1981 F150 Blue. Named Walter, for now anyway

[ArdWrknTrk]

Looks functional Randy!  
The way to fix it is whatever work for you.

Glad you've got it functional before summer really arrives.

[rcarlisle]

Functional for a while.  I hate not having the skills, patience, shop, parts, etc to fix something right.  I envy ppl like Jonathan and Gary and others here that take so much time fixing their trucks.  I have to " get er done" and move on.  

[Gary Lewis]

MacGyver has nothing on you!  Well done!

Some of us are doing this for a hobby, so can take the time and do it the way we want to do it.  Others need to get 'er done.  You did.  

[rcarlisle]

It's a hobby truck for me too.  But not really going the full resto route.  But looking at all that was there and wrong, didn't make sense to try go very far unless I was going to take the plenum out and try to find one.  That would mean the truck would be down for a while.  I can't do that.  Some sort of weird OCD about keeping the truck in a running state.  Not getting bogged down in projects and it becoming yard art.  

[rcarlisle]

Also, if you have thick hands, it makes working in the plenum pretty tough.  My hand is swollen and a bruise is starting from jamming it in and out of that hole.  I eventually sawed into the inner flap between the heater core and the blend door area.  I broke a chunk out to allow my hand in there.  Otherwise I was becoming increasingly worried that I would not be able to get my hand out.  Just something to keep in mind in this project.  

[Gsmblue]

I was bleeding when I did mine! Nice work, zip ties are amazing

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, I was also bleeding when I did mine.  That is painful work!

[FuzzFace2]

It's yours so you fix it the way you see fit, I like it

My OCD is it has to look good like the factory and work the same.
I do have a little like you as it has to stay movable even if I have to push it but soon after it was rolling it was running (off a small gas can) as pushing gets old fast LOL

To tell the truth I did not know of the blend door hinge being an issue when I had the box out or I would have checked it and may be added a better one.
I was lucky that mine works as it should.
Dave ----

[rcarlisle]

I don't have a garage, so everything is carport or driveway.  And we like the new cars in the carport.  Couple times I have had truck blown apart in middle of carport.  And the whole reason we bought this particular truck is that it was in reasonably good condition and runs well.  Everything now is just refining what's there.

I hope your door continues to function.  

[rcarlisle]

6-15-2021:  Spare wheel sandblasted then painted.   Need to find a good tire for it.   Tried to fit it in carrier, but exhaust system interferes with fit.  AND it's a real hassle to get spare back in that holder for an old guy.  So... will likely remove that carrier and keep spare in bed, strapped in so it can be moved if needed.  But much easier to access.  Thought about making a more permanent mount, but think that might cause issues with having the full bed area.  

Also, my turn signal cam/switch jammed yesterday and clicks a lot now on right turns.  Think I'm going to see if that's a warranty claim.  Rock Auto sourced.   We'll see.  Took steering wheel off and see what happened.  Signal still works, just constantly clicks the cancel tab as the wheel turns.  

Good news is that the AC worked great at lunch and on the way home.  Maybe not as good as my 2020 car, but still good enough that I had to turn it down before I got home.  

[Gary Lewis]

I'm with you on getting a tire into that carrier under the bed.  Not easily done for this old man.  So my spare is currently in the bed as well.

Having said, I have an OLD spare that I might put under the bed in addition to the one in the bed if I get to go overlanding.  It would just be for emergencies, so getting it back in might not be the biggest issue as I could leave the bad pair in the bed for the return trip.

Good luck on working with RA.  That is not always easy.

And congrat's on the A/C.  But you may want to read the info in the Heat Shutoff tab here: Documentation/HVAC/HVAC Systems.  On Big Blue the A/C works so well that I have to have heat to temper it, but the heat doesn't shut off completely so the A/C doesn't get really cold.  Last night I ordered a Four Seasons 74614 Heater Valve that I'll put in the heater hose and tee into the vacuum for the recirculate door.  That way when in Max A/C the door and the valve will close and there will be no hot water circulating in the heater core.

[rcarlisle]

I'll try to work with RA.   We'll see.  I'm probably about done using them - too many other horror stories and if I can get it locally, be easier to deal with when goes sideways.  

