1987 Ram 50 Replace, Rebuild, Restore...AKA the "pantydropper"

[tylerkhn]

What started as a simple "point A to point B" truck has now turned into a full blown project. The truck is a 1987 Ram 50 with the 2.6L and 5 speed transmission. I bought the truck with the intention of strictly using it to get to work and back, but we all know how us car guys are. That is never the case.

Here is the truck the day I bought her:

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd1736d8e.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd1736d8e.jpg.html)

She needed work. Previous owner said that he couldn't get her to start, but it would turn over. After looking over the truck, I realized that the spark plug wires seemed to be the wrong length for the respective plug and rotor cap. I quickly shook hands with an agreeing price of $200, figuring the worst thing would be scrapping the truck and getting back what I bought it for.

After towing her home and doing a little research, I found out that the spark plug wires were hooked up in the wrong order. With a glimmer of hope on the horizon, I ran outside and switched around the wires, said a silent prayer, and turned the key. With some hesitation, the engine began to turn over. After about 10 full seconds of hesitation, to my surprise the engine sputtered and fired up! I had a steal of a deal! I bought the truck for $200 and all that was wrong was the firing order!

Or so I thought. After the truck started, I decided to let the truck run for a little white since it had not previously been started since 2009. Ignoring what should have been some obvious signs of an impending problem, I shrugged off the white smoke coming out of the tail pipe as carbon buildup. After 15 minutes of it running and reving up the engine, I took it for a spin around the block. Boy did I feel like a fat kid in a candy store. I was ready to go tell my wife that I was right and the truck wasn't a money pit, blah blah blah. When I came back and parked the truck, 2 things were very evident.

Problem #1: She started smoking. Again. This time, it looked like a rain cloud behind my truck.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps50618fbc.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps50618fbc.jpg.html)

Problem #2: In my mood of excitement, I failed to pay attention to all of my gauges. (You know where this is going)

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpse5bfc4fa.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpse5bfc4fa.jpg.html)

I quickly shut down the truck and the smell of hot metal hit me all of a sudden. In a worried panic, I opened the hook in an effort to cool the engine down enough so I could check the antifreeze level. To my surprise, the radiator was bone dry. So dry there appeared to be cob webs just below the filler neck. I sighed and smirked at my stupidity. I should have checked to make sure there was antifreeze. With a sign of relief, I decided to call it a night and get antifreeze tomorrow.

The next day I had training, so I work up early. After training I went to DMV to get the truck's registration current (it was last registered in 2007) and get the title in my name. (Did I mention that it was a clean title?) And of course, I stopped by my local friendly Autozone to get some 50/50 diluted antifreeze. I got home, filled up the radiator, and let it sit for about 4 hours. I wanted to see if there was a radiator leak, or if the guy before me didn't have it filled up. I pack up my things and start to head out to work, really excited to show off my "new" truck, now known as the "Pantydropper". To my pleasant surprise, there was not a drop of fluid on the ground under my truck, and the radiator appeared to have fluid in it still. I sat my happy butt in the driver seat, and drove the truck to work where it would ultimately meet its demise.

This time, I knew to pay attention to the temperature gauge. About 10 minutes into a 15 minute drive to work, I noticed that the gauge began to read hot again. I was only 5 minutes away from work, and was in a part of town that stopping would be against my better judgement. So I muscled her in and pulled up to my shop. I shut her off, and the smell of hot metal hit me in the face again. I began to get concerned, and figured I'd let her cool down and start her up in an hour.

When I come back outside, I check the radiator level, and it is dry. Again. I check under the truck, and couldn't see anything (it had began to rain on my way to work so it was hard to tell). When I go to crank her over, she wouldn't start. At this point a couple of my coworkers come out and help me out. One shot starter fluid into the carb, and after a few tries she barely started. This time, she was smoking so bad that we had to shut her off before we drew too much attention. (We are airplane mechanics. White smoke right next to a flightline full of airplanes tends to make people's hearts pound faster) That was when the inevitable was realized, I needed a new head gasket.

