So what did you do with your truck today?

[madpogue]

Replaced the cold idle/advance switch/sensor ('85, 6.9). It's the one on the front of the passenger side head, provides power to the fast idle solenoid and the cold advance below 62F. What a PITA. Thermostat housing makes it absolutely impossible to put a socket on it. It would be a five-minute job with the gooseneck (more like a brontosaurus neck...) out of the way. Stooopid me, the switch was probably inop ever since I bought the truck two years ago. I shoulda checked it back then, and swapped it out when I had the neck off when I flushed the coolant and replaced the 'stat.

Even a box end / combo wrench won't fit, with the shape of the intake manifold nearby, etc. And I wasn't about to muck with removing the 'stat housing; that means pulling the vacuum pump and alternator and the fuel filter bracket, draining and saving the coolant, refilling, etc.

I tried bending a cheapo Harbor Freight 7/8" combo, and grinding some off the outside wall and the bottom of the wrench, to get it to clear the manifold. I, uh... "overdid" it trying to bend it, and with the part I'd shaved off, I created a weak spot and broke it. Problem becomes opportunity. The break left a stub of handle on the box-end about an inch long. I ground the sides of the stub flat, about 3/4", slipped the open-end of a 3/4" combo onto that, slipped an extension bar through the box end of the 3/4" combo, and it worked like a redneck boxed crow's foot wrench. All the tool fussing turned it into a 2-hour job, in the dark at about 40F. But it doesn't leak, and it kicks the idle solenoid, and presumably the advance as well (sounds better just idling cold, anyway).

So takeaway -- with this gooseneck design, if you're replacing the thermostat, THAT'S the time to replace that switch if you need to.

 

[stealth13777]

Pictures of that? Sounds like an awesome 'make the best of it' solution


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[GOOSE]

I think I need a shorter truck for towing my stump grinder

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[IDIoit]

instead of taking my bed off, and doing extensive body work, i bought a super clean bed, cheap

 

[Can30Diesel]

On the IDI -- I discovered I have a water leak where the hood meets the firewall area. Water made it in the intake via the bolt that holds down the air filter cover and filled up the rear most passenger side cylinder. The resulting hydrolock killed my starter. I pulled what looked like a rusted out probably dead starter out of a rusted out 84 econoline at pick a part for $17. Its an old and massive Delco Remy, had to weigh like 40 pounds. Cleaned it up and installed it, it fired the truck up in half a crank, well once I pulled the glow plugs to purge the water that is!

 

[snicklas]

Can30,

I hope it only killed the starter. Hydrolock from water intrusion has been know to bend or break a rod. Even with just the force of the starter. It everything seems ok, you skated by this time. Get the hood seal replaced, and make sure the washer under the wing nut on the air cleaner had the little rubber gasket on the bottom, this helps to keep the water out if it gets by the hood/cowl seal.

 

[sjwelds]

On the IDI -- I discovered I have a water leak where the hood meets the firewall area. Water made it in the intake via the bolt that holds down the air filter cover and filled up the rear most passenger side cylinder. The resulting hydrolock killed my starter. I pulled what looked like a rusted out probably dead starter out of a rusted out 84 econoline at pick a part for $17. Its an old and massive Delco Remy, had to weigh like 40 pounds. Cleaned it up and installed it, it fired the truck up in half a crank, well once I pulled the glow plugs to purge the water that is!

.....ahem....ahem.....

Turbo'd engines don't have that problem

Just sayin'

 

[Can30Diesel]

Can30,

I hope it only killed the starter. Hydrolock from water intrusion has been know to bend or break a rod. Even with just the force of the starter. It everything seems ok, you skated by this time. Get the hood seal replaced, and make sure the washer under the wing nut on the air cleaner had the little rubber gasket on the bottom, this helps to keep the water out if it gets by the hood/cowl seal.

Its on the list! good thing this truck is on vacation and pretty much acts as a toy these days!

 

[Can30Diesel]

.....ahem....ahem.....

Turbo'd engines don't have that problem

Just sayin'

Hey I know! My PSD didn't care about the rain at all!!

Looks like the IDI still runs happily so I should be ok.

 

[sublime8396]

Been a busy week with my 91 7.3 did a push button to manually warm glow plugs that helped alot with cold starts replaced hard line to in number 8 injector it had a bad leak broke the plastic pieces for the return lines so replaced those too its nice to not leak fuel lol. Scored a dual isolated altanator from pick n pull from a fire truck in hopes of getting my truck to charge at idle but didnt help :-(
A friend hooked me up with a pair of semi batteries 850 cca had to change my cables but it cranks way better then my tired old batteries i had in it. Flushed my coolant and replaced with fleetgaurd. Pulled my dead ac pump modified mount for a york pump and set up on board air with a tank mounted drivers side under bed. Then today welded up a new hitch put in a tool box welded my wobbly gas pedal lol and put on my new wheels

 

[Can30Diesel]

Discovered last weekend when I moved my truck around the yard I no longer have brakes. Looks like the reason is I no longer have break fluid! Time to find the break in the line!

I am starting to think my old beast isn't very happy with being used as a lawn ornament.

 

[icanfixall]

Gave mine a drink of diesel today and then ran it tires off it for maybe 50 miles. All in all it was an enjoyable ride today. Just the other fools cutting me off and the big rig from Texas in the second to fast lane passing all the leagl slower big rigs. Not one chippy anywhere to be seen... They would love to have given that driver a ticket for wrong lane. Speed of around 75 mph and maybe might just find a warrant or other rig violations. At any rate it would have been a good day for chippy.

 

[BDCarrillo]

Got mine to move under its own power and picked up parts for the mustang. Felt good to burn WMO again!

 

[DuRolf]

Change oil - Rotella, oil filter, and air filter. Fix leak of oil laden blow by air from the Hypermax air intake hat by adding silicone to the gasket. Replace brake master cylinder and bleed brake lines. The brake pedal still slowly depresses under pressure so I think I need to rebleed.
Add fender washer to passenger side / engine compartment side dog house insulation bolt to help keep insulation on better.
Justin at Parmer's Automotive puts in a new windshield. The old one was cracked and also had lots of tiny abrasions and driving into the setting sun was getting to be an adventure.
Begin to cut away side window tint applique. While nice in blazing summer sun, the tint made night time driving a little too dim, especially using the rear view mirrors.
Research dynamat temp and sound insulation with eye on dog house and flooring. The cab carpet is original and trashed.

 

[GOOSE]

I spit the rear driveshaft out on Friday evening so a new u joint went in today. I also tightened up a loose trans mount and rotated the tires. I couldn't stand putting the dirty rims out back so I cleaned them up a bit too.

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