85 crew cab long bed project

[Stitch]

Originally Posted by Wincks2

Thanks Fat Hoe,

Hope to go after the tip tomorrow. Have posted results of my reading at http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=393548

Yes, those self limiting plugs sound idiot proof - making them ideal for my application.

Thanks bluex, Happen to have acquired a ball peen recently. Will give it a try the next time serious hammering is required.

good deal man

[Wincks2]

Followed Fat Hoe's advice and researched broken glow plug tip solutions.

That reading also suggested I should switch my glow plugs to the ACDelco 60Gs or the Bosch Duraterms. Both are self-limiting so even I, in the cold of a Manitoba winter, can't burn them out by holding them on too long with an override switch. Some writers said the Duraterms heat up a little quicker, so I went with the Duraterms.

One challenge is that the Banks Sidewinder Turbocharger takes up room on the passenger side of the engine



making it difficult to access the glow plugs. For example, they are in places like this:



So,

"Say hello to my little friend."



To get easier access to the plugs I removed a pipe from the pressure chamber to the air filter:



The connections were covered by daunting blue silicone hoses. Took me quite a while of dreaming up possible connection systems that must be connecting this pipe before I learned that all I had to do to detach the pipe was pull.

Then, because another pipe running to the exhaust was in the way, I unbolted it from the turbocharger and then shook it until it loosened from the next pipe in the exhaust system. It still didn't separate from the second pipe. Not sure yet whether that is good or bad. Will find out tomorrow when I try to reconnect it to the turbocharger and the next exhaust pipe. We tied this first pipe to the air conditioner to make some room



and were able to get the old plugs out and new plugs in without removing the pipe.

Two funny things:

The entire glow plug adventure began when an ohmmeter reading suggested a plug didn't work. After I got it out it tested fine. When it was out I noticed the end was missing. When I removed the injector to see whether it was in the pre-combustion chamber, it wasn't, but the piston seemed to be positioned above the bottom of the hole through which the end would have had to have fallen to get into the piston chamber. So I decided the end must have broken off some time before I tried to take it out. And so, it is either in the piston chamber welded to the piston, and any piston damage has already been done, or it may have been blown out via exhaust.

While replacing the glow plugs I noticed the driver side plugs were all Bosch glow plugs with similar numbers to duraterms. So, looks like I may have only had to change the four on the passenger side.

Anyway, right now all eight are new, so if there is a problem tomorrow it shouldn't be with the glow plugs themselves.

So tomorrow I hope to repair whatever damage I did to the exhaust system and reconnect the turbocharger pipes.

Hopefully at that point Smokey will earn her name again.

[menace121978]

what an awesome thread! very entertaining buddy. nice job pushing thru the problems. you and the family will have a good time in smokey this summer

[Wincks2]

Old Smokey starts fine with the new glow plugs

New seats:

Smokey's seats looked like this:



and



We want three to ride in the front, so were going to add a bench to the front. But I would like my wife, who has longer legs than me , to be able to move the seat back and snooze on our trips. Tough to do with a bench while I drive.

By happy coincidence Classicchev had for sale a nice set of Qualitex seats with matching back bench and front buckets with a middle front seat that converts to a drink holder, and the color doesn't clash with what I have planned for the interior. (Hey, sometimes I do wear brown and blue together.) So, now they are here in Winnipeg and waiting to go into Old Smokey. Thanks again Classicchev

But first, the old ones must come out.

Who knew they were held in with bolts? I figured welded or forged or something. But bolted they were, so:



Dilemna: Sweep, vacuum, and shampoo the old carpet and bolt in the new seat, or, get carried away and try a cleaner look without carpets.

What the heck, its our truck, so:



An empty cab. Gee, I just wanted to sit a fourth kid in the front seat.

Big surprise:

Apparently floorboards sometimes rust from water from shoes inside the cab rather than from water hitting them from under the truck.





So, next step is introduce Smokey to Mr. Wire Brush.

Had Lao-tzu had a truck, it would have been "A journey of a thousand steps begins with, "Hey, neat truck, I'll bet it wont take much work to fix her up."

[joe231]

Nice!
Gotta love the snowball effect, huh?

I sure could use the cup holder piece from your old console......

[Wincks2]

Joe231 do you mean for Project Destiny? I see you switched the brown buckets and console to blue buckets.

I can't give you an immediate answer because:

a. if the new seats don't fit, I may have to put the buckets and console back in; and

b. my arrangement with the prior owner was that I have the option of trading the buckets and console for a bench he has. The intention I expressed to him was to make that change which would have left him with the buckets and console and me with his bench. If the new seats fit, I wont need either the bench or buckets and console, but I haven't checked yet to see whether he had made plans for the console in anticipation of me trading it for the bench. So I think I should first check to learn whether he has taken steps in anticipation of the trade.