Fast forward to yesterday. I towed my truck to the shop and began to tear into her. I popped off the valve cover, and the oil was creamy white. Phew, at least I was on the right track and knew it was a head gasket! Right? So I continue pulling everything out. Carb, timing chain, distributor, etc. Even the exhaust and intake manifolds came off with very little convincing. (Just sprayed some WD40 on it aboutevery 10 minutes up until I pulled them off). I pulled off the head and my heart sank. Not only did the head gasket appear to not be damaged, but it appeared to be new.

So after some cursing and throwing wrenches, I decided to look at the head. And here is what I found...

Crack #1: A crack roughly one half inch in length, wide enough to get your fingernail in.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Crack1oval_zps2a3b567d.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Crack1oval_zps2a3b567d.jpg.html)

Crack #2: A crack that goes into the valve guide, once we got the valve out the crack was roughly 6 inches in total length.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Crack3oval_zpsd7d6c5e4.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Crack3oval_zpsd7d6c5e4.jpg.html)

Crack #3: A crack that goes between the intake and exhaust valves, Only a quarter to half inch in lengh, but very wide.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Crack2ova_zps6fb88f16.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Crack2ova_zps6fb88f16.jpg.html)

What had started off as a motivated day with a "can do" attitude, was abruptly halted. I quickly called around to the junk yards and to any auto parts stores around here that were still open, and nobody had any Ram 50s or MMs. What was I to do? I wasn't ready to scrap this truck. So I found a website, Auto Parts Warehouse. Not only did they have the exact head I needed (a new one, not used or refurbished) but they also ship to Alaska! So I went ahead and places an order on the following:

ReplacementREPC315801Cylinder Head - Direct fit
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sku/Dodge/Ram_50/Replacement/Cylinder_Head/1987/Base/4_Cyl_2-dot-6L/REPC315801.html

FelproES72860Cylinder Head Bolt - Direct fit:
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sku/Dodge/Ram_50/Felpro/Cylinder_Head_Bolt/1987/Base/4_Cyl_2-dot-6L/FPES72860.html

AutoTrust SilverD312503Engine Gasket Set - Cylinder head, Direct fit
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sku/Dodge/Ram_50/AutoTrust_Silver/Engine_Gasket_Set/1987/Base/4_Cyl_2-dot-6L/WD312503ATS.html

I am hoping that these parts will get here in a week or less, but I won't hold my breath. In the mean time, I pulled off all the usable parts on the old head and decided that I had enough for the day, and would work on cleaning them up later.

So here I am today, telling you my life story. I went back to the shop and decided to take a closer look at the valves and see if they were reusable or not. To my relief, they all were.

Here is what I started with. Carbon contaminated, gunk built up valves. It looks like there could be some sort of life form living inside of that carbon.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps93b3fd3f.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps93b3fd3f.jpg.html)

With time ticking away, I got to cleaning. I used the sandblasting cabinet and a wire wheel. The key is to be patient. 27 year old valves with 230,000 miles aren't going to be cleaned easily. What I did was sandblast each valve individually, to get off the built up gunk. When I got off all that I could, I took it to the wire wheel for a finer cleaning method. Once I wire wheeled off everything that was apparent to the naked eye, I sandblasted it one more time followed by one more wire wheel. This ensured that there was nothing left on there and left a like new feel of a finish to it.

Prior to sandblasting:

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps51ee5ec1.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps51ee5ec1.jpg.html)

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsfa39a6c7.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsfa39a6c7.jpg.html)

Post sandblasting, but prior wire wheel:

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps0bfeaa26.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps0bfeaa26.jpg.html)

And here is the semi-finished product. (Still had one more step to do which I will explain momentarily)

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps5c6dd945.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps5c6dd945.jpg.html)

The difference was night and day. Now, a second ago I said there was one more step. It was to grind the valve head to be an exact 45 degrees, and to flatted out the stem. I do this so if there was any warping or tweaking of the valve, it will be a direct seal on the new head. I used this machine to do that:

http://climaxportable.com/products/vm5800-stationary-gateglobe-grinding-lapping/

The finished product was night and day, and it saved me a ton of money from buying new valves. Here is a comparison:

