1982 Bronco 351 4x4 - Code name Esperanza

[Gsmblue]

1986F150Six wrote

As a child, I was told that it is wise to surround yourself with wise people and you will learn. It still holds true!

I could not agree more, there is always something to learn, that is where a lot of the fun is!

[ArdWrknTrk]

See what Gary's posted the past couple of days in Big Blue's  thread about fitting the '87^ battery tray to hold a group 65 battery.

No J-hooks or top retainer are just one of the advantages of a tray that fits above the plastic fender liner, away from water and road salt.

[Gary Lewis]

Right - The later battery trays are better for a number of reasons.  The fact that it is above the fender liner is a blessing as the mud and water don't sit on it forever.  And the clamps are supposed to be far superior to the j-hooks.

Mine is quasi installed, but I didn't have the brace that goes to the radiator support, without which I don't dare put the battery in.  So I don't yet know how the clamping system is going to work.  But I like it so far.

And yes, it is a HUGE onion!

[Gsmblue]

I just caught up with the battery tray antics, thanks for pointing me over there.

This captive nuts in the wheel well were so corroded they broke free and started spinning . I was working on my own so dealing with that was not fun!

I will keep my eyes open when I next go to the breakers next. At least I know removing the stock tray will be easy if I do it in the near future as everything is currently clean! I completely agree with the battery being under rated for these trucks. I don't think mine is a 56 as they were out of stock so I think it is the next size up..

When I build an engine next winter i will be going with a 3G alternator, PMGR starter, Saginaw PS pump and serpentine belt system... I am making notes of all this stuff now!

[Gary Lewis]

When building the engine and going with the 3G et al that will be a good time for the new battery tray.  And when you go to the breakers to get one make SURE to get the brace with it.  (Don't do as I do.)  It is the item on the right, below, and it bolts to the radiator support.

[Gsmblue]

Thanks Gary.

Luckily I have a long time to accumulate parts for the engine build and the the local breakers has a steady supply of trucks.

I will definitely be doing that battery tray upgrade and putting a nice G65 in!

[FuzzFace2]

I did not know a comment about Nitrogen would blow up like it did
Man do I feel under schooled
If it was not for the state tech school I went to for high school I don't know if I would have finished high school. I also knew that collage was not for me.

As for Argon or Nitrogen?
When I worked at the hospital, Nitrogen was used on our chillers to check for leaks after they were opened up as it was a dry gas.
We also had a lot of it on hand, 24+ tanks at any given time, as the OR's used it to power air tools in the rooms when needed.
It was also used in some of the labs.
If we had any Argon it was for the TIG welder, does it use Argon? in the shop that the plumbers had access to not us in HVAC.

Could NOS be used to pressurize a AC system to look for leaks?
I have a little left over from my 4x4 racing days I could use if it is a dry gas. Would just need to make sure the tube is not in the liquid when used is all.
Dave ----

[ArdWrknTrk]

'juice' would probably be the worst thing.

It's a potent oxidizer, and along with the nitrogen will cause all kinds of corrosion.

Yeah. Argon for my TIG welder.
What exactly DID they teach you at JM Wright tech?

[FuzzFace2]

ArdWrknTrk wrote

'juice' would probably be the worst thing.

It's a potent oxidizer, and along with the nitrogen will cause all kinds of corrosion.

Yeah. Argon for my TIG welder.
What exactly DID they teach you at JM Wright tech?

I took auto shop, top of my class (78) and because I was not going to collage I turned down a scalar ship for a bond. I also knew how to do body work before I started HS and was teaching others a little of it.
My dad also bought a shop just before I got out of school that we were to run "together" but you never work for family LOL

Now I wished I went with tool and die as I enjoyed that when I went thru the 2 week class.
Also had an uncle that was a T & D maker.
Did good drafting / blue print reading but penmen ship was not great (still not) for that class. Not that is what I wanted to do it but you needed to take it for T & D.

I was also good in the other hands on building trades but did not care much for them so never really looked at them.

When my son was trying to get in they kept saying "no openings".
Then a few years later it shut down because lack of students?
Think shortly before I moved down here I heard they opened it backup.

All that was a L O N G time ago LOL
Dave ----

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yeah, a  l o n g  time ago.
Class of '80 here, but I had aced my GED in '78 and got a job.

There's Grant's Auto Body on Post Road in Darien, just down from Bob's Gun Exchange.

Any relation?

[FuzzFace2]

Nope none but everyone thought so because of the last name.
Don't even know if his last name was the same as ours LOL

I am related to Bill's Service (Parkers cousins) that have shops in the Shippan (Mcggee ave.) area.
You have to have seen all the tow trucks & flat beds they have?

The last I knew they had a shop (body?) on Noroton ave Darien next to the Getty station so they would have towing rights in Darien.
My son is closer to his age cousins than I am with mine of my age.
One passed away after I moved down here and I did not find out till it was to late to go up and see them.