[joe231]

Originally Posted by Wincks2

Joe231 do you mean for Project Destiny? I see you switched the brown buckets and console to blue buckets.

I can't give you an immediate answer because:

a. if the new seats don't fit, I may have to put the buckets and console back in; and

b. my arrangement with the prior owner was that I have the option of trading the buckets and console for a bench he has. The intention I expressed to him was to make that change which would have left him with the buckets and console and me with his bench. If the new seats fit, I wont need either the bench or buckets and console, but I haven't checked yet to see whether he had made plans for the console in anticipation of me trading it for the bench. So I think I should first check to learn whether he has taken steps in anticipation of the trade.

yes sir,
the blue console I have is missing the cup holder part. I haven't looked around locally yet. Please keep me in mind if neither of you guys need it, If you are willing to get rid of just the cup-holder piece.
Thanks, and keep up the good work!!

[Wincks2]

The things one learns.

Took the wire brush to Smokey's floors and found some holes.







Who knew the damage to floors comes from the snow melting from boots more than the snow on the ground?

By crawling around under Smokey and touching electrical wires I've been playing with fire enough on this adventure, no sense making it literal, so, before I unwrap and install her new seats I'm going to have a bodyman weld in new floor, footwell, inner and outer rocker on the driver side.

Had some noise coming from the wheels, so I checked the front bearings. Three sets were worn out. One of the rotors also had a nasty groove in it. First place told me the groove was so deep grinding would take me past the specified thickness. So I was shopping for hubs and rotors. One place told me they were separate pieces. They are not. Was looking at about $110 - $160 per side for the new hubs and rotors. Then I walked the damaged rotor into a shop that been helpful in the past. They think the rotors are thick enough to grind. So they are grinding both for $25 cash and for an extra $5 they will put in my new inner and outer races. Sounds like a bargain to me as I have been too hesitant at attempting to knock out the old races. I'm always afraid I might err and do some irreparable damage.

So, by tomorrow, if it doesn't rain, I should have the rotors back with new races and be able to grease my new bearings, and put everything back on.

Then call the bodyman and see what it will cost to have him eliminate the rust holes.

[Keith Seymore]

Hey! It's me (you might remember me as "the fuel tank guy").



I wondered how you were doing and I found this thread. Subscribing so I can keep tabs on your progress.

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by Wincks2

So,

"Say hello to my little friend."

I have a "roll around" tool box like that -



Your's looks to be in better shape...

[Wincks2]

Hello Kieth

Yes, your earlier post of your wagon was the inspiration for mine. The wagon system works pretty well.

That's my new socket set in the back.

One of your earlier posts on the "inertial latch" answered another question that arose.

So, thanks again!

Smokey has been quite an adventure, but she seems to be coming along.

[Wincks2]

I've been very bad.

After putting in the new front wheel bearings and having her aligned, I started down a slippery slope by putting the passenger bucket seat back in to give someone a lift. A couple of days later the kids needed a lift so I put in the new back seat.

Ever since then I've been driving her around town, holes in the floor and rocker panels ignored. And loving it.

Her gears switch hard at 25 kilometers and 63 kilometers per hour. Bad places for city driving with the usual speed limit at 60 kilos per hour constantly presenting the dilemma between letting her work hard to keep up with traffic and stay under the speed limit or breaking the limit and letting her switch into third. She's been in third a lot.

But I don't care. She is such fun to drive I've been doing it anyway.

Until last night when she wouldn't start.

I think she has been seducing me.

And now she's drawn the line and wants me to finish what I started.

So, still looking for a good inexpensive bodyman to address the floor and rockers. Best so far wants $550 to do it, but he wants her for about two weeks to do it. Don't see that time frame happening until the fall.

Have been avoiding mapping out all of the electrical. Because she has been modified, some of the map will be unique to her. Started in the back, and got a little ways, but stopped when I didn't have a clear picture in mind of how to make the map. Thinking of color coding it to match the wire colors, and indicating approximate location of each splice and other non-wire so if I want to check one I will know exactly where to look for it. Difficult to get it to scale, especially when I move to under and behind the dash. Thinking of using something like a Wigmorean analysis key list by adding another number to the circuit and other numbers already on wiring diagrams. The new number on the map would match the number of the related listed text comment. That numbered comment would provide the exact location of the splice or connection or module or whatever. Sort of like footnotes, except to a map. Here is an example by Wigmore included in Jean Goodwin's article on Wigmore's Chart Method http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=...QW-cxPvAFciWAg



Maybe I should just work from the original wiring diagrams, color code them, add the numbers to the footnotes, and add any new wiring due to the modifications. As a house painter named "Red" once said to me, "Don't think, do." So, I think some trial and error in electrical map drawing is in my future.

[Wincks2]

Had to get Smokey running so I followed the manual list of things to check.

