Proud owner 85 D50 (New to me)

[Gremlin50D]

Well guy backed out of the deal on the seats then it dawned on me before I got back into the mini truck seen I was and still am big into corollas and tend to pick up a parts car once in a while had this old trashed AE101 corolla hanging out in the woods been there doors open for 4 years? If not longer seats where not to to bad better then what I currently have seeing as my bench has broken springs and what not so a few patches and good scrubbing they look better with no moss and spiderwebs and pinestraw had alot of old engine parts sitting on them so heavily oil stained this is after 2 shots with a pressure washer and 8 scrubs with Meguiar's cleaner figure some seat covers here soon will help they are pretty comfy and everything on them is functional so for free recycling they will work.

d347283cb7ce037b6ef8aa78926343a1.jpg

[xboxrox]

Hawaii mini trucks help the old white men with affordable transportation & eveyone else driving a mini truck uses them for loud music, jacked up sky high, tires 'n wheels so wide they take up more than one lane, LED bright light machines blinding everyone else ~ mini trucks are the cheapest vehicles to buy & use as a modified toy
Toyotas are plentiful here, old is cool VW wagons and the kine ~ new stuff is all Jeep Wranglers & Teslas & Forerunners & some Corvettes 'n Porcshe ~ then come the motorcycles scooters bicycles skateboarders pedestrians & roosters hens chicks
Driving here is best described as a CIRCUS !!! For example at four way stops each driver will begin waving their hands to give the ok for other drivers to go first ~ so whoever waves first or waves the most they win the contest for who's rules of the road will we follow this time ~ everything possible has jumped out in front of me except a commercial jet landing for HNL ~ I started driving at age 15 1/2 in California and was lisenced to drive in Japan for more than 10 years and I am still driving at age 73
WHEN I SAY IT'S A CIRCUS ~ YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT ~ I was lisenced in NY WA CA Japan Okinawa HI ~ Lisenced to drive 40 passenger bus too !!!
CIRCUS
CIRCUS
CIRCUS

[geezer101]

Well George, at least you can't complain about it being boring on the roads in Hawaii. I'd be more worried about the guys who decide driving while wasted is a good idea. I hear tales about how bad the driving in Florida is

The 'rolla seats will do the job and who knows, you might find something nicer in the future. We have monthly deals on parts at the local U-pull-it yards and pairs of seats for $99 often comes up (least once a year). I grabbed a pair of seats from a Peugeot 306xsi with lumbar and height adjust and stashed the belts in the backrest pockets so I wouldn't have to mess with seat belt mods. It's illegal for yards here to sell used belts and they won't let you just 'take' them. Old lap belts from back seats make great engine hoist straps and the belt anchors are perfect for hooking up a shackle bolt through and hanging off an engine lifter hook.

[Gremlin50D]

Hawaii mini trucks help the old white men with affordable transportation & eveyone else driving a mini truck uses them for loud music, jacked up sky high, tires 'n wheels so wide they take up more than one lane, LED bright light machines blinding everyone else ~ mini trucks are the cheapest vehicles to buy & use as a modified toy
Toyotas are plentiful here, old is cool VW wagons and the kine ~ new stuff is all Jeep Wranglers & Teslas & Forerunners & some Corvettes 'n Porcshe ~ then come the motorcycles scooters bicycles skateboarders pedestrians & roosters hens chicks
Driving here is best described as a CIRCUS !!! For example at four way stops each driver will begin waving their hands to give the ok for other drivers to go first ~ so whoever waves first or waves the most they win the contest for who's rules of the road will we follow this time ~ everything possible has jumped out in front of me except a commercial jet landing for HNL ~ I started driving at age 15 1/2 in California and was lisenced to drive in Japan for more than 10 years and I am still driving at age 73
WHEN I SAY IT'S A CIRCUS ~ YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT ~ I was lisenced in NY WA CA Japan Okinawa HI ~ Lisenced to drive 40 passenger bus too !!!
CIRCUS
CIRCUS
CIRCUS

Sounds interesting haha over here the most interesting thing is wrecks at the round about and thats it no many if any sites to see also I have been driving for a while as well but only got a proper license 11 years ago before that it was all back road driving.

[Gremlin50D]

Well George, at least you can't complain about it being boring on the roads in Hawaii. I'd be more worried about the guys who decide driving while wasted is a good idea. I hear tales about how bad the driving in Florida is

The 'rolla seats will do the job and who knows, you might find something nicer in the future. We have monthly deals on parts at the local U-pull-it yards and pairs of seats for $99 often comes up (least once a year). I grabbed a pair of seats from a Peugeot 306xsi with lumbar and height adjust and stashed the belts in the backrest pockets so I wouldn't have to mess with seat belt mods. It's illegal for yards here to sell used belts and they won't let you just 'take' them. Old lap belts from back seats make great engine hoist straps and the belt anchors are perfect for hooking up a shackle bolt through and hanging off an engine lifter hook.