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsf47fd0a1.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsf47fd0a1.jpg.html)

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps18d7c692.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps18d7c692.jpg.html)

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps586b302a.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps586b302a.jpg.html)

I am now playing the waiting game. As soon as the new components get here, I will post an update. In the meantime, I plan to enjoy this 70 degrees Alaskan weather that I haven't had since last year. If you have any questions feel free to ask and if you have suggestions, I am always open to ideas. As you have guessed, this truck is going to be a full blown restoration. My plan is to do it right, starting with the engine. I'm sorry that this may not be slammed or lifted or have new shiny wheels just yet, but what good is a truck if it doesn't run?

I appreciate you guys taking the time to read this and look forward to giving you more updates!

-Tyler

[royster]

I'm sorry that this may not be slammed or lifted or have new shiny wheels just yet, but what good is a truck if it doesn't run?

I am in strong agreement here: there are lots of accounts here of modification plans for these trucks, yet the engine is getting minimal attention. I confess I started out that way, too, and my own story unfolds with my realizing that the truck is worthless if it isn't mechanically sound. And for these trucks, there are no quick fixes. I applaud your attitude and resolve to do it right, right from the start.

I also appreciate the detail you went through to tell your story, complete with photographs. Your $200 truck is still a bargain, and hopefully a treasure...heck, just the camper shell is worth 200...but there is a satisfaction to these little guys we all know is the root of our addiction to them.

I'll be permanently offline as of May 14 so I won't be able to follow your story, but I wish you well, knowing that you have everything it takes to have a successful restoration.

[tylerkhn]

I am in strong agreement here: there are lots of accounts here of modification plans for these trucks, yet the engine is getting minimal attention. I confess I started out that way, too, and my own story unfolds with my realizing that the truck is worthless if it isn't mechanically sound. And for these trucks, there are no quick fixes. I applaud your attitude and resolve to do it right, right from the start.

I also appreciate the detail you went through to tell your story, complete with photographs. Your $200 truck is still a bargain, and hopefully a treasure...heck, just the camper shell is worth 200...but there is a satisfaction to these little guys we all know is the root of our addiction to them.

I'll be permanently offline as of May 14 so I won't be able to follow your story, but I wish you well, knowing that you have everything it takes to have a successful restoration.

Thanks for the support! Eventually I'll work on getting the truck to look nice. After I get the head back together, I'm going to go ahead and upgrade the carburetor. I figure since I already have the old one off I might as well put on the new Weber carb and Carter fuel pump.

After that, I really need to address the rust problem. I'm going to cut out the bottom of the door panel and weld in some patches of aluminum and sand it all down and hopefully achieve a factory look. I also want to take the bed off the frame and sand off all of the rust and rhino line the underside of the bed so it doesn't rust anymore.

In the meantime, I figure I can pull off the catalytic converter and make sure it's not clogged up them I'll wire wheel the intake and exhaust manifolds and heat shield and use some rustolium so when it's back together it's clean. I'm thinking black manifolds and a Mopar orange valve cover.

[tylerkhn]

Today was a good day. Got off of work early, and came home to an early Christmas. My Weber 32/36 carburetor has come in! Excited like a little kid on Christmas morning, I quickly opened up the box and carefully looked it over. This is a true Weber carburetor. How do I know? Well I'm glad you asked.

While lurking these forums I have noticed a lot of people asking how do they know they have received a genuine Weber instead of the knock off carburetor. So here is some good indications that you are rocking the real deal.

Indication #1: The word "WEBER" is raised on the surface of the side of the carb. It is not a sticker or a stamp, but it is raised.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd5ae1526.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd5ae1526.jpg.html)

Indication #2: "Made in Spain" is raised in the same manner as the "WEBBER" that was previously stated.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps3b226a10.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps3b226a10.jpg.html)

Indication #3 is plain as day on the box. It says at the top, "Distributed BY: REDLINE." In addition to that statement, there is a sticker stating; "The only original European factory manufactured Weber Carburetor".

