My 1984 F150 2wd Flareside Project "Blue Mule"

[Rembrant]

Oz Econoline/F100 wrote

You also have extractors which also make that ticking exhaust sound as well

Extractors? You mean the headers?

[Oz Econoline/F100]

Yes headers on your side of the world and extractors for us on this side of the world (Australia)

[Rembrant]

Oz Econoline/F100 wrote

Yes headers on your side of the world and extractors for us on this side of the world (Australia)

Well isn't that interesting, I didn't know they were called Extractors down there;). Neato.

We have a weird mix of American and British terms and phrases here in Canada. We were just discussing this at work yesterday. A couple of my co-workers, when they take time off work, say they are going "on Holidays", which I understand is what the British say. Most of us say that we are going "on vacation", which is the American term, I guess...lol. So what do you call time off work in Australia?

But yes, I suppose the headers are adding some noise as well. I do fuss over ticks and rattles more than most, but this thing sounds really noisy to me. Maybe having no radio is adding to my problems...lol, that's on the to-do list as well.

[Oz Econoline/F100]

It's very interesting what each side of the world calls thing two things that are exactly the same. I have gotten some very weird looks when we have had our America holidays (to answer your question) in the States when asking for car parts. It must be from the British background that we have over here as well. Here's an example of some of the words:

* Fender = Guard
* Hood = Bonnet
* Trunk = Boot Lid
* Napkins = Serviettes
* Aluminum = Aluminium
* Candy = Lollies

Getting back to the ticking noise, did you have the headers before the rebuild or were they new when you did engine rebuild? I have always noticed when changing from manifolds to headers they are always noisier with that ticking sound.

[Rembrant]

Oz Econoline/F100 wrote

Getting back to the ticking noise, did you have the headers before the rebuild or were they new when you did engine rebuild? I have always noticed when changing from manifolds to headers they are always noisier with that ticking sound.

The engine was completely stock previously, and I must say, it was very quiet and smooth running. This thing sounds like a real rattle box on the top end. It is so strange to me. The video I posted above really doesn't show the noise well imho.

That's funny...I forget about Aluminium. We say aluminum in Canada. I had a discussion about that word one time while working in the UK years ago. I told the guy that I spoke Canadian, and he said "no, you speak American"...lol. We have our own accent up here, but our terms/words/spelling does vary between British and American.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, I hear some noise.  It isn't bad, but it is there.  And while Oz is right that you have extractors/headers and they tend to also give that sound, it does sound like valve train.

But, the fact that it is even from side to side suggests that all the cylinders and doing it.  So that means that there's not something wrong.  And, having broken it in on the dyno you know it isn't something that is about to break.

[Rembrant]

I was thinking of that this morning. We ran this thing for hours on the dyno, and probably did 15 pulls with it. If it was going to bust something or wipe out a cam lobe, I guess it would have happened then.

I guess I'll just have to get used to it. I'll try and get a better video on another day. Maybe inside my garage would show the noise better.

[Nothing Special]

Oz Econoline/F100 wrote

It's very interesting what each side of the world calls thing two things that are exactly the same. I have gotten some very weird looks when we have had our America holidays (to answer your question) in the States when asking for car parts. It must be from the British background that we have over here as well. Here's an example of some of the words:

* Fender = Guard
* Hood = Bonnet
* Trunk = Boot Lid
* Napkins = Serviettes
* Aluminum = Aluminium
* Candy = Lollies

....

When I was in college my folks bought a '78 Toyota Celica.  In the owners manual it had a translation table with the British and American words for some car-related terms (they also included wrench = spanner).  Those lists are always interesting, but even more-so when they're compiled by someone who's native language is Japanese!  I don't recall the specifics anymore, but I remember there were some items in the list where I'd never have figured out the "American" term without the British one to point me in the right direction!

[1986F150Six]

I had a 1976 Subaru. One time while reading the owner's manual, I was amused to read that if the engine is shut off while at higher RPMs, a loud bang may be heard. [back fire?]

[Gary Lewis]

I thought fender = wing in Brit speak?

As for weird "translations", my lift's instructions said the green wire must be connected to the "floor".  I guessed that they meant "earth" or "ground", but that looked like a huge liability problem for the vendor.  

[1986F150Six]

Gary Lewis wrote

I thought fender = wing in Brit speak?

As for weird "translations", my lift's instructions said the green wire must be connected to the "floor".  I guessed that they meant "earth" or "ground", but that looked like a huge liability problem for the vendor.  

So, a lawsuit would be groundless?

[Gary Lewis]

Good one!  

[Oz Econoline/F100]

Yes Gary fender = wing in the UK but a fender is a guard over here

[Rembrant]

I forgot to mention, in other good news, I checked my odometer with GPS yesterday, and for a GPS measured trip of 52 kms (32.3 mi), my odometer read exactly 53 kms (32.9 mi). So we'll say that the odometer is reading 2% high or so. That's not bad, and just BS luck that with my tire swap (factory 215/75/15 to 275/60/15), and then from the 3spd manual to 5spd manual, everything still works as it supposed to. How often does that happen?...lol.

[Rembrant]

Oh, and in other good news, playing around with the timing, I got the truck working MUCH better in the lower RPM's, and managed to hit 16.5 MPG on the highway. I think that is pretty respectable for the old girl.

Now, the distance was measured accurately, but the fuel was not 100% precise, so I could be off a hair in either direction. Once I get all the bugs worked out of it, I'll take it on some longer trips where the fuel economy can be measured better.

As it stands now, working as good as it was yesterday in the lower RPM's, I would leave the 3.08 rear diff alone.

[Gary Lewis]

Not bad at all!  Big Blue's odometer is dead-on and the speedo is slow by almost 10%.  

[Gary Lewis]

Oops, missed this post.  That's not bad MPG at all, but I'd think you could up it a little bit with some tuning.  Have you played with the vacuum advance yet?

[Rembrant]

Gary Lewis wrote

Have you played with the vacuum advance yet?

Yes, just started yesterday. I was driving around with it disconnected, but now that my exhaust is quieted down (and I can hear potential pinging) I hooked it up. I'm getting too much advance now, so I need to adjust the actuator and play with it a bit.

Without vac advance, it was a dog below 2000 RPM, and it would light right up above 2000 RPM. Now, it's much better below 2000 RPM, and seems a little sluggish above. I'm not hearing any pinging at all.

If I have time I'll play with it a bit tomorrow, but between the choke and the vac advance, I have a some adjusting to do before I'd consider it all set.

[Gary Lewis]

Get the initial advance sorted first, then mechanical/centrifugal advance sorted out next, and then the vacuum advance.

[Rembrant]

I finally got around to dropping the old spare tire out from under the bed.

It's an old H78-15 tire from Canadian Tire, so it's not something that came with the truck. Says it is Nylon Belted. It's as bald as a cue ball, rotten, and flat...lol. Wouldn't have been much good on the side of the road. When I Google H78-15, they keep coming up as trailer tires, or antique tires...lol. I think this one is older than the truck.



The underside of the bed is in surprisingly good condition for the age of the truck. That is the original plywood, which looks great on the bottom, but has rotten and flakey patches on the topside. The bed crossmembers look to be in great condition. Thank goodness the original owner had the thing undercoated or it wouldn't still be here today;).



Getting ready to drain the diff fluid, so parts of the motivation to remove the spare was easier access to the rear cover.