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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
IT RUNS AGAIN!!
exhaust is fully wrapped and re-installed, and my turbo drain -10an hose showed up a day early! fired that thing off last night and everything seams good. both turbo's spin and were getting oil at least :lol: exhaust sounds pretty decent, only one new leak at a fuel line that might have just been a loose fitting. idle is really high with the new huge injectors though, and just turning down the idle screw wasn't enough to get a stable low idle. now it's time i figured out the P7100 tuning and started turning screws. https://i.imgur.com/9tYlIS9l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/2bqdSFVl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/Y4rGUJml.jpg |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
Um, video of it running or it didn't happen :)
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took a crappy vid last night, idles really high and over smokey. let me play with the screws and springs n see if i can't get it back clean to take an exhaust note vid. i feel like i might have gotten the new gov springs too tight. |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
did a lot more staring at things over the weekend and trying stuff, then trying again til i finally got what i liked. new shut-down cable is in! it's actually a locking cable, but could just be a basic choke cable it if i wanted now. no springs, just pull on, push off, lock if ya want. probably lock-on to make sure it maintains full fuel ability.
re-did the throttle cable to delete the 2nd gen TPS and extra unnecessary linkages. just need a new throttle return spring and mount to really make that prime. got the radiator installed and fully piped! i'm not a huge fan of the upper hose, but not the end of the world either. if there's ever an issue i already found steam ports made to cut into silicone hoses. took the pump AFC apart to hopefully start to dial in the fueling a bit and smoke out the shop way less :lol: ... crap, i should charge the batteries after all the starting ... key now is going to be getting things ready at the bare min to drive it. gauges, wiring, fix air leaks in bag lines, etc. then i can start work on the bed and other cosmetics knowing worst case she's viable. https://i.imgur.com/6f8pkGSl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/dxDGdvNl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/b9EHTm3l.jpg |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
Happy for ya! Love this milestone
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
started to get the 3D put together for a bed structure with hatch. thinking 1x1 framework with 3/4" ply over it, and lift-off style hinges
https://i.imgur.com/mkemV9nl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/hp9ITfrl.jpg |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
Congrats on getting it running. It all looks great. That computer 3d stuff is cheating though! lol
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
well ... going backwards a bit ...
so after doing the rear main seal on my 93 3x and finally realizing that seal is crazy and has to be installed 100% oil free and dry or it leaks ... i knew i did the '55 wrong early on. it also made a 2+ sqft puddle on the floor from just a few test fires. last night i dive in and pull the trans, found out this requires pulling the down pipe, the hot pipe and s475, and the intercooler to get the 12v to tip back far enough. get the clutch and flywheel off only to realize there's no oil in the bell housing adapter. looking around it's just pouring down from the oil pan seal! now i have to pull the entire front suspension and crossmember, or pull the engine to replace that. so this weekend, the 12v is coming back out. https://www.icegif.com/wp-content/up...cegif-3824.gif |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
ya ever spend an entire weekend doing something over ... get to the end of the weekend and realize you are only just back to where you thought you started?
turns out, the pan rail was deformed at the bolt holes and about 20% of the RTV i used never touched the block side. cleaned 99.8% the glue off, hammered the pan rail back into shape, and used a greased paper gasket this time. also did a new rear main while it was out hanging there. so far, so good. https://i.imgur.com/T5CMMGZl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/mtBzCuLl.jpg |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
well, at least you persevered and won over.
anytime I do a gasket on an oil pan, valve covers or any other sheet metal style cover, I always clean it well then lay it gasket side down against the flat steel workbench top. I shine a light behind it and look fr the gaps. I straighten as required. also, where the bolts go through, they usually deform because there isn't usually a back up plate under the bolt so the point pressure of the bolt makes a divet in the sheet metal. I use the round end of a ball pein hammer held against that spot, from the gasket side, the hit that hammer head with another hammer to push that divet back out again. usually on the edge of the workbench as a "dolly". silicone gaskets usually require a bunch of work to seperate the parts so defoprmation of stamped steel pans is pretty common. if I can find a "formed silicone" gasket I will use them over anything. if I need to use a tube of silicone I only use "the right stuff" because the regular stuff, however good it is, doesn't stack up to it. it dries pretty quick also. |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
the formed silicone gaskets are nice, that would be solid. the bolt holes are partially why i used RTV to just fill in as needed ... i just didn't get enough on there. next time i'll put way more effort into setting up that seal surface the first time, haha.