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps60765d2d.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps60765d2d.jpg.html)

Indication #4: The instructions also say "Distribured by Redline" at the top right corner on the cover.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsb884bbc8.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsb884bbc8.jpg.html)

I don't have a comparison picture at the moment, but the true Weber carburetor isn't shiny on the body itself and has brass colored fuel/air nipples and plugs. The fake Weber will be shiny like it has been buffed and has a semi reflective finish.

Not sure if this info is relevant to anybody on these forums, but I figure at least one person out there could benefit from this. I'd have for somebody to order a fake Weber because they didn't have the resources at their fingertips.

In the meantime, my new cylinder head says it will be here on Wednesday, and the other parts are showing that they have shipped but don't have a delivery date yet. If they get in before this weekend, I should have the truck buttoned up again by Sunday. If they come after the weekend, it will be at least a week and a half. My brother in law is coming up and I'm taking him fishing out of Seward for a week so I will be out of the shop for awhile.

Anyways, thanks again for letting me bother you. Until next time, you stay classy San Diego!

-Tyler

[ksupp]

Where did you order the weber carb from ? I found redline - but they appear to be wholesaler only. Thanks !

[tylerkhn]

Well, time for an update. Spent all weekend working on the 'Ol girl. When I say working, I really mean creating more problems.

Starting on Saturday, it began with putting everything in the new head. Simple enough, right? Well, I started to transfer everything from the old head to the new head, then realized that some of the valve lifters need to be replaced. Here's what a bad one looks like:

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps5433a4a6.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps5433a4a6.jpg.html)

As you can see, the tip of the lifter isn't rounded off and has uneven wear. This will cause warping on your valve stem. It is vital that if you pull your head apart that you inspect them. Also be sure to push down on them to get any oil out of the old ones.

After getting new lifters, I got the head fully assembled. I put lubricant on every moving surface to prevent any metal on metal rubbing.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps043fbc8c.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps043fbc8c.jpg.html)

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps3072b5ef.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps3072b5ef.jpg.html)

Prior to installing the head, check to make sure your cylinder bore is clean of any debri. At this point, rotate your crank until your #1 piston is top dead center. When you put on your timing chain gear, you want the dot to be at the 12 o clock position. Make sure you don't allow any slack in the timing chain or the tensioner will slide out.

After that, I placed the new head gasket on the block, and installed the head. THERE IS A SPECIFIC ORDER FOR TIGHTENING DOWN THE HEAD BOLTS. For the order, refer to the Haynes manual. The torque value of the head bolts, with the exception of the front 2 are 69 foot pounds. The front 2 bolts are in inch pounds. If you have a foot pounds torque wrench, just divide the inch pounds by 12 and that is what you will set the foot pounds torque wrench too. The front 2 bolts are torqued to 13 foot pounds.

After getting the head installed and torqued, lather all the moving surfaces with lubricant.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps497321a4.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps497321a4.jpg.html)

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps54a485e3.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps54a485e3.jpg.html)


After that, things were pretty smooth sailing until the carb install. My recommendation is this...TAKE A PICTURE OF EVERY LINE AND HOSE THAT GOES TO THE CARBURETOR BEFORE YOU DISCONNECT THEM. This will save you a major headache. Trust me, it is damn near impossible.

The next and last problem I have run into is connecting the distributor. I was undoing the nut on the ignition coil so I can put the positive wire or the distributor on, and this was the result...

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps34242956.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps34242956.jpg.html)

Morale of the story, take your time. All I have left to do is order a new ignition coil, then put in new oil and antifreeze. I will post more of my progress as it happens. Feel free to ask questions and thanks for reading y'all!

-Ty

[BradMph]

Nice stuff, glad it all worked out for you. That one image of the lube poured on the rocker assembly almost looks like someone cut themselves in a bad way.;) The head looks amazing when they are all purty like that.

Didn't have time for a powerwash on the engine bay?

