The Return of Rusty

[ArdWrknTrk]

He still has it.
There's got to be a pn stamped on there somewhere.

[ClayJ]

Gary,
All I have to go on is the mechanics word that the flexplate was the correct one. What I want to know is why was the original flexplate cracked warranting this whole deboggle. The guys at my FiL's shop definitely messed up by putting the wrong plate in with a spacer, but something had to be off prior to that. My guess is the torque converter was starting to go internally. Time will tell I guess.

[ClayJ]

Jim,
I've asked the transmission shop to put the 2nd broken plate in the toolbox. I'll check the number when I get Rusty home this afternoon.

[ClayJ]

Well guys it's been a hard fight battle but Rusty is home! I'm going to wait until it's not the heat of the day to go and crawl around

.

[Gary Lewis]

Yippee!!!!  

Glad he's found a new home - and that he made it there in one piece.  How'd he drive?

[ArdWrknTrk]

So glad Rusty has a home where he can be productive now!

I have to guess the torque converter was the cause?
Who will ever know what happened in those intervening years?

[ClayJ]

Brought him down the highway 70mph the whole way. Seems to stumble just a bit between 15-20 mph. Wonder if the "timing advance" by ear the shop did was the cause. Other than that all is well at the moment!

[ClayJ]

Jim, I'm guessing between the torque converter and a new harmonic balancer that did the trick but I guess time will tell. I would like to add a steering stabilizer to help with feedback and bump steer. So many options!

[Gary Lewis]

I think the timing was set around 12 degrees BTDC.  Obviously with the vacuum advance disconnected.

[ClayJ]

So I had a few parts sitting around waiting for Rusty to finally make it home. Tbh I'm very excited to start making upgrades and just making my mark on Rusty. Insert flexplate comments here.........

So I'm starting off by making Rusty ready to pass the state inspection. First off the windshield has to be replaced.


Also, I thought the side markers looked very faded and could use a fresh set with the Sylvania 194 LED'S that Daniel Stern recommended.

Before:

After:

I will eventually replace the other bulbs with the recommended LED'S as well as the JW speaker LED headlights.

Tomorrow's project looks a bit different as I'll be adding a steering stabilizer ordered from Amazon. Anyone used this specific kit?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Wow! NO border on that windshield.  

I haven't had a steering damper on my truck.
Do you find the steering jerky, or difficult to control off road?

[Gary Lewis]

The side marker light looks good!  And with the LED's I'm sure you'll be seen much easier at night.  Maybe you could do a before and after on the incandescent bulb vs LED?

If you replace the stop/turn signal and the front turn signal bulbs with LED's you'll have to have the right flasher.  However, I think I put a special flasher in there 'cause when I was pulling a trailer it was blinking much too quickly.  So replace the bulbs with LED's and see.  It may work w/o changing out the flasher.

Looking through the windshield I can see where the dash cover ends and the pad shows.  I'd forgotten that I put a dash cover on.

As for the steering damper, I've not installed one, but am curious what difference you see/feel.

[ClayJ]

There's quite a bit of feedback on highway and driving over our rough road. I've heard nothing but good things about steering stabilizers. Someone else may have experienced different.

[ArdWrknTrk]

I admit to not having used one on my truck, so I've got no experience to compare.

I was just wondering what you felt, and the reason you wanted one.

I've been driving this rig for so long it feels entirely normal.
The only time the steering feels wonky is when I get stuck in the center lane truck ruts.

[ClayJ]

Gary, I can definitely do a before and after LED vs incandescent. Will give an update on the steering stabilizer install as well.

[Gary Lewis]

Are you a photographer?  If so, you understand that to do a comparison you'll need to take one pic, say the "before" on automatic, then find the aperture and shutter speed that the camera used and dial those settings into the camera on Manual.

Otherwise the camera will automagically adjust the shutter and/or aperture in both cases to get about the same brilliance.

[ArdWrknTrk]

The underhood to led thread really showed how much more light was in the foreground!

It's amazing what happens when you don't waste power making heat.
4W v/s 0.010W and 37% more light?

[myrl883]

I have had one converter that failed and ballooned and took out a flex plate. It was on a '85 F150 that I used to have. Mine started knocking only when hot - apparently the converter would shrink a bit when it cooled. I replaced them together so I never experienced multiple failures, but that can certainly do it. I hope that was it and Rusty is good for a long while!

[grumpin]

My truck had a steering damper on it when I bought it. I took it off and didn’t notice anything.

Im holding on to it, just in case. Could have been for towing or hauling a truck camper.

[ClayJ]

Gary, I am by no means a photographer so i feel like i would disappoint. Quick question though, does Rusty have a traditional points setup in the distributor or was he upgraded to digital? Also, wondering if the ignition coil could be starting to fail with the sudden stumble under light load as well as the tach no longer working. I took some of the vacuum advance out and did get a slight change but not much. Engine idles great, just seems to stumble under light load until you push through.