Why I like the Bullnose Forum.

[86 1/2 Brutus]

I do have to say, i really like you guys.  Nick was the one who stumbled upon the Bullnose forum and kept telling me to join and i'm really glad i did.

When i was about ready give up on forums.  I had posted a question to another Ford truck forum, really dont remember which one it was, but this was my question.  This was back when the parts truck was still running, the 88

"  I have an 88 F150 with a 300 I6 and a 5 speed transmission.  The transmission is shot.  I have in my possession a C4 transmission that is bolted to a 351M and I also have a FMX transmission bolted to a 302.  Will any of these transmissions bolt up to my 300?"

All the responses were
I'd put an AOD
another told me to buy an aftermarket
another told me buy a c6
many other people said put an AOD

that wasn't the question. and i never really found out the answer

[86 1/2 Brutus]

Not that it matters anymore, everything is gone and the parts truck is picked.  Any clue as if any of those transmissions would have bolted up?  i never really got the answer to the question

[Gary Lewis]

I'm sure I can speak for others - we are glad you joined!  (I think that "you" is plural, as in both you and Nick, but I'm never quite sure which of you is posting.)

Yes, it is very frustrating when you post just a seemingly simple question and no one answers it.  And while I've been guilty of doing just that, usually someone else here will point out the error of my ways and answer the specific question.

And, speaking of that question, there are several different bolt patterns used on Ford engines, and here are the ones used in the Bullnose era:

Small Block: (My term) This includes the Windsor engines, such as the 289, 302, & 351W as well as the 300 six and also the 351C.

Big Block: (My term) This includes the M-Block engines, meaning the 351M and 400, as well as the 460.  But there's a twist - while the bolt pattern is the same the flywheel for manual transmissions is in a different spot so you can't directly swap a manual tranny from a 460 to a 351M or 400 unless you use the right bell housing

Diesel: Both the 6.9L and the 7.3L share the same bolt pattern.

So to answer the question, the FMX should work.

[FuzzFace2]

If it is the forum I think it is it could be the people that hang out in the 87 - 90 area just don't know?
If you go thru the older truck areas you will find more & more know what works and what does not.
I think a lot has to do with what parts they can get, have you tried to get parts for that FMX trans? and no computer to control anything.

The 88 would of had EFI / computer. Also if the transmissions you wanted to use used a kick down rod / cable how do you hook that up to the EFI setup? I know on the 80 - 86 300's that had a C6 use all kinds of linkage & pivots from the carb to the trans that is a night mare.

Now I am sure that 88 came with a AOD so parts would have been a little easier to come by and have over drive like that 5sp did and why I think they posted that, not that that helped you.
Also if doing a trans swap why go backwards, no over drive, any why you may not of had a good answer.
Just my .02
Dave ----

[86 1/2 Brutus]

it's always me, George that is doing the posting.   i kind of thought the FMX would have worked, but the kickdown was something i was wondering too, but thats ancient history    I just got to thining about it this morning when reading through the forum.     I still do look around at other forums, and to tell you the truth, have never found anything of any use, just a bunch of smartalec answers.   I am also an audiophile and have had the same issues with audio forums.  I am an a recording studio and  audio engineer, or was, i got out of the game. when music started to get really really bad, but nonetheless, some of the responses i would get would just baffle my mind.    I've only been on here a short time and this is really kind of cool, its like a little truck family and for that , Thanks Gary

[Gary Lewis]

Ok, I'll put you down as the polite one since you put Nick's name first in the signature.  

And, you are right - it is a "little truck family".  Several of us have met via the shows or get-togethers (GTG's), and many more were hoping to do so this year.  But, we didn't plan on a pandemic.  

But, we help each other, swap parts, and even pray for each other at times.  So "family" is an apt description.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Well... I'm sorry to have started my cab upgrades with "I don't want to hijack Nicks thread'  

There's definitely a sense of community here that you won't find elsewhere.
But we are also a small group.

There are people who are really helpful on FTE. Paul (Conanski) and Mark Kovalsky definitely, another Bill was a wiz at electrical diagnosis.
Numberdummy was always an asset, and he apparently gave up in frustration.

We have a Ford dealer guy here, Myrl, and i imagine he would "pull out the books" if asked for something Gary doesn't already have documented.
That's one thing you may notice about this place. People express their gratitude if you reach out to help them.