[tylerkhn]

Nice stuff, glad it all worked out for you. That one image of the lube poured on the rocker assembly almost looks like someone cut themselves in a bad way.;) The head looks amazing when they are all purty like that.

Didn't have time for a power-wash on the engine bay?

Thank you very much. Unfortunately I didn't get around to it, but I suppose I could have. I was too worried about getting everything back together. Eventually I'd like it pressure wash it, maybe when I do the Weber carburetor swap. Once I get the truck running good, I need to address the rust on the body. Probably going to cut and went sheet-metal over the exposed spots then apply some jelly on it to prevent any further rust.

[tylerkhn]

Well I guess it's time for an update. I have some good news, the truck is now running great. I can't say that it was easy or cheap, but it feels good to be able to drive it now.

Not everything went as smooth as I'd like it to, but that is life. The ballast resistor (white ceramic brick next to the ignition coil) was snapped in half, so I replaced that. As I posted earlier, the stud on the ignition coil broke off, so I got a new ignition coil. I stripped out the two screws that were holding in the bracket, so I replaced them with bolts. While the bracket was out I went ahead and sand blasted it and took it to a wire wheel, and it looks good as new. I also decided to get a new radiator cap since the old one looked like it was put through a meat grinder.

While I was waiting on parts, I drained it of oil and antifreeze. The first oil top off after a top end rebuild is vital. Since your block will still have some water and antifreeze in it, you want to make sure it is all gone since it is corrosive. You want to run some oil for about 100 miles, then drain it. This will ensure your oil is going to be clean and not corrode your engine. I say this because you don't want to spend the money on some really good fully synthetic oil like Royal Purple, just to drain it all out a week later.

After I put everything back together, I went to start her up. All I got was air blowing out of the carburetor. I made sure the #1 piston was at top dead center (TDC) and the mark on the upper timing chain gear was at the 12 o' clock position. After a few days of head scratching, I realized that the #1 intake valve wouldn't fully close on the compression stroke. So I rotated the cam 45 degrees, and this put the mark on the upper timing chain gear at roughly the 3 o' clock position. After that, she ran like a champ for 15 minutes then died and wouldn't start. I noticed that when I opened the throttle up, it was barely squirting any fuel into the carb. I was an idiot. I forgot to put the spacer back on the fuel pump before installing it in the head again.

So the next day, I installed the spacer, started her up, and drove her around. She ran good. Not only does the truck not overheat, but it stays on the cool side, about the first quarter of the temperature gauge. My next step was to get rid of my studded tires. ($50 per tire ticket if caught). So today, I took the truck to the tire shop with the intent to get the studs pulled out of the tires. Well, the guy said if I paid $100 and gave him the studded tires, he would just give me some brand new summer tires. How could I turn that deal down?

So here I am today, happy as all can be. My next project is going to be doing the Weber 32/36 2bbl carb swap. I just need to find some time to do it, but king salmon are running right now so Sundays are devoted solely to fishing for the forseable future. Maybe I'll do it on an off day or take a couple of days off of work and knock it out.

I'm sorry I can't post any pictures at this moment, my phone is having a hard time uploading the photos. As soon as they do I will post descriptive and informative pictures. I am by no means an expert on these trucks, but if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to give them. I am open to suggestions and idead. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day.

-Tyler

[tylerkhn]

As I said a couple of days ago, here are some photos to go along with the last update.

This is the ballast resistor for the ignition coil. I went to pull out the old ignition coil and saw there was a hairline crack down the body of the resistor, and wiggled it a little bit. It fell right apart, so I called Napa and ordered 2 of them. One as a spare, and one to install. They were only a few bucks and easy to install. Also take not at the screw holding in the bracket. Both of the screws were stripped out and required some vice-grips to get out. I replaced them with bolts which will make it easier to take off in the future.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd6f46447.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd6f46447.jpg.html)


After I got the bracket out, it needed some rust preventative maintenance, so I got to cleaning.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd0a4cf33.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd0a4cf33.jpg.html)


This is what I was working with, grime coated rust infected metal.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps6151a712.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps6151a712.jpg.html)