I bought a maunal plumbing valve from Lowe's other week.   Just need to put it in.   How do I identify the correct hose?  See photo - this is a restored truck and shut off is on the inner hose at firewall end.  I can do manual and not have to remember things later.  And subsequent users/owners should be able to figure out what I have done.   My biggest hold up has been looking for which hose to cut.   Might do this this evening. My son will be over and he seems to like working on truck.  He's 13 and has become quite involved with me.

 

[Gary Lewis]

My nephew says RA is a four letter word.  He's started his own mechanic's business and has had no end of grief with them.  It is not unusual for a new part to be bad, and returns are hopeless.  He will NOT order from them and if you've bought a part from them he will NOT install it.

On the hose, it doesn't matter which one you put the valve in.  All you are doing is stopping the flow.

[rcarlisle]

RA website went through process and is sending a new one.   THen I am supposed to return the old one.   WE'll see how it works.   When I was talking to the garage that did AC work, he said that he really agreed that buying local when you can makes it easier when something doesn't work or fit.   And sometimes extra parts will be included in a locally sourced "kit".  

RA takes a while to get as well.  I have never had any issues with the few RA parts I've ordered previously.   We'll see how this turns out.

As for the cut off, isn't one hose flowing IN and the other flowing OUT?  IF you put it on the OUT side, it will keep pushing hot water into heater core.  I may not usderstand all there is to about the coolling system flow.  

[Gary Lewis]

Glad you got it worked out with RA.

As for the hose, if you stop the flow there won't be any coolant flow through the heater core.  Yes, the pump will put pressure on it, but the pressure will also be the same on the other side.

Anyway, the flow is shown from this illustration at Documentation/Cooling Systems/Heater Hoses and comes from the 1984 factory shop manual.  Note the "Hose orientation at heater core optional".

[rcarlisle]

We'll see if RA actually makes good on return and credit.  

The turn signal cam went weird when I turned off highway to right.  It clicked to cancel, but I was making an immediate right again into Wendy's.  When I pushed the lever back up, it went weird after that.  Not good to make those two signals until the first has fully cancelled?  Just a thought.   At least I know how it goes in now.  

ON looking at the ref docs, looks like I need to choose the hose that comes out of the UPPER heater hose at intake.  The flow direction THROUGH the heater core doesn't matter to the heater core, but the flow of coolant is from top of engine, through the heater core, then back to engine.  So cutting it off before it pushes more hot water in would be the hose coming from intake.  That's how I see it anyway.  Kinda like putting hot water in a sink of cold water - you are still pushing hot water in there.  Other hose returns to water pump.   That's how I'm going to approach it at any rate.  

Thanks for sending the ref image - I was looking at it when the email notification came in.  This site is such a great reference.  

[rcarlisle]

Shut off valve installed.  Didn't think to take a photo.  Will get one. Might have dropped the AC temp a little.  Drive around block and it cooled down pretty quick and pretty good on a less than 5 mile trip at 80° outside temp.  

 Wife gave me father's day gift while working on truck, too.  Console to go in the middle of the seats.  Woohoo!  We getting all fancy now with cupholders.  I'll get photos next time I'm in.  

[Gary Lewis]

We have a saying - pics or it didn't happen.  

The water shutoff will make the most difference after the coolant is up to temp.  In other words, while the coolant is cold you won't see much difference.

As for the console, what kind did you get?  I really like mine.  

[rcarlisle]

I'm very familiar with "pics or it didn't happen", so without further Ado....

Shutoff.  Also AC label that says 3 lbs R134a. This is 3/4" shutoff, which was a touch looser than I would like but hose clamps seem to have tightened it down.  


Console.  I think it's TCI.  I had one like it in a 92 Dakota many years ago




I have no idea why I have a tan belt in the middle and black belts on the outer positions.  

Now just got to figure out which cups fit the holes.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes!  You actually did do it!  

Seriously, that looks good.  Both the shut off and the console.  But I'm surprised that a 3/4" shutoff was loose as I thought all the heater hoses were 5/8".