Sadly there is only 1 half decent junkyard in my area we have no pick n pull,pull a parts that requires almost a 2-3 hour one way drive and the local yard normally likes to charge 150+ for a single seat and they have nothen older then 1999 they refuse to keep anything kinda crappy place.

[geezer101]

You work with what ya can get. I'd love to get something like the seats out of a Polaris RZR. They look freaking cool

[Gremlin50D]

You work with what ya can get. I'd love to get something like the seats out of a Polaris RZR. They look freaking cool

You can find them online for pretty cheap lots of people swap seats but idk if I'd like to sit on one day after day lol can't be to comfy after a while.

[Gremlin50D]

Sorry for lack of updates not much has changed on the truck I did get some brackets made up and got my seats installed "photos coming later" but had to park it today till the weather let's up alternator won't charge the battery with the window wipers going and headlights if I try to listen to the radio it just shuts off and the battery light flashes once the voltage gauge reads a hair above 12v and confirmed with the a good multimeter the alternator is not putting out enough to run wipers,headlights,radio at once and I've yet to upgrade to the sound system I had planned or add led lights I was gonna add.

Now I have a new battery all good grounds and power wires alternator test good had it tested 5 time back to back to really put a load on it and it passed I know it's only 45amps but even with the headlights going and wipers going turning on the indicators everything dims voltage his 10-11v every time the light flashes.

I have scoured the internet for a clear 100% upgrade path and many people say ls swap it or 4g63t swap it �� I'm just looking to upgrade my alternator I did see 2 post here but both where not clear enough for me to understand heard someone say a 318 alternator fits but requires a voltage regulator ok no problem just need a wiring diagram then I get told it's not a good conversion? So is there a clear 100% drop in alternator upgrade or am I just really screwed here.

[boozehero]

Suggestion - A (1) wire GM 100 amp alternator. They are universal , although you may have to be creative with the brackets (modify)
They are relatively inexpensive and kick butt with power output.
They are all over eBay and the usuals - Summit, Jegs, etc.

Frankly, it sounds like your current alternator has a blown diode. You can have one bad diode, the unit will still provide 12 volts, but will have no amperage.
Unless you have a 1,000+ watt sound system, the stock alternator should be able to power a moderate sound system.

[geezer101]

The stock 45 amp alternator can run all of the factory systems without being compromised so it does sound like there is something wrong to get a voltage drop before even really putting a demand on it. That aside, an alternator upgrade is worth doing. That, and a bigger CCA capacity battery. When did batteries get to be so expensive...

[dash]

noticed car batteries big price increase about 18 months or so ago
Sounds like only when indicators are on, there is a problem? .....could be a short in bulb socket, circuit, ground, flasher unit, etc
Made a simple bracket for a GM 1 wire small case 100A alternator, on my starion sohc 2.0 many years ago
$60 at a local rebuilder. Helpful guy, swapped pulley & wired a simple pigtail, for plug-in.... as I was green at the time

[Gremlin50D]

I figured something internal was bad in my alternator the sound system I will be installing is a p3sd 10" fosgate I had plans for 2 12s the amp I'm using is a rockford fosgate p1000x I'll be running 2 6x9s 2 6.5 rockford fosgate speakers powered by a fosgate p600x4 only thing changing in the future is a full fiberglass box with 2 12's already have plans for a second battery big 3 upgrade when the alternator gets done current battery is the biggest I could fit before it hits the hood.

[Gremlin50D]

When I first got the truck I had a issue with the lights flickering ended up rewiring a good bit and removing undersized wires that where for what I can only assume was a set of leds under the dash or underglow I had found some speaker wire running under the floor mat threw the floor it was cut under the floor but still connected to the light circuit

[Gremlin50D]

Small update will have a good update coming next few days been hard at work redoing mass majority of the wiring harness deleting stuff that was either not oem or was no longer being used since the weber conversion currently waiting on some 4 gauge wire to redo the starter wiring and then the new to me alternator is getting the big 3/4 upgrade got most of my low budget sound system done simple 10" fosgate waiting for my 6x9 speaker rings they where back ordered also had the brakes go out so replaced the master and then blew the driver side wheel cylinder.......much fun well today I went to move it nice 90F weather normally the ol girl fires right up after hitting the choke but now it has to crank for almost a minute before it pops off shooting carb clean in the carb it starts up I did check for trash in the lines it was clean same with filters I can see the choke setting now before it was a 50/50 pumping the carb 3-5 times makes no difference wanted to ask here for tips or advice before I break out the wooden hand screw driver and start attempting to tune it more.