So, thank YOU George, for your feedback!  

[swampedout]

I agree. Im not on this forum much but it has a distinctly different feeling from the other automotive forums I visit.

[Rusty_S85]

thats the problem I run into on way too many forums.

I remember years ago I got kicked from a forum because as they put it I just wanted attention and didnt want help while I was asking for help.

I dont remember the exact of the forum post as it was years ago but it was about a wiring problem on my '63 that I couldnt figure out.

I started my post off with the problem I am having and then listed in order every thing I checked and tried and it was no dice.  I then finished my post with is there any recommendations of what I should try next as I am at a loss.

Every reply I got on that ChevyTalk forums was to do what I already listed that I have tried.  I replied to them in kind, thanks for the reply but that isnt it I already tried that.  After about 6 posts like this I was accused of being there for attention and not wanting help when I went off on them saying that if they had actually read my initial post they would see that every suggestion I was offered was what I listed days ago as I had already tried.  I do want help but I am growing tired of getting help that is unhelpful from people that obviously never even read my post entirely.

From there I moved to 348/409 forum as they covered Chevrolets of my vintage as well, low and behold many of those same people from the previous forum were there and pushed to get me banned from there as well for no reason.  They also did the same thing to my posts there with trying to elicit a response from me.  Needless to say the owner finally did ban me because just me posting was causing such an uproar from other members that he had to do something and banning me who didnt even break a rule was the easiest for him.

Thats why as of today all the forums I have been on, ChevyTalk, 348-409, the hamb, ol skool rodz, FTE, here, and a few others.  I am only on a few today, FTE here and a couple others but all the others I have mentioned, I have all been banned from for trivial reasons that didnt even go against the rules.

To be honest I was in your place when I found FTE, I was about ready to just say forget it and walk away from forums cause its always been a lackluster form of help for me when I hit a brick wall and the replies you get was just rehashing what you already stated youve tried or a complete lack of reading the post you made.

I do get some of that on here and on FTE but it is not bad, its more of a suggestion not an out right hey you need to do this or that.  I dont mind suggestions at all, it is how I get some ideas in some cases such as repurposing a mono dash speaker for my truck with a resistor to raise the ohm rating of the speaker up to the level for a CB external speaker and now my truck has a CB external speaker thats louder than the floor facing built in speaker and its hidden out of view in the dash speaker location.  If it wasnt for suggestions of an external speaker I would have never thought of repurposing a NOS dash speaker like this.

[86 1/2 Brutus]

Jim, dont worry about hijacking our threads  if you need to refer to anything we say, go for it,its not like you are steeling anything or like that, remember i put this up on the forum for eveybody and if i didnt want it out, well, i just wuld have not said anythng.  we are here to help each other and if my info helps you and you are able to take my info to help somebody else and so on, then the whole purpose of this forum has been fulfilled

[ArdWrknTrk]

Thank you George.
I just don't want your thread to become one about my audio system.

If you spend time here you'll find that many threads wander off the path.
But I feel it isn't being respectful to the OP, to truly divert it.

If I ask a random question of someone that knows more than me about something they mentioned I think that's fine.
But in my mind it's better to start a new conversation.
Maybe it's just my autism, but I know one rabbit hole leads to a whole warren.

[85lebaront2]

Biggest issue I have seen, is when a forum is run by people who own and may be passionate about the vehicle or item owned it is generally well managed, when they are acquired by a company who is interested in profit over product as happened with FTE, the general give and take and wanting to help goes by the wayside. I will occasionally go on FTE, usually because I have a notice of someone replying to a thread, other than that, no, not at all.

I am also a member of some Chrysler related groups both in forums and Facebook groups, I did actually go join a Chevy forum when I was trying to get information on the late LT1 engine (I still have a problem wrapping my head around that LT1 vs the 1970 LT1 that my business partner's brother bought). He did have a pained look on his face the night a fellow who worked for us and had just finished a nice 1968 SS396 Chevelle, decided he wanted to race on a nice 6 lane wide road. We left the light 3 abreast, after probably 1/8 mile the sequence was 1 - Me in my 1966 GT350, 2 - Jimmy in his 1970 LT1 Corvette and 3 - Lesko (his last name I can't remember his first) in the 369 Chevelle. Basically in inverse order of displacement. I was courteously received and given excellent advice. Once I got the car finished I went there one last time and thanked all who had helped.

