1989 F350 cross-country prep

Overdue update:

In the last week and a half I've been a busy beaver.

On the engine I replaced: water pump, vacuum pump, thermostat, heater core coolant hoses, upper and lower radiator hoses, radiator cap, all belts, and did the 3g alternator swap.
Fairly happy with the results but the voltage output still seems a bit low, could be bad reference voltage or might need the regulator and brushes replaced (have both as spares). Coolant temps are a constant 190-195 now unless I'm on it for a while, and even then have yet to crack 200 since correcting the thermostat.

Brakes replaced: calipers, pads, front rubber lines, rotors, abs valve, brake booster, brake master cylinder (and reservoir), brake light switch, rear drums, cylinders, shoes. Rear wheels got new bearings and seals as well since I'd done the front's previously.
I've got a bad brake shudder in the rear now, gonna have to look into the drums from O'Really's(?) and see if they've got a bunch of run-out or what. Worst case I can run my old drums if needed. Abs valve module seems to have cured my abs dash light.

While moving out of the house to my father in-law's shop the transmission decided to take a dump and sounded like a blender full of gravel in reverse during the last two times backing up so I had a Craigslist core transmission rebuilt. Nothing fancy, just updated to the later model e4od updates, towing shift kit, billet heavy duty TC, came with a huge cast aluminum pan from the guy I got it from. Had the shop replace the carrier bearing and a transmission mount while they had things apart. Shifts/drives worlds better now. New KYB monomax shocks at all corners make a nice difference in the ride as well.

Getting tires put on at Costco right now (sitting in a Walmart-Subway to kill time) and then if things work out meeting Russ (typ4) later today to do injectors and timing before I'm back to the shop to dive into the few remaining projects that is like to have done before we load up on Thursday. Gotta mount the trailer hitch (drill six holes, tighten six bolts, cake), do the headlight relay wiring modification, and possibly mount some additional lights I picked up if I have time. Also want to move my oil temp probe into a proper block port rather than the turbo oil feed line where it isn't in the stream well.

Fun.

i'm grateful the local U-haul hitch center will install carry-in parts. the older I get, the more allergic to hot drilling chips I become. :O

Man, those hot drill chips are no joke. Even with long sleeves and gloves I still got decorated with new spots.

Hitch is on, brake shudder is gone (old drums solved it). Wish I'd done my flood lights earlier today since I had to drive several miles into the sticks where headlights alone weren't cutting it on some narrow gravel roads.

Anxious to hear an update on how the truck is coming along.

Got injectors (BB) from Russ (typ4) and borrowed his timing meter, installed, bled, timed. Old ones (B) varied from looking average used to scorched/ugly. Changed caps and return lines at the same time. Timing seemed to take longer than bleeding, but that's largely because my pump was particularly good at hiding the passenger side nut this time. Test drove and definitely noticed a difference; EGT is down, power is up, seems to take a bit less pedal to hold speed over a given stretch of road, as it should. Too early to report MPG changes, but I'm optimistic it'll improve over the 12.5mpg I've been seeing before the new transmission went in.

Replaced the busted old 6-pin connector at the bumper with one of those 4/7 pin units and played the wiring game. Currently only setup for the 4-pin, gotta test the leads for the 7-pin in the bed and simulate a load for the brake controller before I splice the last 3 together. No immediate need for a 7-pin anyways, earliest I'd need one is moving my parents' trailer in the next couple years.

Started mounting my aux front lights while I waited for the floor in the shop to dry a bit to do my front tank showerhead hose fix, but friends came by and interrupted saying goodbye (moving) and by the time I could get back to work it was 10:30. Looking like one more day of work, pushing back the departure date yet again...

I'm impressed. You are gonna have a very nice running reliable rig. I wouldn't expect any problems for your trip. I usually do quite a bit of pre-trip maintenance when we are gonna head out.....but not nearly as much as you. Only real issue I have had is an alternator go out half way to Texas (1300 miles one way). The volt meter let me know it was out and I was able to make it to AutoZone for a free replacement under warranty.

Day 3 of driving, finally out of California. Late start day 1, 5+ hours of idling North of Sacramento day 2 (flooded across both lanes and shoulders, early start today and we left I-5 for 99, then turned East at Bakersfield.

14060 lbs according to the TA scales ($11, you'd think they'd tell you that up front), U-Haul double axle trailer is at capacity, but tracks great.

Only issue we've had is my learning to drive loaded that heavy, and the turbo (ATS 088) having what seems to be a surge issue. As long as I hit the hills at ~3k rpm (65mph on the speedo with 4.10's and new 215/85r16 tires) we can keep the EGT down and maintain speed up all but the worst/longest hills. If I get stuck behind a slower vehicle or the hill catches me unprepared then we end up in the 40-50 range, and down to 35mph once. This is largely due to the surging turbo... it only causes a problem letting off the throttle after sustained 850+ degree hills at high (2700+) rpm. If I slowly let off the throttle approaching the crest of the hill and walk the EGT back down then it doesn't occur. If I dump the throttle too rapidly it makes a super appealing noise that sounds expensive at best.

I'll update more when I can.

Oelmensch said:

Hitch is on, brake shudder is gone (old drums solved it). Wish I'd done my flood lights earlier today since I had to drive several miles into the sticks where headlights alone weren't cutting it on some narrow gravel roads.

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yep, those headlights (assuming you have the originals still?) don't cut the cake!

Oelmensch said:

As long as I hit the hills at ~3k rpm (65mph on the speedo with 4.10's and new 215/85r16 tires) we can keep the EGT down and maintain speed up all but the worst/longest hills. If I get stuck behind a slower vehicle or the hill catches me unprepared then we end up in the 40-50 range, and down to 35mph once.

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And that is with a E4OD? the old one or the overhauled one?
I assume with the O.D. off?

Bart, his last entry was 2/19/2017.

Goat

Time for @Jesus Freak to inovatively invent a thread closure.

captain720 said:

Time for @Jesus Freak to inovatively invent a thread closure.

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I cleaned up "need electrical help". This one might be tough.