So what did you do with your truck today?

[IDIBOBS]

After driving around for a couple hundred miles I can report that the new tach sensor and pinching off the return line on the filter head have made dramatic differences. Hopefully I can move on to other issues I want to address. Still going to pull the sending unit/pickup as I only have one tank and I want to know if there is debris in there and a pickup.

I do have a question however. I do not have a functioning OD light, nothing. It still works but no light. I had hoped it was the tach sensor. Any ideas?

Is it just the led bulb not working? Or does the button not work? The of button is for tuning off over drive/4th gear.

 

[klook]

Thee function of the button is fine, turning od off and on. The light is not lite at all now. Was working when I got the van.

 

[IDIBOBS]

Thee function of the button is fine, turning od off and on. The light is not lite at all now. Was working when I got the van.

Well if the button works you can replace the led diode or add another one if it matters to you.

 

[klook]

so I guess my actual query was is it indicative of another problem? Is it blown? Is it something else?

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Since everything else works, it's probably just the light. Nothing more.

 

[nelstomlinson]

It's good to have that light working, it's flashing the only indication you have of trouble approaching with the factory controller.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I went out to start the truck before 6 AM so I could go to Menards. I got outside the house and saw that there was a light on inside the truck (wth?). I thought that it was a courtesy light and I had left the headlight switch turned to that position. Nope. It was a map light beside the dome light. I've owned this truck since January of 2013 and the map lights have NEVER worked (***?)! The dome light used to work, but never the map lights. It had been so long since I tried messing with them that I didn't realize that one of the switches was in the "on" position. The truck started easily enough so the light hadn't been on all that long. I left at 6 AM. I stopped on the way there to take a picture of the sunrise. On the way home, I stopped at the location where there used to be a town and took a few pictures of some of the remaining buildings. Some of the buildings and houses are still occupied/kept up so I didn't take any pictures of those. Overall, it was a boring drive which is the best kind.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

The first town north of the state line is where I like to stop for fuel. While I was pumping, a semi parked next to me. I'm not sure, but this might not have been enough straps for the load (see picture). As I was finishing up, the driver came back out. I asked him if he was pulling heavy today. He said "a little bit".
I also FINALLY got a picture of the Bull Nose truck that catches my eye every time that I pass. It's a little blurry, it was still kind of dark, and I didn't slow down, but it shows the truck sticking out behind the horse trailer. I don't know why, but I kind of want this truck.

 

[nelstomlinson]

That yard with the bullnose peeking out looks a little like my yard. A quonset, surrounded by junk.

 

[XOLATEM]

Plan is to plumb the tanks to a brass 6-way valve mounted under the cab floor, then through a prefilter and filter to a Walbro pump, all mounted on the frame. That'll let me take the stock filter out of the engine compartment.

I'd like to see how you plumb it all up...for future reference.

Hope you take a few pics and show us.

 

[XOLATEM]

The latch works much better (no fiddling to get it open and closed). It's a great day.

Some day I'll get to that with my Ranger. Right now the tailgate dropping tool is a 10-inch flat-blade screwdriver applied to each plunger in rotation....

The tool is kept under the seat nestled comfortably against the tunnel.

In keeping with the topic of 'What did you...truck...'...does it qualify if I didn't actually work on my truck and just worked on something in the space between the back of my truck and a fabbed-up framework that will eventually be a welding table..? On gravel..?

Well, I'm going ahead with it anyway...not going to wait for an answer. if the admin wants to move this one to another area, no biggie.

Because of @IDIBRONCO seemed to be having all of the fun riding motorcycles and three and four-wheelers...I could not stand it any longer...The Girl and I have enough room to play with so...I took the plunge and got a motorbike.

Yeah...just could not help myself...hadda do it.

I didn't want to spend too much so I got a fixer-upper. A dual-sport. Not an MX-er but not really a road bike, either...trail bike with a battery and lights.