i've never actually use "the right stuff" ... i'll have to look into that. |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
it is expensive but waaay better than the RTV stuff. trust me, as a heavy duty mechanic you don't want any come backs because that second time around repair not only costs you (or the shop where you work) money, it also costs the equipment owner money in down time, equipment rental if required and the operator loses his time too. for a trucker, it means a lost load or possibly losing favor with the company he works for if he is an owner operator. we had a trade school teacher who drilled this into our heads-do it right the first time and you only have to do it once. if you think of the bolts holding parts together as simply the things that hold the parts together rather than the things that make or break the seal and you think of the two mating surfaces as surfaces that need to fit tightly and match, like a metal on metal seal, then it changes how you look at gasket surfaces. instead of relying on a "good gasket" and sucking the bolts up tight you will start to look at the 2 parts for defects first. lay one part on the other and check for gaps, with no gasket in between. fix any high or low spots, then install the parts with a good gasket and tighten all the bolts finger tght, doing one then the other across from it and so forth, when they are all finger tight then add a little more to each in the same manner until the third go around when they can be tightened to spec. especially on a gasket that is a lot of work if a redo is required.
just the way I do it. I have very few warranty returns so it must work, lol. |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
this is the stuff. it comes in a toothpaste style tube, a pressurized can or the caulking gun style. just buy a package big enough for the work at hand because it will harden up quickly in the tube
https://www.permatex.com/products/ga...et-maker-5-oz/ I clean all the gasket surfaces with brake cleaner and dry them. also blow out all the bolt holes (do this fist) because if there is oil, old silicone or liquid on the hole this can cause a hydraulic situation under the bolt when it is installed and fluid can be pushed back out around the threads and cause an adhesion issue with the sealer. it can also cause issues with torquing and, worst case scenario, I have seen it crack castings. then install the sealer, doing a small circle around each bolt hole as you go, and lastly the cover. sometimes installing a stud in a couple of the bolt holes will help line up the parts and if doing, say, an oil pan while it is upside down there are installation helper studs that will hold the gasket in place and then will hold the cover in place while you check all the edges and corners etc and install a couple of bolts. when all the bolts are in and the parts are lightly mated then the studs can be removed. they work awesome even if the repair isn't upside down. |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
in general, before I found the right stuff and had to use the best high temp RTV I could find, I wouldn't add oil or run the engine, etc, until the RTV had sat overnight so it could get a good cure time without any oil present. pretty tough to do that at in a commercial environment so I would end up only using RTV if a real gasket wasn't available and even then only use it sparingly in corners etc. a light film of aviation form a gasket is what I used to "glue" the gasket onto one surface and I wouldn't let the RTV contact the silicone because that never seems to work out. I know lots of commercial places use RTV for gaskets and say they have no problems. diff covers etc. but I can say I have repaired lots of those "no problems" because the customer doesn't go back for another potential leak and waste of their time.
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
why does it seam like i can't officially check something off my list until i've posed it :lol:
- Rear axle breather ... DONE - Throttle return spring / bracket ... DONE - 2x -8an Engine breather hoses, mount catch can ... DONE - Last exhaust blanket installed ... DONE and since there's nothing on the floor after 24h ... Leaks FIXED https://cliply.co/wp-content/uploads...MARK_400px.gif |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
more small check marks, still fighting a leak in the front drivers air lines/bag.
always feels so much smaller when on it's wheels, i get used to it up on stands where it's still shorter than my other truck. https://i.imgur.com/hUleJjdl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/i7Do7z9l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/59kjBP8l.jpg |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
better put sasters on that big pipe, haha
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
casters, sorry.
you get it anyway. lol. |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
Very nice work. We tried running water to air intercoolers like those on street trucks a long while ago and one wasn't enough. We ended up having to do one in between the 2 turbos and one after. It seemed to work alright after that but I don't think it worked as well as an air to air during long trips. It is hard to fit a good sized intercooler in trucks like yours so I get why you're doing it that way. The right stuff definitely is good. I always put a small amount on both sides of the gaskets on the lower end. (Other than the oil cooler and HG) Cummins brand sealer is way good too but it is pretty expensive. That sucks to have to rip it all apart to fix oil leaks but I had to dot he same thing on my orange truck. Do you have a 160hp injection pump? Hopefully not. :lol: I've found those are the most finicky to get set up nice after a governor spring install.
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
Keep it coming. Glad you got it sealed up and on the ground.