When I got to the glow plugs, they checked out, except one on the left side wasn't getting any energy. Took the tape off and found this:



I guess everything is touching and held in place by a clip and wrapped in tape, but I thought soldering and shrink wrapping is the preferred way to splice. Finding out is now added to my electrical list.

Looked pretty thoroughly for the glow plug controller too and couldn't find it. Manual overide I think.

Eventually it told me to move on to the injection pump. Because the banks turbocharger sits above part of it I was reluctant to move on. So I took a look at the fuel filter. None of the fuel heater, filter change signal and water in fuel signal were connected.



There don't even appear to be wires leading to them. So I emptied and reinstalled the fuel filter and she started right up. Saved by laziness again

[81ratrodc10]

good thread keep up the good work

[Wincks2]

Update: Been driving her man Pulled the trailer to a lake, taking the boys down the highway to soccer and hockey games, road trip to Bemidji MN.

Then two days ago, she stopped in the middle of the road. Wouldn't turn over and sounded like she did the last time she stopped. So I drained the water from the fuel filter and she started right up. Then yesterday she stopped again on the highway. Draining via the water hole didn't start her up, so I took the filter off and drained it and ran fuel through it, and she started right up.

But I think I'll change the filter to see if it stops the problem. I'll keep the old one in case the problem is contaminated fuel because it seems a little brown in sections when I drain the filter.

[Wincks2]

Got curious and opened up the old fuel filter to see whether it was full of gunk.



Don't see much gunk, assuming the paper filter is supposed to be the color of brown cardboard. So will have to see how far she goes with the new filter.

[Wincks2]

Still been driving Smokey.

She has done well this summer, towing our trailer to several places in Manitoba and Ontario.

Before beginning our most recent trip the coolant seemed a little low. Not having any handy I figured just adding some water ought to work. Should have given more thought to the role of chemists in setting the gel to h2o ratios. We got about 30 minutes down the road before bumper to bumper traffic in a long construction zone lead to steam coming out of the hood. Now the rad is leaking, so I'll take it out and see what damage I've done.

The fuel filter may have been unjustly accused in an earlier post. Seem to have it partly figured out now. What I've figured out is that because I got lazy and didn't fix the fuel level indicator, and therefore have never taken the tank off to see what is on top of it and in it, I think I managed to run out of fuel four times

So it might not have been the fuel filter after all. There may be some water getting into the tank when it rains and rain runs down the wall between the cab and the box and lands on the tank. I know when I overfill it fuel spills out from the top of the tank. So maybe the rain goes in the same openings. On my list to check.

Winter is coming and she didn't start well last spring, so it really is time to do the long avoided wiring work. I'm pretty sure that there is supposed to be something there to warm the fuel before it gets sprayed in or to keep the oil warm or something to ease starting in the cold. I know of a 93 Chevy 6.5 diesel that starts with no problem at all during our winters, so seems to me that if everything is connected, Smokey should too.

Winter also means our 1960 ford frontenac 1960 ford frontenac goes away until Spring. So I'm in the market for something for my wife to drive in the Winter. So far my theory about older vehicles being simple to work on and having fewer parts to go wrong seems to be working out. At least with the Frontenac (I've met an excellent mechanic with reasonable rates and he has only had to do a few things this summer and she has driven very reliably as a daily driver all summer). Smokey's issues seem to be mine, not hers. So I think I'm in the market for a four door 1970's Blazer or suburban if they existed back then.

[nbpro]

awesome thread

[bikes&bowties]

Blazers and jimmys are 2 doors.. and you can find them with that title back to 1968 (maybe longer) suburbans can be found even older but i dont know if they were always 4 doors.. I know 68+subs are 4 doors..

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by bikes&bowties

Blazers and jimmys are 2 doors.. and you can find them with that title back to 1968 (maybe longer) suburbans can be found even older but i dont know if they were always 4 doors.. I know 68+subs are 4 doors..

I know your intentions were good, but your somewhat misinformed. Allow me to get you up to speed here.

The Blazer/Jummy wasn't produced until 1969. You see a lot of them with the 67-68 front clip, but they have been converted.

The 67+ Suburban only came with 3 doors. They didn't offer a 4 door version until 73.

[Wincks2]

So after blowing our radiator I put a new one in. Unfortunately I damaged a hose so we had some oil leaking. Tried to fix it a few times. Took it to an experienced mechanic who tried to fix it. Still leaked a bit.

During the winter Smokey stalled a few times in a single trip across town. Towed her home. It was way below zero and I didn't want to work on her in the driveway, so I found a highly recommended diesel mechanic. He said the fuel injector was plugged. I looked in my manuals to see how to fix that. Looked out of my league. Especially the bit about turning the engine by hand. So, let him do it. He put in a rebuilt one. Diesel mechanics around here are busy guys with more commercial customers to help. So it took about four months to get her back. When I got her back she was running fine, but the oil hose was split. Because my experienced mechanic and I had tried to deal with the oil hose, I let him try. He brought in a special new hose with a special new fitting. Took him a month to do it, but now she doesn't leak like she did and she runs well.