After some sandblasting and wire wheeling, the metal looked like new and even smoothed out. It was 20 minutes of cleaning and probably saved me $20 of buying a new one.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsb2c7db42.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsb2c7db42.jpg.html)


Here is the completed bracket with the new ignition coil and ballast resistor on there. The difference was night and day. It is the little things that adds up for a nice looking truck.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpscc0bf345.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpscc0bf345.jpg.html)


After that was reinstalled, I cranked her up and got her running. I played around with the timing a little bit then noticed a pinging sound. I troubleshot a little bit and heard it coming from the power steering pump. At first I assumed that I was going to have to replace the pump, but thought to check the power steering fluid reservoir. It was bone dry. When I turned the steering wheel, it made a whining noise. So I topped it off with power steering fluid and the pinging and whining noise was gone almost instantly. Problem solved, and dodged a $80 part. I let it idle for awhile and kept revving the engine. Had to adjust the throttle cable a little bit but after 15 minutes the engine wouldn't overheat and it idled smoothly.

I drove it home that night, parked her and started to get some stuff ready to go salmon fishing in the morning. Next morning I got up early and went outside to bring our fishing poles to our other truck (2012 GMC Yukon) and noticed the front door of my truck (D50) was wide open. I should have mentioned that I can't lock the doors because the key I have doesn't work. I didn't think it would be an issue since the apartments I live in are gated and have private security that walks around from 10pm to 6am. Anyways, I noticed that the front driver door was open. I went up and looked inside and didn't see anything obvious that was missing. So I shrugged it off and went about my way and went fishing. After a full day at the river and on the lake, I came home skunked. Not a bite. As I was cleaning out the Yukon and putting things up, I figure I should double check the truck and make sure I didn't overlook anything since I was half asleep the first time I checked. And I realized I have my mechanics tool box missing with about $1500 worth of tools and equipment, my registration, insurance ID card, and title was also missing. I was missing a gas can, 6 quarts of oil (Royal purple too, the crooks even know what is the good stuff I guess), and the side of my camper shell had a busted out window. So I called Anchorage PD and the state troopers and reported the incident. Since the police weren't much help, I took matters into my own hands and left a friendly sign for the crooks.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps2b5a9c76.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps2b5a9c76.jpg.html)


Since then, I haven't had an issue. Now I just need to buy tools again, and that isn't going to be an easy task. So fast forward a couple of days, the truck is still running strong and not overheating. I went ahead and swapped out my winter studded tires for some brand new summer tires.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps5df72529.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps5df72529.jpg.html)


And to my relief, the truck not only doesn't overheat, but it runs on the cool side. This is about as hot as the engine gets now.

http://i1041.photobucket.com/albums/b416/Air_Force_Tyler/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd7f488f4.jpg (http://s1041.photobucket.com/user/Air_Force_Tyler/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsd7f488f4.jpg.html)


So now that she is running good, I think I'm going to move onto something else. I want to get a radio put in, but haven't decided yet. My wife and I are going to be moving out of Alaska in 5 months, so I don't want to get into anything too deep since we're shipping the truck out of here and it has to be running. I will probably do some minor body repair like filling in the rust and popping out the dents. What do you guys think? Thanks for reading!

-Tyler

[tylerkhn]

I want to give many thanks to ragragtimetime for helping me get some new looks for the truck. All I have to do is install them when I get some time. I will post pictures of the job with description and maybe somebody can find it useful, or I can waste your time making you read through it.

The truck is still running good, but there are a couple of things that are beginning to concern me. I don't know if it's because I am getting use to the truck or I'm being too nit-picky. After cold start and driving it after sitting for a few hours, it sounds like it is making a diesel noise. It doesn't seem to affect the performance, but the sound is definitely there. The second concern is this; sometimes the truck is really easy to start and will start up no problem. Other time, I crank it and flutter the pedal for a few seconds before it fires. Any insight?

Like I said, not sure if these are legitimate problems to be worried about, or if I'm being over cautious and these are common with these older trucks. Thanks for reading!