In the beginning...could not get the sumbeech to start without pulling the sidecover and spritzing starting fluid in the air cleaner housing...and then, even, it was a crapshoot.

Man, did I ever firm up that right leg and re-learn some old, rarely-used vocabulary. Banged the crap outta my leg and limped around for days...

I was just waiting for The Girl to call me something along the lines of...'The Gimp'...or sump'tin......

The first time I got it started it was about dusk...used starting fluid and then warmed it up and set the closed-thottle idle. So far-so good.

Didn't have a helmet so I turned my ball-cap around backwards and took off. I didn't bring the ether with me...ran good...felt good...took me right back to the 70's but better...this thing could go faster than 40 and had lots of travel on the suspension.

Headlight worked and I went around the yard, down the driveway, and out into the neighborhood road...which is private and gravel.

Buzzed around, feeling it out, staying upright and wobbling a bit but getting the hang of it...keeping it going by pulling the clutch lever to not choke it out when I turn around...and then I just had to open 'er up...durn hat flew off when it was feeling real good....

Crud. I turn around and go back and manage to stall trying to pick up that darn hat. I'm thinking.."No problem, its warm, should just fire up..."

No dice. No way, no how...and I am at the bottom of a long uphill to get to our driveway...

Fortunately, the bike weighs somewhere between 250-265 pounds...at least it is not one of those porky bustards...still...it was a chore.

And after attempting a hot restart and a couple of push starts I am running out of steam...this is one of those times when you resolve yourself to call upon that strength and endurance you know you got, but it is really rusty and has not been used in a while.

So, I am shoving the bars uphill for what seems like an eternity and I get to the point that I can see the lights of the house through the woods about 500 yards away. The Girl has not heard from me and She can not hear the bike, either...and She was not enthused about the whole idea in the first place and I'll bet She was secretly hoping that the whole affair might be a dud...as in it will never run and I would pitch it.

Well, I see She fired up the car to come and look for Her Man to be in a ditch, somewhere, or upside a tree...not quite...but I pause and pull out the flip phone and ring Her up before She gets very far....

"Hey, You...you got a tow line in the car..?"

"A WHAT..?"

"You know, the thing I asked you to carry in the car after that time I got my 'Stang stuck in that yard.."

"No..."

(Being as nice as I can even though I am outta breath and sweatin' like a pig..) "Could you please get one out of the trailer toolbox and bring it down the road near the creek..?" And..."Can you grab that can of starting fluid on the truck?"

"O.K." Things are looking better...then...I realize that it is probably a really dumb idea to get Her to try to tow the bike with me on it and hooked to a car. I push with the desperation of a man that wants to keep all of his limbs...

I finally get to the top of the driveway before She wheels up.

Thank you, Lord...

I tell her thanks and to just shine her lights on the bike. I try the starting fluid...nope...no go...finally I figure that I will coast the bike to the bottom of the driveway and deal with it in the morning.

Sumbeech somehow bump starts and I run 'er up to the truck.

Whew...

She just shook Her pretty little head and gave me a look that made it all worthwhile...what a Good Woman...

We'll talk about the next episode, maybe tomorrow night.

Have a good night, Y'all.

 

[nelstomlinson]

I've got so many projects, and so little energy. That replumbing is one I hope to get to this summer, among dozens of others. I'll definitely take some pictures.

 

[KansasIDI]

I put a new fuel pump on, the Walbro died. Bosch pump from a 99-03 7.3 Powerstroke and a fuel pressure regulator. Much better, holds 6 psi from idling all the way to redline under full load/throttle.



Then I drove it to Manhattan town after work this evening and bought a cordless bandsaw.

 

[nelstomlinson]

How old was that Walbro? Sounds like I should keep a spare in the truck that uses one.

 

[XOLATEM]

bought a cordless bandsaw.

Been thinking about getting one of those...what brand is it and what was it about that that you liked it enough to get it..?