But by now we are in the "tow the trailer to the lakes" season, so, rather than deal with the wiring I'm trying to figure out:



It is on to the cosmetic matters:

My old cap didn't fit, so for $100 I got this one (with two goalies in the family, the long box comes in handy and now keeps the rain off the paddles):



and, my wife and I put the underpad and carpet back in



and finally removed the bucket seats put in the very nice Qualitex seats I bought last year from Classicchev:







So now we are once again cruising in style but only time will tell for how long.

[Black 'n' Blue]

Wow a older Manitoba truck that still has a body, that's impressive. Nice truck, the seats look good in there.

[Wincks2]

Yes. A body man showed me several seams where new metal has replaced old.

Note to self: When the tail lights don't work, after checking to make sure the fuses in the fuse box work, but before spending an hour under Smokey following the wires from the tail lights to the dash, check the wiring diagram to see whether there is supposed to be a fuse in the fuse box that is not in the fuse box. If it isn't there, get one and plug it in.

Extra note to self: Before unplugging all present fuses to see whether any are broken, begin with the wiring diagram to see which, if any, fuse is relevant and where it is supposed to be plugged in. If it is absent, get one and plug it in. If it is present, unplug it to see if it is broken.

I wonder whether I've been driving her all week without tail lights.

Baby steps. Baby steps.

[Wincks2]

Checked the engine broadcast code before starting work on the electrical

Broadcast code is FHD 1211.

A GM book tells me the F means it was built in 1984, the 12 means December and the 11 means it was built on the 11th day of the month.

So it looks like Smokey's engine may be a 1984 rather than a 1986.

Anyone know whether the HD means heavy duty?

The traceability and in-process bar codes are absent.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Wincks2]

Its been a good couple of days.

Learned about shock absorbers and how to replace them after noticing the top of one was off the stud.



Still have to try to remove the stud to see whether I'll be able to put in a different one that comes with the new shocks.

Got after some of the elecrical.

The oil pressure gauge wasn't working because the sensor had been removed:



Figured I'd best work my way backward from the dash to find the wire to connect to the sensor. Also, I wanted to see where my water in fuel bulb and some others were. So I went crazy and took off the dash, instrument panel, plastic, more plastic, thinner plastic to pull out the instrument cluster to take a good look. PLus I was looking for a way to put a manual glow plug button between the light switch and the steering wheel and I kept hitting metal behind the plastic.




No wires came out of the back of the oil pressure gauge. It just plugged into the rear plastic. Turns out there were circuits in the plastic. Turns out I didn't even have to go looking for the oil pressure gauge wires to make it work. At least not at the gauge end. Later I found the sensor wire connector dangling down behind the sensor:



Just put it back on the sensor and the gauge began to work.

While doing that I accidentally disconnected the boost gauge wire from the turbo charger:



Checked the Banks site and it showed me how to put it back in, so that is back to normal.

Was going to use my angle grinder to grind some of these two metal edges away to make room for my glow plug button:



Fortunately the grinder wouldn't fit in the space because while putting the dash back on I realized that because it was from a different truck and doesn't seem to fit right, no harm in me putting a few shims behind the bottom to pull my glow plug button spot out a little so it wont hit the metal edges. Think I'll wrap the plug's back with electrical tape and the metal edges too so if they do touch there wont be sparks.

Also followed the three wires from the non-working fuel gauge all the way to their ends. One goes to ground. The ignition one goes through a toggle switch. Very strange since this is a one tank truck. The one to the sending unit goes all the way back by the tank and is dangling in the air. So I'll try to learn how to attach it to the sending unit and attach it. Think I'll connect the ignition wire directly to an ignition spot on the fuse box.

Was about to wire up the manual glow plug button with a new wire running directly from the plug to the starter solenoid when I saw the existing wire runs through this thing:



Have no idea what it does so I don't know whether I have to run the new wire through it. If I do, I'll leave the old wire and just solder an extension to the end in the cab to get it to the new glow plug button position.

So, things are coming along. Current to do list is to fix the rear shocks, drop the tank and see why it overflows when I fill it right up, connect the fuel gauge while the tank is dropped, add the new glow plug button, fix an oil leak at my radiator hose fitting, check the glow plugs to see which are not working, maybe reconnect the fuel pressure/change filter/vacuum sensor at the fuel filter if I can find somewhere snazzy to put a light for it (I think the original way was to have this sensor make the water in fuel light light up), maybe reconnect the water in fuel sensor at the fuel filter, test the fuel heater.