[Gremlin50D]

Started looking into that 1 wore gm alternator route and seems like it would not only be easier but cheaper making a bracket is no issue by chance do you have a wiring diagram for converting it to a 1 wire so I can figure out if I can delete more wiring while I'm in there lol.

[pennyman1]

an alternator from a starion / conquest or mitsubishi van is 75 or 100 amp, and is a direct bolt in. you may have to swap the 2 wires on the pigtail to get it to charge, but I have bought new mitsubishi 75 amp alternators on eBay for 35.00. Be sure the one you get looks the same as the one you have - not all 75 amp mitsu alternators are the same mounts.

[Gremlin50D]

Pennyman after seeing that I found a 75amp for $37 shipped on ebay was rather ecstatic lol

But it seems my truck is having a new issue every week it's something else acting up or failing for 3 days now I've just fought threw it I can crank and quickly let go of the key the truck fires right up sometimes it won't even do that and I'll have to leave the truck in the run position get out push it jump in dump the clutch and it will start but won't start via the key? All it does is spin over and over so I'm assuming with the key in start position I'm loosing spark? Or somthing is messed up with my ignition switch......

From what I could find via Google everything aims to my ignition switch but I couldn't find a replacement anywhere.So I'm kinda out of ideas at this point I can't keep bump starting it everyday it gets rather exhausting lol.

[Gremlin50D]

I am officially stumped went out this morning and started to check connectors I must have messed with somthing because everything is working cycled the starting process 4 times to verify then let it warm up to operating temp then repeated the starting process 4 times again it fired right up not gonna complain just confused lol.

[geezer101]

...an intermittent fault. 'Good' that it's running now, but that bug in the electrics will come back and haunt you. I think the ignition switch could be the problem too. They get worn out, crap builds up inside of them - they can be disassembled but it's dicey taking the only one you have out of the truck to mess with.

[Gremlin50D]

...an intermittent fault. 'Good' that it's running now, but that bug in the electrics will come back and haunt you. I think the ignition switch could be the problem too. They get worn out, crap builds up inside of them - they can be disassembled but it's dicey taking the only one you have out of the truck to mess with.

I feared the same thing that it will come back I tried to find a ignition for the ol girl but seeing as they are discontinued ill have to just deal with it and come up with somthing when it finally fails.

[Gremlin50D]

Well a long long over due update The issues i was having with it not wanting to start was sorted turns out when you don't have a timing belt tensioner bolted down anymore the belt tends to flap and things jump lol the cam timing was way way off honestly surprised the truck even ran but i have been driving the truck like this for months what ended up causing me to check it was my water pump went out did not realized that is a good afternoon job there.... Alternator wise upgraded to a 75amp starion alternator still going strong due to a few cancer scares but all is well i did put the truck to the test back on the 3rd,4th,5th with towing my boat the whole setup weighs shy of 3000lb loaded with fuel and all the gear its right at 2890lb towed it pretty well i will be honest i was shocked how well it towed no issues at the boat ramp cruised at 55mph did not drop down but 1 or 2 times boat is 30ft long also got my banner done.

[Gremlin50D]

Also here is a link to the photo if it does not load properly https://gyazo.com/f0f130faac13a7a9776192b8ca4c994f

as for the other stuff i have my wiring harness torn apart been getting rid of alot of stuff the truck is currently waiting for wheels/tires/driver side wheel bearing,front brakes with the prices of everything gone threw the roof i have been putting the truck on the back burner and focusing on my motorcycle so another reason why updates have been scarce.

[geezer101]

Err, cancer scares... hope you are doing ok and glad to see you back on the site

[Gremlin50D]

Well been recouping on health issues and had to drive my truck to Atlanta this past week and to Florida well on my way home I had a strong odor of burning oil and then my clutch started to slip turns out both front and rear seals in my transmission are bad and it's gonna need a rebuild I'm in Middle Ga anyone know anyone close by or know if anyone has one for sale the oil I was able to get to looked pretty metallic and pretty sure it ate a bearing or worse I parked it since I can have someone pull it but I don't even know where to start on possibly rebuilding it myself nore do I have a place to do it at I think it's a Km132-8 transmission I have had zero luck on finding anyone who can rebuild it no one wants to touch it and only one shop near Atlanta said they would rebuild it but I'm looking at $2200-$2800 according to them so would it even be worth rebuilding or parting it out or just sell the whole truck as is?

[geezer101]

Glad to see your back again. There are rebuild kits for the KM132 and the transmissions themselves aren't hard to pull apart. The main issue is ensuring you get the right bearings for them. This is when it's handy to have a local company that sell bearings and seals over the counter so at least if you get in a bind, they can measure the parts you bring in and find an alternative/matching part...