I always try to go back and read through a lengthy thread asking for help in my areas of expertise to see what has been suggested and tried and results. FWIW, on FTE one time there was a fellow running a Quadrajet on a Ford, I don't recall the engine, but he was having problems with it running pig rich. I went through a list of things to look at and was told by the OP in so many words that I didn't know what I was talking about. So I said fine, told I would just back out of the thread. I did, but followed it. After several people informed him that he had probably just po'd the one person who could help him, he asked if anyone knew how to get me to come back, I waited a couple more days, then answered him with "an apology would be nice", He did and I walked him through what to look for. He had made one of the classic Q-jet errors, the metering rod piston had popped up when he was installing the air horn, one metering rod was bent and since the piston couldn't move the other was at full rich.

This is why sometimes I don't promptly weigh in on a question, I prefer to read the thread and make my suggestion(s). If they aren't used, but the vehicle is fixed, that is the important thing. Gary has a set of guidelines and is a stickler about bad language and I respect that, despite having been in the Marine Corps and try to phrase my replies accordingly. I think Gary has done a fantastic job and the growth of this forum proves it.

[Rembrant]

86 1/2 Brutus wrote

I do have to say, i really like you guys.  

When i was about ready give up on forums.  I had posted a question to another Ford truck forum, really dont remember which one it was...

I like the crew here as well. It feels like home. Forums are natural for me since that is how I started with all of this back with our first real computer in about 1999, but this forum in particular and the people on it are unique.

I do follow the Bullnose groups on Facebook, but they can be brutal, in every sense. Incorrect answers are pretty common on there, as well as opinions that weren't asked for...lol, but there's also the people that answer questions that weren't asked...lol, and the people that ask questions that have been asked thousands of times, starting before the internet even existed...lol. I get it though...the first Bullnoses are now pushing 41 years old, and many of their owner's are barely half of that.

And now, in the time of Covid-19, hanging out with your "friends" on a forum seems more natural than ever.

[Gary Lewis]

Bill - Thanks.  We are growing rapidly, that's for sure, so must be doing something right.  And the new people, gals and guys, are fitting right into the family.

My pledge is that this site will not go commercial.  And my goal is that it will have no adverts and no fees.  Further, I plan to provide for it in my will.  (Not that I have all that much to put in a will, but I plan to provide funding for the website and forum in any event.)

[Rusty_S85]

Yep, thats how it can be and thats the problem im having with my dual jet the metering rods has that seal that locks it in place but this carb has been rebuilt so many times the metering rod piece seal which is not included with rebuild kits wont stay in place so I am stuck with a dual jet that is loading the engine up at idle.  Ive been driving it for the better part of this year while trying to solve the problem myself.  I tried two remains of which first one had the passenger side idle circuit completly dead so it ran on only 3 of 6 cylinders and wouldnt idle in gear.  Second one worked half ways decently but then the right circuit again went dead.  I rebuilt my old one it idles but it has no power and no vacuum as its just flooding out but its useable.  I got a brand new unit from napa, both idle circuits screw them in all the way one at a time no change.  I returned that one cause the throttle shaft was missing the arm that the step up solenoid touches to kick the rpm up with the AC.

I got another new one but havent had chance to figure out what I want to do.  I could take the base plate off a reman one I have that I returned but was sent back to me for some reason and throw it on this one.  I hate quadrajunks and dualjunks with a passion.  Only one that ever worked great was the one I have on currently till the metering rod seal decided it didnt want to stay locked in place allowing the metering rods to lift up causing my issue.

If this was some 15 years ago before I went through tech classes and actually learned to the point where I am at now, I would probably be asking about that right now but I know what the problem is.  Just havent been able to correct it with remans nor with new units.

That is what kicked me in the rear and prompted me to say screw carbs and I decided to spend extra money and go holley sniper stealth fuel injection on my truck.  I have burned myself out on this one problem that I dont care to have another carb issue for my personal vehicles.

[85lebaront2]

Rusty, how do you like the Holley on that 292 4V? The strange one with the float bowl on top.

[ArdWrknTrk]

^^^^ case in point.