twistedfocus1647545489 Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Factory base is probably 10 degrees BTDC. You could probably go as high as 12 without issues. I'd also verify that the advance is actually working. Improperly set timing can play hell on throttle response and smoothness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patterson Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Did you do anything with the carb, or just put it back on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Did you do anything with the carb, or just put it back on? Just put it back on... I'll take you up on the visit! Let me know what works for your schedule... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Jones Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Maybe it will be ready for C&C? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Cranium Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 Any updates? Did you get the timing sorted out? I've been out of the loop the past couple weekends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2012 Got back from Colorado on Saturday night, dickerfanickered with it on Sunday. It wouldn't idle because I had an unused vacuum barb sucking in atmosphere under the carb. D'OH!!! Now it idles well. It was a little lumpy but I let it idle for a half hour and it smoothed out really nicely. Still some bad gas from last fall being burnt? The big pain in the arse is that the new Accel coil wouldn't spark. I put the old coil on and it woudn't spark either. Cleaned off the terminals with a wire brush and tested the + lead to the coil. It would go from 11.9V to 0.04V. Very inconsistent. I would crank it and crank it without it catching, then turn the key off and it would kick for a split second. Then, I'd crank it again and it comes to life. Tonight, I cycled the ignition a few times until I got a crank that also kicked off. If I don't turn the ignition on and off until I get a crank that fires the spark plugs, it'll just crank and crank without any catching. After it got warmed up really well, I turned the ignition off and then immediately cranked it again. Nothing. Fully warmed up engine and a second of being off, and it won't start again. I'm guessing it might be a bad ground, as the dashboard's "FASTEN SEAT BELT" light stays illuminated the entire time the truck is running...even when the seatbelt is clicked! Otherwise, I'm not sure where the ignition problem lies ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2012 I returned the Accel coil to Advance, got mah dollhairs back. Met with Jeff (gt-titan) last night around 9:30 to pick up his used MSD coil. Threw it in and cranked it over just as the Indians beat the Royals 4-3 It was a little chilly, but the engine immediately fired up. Didn't run for more than a second because I didn't give it any gas, and there's no cold-weather startup provisions in the intake or carbureator. Turned the key off and started again...immediate firing. That was enough for one night; with no muffler, I still didn't want any of my neighbors - or family! - calling the cops for the noise ordinance violation. I'm happy with the knowledge that the Motorcraft (possibly orig equipment from 1982?) coil was likely very weak. If I still have ignition problems tonight when I take it for a drive to softball, I'll clean all the grounds and connections before replacing any parts...I have a feeling that some emery paper will do wonders to these corroded electrical connections. Jeff, if you're reading this...thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 Bought a Thrush/Dynomax 28" glasspack, with a clamp and hangers, for just under $21 at Advance Auto Parts. The box was sitting for so long at Bethel Road that there was a layer of dust on it. I still love Rockauto.com...but for a simple pickup truck project I've been macking the online discount codes through Advanceauto.com, and I pick up the part at the store on the same day. No shipping costs and instant gratification. :thumbup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRD2BDF Posted April 26, 2012 Report Share Posted April 26, 2012 Any picture of the truck now? I'm curious to see how it looks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 Any picture of the truck now? I'm curious to see how it looks Watch out, Cody..... SHE'S A LOOKER http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=669&pictureid=6070 I did install the muffler and hangars this afternoon. Holy sheeit...EASIEST.EXHAUST.JOB.EVAR. I took the glasspack out of the bawkxz, slid it on the Y-pipe. Installed clamp. Other end, installed hangar, bolted it with scrap bolt/nut/washers to existing hole in frame. SOUNDS GREAT...especially for a $20 muffler! :thumbup: I drove it for the first time outside of UA since buying it last August. The engine really has some serious torque, but I do need to adjust the carb and timing. Transmission shifts nicely. Shocks are laughable...might as well not even be on the truck. I NEED TO GET THIS THING IN THE WEEDS PRONTO. I don't want to have to pay for Dream Beams (lowering I-beams) but I may have to. Otherwise, I'm cutting 2 coils out of each front spring and living with the camber issues. If you look at the picture, I envision the hubs visually to be nowhere below the bottom of the body. Nothing "tucked", but low enough to smooth out the visual impact of the truck. It's good to have a driver again! Cleetus IV will see you at Cars and Coffee! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twistedfocus1647545489 Posted April 27, 2012 Report Share Posted April 27, 2012 http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=669&pictureid=6070 At least you can add Custom Grille to your mod list too. :lolguy: Seriously though, cool truck. My dad had one alot like it when I was in HS and I really liked it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted April 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 I've got some sound deadener tiles, weatherstripping for doors and windows, and a "peep" mirror for the drivers' door on way from JC Whitney. My daughter likes driving the new truck, as it's faster (noisier! ) than Cleetus III. Good time on Saturday at C&C, despite the crappy weather. On Sunday, I started WELDING at 10pm on the front bumper (trying to shave it). Tacked in some bolts on the front of the bumper, then experimented with fillling in the back with a tacked in washer on one, and just filling in the back with a weld pool on the other. Bolted it back in and realized the washer makes one side stick out a good amount. Will make adjustments today. Gave myself a sunburn from welding!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otis Nice Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 Clay, can I loan you my truck to rebuild? I don't have funds so you can just pay for it. I'll buy you another cup of coffee and a muffin if ya do. So excited to see this project completed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted May 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 Good call...update is long overdue! EXTERIOR: I'm now 90% sure I'm going to plasti-dip the exterior red. White bumpers front and rear, and white wheels. I welded the front bumper bolts onto the bumper, and grinded/painted the front bumper. Smooth...kinda! Will be doing the rear when I get the chance. INTERIOR: The panels and dashpad are worn heavily from old age and the sun. I bought some outdoor tablecloth material: red/white plaid vinyl with a cotton backing...like the cover you find on an outdoor picnic bench. Well, it didn't take to well to spray adhesive...the plastic wouldn't smooth out. I did the dashpad and it looks rough to say the least. Good effort on my part; I'll get heavier-grade material and reupholster the interior panels on the cheap! POWERTRAIN: Every time I drive the truck, the engine feels better and better...truly "breaking the engine in". I love driving this thing. The carb is a little funky still, though...I'm thinking about a rebuild myself. SUSPENSION: Tinman is going to slice and dice the I-beams after I cut the coils for some much needed drop! Hoping for 4" of lowering all around the truck... Pics to come...whenever I get around to them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Bastard Posted May 9, 2012 Report Share Posted May 9, 2012 this is a pretty cool project, its nice to see someone freshen up something that most people would look at as a work truck. i know you plan on just cutting coils, but i was thinkin about it, i once had a 91 ranger and it had the same i-beam front suspension, i have heard places that you can take the f-150 beams and use them for lifting the front end of a ranger, now its just a thought, but maybe you could look into using the ranger beams in your truck to lower it. i dont know if they would fit, but if it would work, im sure they would be dirt cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShoMeSomeFun Posted May 12, 2012 Report Share Posted May 12, 2012 I was able to buy dropped i-beams for my 88 ranger. But it took 2 years of searching so it is what it is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted May 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2012 I don't think Ranger I-beams will work...1) I've exhausted the Internet searching for options for lowering the Ford F100/F150 , and 2) the length/camber of the Ranger wouldn't work. I've spoken to Matt (tinman) i'm going old-school...gonna cut coils to drop the front, then have Matt pie-cut and re-weld the stock spindles to restore decent camber. The front end floats enough...it could use some serious stiffening anyway! The rear is going to get a shackle flip...easiest way to drop a few inches for only the cost of some grade 8 bolts. Looking to eliminate wheel gap with the fenders, maybe tuck a little tire! Hopefully getting the lowering done by June, paint should be whenever I finish filling in the old rear view mirror holes in the doors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShoMeSomeFun Posted May 13, 2012 Report Share Posted May 13, 2012 Yea I knew the ranger I-beams wouldnt work. Just was saying that there were companies back in the early 90s that made them and went out of business, and it took some searching to find somebody that had a pair they wanted to sell. But congrats on the build, makes me want to tackle another truck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted May 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 Did some "clean-up" stuff over the last few days... Ever since the new engine, I had a great idle, but it would diesel/rattle off the line. Timing was clearly off, like the distributor's vacuum advance. Thanks to the intarbutt, I realized I was pulling vacuum from the manifold, not using a ported vacuum source from the carburetor. I switched sources, and watched the vacuum advance lever...what used to be full-on all the time, now adjusted with throttle input. I still