1980 F150 4x4 Flareside Project

[Rembrant]

grumpin wrote

Good news on firing up with starter fluid.

On the #2 cylinder, my first thought was oil in the cylinder, which you did also. Really good rings, or oil in bad rings, or the rings are carboned up as you said, or sludged up.

Odd that it’s only one cylinder though.

Ya, it's an odd one for me. I guess I'll wait to see what happens after I run it up to temp and it loosens up all of the old stuck parts...lol. I did some searching on the topic, and some people suggest that it might be that the exhaust valve is not opening up enough on that cylinder, due to a loose rocker, collapsed lifter, or worn cam lobe.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I don't know how a bad exhaust lobe could cause a high reading.  
This isn't some engine with 115% filling.
When the intake opens the cylinder (when cranking) can only go to 1 bar.

If there is a lot of carbon in that one cylinder it would cause a high reading.  

You might run a little ATF or Marvel Mystery Oil in the oil to see if detergent helps loosen things up.
Certainly the rings are sticky, if not stuck.

[Rembrant]

ArdWrknTrk wrote

I don't know how a bad exhaust lobe could cause a high reading.  
This isn't some engine with 115% filling.
When the intake opens the cylinder (when cranking) can only go to 1 bar.

Ha, I don't know I was just Googling reasons, and that came up a couple times...not about the 300 specifically, but other engines.

[Gary Lewis]

Yippee!  It's alive!

I think once you run it the numbers may change, so I wouldn't worry about it until then.

[Rembrant]

Gary,
Noticed today that the ignition is sticky and doesn’t spring return properly. Is the spring in the housing where the tumbler is, or is it the switch at the bottom of the column that has a spring in it?

[ArdWrknTrk]

The spring is in the switch, everything else is linkage and the rack and pinion on the back of the tumbler.

You'll be driving this thing before the month is out, Cory!

Progress is good!  

[grumpin]

I agree with Jim, I can’t picture in my head a stuck valve upping the compression.

You’re on the compression stroke. But, my head doesn’t always picture things right!

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, Jim is right.  Go to Documentation/Electrical/Ignition and then the Ignition Switch tab for instructions on how to adjust it, which also discusses the lack of returning to Run and how to lube it.

[Rembrant]

Thanks Gary, that’s perfect. I didn’t know that adjustment procedure was in there. I just realized that I may have done something that is making it stick, so I should be able to get it fixed up quickly next weekend. Thanks again.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I do notice when it gets bitter cold my key doesn't want to return.
I think that's down to the plastic block of the switch contracting.

Fortunately it doesn't get that cold very often anymore.
And certainly not yet, this season.

[Rembrant]

After I asked about the ignition switch (and you guys answered), I realized something. I remember checking the key previously and I thought that it did spring return...maybe not perfectly like new, but it did spring return. However, when I reinstalled the column I found one of the clips on the ignition switch plug was broken off, so I put a zip-tie around the whole switch and across the middle of the plug. I'm now thinking that this zip-tie must be over or under the ignition rod. Funny how your brain works...I didn't even consider it to be a problem when I did it, but in hindsight, it probably is...lol. Thanks gents.

[Rembrant]

Funny story. This old 1980 had a vintage Kenwood cassette deck and an Alpine equalizer installed in the dash when I got it. The Alpine EQ isn't actually crooked...it's just that the faceplate is loose.



Anyway, I was asking on Facebook if anybody had a nice condition black weave radio bezel with the "Custom" embossed on it. A guy happened to reply and said not to throw away the Kenwood deck or the Alpine EQ as there are people that will pay good money for them (He suggested $100 each, at least). I got them both cleaned up and listed them separately on Ebay. Darn it all if that Alpine EQ didn't sell for $99 USD, and the buyer is in Spain! The Kenwood deck didn't sell yet, so I relisted it at a cheaper price.

Good info to know, I guess. I was going to toss them both in the garbage lol.

[Machspeed]

That's interesting...."One man's junk is another man's treasure." Wished I had all those albums I tossed several years ago. Some of what I had would have been worth a fortune.    

[Rembrant]

It's alive, it's alive!! I can't believe, but this stupid thing not only runs, it runs pretty well ha! Finally got all of the hoses and things hooked up today, stuck a gas jug over by the driver's side headlight, a vroom vroom! After only a couple minutes of running, it just sat there idling on its own. I never touched the carb and didn't make a single adjustment...lol, it just idled smoothly at 600 RPM. That's a Chinese YF copy carb from Amazon! I did read reports from other guys that said they ran well right out of the box! Forgive the filth of the engine bay in this truck...it is not getting cleaned up like my other one lol.

[kramttocs]

Congrats! That's great and glad you posted videos

[Rembrant]

kramttocs wrote

Congrats! That's great and glad you posted videos

Thanks Scott! I'm just amazed that it runs as well as it does...lol. Once it was warmed up a little bit, I started and stopped it a half a dozen times over a couple hours, and it would start at just a touch of the key...instantly, and then idle smoothly.

Gauges in the instrument cluster aren't working, so I have to look into that. Unless the gauge is correct and there's no oil pressure...uh oh...haha.

[grumpin]

Man, sounded good, looked good too! Wasn’t shaking.

[Rembrant]

grumpin wrote

Man, sounded good, looked good too! Wasn’t shaking.

It spit and shook a bit on the very first start, but then smoothed out pretty quick. I suppose it took a minute to pump up all the stuck lifters so they'd start smackin' the valves and loosen them up...ha.

It did smoke a little bit after a few minutes, but not serious...certainly not for an old engine in a truck that was dragged out of the weeds. I think running it a little bit would make a difference too.

[FuzzFace2]

 Nice job
I bet once you start driving it you wont go back to the other truck

when I first got my truck running again the oil gauge did not read either  but I did not hear any lifters making noise so I let it run.
With testing mine was a bad sender.

You got brakes on that bad boy so you can take it for a parking lot spin?
Dave ----

[Rembrant]

FuzzFace2 wrote

 Nice job
I bet once you start driving it you wont go back to the other truck

when I first got my truck running again the oil gauge did not read either  but I did not hear any lifters making noise so I let it run.
With testing mine was a bad sender.

You got brakes on that bad boy so you can take it for a parking lot spin?
Dave ----

Ha! No brakes, no booster, no master, no lines! Also no driveshaft, and no hydraulic clutch line!

I'm going to get the hydraulic clutch working tomorrow and stick the drive shaft in it so I can move it around inside the shop.