The Truck of Doom: An Occasional Build Thread

[Gary Lewis]

Excellent!  

On the brake fluid, I encourage you to do a complete replacement.  I believe that doing so every few years would make our brake systems last far longer than they do.

[salans7]

Awesome! Glad to see you found it!

[Dorsai]

Gary Lewis wrote

On the brake fluid, I encourage you to do a complete replacement.  I believe that doing so every few years would make our brake systems last far longer than they do.

I am probably going to do just this.  I was reading a thread here the other day where someone (likely you) made that argument, and it was persuasive.  The fluid in there now has been there since the original brake rebuild in 2010 and hasn't been touched since.

[1986F150Six]

Gary Lewis wrote

I found it in the Illustration section of the MPC, as shown below.

The only problem is that when I looked 14A163 up in the Text section of the MPC to get a part number I realized that generic part number is a RETAINER (WIRE HARNESS), and there are dozens of wire harness retainers all over these trucks.  And here's the only one that appears to be the right one.  Note that the same part is used in two other applications on our trucks - as indicated by the "1" in the right column, which is titled "QTY" and shows how many are needed for each usage.

And again, I've never seen one of those despite having worked on many of these trucks.  So while the MPC says they where used from 1980 through the end of the catalog in '89, I doubt that or surely I'd have seen one, somewhere.  I can see that mechanics may well have left them off when replacing an ignition switch, but I doubt all the trucks I've worked on had all their ignition switches replaced.

It has been determined that this part is not necessary, but just in case someone just had to have it...

https://www.rearcounter.com/C3SZ-14A163-B-parts438244.html

[Dorsai]

Got a little more done over the weekend - changed out the engine coolant. The old stuff still looked good, all the hoses were in good shape, etc. No muss, no fuss.

• Air and fuel filter replacement
• Oil change
• Windshield wiper replacement
• Brake fluid check/possible replacement
• Engine coolant replacement
• Hood realignment
• Radio antenna repair
• Ignition switch replacement
• Duraspark module cleanup
• Fix loose manifold bolt
• Fix gear selector roll pin
• Carb adjustment/tuneup (no longer necessary)
• Tire check & rotation
• PCV valve/vacuum leak

I think next will be the brake fluid replacement, and I'll check and rotate the tires at the same time.

[Gary Lewis]

Progress!  

[1986F150Six]

Good work, Matthew!

[Dorsai]

Motivation to spend time in the hot garage under my truck has been low, but I did finally drag myself (and Dominic) out there and change out the brake fluid. Got some really filthy fluid out of there, so that was time well spent - and while I was at it I added speed bleeders to make things easier next time. Also rotated the tires while I was at it and got them to the correct pressure - they were all down to 26-28 pounds or so. I thought I'd been keeping a better eye on them than that, apparently not. At any rate, that completes all the safety/reliability work that had to be done before the show - mechanically the truck is as ready to go as can be. I still hope to do the radio antenna and hood alignment before the show, but if that doesn't happen it's no big deal.

• Air and fuel filter replacement
• Oil change
• Windshield wiper replacement
• Brake fluid check/possible replacement
• Engine coolant replacement
• Hood realignment
• Radio antenna repair
• Ignition switch replacement
• Duraspark module cleanup
• Fix loose manifold bolt
• Fix gear selector roll pin
• Carb adjustment/tuneup (no longer necessary)
• Tire check & rotation
• PCV valve/vacuum leak

[Gary Lewis]

I think you are ready for a road trip, Matthew!  

[1986F150Six]

Dorsai wrote

 Also rotated the tires while I was at it and got them to the correct pressure - they were all down to 26-28 pounds or so.  I thought I'd been keeping a better eye on them than that, apparently not.

Given that the tire pressures were even, it is normal leakage and not caused by a puncture. Have a safe drive, Matthew!