-Tyler

[BradMph]

RagRagTime is great help around here, I'm sure he will appreciate that very much.

That sound is the knox, your timing is probably off or raise your octane and see if that fixes it. The knocking sound is explosions above the piston before it reaches it correct position to fire the fuel n the cylinder.
Your starting problem is probably connected to the knocking issue. Possibly if you have to hit the gas a bunch to get it started it may be your accelerator pump possibly or fuel vapor locking from fuel boiling in the fuel line.. Though I think the 2 items you have are of one. You don't want engine knocking and it will increase on hills. It can crack a piston if left to keep doing it.

Your thieves are close by, closer then you think. Keep that in mind. A thief is just as bad a rapist and should pay like one. They live off other peoples hard work and pinch it off for drugs most the time. The world is not a safe place for possessions if someone sees it and wants it.

[tylerkhn]

RagRagTime is great help around here, I'm sure he will appreciate that very much.

That sound is the knox, your timing is probably off or raise your octane and see if that fixes it. The knocking sound is explosions above the piston before it reaches it correct position to fire the fuel n the cylinder.
Your starting problem is probably connected to the knocking issue. Possibly if you have to hit the gas a bunch to get it started it may be your accelerator pump possibly or fuel vapor locking from fuel boiling in the fuel line.. Though I think the 2 items you have are of one. You don't want engine knocking and it will increase on hills. It can crack a piston if left to keep doing it.

Your thieves are close by, closer then you think. Keep that in mind. A thief is just as bad a rapist and should pay like one. They live off other peoples hard work and pinch it off for drugs most the time. The world is not a safe place for possessions if someone sees it and wants it.

Thanks for the info BradMph. I'll take a look into that sometime soon. The red salmon are running right now, so I've been going down to the Kenai almost every day to catch some reds and down to Homer to catch some kings. Once the runs slow down I'll get back to the truck.

If the thieves are at my truck while I'm out there, or messing with anyone or anything for that matter, they're going to have an unwelcoming sight. I conceal carry, so whatever they do they better think twice. I don't have a problem listening to the last words of a fool.

Anywho, thanks again for the help. I just get a little nervous when I start hearing new noises with the truck, but I guess it could be taking it's course.

[ragragtimetime]

a few other things to check for eliminating knocking: your pic of temp readout indicates to me that thermostat is tired or incorrect. for g54b "the" service manual recommends 88c (190f) or more with jiggle valve (i run a stant 45869 which is 195f in the 1983 g54b) improper engine temp will cause knock & if you think its running cool now wait til the snow flies (i know your thinking its gonna run too hot, read on). another item to check is spark plugs (@ sometime the cross reference charts got messed up & most parts stores will recommend a hotter plug & not show the following) for a g54b "the" service manual recommends NGK bur6ea-11 or ND w20epr-s11 (i had trouble locating either of these for a reasonable price & run an equivalent autolite 63 @ $2.19 each in the 1983 g54b). improper spark plug heat value will cause knock (if you are an ngk lover like i am always remember their chart is opposite of most..the lower the #=hot & the higher the #=cold). another item is faulty advance mechanism (this may mean something as simple as vacuum leak) "typically" the line gets old & "usually" only cracks where it attaches. i recently had discovered 1 on the 1983 (after i was sure got all of them) & it was cracked on the underside where i couldn't see, after a quick snip off of the last 1/2" & reapply it was noticeably smoother. so check the line to the vacuum advance. another item is timing should be about 7 btdc (i run the 1983 around 9btdc). & if you keep praising me i'll come up with "another item".

[pennyman1]

I second the 195 thermo - I tried the 180 one in Geronimo, then put in the 195 - world of difference.Stock thermo in 1980 in the US was the 180 - the 195 was the canadian stat. NGK plugs are indeed reverse of other plugs - each number is 1/2 step of a heat range - other plugs are a full step. I have run Geronimo at 10btdc for years, but my truck also has a weber carb, header and custom flowmaster exhaust, so he is not stock.

[noahwins]

Um...did the thieves leave Obama bumper stickers on your truck or something?