'86 Extended cab project thread

Cubey

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Aluminum rear diff cover installed along with a LubeLocker gasket. Fluid seemed original,

I have a lubelocker gasket on my RV's Dana 70. It's oil was probably original too or nearly so. I put conventional SuperTech 80w90 and then changed it again after about 2k miles. It was pretty nasty again due to some of the old still being in there from before. It has conventional SuperTech 85w140 now. Maybe I'll put a synthetic next time. This way it gets cleaned up over several oil changes.
 

BlindAmbition

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BlindAmbition

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My high idle switch blew a fuse when I tried to use it when the truck hadn't warmed up. I fixed that happening ever again by adding a second diode. The blue lit toggle was an old style with a neon bulb - it shorts to ground when not in use. I used that same toggle but cut out the bulb and added a separate light to the circuit to let me know when it is on. Diagram attached.

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BlindAmbition

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When I bought this truck it ran like crap, smoked like crazy, and wasn't driveable. That was about a year ago.

Since then I have done the following:

Replaced the C6 with a ZF5
Added hydroboost
Added saginaw pump
Replaced injectors (pop tested to best of my ability, used ones)
Swapped pumps (best condition JY unit I could find)
Installed Tygon return kit
Added a coolant filter
Added a CAT fuel filter in engine bay and Donaldson water separator on frame
Installed electric fuel pump
Setup manual fuel selector valves for dual tanks
Upgraded rocker arms to 7.3 style
Rebuilt oil cooler, did rear and main seals, new water pump
Completely gutted all wiring except to the cab lights, made a custom harness (first draft complete, will redo later, learned a ton)
Installed a Lincoln Mark VIII electric fan and got rid of the clutch fan
Installed a supercapacitor
Frame mounted one of the batteries
Sound deadened the entire inside except for doors (because I couldn't open them enough)
Added a keyless entry remote
Added a switch to the dome light to turn on and off at will, also made it red.
Created a custom dash with 8 gauges - MPH, Tach, Oil Pressure, Water Temp, EGT, Fuel Pressure, Fuel Level, Voltage
Created a center switch bank that runs glow plugs, starter, windows, locks, wipers, and high idle. It also has a selectable 10 second timer for glow plugs.


Lots to do still, but a major milestone achieved. This was all done in my side yard with about 20" clearance from the wall to the truck. Sunk way more money than this truck will ever be worth, but learned how to work on basic diesels which is worth every penny.

Yesterday I drove it for the first time

I also learned how to drive manual while doing it, stalled once in 20 miles.

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IDIBRONCO

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Sunk way more money than this truck will ever be worth,
Not quite true. Kelly Blue Book or NADA will NEVER be able to tell you how much it's worth to you. It's been your blood, your sweat, and your tears that went into this truck. That part is absolutely priceless to you and every one of the rest of us who do the same to our trucks. "Built not bought" is the motto that most of us on here live by. It doesn't matter whether you do a complete frame-off or just do the basic neglected things in order to make it a reliable daily driver (or whatever craziness that IDIoit uses his for :joker:).
 

BlindAmbition

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Picked up a turbo and downpipe on Offerup thinking I got a good deal for $100 and would cobble together my own pipes. Then I went to a pick n pull yard the next day looking for a factory exhaust to get me by while I can install the turbo and found an ATS turbo kit sitting in a 1984 F250. It'd been there a couple weeks already, couldn't believe it hadn't been scalped. Someone had tried to take it off and wasn't able to.

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BlindAmbition

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Have been driving the truck to get a feel for it. It's loud as hell due to the terrible cut off exhaust Y. It's ridiculous. Tried to time it, didn't feel like too great a neighbor trying to set it at 2000 rpm with it.

Unhooked the catch can. Blowby gasses were causing issues, engine tried to run away on them I think. Found the entire catch can full of oil. It may be due to the fact it is using a Banks CDR relocate piece and from reading it looks like oil gets flung in that area by the moving gears behind it. I'll relocate the entire plumbing for the can.

List of random things that need fixing:

Tach - I thought I got a magnetic setup, turns out it was for an alternator setup. Will need to rewire.
EGT gauge - Extended the EGT gauge with copper wire which is a no-no. Purchased thermocouple K type wire and some K type plugs to make my own extension
Voltage gauge - I think it is simply a dud Bosch gauge, doesn't seem to work at all.
Speedometer - Catches funny, will need to mess with cable (Uses Autometer end to the Ford style cable on the transmission, I think it is slightly too long)
Stereo - I wired the main power leads to the accessory power. It resets the stereo every time it powers up - need to run power wire to constant on and just the trigger wire to the accessory side
Door locks - Door lock switch isn't working but the remote works great.

No black smoke and idles great, especially after disconnecting catch can. Seems like blowby gasses were causing some issues, or maybe it was just flinging oil straight into the intake and running off of that.

Pictured below is my "exhaust", it's comically loud, one step away from rocking open headers.

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BlindAmbition

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Slow progress on truck, had to move. Bonus is a garage instead of a side yard to work in.

Rebuilt most of the suspension excepting the radius arm bushings as they had been replaced with poly bushings at some point and looked to be fairly difficult to replace.

Did the following:
Leaf spring bushings (Energy Suspension)
Both sway bar bushings and end links (Moog)
Rear load carriers (Gabriel)
Front axle pivot bushings (Energy Suspension
Moog CC844S springs
Bilstein shocks
New front calipers/pads

Also working on rear disc conversion, may end up doing Sterling 10.5 swap if I don't like it. My rear drum parking brake didn't function, hence doing the swap rather than using the drums that suck. Using a 1978 Cadillac Eldorado rear caliper with the correct D122 parking brake pads, I've also sourced 79-85 Eldorado rear caliper parking brake hardware which I can use to hold the parking brake cable.



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The_Josh_Bear

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Whoa nice and shiny! You aren't messing around there! I'm interested to know how you like the rear disks after they are worn in.

What's the point of the load carriers? Are you putting so much in the bed you need 500lbs extra spring? I'm just curious.
 

BlindAmbition

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I'm trying to source a utility bed and will be installing some sort of a slide in camper at least part time on this truck, like a Bigfoot. I figured load carriers would be good for that application. Worst case is the strut itself wears out and the springs keep on helping.

For the turbo rebuild, unfortunately the album won't load for me. I do have a kit I purchased from Gpopshop for a Garrett T3/T4 setup and will follow a few videos I found on youtube during the rebuild process, keeping in mind to clock the wheels correctly to maintain balance.
 

BlindAmbition

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Long time, no post.

Rebuilt the turbo, no play now and seems to be fine. Got the entire turbo kit installed, as well as fabbed up an exhaust from bits from a couple of trucks.

Whenever I start the truck I get terrible blue smoke. Working on timing today, reading too many threads with different numbers to shoot for. 9.5, 7 degrees, etc.

I have not turned the fuel up yet, wondering if I need to, or how to tell if I need to

Working on rear disc brakes, almost done with them. Will post pictures of progress soon
 
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