So if you were class of 80 we may have crossed paths?
IIRC at the time they put every other year class together.
I did not pay that much attention to other class mates just to school work and then off to my job to pay for my tools of the trade.
Dave ----

[Gsmblue]

Hmmm.. reading back I missed the advice about flushing the AC system with Isopropyl and a compressor..

So, tomorrow i will pull the lines apart,  check all the o rings are intact (they are new). Then flush a fee times. I think this gonna cause a huge mess!

Let dry for a few hours, put it all back together and pull vacuum again...

If it doesn’t hold vacuum i will try and get some r134a in the system. I don’t think i have a can tap.. i do lave a low side adapter so i can put a can in the system and then look for leaks with soapy water...

In other news, i drove Espy today as we had to get groceries. She drove great and all the stores are fully stocked around here again, so a good day.

[Gary Lewis]

Looks like you have a good plan.

And, it sounds like Espy is solid.  So the A/C is going to be the icing, almost literally, on the cake.  

As for the stores, you are lucky.  Apparently ours doesn't have much in the way of bread nor butter.  We are using Walmart's service where they bring it out to you, and twice they've crossed off both.

[Frank Wyatt]

Sounds like you are getting things sorted out, congrats. Our stores here are getting stocked back up, even on TP. There is a limit of two on bread and one on TP, eggs and potatoes. It's a shame people could not act with restraint and courtesy for their neighbors on those items, then limits would be unnecessary.

[Gsmblue]

I still have a large number of major issues to deal with when the weather gets better... rear axle rebuild, transmission shifts hard, engine needs rebuild... body work needs TLC... but I am in this for the long haul and this $900 Bronco is one of the most fun cars I have ever owned!

Today I pulled the AC apart, cleaned out everything with store bought AC cleaner (spent 2 hours driving around town looking for isopropyl.... sold out everywhere) from autozone.

I had a couple of pinched o-rings so I replaced them and cleaned up the connections again.

System would not hold vacuum. I could get it down to -26 (inchMg? I forget the units) for mere seconds.

Put some r134a in, it would not take the whole can. Pressure on low side peaked at 40psi and ~25psi on the high side..

I had the pressure switch shorted out with a paper clip, engine running, controls set to max AC, the clutch on the compressor was engaging.

Soapy spray was no use finding a leak.


So I stopped there. I am confident of 2 things:
1. I am doing something wrong!
2. I have a leak.

I think I will invest in the bigger horrible freight vacuum pump and some UV dye, unless anyone has better thoughts for trouble shooting!

[ArdWrknTrk]

You know Iso-heet gas line drier is 99.9% isopropyl, right?
It's only $2.29 at my Advance.

Edit: less at Walmart, and the pharmacy 2 aisles away is devoid of ANY alcohol.






You should get the yellow plastic "shooting glasses" at Horrid Fate while you're there.
They're cheap, and help a lot in seeing the UV dye.

[grumpin]

Use a bucket of warm, not hot, water to set the can in to help empty it. While you are servicing it.

[Gsmblue]

As soon as this weather passes I will get back to the stores, get iso-heet  and a better vacuum pump.

Thanks for the advice, maybe I can soak my feet in the bucket of warm water too!

It is supposed to snow tonight...

Cooking up a casserole storm tonight, the “empty the fridge” kind, trying not to waste any food and stock the freezer at the same time! I hope you are all staying healthy..

[1986F150Six]

Gsmblue wrote

It is supposed to snow tonight...

Cooking up a casserole storm tonight, the “empty the fridge” kind, trying not to waste any food and stock the freezer at the same time! I hope you are all staying healthy..

Please forgive me for "highjacking", but this reminded me of something: when I was growing up, there were six of us and my mother was frugal, so every Saturday, she would empty the refrigerator of all that had accumulated throughout the week and make a large pot of soup. This would include several meats and multiple vegetables. It would simmer all day and fill the kitchen with an enticing aroma. Then she would toast crackers with chunks of cheddar cheese. Ummm, ummm good!

No pot was ever the same! I miss those days!

[Gsmblue]

Haha! Not a hijack at all! I swear my Mother would do that too and I do occasionally, not as much as I should. Turned out really good last night, enough for dinner last night, tonight and 2 nights of food went into the freezer :)

I think I made some progress today with Espy and the AC.

I pulled vacuum for 45 mins, it didn't hold well and slowly went down.

So I shorted the pressure switch and added some PAG and some R134a (remember I did flush the system already). I had a bucket of warm water to hand, some good physics at play there!

The system did generate some cold air which was nice and I swear I could hear hissing from the evaporator area.

I did squirt my soapy water mix all over the system, no bibles...

I really need that UV dye and a light, I did not get a chance to pick them up today... But it is fair to say the evaporator is on my suspect list...