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  1. Macrobb

    How to check thermostat

    Put a temp gauge on the engine, an actual aftermarket gauge. If the thermostat is working, temps will climb until 195 or so, then either stay right there or drop a few degrees, and stay right in the 180-195 range(unloaded, not towing a trailer). If you see higher temps than that just driving...
  2. Macrobb

    Why did my 7.3 not like ether today.

    Or you can actually fix the problem... either pull the bed or drop the tank and replace the pickup. This has the added advantage of you being able to remove the chunks of fuel pickup from the tank
  3. Macrobb

    Love my truck but really want/need 4x4

    Well, I'm still around, and have a good collection of parts, that's for sure. How bad shape is this donor in? I do have a couple front axles, and one complete '88 rolling frame with front and rear axles under it.
  4. Macrobb

    Water pump issue?

    Until the thermostat opens, you aren't going to get any flow to the radiator. The thermostat isn't going to open until the engine is hot, and even then if you are driving around empty, it will cycle open and shut; the engine doesn't make enough heat(unloaded) to keep the thermostat open when hot.
  5. Macrobb

    Head retorque questions

    Mine have always been the same as you - rusty/crusty ones on the outside(next to exhaust manifolds too!), nice and oily ones on the inside.
  6. Macrobb

    Why did my 7.3 not like ether today.

    It depends on conditions, obviously - cold, probably not - the ignition temperature of propane is 878F, almost double diesels at 410F. Warm, well, I did manage to get an idi to idle on propane by itself. Obviously it took more than just a torch, though - we are talking 5 gallon tank, high...
  7. Macrobb

    Head retorque questions

    I would probably use the 'spiral' pattern(the first pattern) - if you think about it, the pattern basically pushes outward from the center, trying to distribute stress evenly. The second pattern, IMHO, is there to prevent you from 'missing' one in the pattern and having a looser-torqued spot...
  8. Macrobb

    Why did my 7.3 not like ether today.

    I disagree, to some extent. On a cold engine, you can generally get ether to run the engine, in that the RPMs will increase over cranking RPM, which will also provide more heat for combustion of diesel once it finally gets there. On a hot engine, you basically don't get anything out of the...
  9. Macrobb

    Why did my 7.3 not like ether today.

    When it's hot, you could try gas fumes, or even diesel maby? You need something that's got a higher ignition temp like diesel so it won't pre-detonate. Personally, I just have working glow plugs. No worries about trying to get it started as long as it has fuel. As for priming, I will first...
  10. Macrobb

    So what did you do with your truck today?

    Just an update on this. I may have started a bit low on charge(it will cycle when it gets higher RPM; wanted to reduce strain on the high side of things until I got it dialed in), but it's still producing coldish air. Since I made the original post, I've driven two 8+hour days cross country and...
  11. Macrobb

    Why did my 7.3 not like ether today.

    You've got the answer right there. Hot = ether ignites too far down on the compression stroke, so you lose power instead of gaining it.
  12. Macrobb

    Design for a 3,000 W inverter install.

    Exactly opposite - thermoelectrics are *very* ineffecient for the amount of cooling they do. Tons of waste heat(and therefor waste power), especially to get any reasonable temperature differential. So keeping beer at 40 degrees when it's 70 out? Sure. Keeping a freezer compartment below 20F when...
  13. Macrobb

    Dana 50 TTB knuckles on Dana 50 SA center section - Possible?

    My #1 reason for doing all this would be to *not* have the metric pattern. Standard pattern rims are dime-a-dozen around here, and I have tons of them. Metric ones are... much harder to find and get ahold of; fewer SD trucks in the JYs I have handy. Also, while the disc brake rear might be an...
  14. Macrobb

    Front hub problems

    so... 6 hex bolts, off comes the "hub cover" Behind that, you'll have a loose spring(remove). To get the next piece out, there are two snap rings - one on the end of the axle shaft in the center, and one around the very edge of the aluminum "hub" piece - it's a flat ring that's like 2 full wraps...
  15. Macrobb

    Stupid question of the day. Parasitic draw.

    9ma.... sounds like a radio keep alive memory?
  16. Macrobb

    Electric radiator fans on a idi?

    Basically, if all you need is enough cooling to keep the AC cool and give you a little flow when at idle in traffic, you can totally use an E-fan. If you actually need the cooling of the original fan(long slow pulls up hill in summer towing)... you need the original mechanical fan, and you need...
  17. Macrobb

    Dana 50 TTB knuckles on Dana 50 SA center section - Possible?

    In my last post? I guess I really mean axle shafts. They do 'drive' the wheel, but.....you know what I mean.
  18. Macrobb

    Dana 50 TTB knuckles on Dana 50 SA center section - Possible?

    Wouldn't it give the (better) turning radius of a solid axle? That's basically the only reason to do this. The TTB axles are limited in steering angle because of how the driveshaft angles come together; too much and you bind or break a U-joint. But the solid axle has it coming straight in, with...
  19. Macrobb

    Dana 50 TTB knuckles on Dana 50 SA center section - Possible?

    Exactly. Anyone have any input or measurements for this?
  20. Macrobb

    A few questions about this “IDIT”

    Probably select-fit pistons? Variations in bore size(at the factory) got different sized pistons to match.
  21. Macrobb

    Strange issue, i.p. Stutter

    If it's a stock DMF and wasn't replaced, plan on trashing that piece of junk as soon as you can before it either comes apart(miles may be low, but bearings inside need lube... which is probably all gone now), or starts slipping when hot under load(you know, when you really need it to work) and...
  22. Macrobb

    Best oil

    Any 15W40 will work fine, just change it on a regular basis. These are filthy engines in terms of crud going into the oil.
  23. Macrobb

    Bumper tow?

    If you have the tcase in neutral, the transmission would not be spinning at all - wouldn't matter how the trans is. Just leave it in gear! As long as the t-case has a pump on the output side to lube things(or gets enough lube from splashing), you'll be fine. Otherwise... well, at least it's...
  24. Macrobb

    Leaking Head Gasket

    Honestly, you've got a couple sets of advice you can follow. I follow the advice of the gasket maker, who says "dry". They already have a sticky coating on them that does embed itself into the head grain/finish. Never had an issue doing this. Only time I did have an issue with gaskets was when...
  25. Macrobb

    What do y’all pull with your truck?

    I just love that loose connector dangling by the crossmember. Seems like just about all of these trucks have at least *one* dangling wire.

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