rain, we would be as dirty as Mexico City smog ppm, lol.

[1980d50]

Thanks everyone! I was actually looking for a pre 75 truck when I came across this one. Since I had one before, it was a pretty easy buy.

[1980d50]

thats a 1980 spring special sport model - my part truck is its rusted away twin brother. Welcome to the site

Thanks for the details. I didn't know exactly which one it was. It had a 2.6 in it originally (i'm told) and they swapped a 2.0 into it. Going to be a great little go getter truck. Maybe rat rod d50? lol

[pennyman1]

yes - all sport models in 1980 were 2.6 motors - it was top of the line model that year with bucket seats, center console with gauges and spoke wheels

[irotagrup]

my 79 you said had sport mirrors, and it had a center console with the gauges

[pennyman1]

the small mirrors were the stock mirrors on all the d50s in 79-80 - the folding mirrors were the optional mirrors

[irotagrup]

what about the console? i know its not a sport beacuse it had a bench

[BradMph]

Wonder why they swapped out the 2.6 for a 2.0? Maybe got tired of head cracking or it was a convenience thing for them at the time.
7 years of the same body style but with different paint jobs, what a run of car manufacturing that was...I bet the employees at Mitsubishi truck plant could put them together blindfolded.

[irotagrup]

I had a 2.0 in my '79 and it lost all the teeth on the crank sproket driving the oil pump and silent shaft...

[irotagrup]

Hey all, I'm new to the site, but not to these trucks. I had an 86 back in the day that I would selectively street race... never lost. I had to give that truck up to the smog gods. I recently picked up a home depot hauler, because nothing fits in my cars. This truck is a beat up 1980 D-50 that seems to run pretty well. I will be trying to figure out where all the vac hoses go in order to pass smog... Let the fun begin!
=
i got a good cat and down pipe for that thing i your intrested

[irotagrup]

and a carb and intake too if its a 2.0

[1980d50]

I might be interested in all of that stuff. Prices?

This was a shop truck for many years. I'm told they put a japanese replacement in a few years ago.

I'm hearing some pretty loud clacking in the front of the head. I'm going to pull it off and check it out. There are also some vac lines that I need to figure out locations for. This engine is one of those "low mile" japanese engines, so I'm not sure if that matters.

As for the mirrors, I found a couple of the small ones at the jy today (alone with a 4x4 d50 parts truck) and the holes don't line up. So I'm guessing this truck had the fold out mirrors?

Thanks all! This is a great site!

[irotagrup]

What part of Cali are you in?

[camoit]

Valve adjust is needed. It's a manual adjustment. We have a .PDF manual you can download in the manual section for reference.

[1980d50]

What part of Cali are you in?
Southern California near LA.

[1980d50]

Valve adjust is needed. It's a manual adjustment. We have a .PDF manual you can download in the manual section for reference.

Thanks! On my way to the manual section. I also picked up a 1980 service manual.

[1980d50]

This is part of what I'm trying to piece together also.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2zj75v0pyy58j1i/2013-08-07%2010.05.42.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uzxhl3h008g6x2i/2013-08-07%2010.06.18.jpg

[pennyman1]

You also need the fan shroud so the a/c will work its best

[irotagrup]

Southern California near LA.

i guess that means you dont want to drive up here to come get them lol

[1980d50]

Ya, that looks a bit far.

What is this? https://www.dropbox.com/s/2zj75v0pyy58j1i/2013-08-07%2010.05.42.jpg

[camoit]

That's the AC idle up solenoid

[BradMph]

Along with what Camoit mentioned about valve adjustment.
If your head has the tappet adjustable type valve rockers with no jet valves or hydraulic lifters in the rockers, these engines can have a typical tapping sound especially as they put on the miles, but it would be well worth doing an adjustment since they probably have not been done for years.

That air cleaner housing you have looks almost new. Overall looks like a nice truck.

[1980d50]

That's the AC idle up solenoid

Thanks!

[1980d50]

Along with what Camoit mentioned about valve adjustment.
If your head has the tappet adjustable type valve rockers with no jet valves or hydraulic lifters in the rockers, these engines can have a typical tapping sound especially as they put on the miles, but it would be well worth doing an adjustment since they probably have not been done for years.

That air cleaner housing you have looks almost new. Overall looks like a nice truck.

It's more than a tap, it's trying to get out! lol I'm going to pull the cover off and take a look soon. The air cleaner was painted with engine paint... I was painting a 350 at the time and just kept painting things.

[BradMph]

I figured your tapping noise was loud, :) but it must be obnoxiously loud. Got good oil pressure going to the head. Mine use to drop slowly almost to zero as it got older. After rebuild it still taps a bit, but pressure stays put. That air cleaner looks like the tube for the reed valve is on the opposite side (front). Mine was on the back. Big 1 inch hose going to that exhaust tubing piece.

[1980d50]

I figured your tapping noise was loud, :) but it must be obnoxiously loud. Got good oil pressure going to the head. Mine use to drop slowly almost to zero as it got older. After rebuild it still taps a bit, but pressure stays put. That air cleaner looks like the tube for the reed valve is on the opposite side (front). Mine was on the back. Big 1 inch hose going to that exhaust tubing piece.

Yeah, there is one on the front and the back...? :shrug:

[1980d50]

I'm thinking there are parts still in the engine bay that were for the 2.6? I took off the valve cover and didn't notice any excessive wear or anything loose. The oil is very dirty though.

[BradMph]

That looks a lot like a 2.6 to me in your drop box images.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/uzxhl3h008g6x2i/2013-08-07%2010.06.18.jpg
Unless the valve covers change drastically from 80 to 86

[pennyman1]

the 80 2.0 and 2.6 look the same at first glance - until 83 they were the same engine family.The valve covers are different from 79-82 and 83-89 2.6 also. There is a spot on the block that will tell you which motor it is

[1980d50]

It's a 2.0 but it used to have a 2.6. It seems they used some things from the old motor.

[1980d50]

What should I be looking/feeling for under the valve cover to check for that loud tick/clank? I redid the cover. I guess I'll do each part as I take it off lol. https://www.dropbox.com/s/fjw0eglahs2amhe/.facebook_-466815996.jpg

[irotagrup]

what color is that it looks pretty cool

[1980d50]

It's black wrinkle paint.
6381
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gswhqzya2h9fys8/PhotoGrid_1376532730251.jpg

[irotagrup]

i colored mine red to match my red truck lol

[1980d50]

Here is a short video of the engine running. You can hear the bolts I threw down the oil fill cap bouncing around in there. I'm kidding of course, but that's what it sounds like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5JjE_L9_6o&feature=youtu.be

[1980d50]

i colored mine red to match my red truck lol

Awesome! I always thought it was going to be harder than it was. Makes ugly things look nice quickly. :)

[BradMph]

You know, Sand works much better then bolts in that area. :lmao:

[irotagrup]

shoud quiet everything down lol:lmao:

[1980d50]

Lol

What does it sound like? Bad lifter?