haven't timed the engine (just listened) but made adjustments and the engine runs much better now! I ran it for so long without proper timing...hope I havent done too much engine damage. Also, if you look in earlier posts, you'll notice I struggled with startup issues. On Friday, I had the truck out doing errands, and it wouldn't start when I was in a parking lot. Had to finagle the key just barely to get the ignition to trigger...the starter had no problems cranking, just seemed like the ignition system never got excited at startup. Bought $11 starter switch (in-dash master switch actuated by ignition key on steering column) SOLVED THE PROBLEM! turn the key on a cold motor, and it fires right up now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patterson Posted May 21, 2012 Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 NIce work. It seemed like you were struggling a bit Friday night with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted May 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2012 NIce work. It seemed like you were struggling a bit Friday night with it. Yep. That was what it was like the last few days. While cranking, I had to back the key off eeevvver so slightly until it "caught" the ignition circuit. No more of that nonsense! However, something still remains...when it first fires up, it has an ignition miss that is EXACTLY correlated to the seat belt buzzer. I know...the buzzer: The engine fires up, and the "FASTEN SEAT BELT" light flickers very quickly. The buzzer sounds terrible, and I need to give it a quarter throttle for it to stay running (missing a couple of cylinders the whole time) The buzzer turns off, and for a moment, the "FSB" light shines brightly and the engine smooths out perfectly. The light turns off and there are no other problems. Last night when I was replacing the ignition switch, I had the instrument cluster out for better access to the bolts and wiring harness. I started it up and it was smooth immediately...then immediately realized I forgot to connect the harness to the instrument cluster. I plugged in the cluster, then turned the engine off and restarted. The same old sequence I described above remained. I'm going to dick around some more with the seatbelt buzzer. If I disconnect it, does whatever bad circuit it's contributing to go away? Is it computer related, and the buzzer is affecting it's performance? Could it be the instrument cluster? I can't imagine it's actually the buzzer causing ignition problems, but if it traces me back to a source I'll be very happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted May 24, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2012 Dammit! I replaced the ICM (Ignition Control Module) and it's still doing the wierd startup thingy. I'm running out of things in the electrical system to replace! It runs well, but has this momentary and inconsistent miss...along with the startup hesitation until the buzzer goes off. I'll start looking at circuits for a short, or bad ground. Also, There are some fusible links by the starter solenoid that have been exposed to heat from cranking in the past that melted the insulation around the connectors. Can that affect the links? I know some capacitors and other electrical circuits can go bad from heat (instead of an electrical overload)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted May 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 FARK CHEEP PARTS Some of you saw that Cleetus didn't start back up at Cars and Coffee on Saturday. I ended up needing a push start from the Farkii and a few other peeps (thanks BTW!!!). Pissed, I ripped the Duralast starter and the fried starter solenoid and went to Advance for another solenoid (lifetime replacement warranty FTW). While I was at Advance, I asked them to test the starter motor. I bought it at AutoZone only because I had a GC. The Motorcraft starter in the truck was fine when I pulled it, but I figure new engine rebuild, new starter motor AMIRITE??? The dood at Advance tests the starter...TURRIBLE GRINDING NOISE, NO PLUNGER ACTION, NO GEAR TURNING. I had a kitten! Can't believe that a 2 month old Duralast starter already went bad!!! Guy proceeds to tell me that I was the 2nd Ford guy that day (F350 earlier) that had problems with almost-new Duralast starters. I mean, I admit it was a scorcher on Saturday, but that was too much. Go home with new Starter solenoid, grab old starter out of box in garage and bolt it in. Not only did the engine immediately fire up, but the IGNITION MISS WENT AWAY. I was flabbergasted...how could a bad circuit in the starter motor have affected the way the engine ran? I didn't change anything but the solenoid and starter; no rewiring anywhere else. All day Sunday and Monday, and the truck ran truly flawlessly. Carb could use a rebuild still, but it starts and runs like a champ. HAPPY CLAY IS HAPPY! Next step: Lowering and painting. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unfunnyryan Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 I'm free the majority of the next 10 days, let me know if you want some help painting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Otis Nice Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 I'm free the majority of the next 10 days, let me know if you want some help watching you paint. Editted to apply to myself. Congrats Clay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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