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
Front clip FINALLY got cleaned up. chassis saver drying, paint and the first final install pending tonight! I'm pretty sure the hood cross bars won't clear the intercooler, but we'll see.
rad tank, check. now, it's gota breath and the tank had an o-ring seal. i actually removed the oring, slotted the top of the neck in 2 places and notched the threads in 2 places to make a labyrinth vent. blowing in the tube it worked really well. same tank, just 2x taller for the intercooler res tank. i couldn't find anything that would let me tie (4) -12an lines on nicely, so here's my attempt to make one. I've never welded aluminum before, but got everything to convert the welder. wish me luck! the tanks, weld bungs, and these AN hose ends are all 'Evil Energy' a cheap brand from amazon. not the cheapest, but still super reasonable. so far i keep getting more parts from them and they are really pretty nice parts! https://i.imgur.com/3fHNUbFl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/jCqTiDOl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/myKsXasl.jpg |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
That looks great! You're going to need a roadkill deflector. :lol:
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
Great progress. Looks like you’re on track to be cruising come spring!
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
Looks great.
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
Man that is Awesome. So cool!
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
slowly picking away at things. i ended up sandblasting the headlight buckets to repaint, they are super solid, so that's nice. started a fuel crossover hose, getting a relay and fuse panel together, shifter boot doesn't fit and have to find something new ... moving along
had to remove the hood x-bar to clear the charge cooler ... any reason that would cause issues? https://i.imgur.com/aN9u5mr.jpg https://i.imgur.com/b2l5FLK.jpg https://i.imgur.com/HYyPk92.jpg https://i.imgur.com/dkSk5LX.jpg |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
the X bar under the hood gives stability to the hood so it doesn't flex so much and so it will fit between the fenders properly. maybe you can make a modified version. on my 57 it is in there but the brackets it attaches to are not actually attached to the hood. the hood can easily be twisted up on one of the front corners so closing the hood isn't just a "drop it and it latches" motion, it is more like a "close it slowly and adjust it to not smack one of the front fenders on the way down" motions. is your hood latch installed and does the hood close on it properly every time?
open the hood slightly so it's just above the fenders, grab each front corner and apply some torque, you'll see pretty quickly what i mean if the X brace is removed. |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
curious, I always wonder on trucks like yours with big tires tucked under the front, what is your turning radius like?
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
hood shuts amazing, fits nicely between the fenders. i'm also not worried about the paint :lol:
when dropped, the turning radius is absolute junk. at the 8" ride height when the tire pokes out from under the fender lip, she'll steer all day. |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
nice your hood fits well. maybe check the cross braces where they attach as no X bar may put extra stresson them.
you have any pics at the ride height where turning is easy? are you measuring at the front of the rocker or the fender somewhere? |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
post #699 shows the rocker slammed vs ride ... i'll get you a full truck picture here this weekend
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
yeah, I seen that set of pics but I was wondering what it looks like with fenders on from a little way back, so a full side shot, just to see the whole thing in perspective. if you don't have one thats ok, sooner or later there will be one as you move along in your build.
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Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
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i finally broke down and bought myself the Aire Jax switches. the look and feel amazing, plus simplify the air lines in the truck 10x. they are mounted and ready, i just need the 3/8" npt to 3/8" tube straight fittings. no clue why i never thought about this orientation before either, but these are super easy to reach from outside the truck, or while driving. https://i.imgur.com/BNiqTWzl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/WxXFNJjl.jpg |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
was toying with an idea while looking things over. pretty much "all the guys" were hating on it, but lets hear what you guys all think.
there's already an interesting dichotomy in this truck of new vs old, so why not with mechanical and electronic as well? i intend to push this engine, so for my own engineering entertainment and to really get it right, i really want/need full datalogging with a huge array of sensors. even just the basics are already too many gauge pods for this truck. the best way i think I've found is the Holley Pro dash. no way it'll fit behind the factory v-bezel, even if i wanted to be missing some screen. so what if i put the big screen for all the gauges and controls mid-dash? then i could do a phone mount in the factory cluster bezel for tunes/navigation. thoughts? https://i.imgur.com/GbVbhjtl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/DIA1lg4l.jpg |
Re: Project: Tow-Rat (Lil' Blue)
my friday did NOT go as planned either, my annual truck inspection found both front axle ujoints were TOAST. of the 8 total caps only 2 had what resembled grease left. only 2 others had what resembled needles left :dohh:
the most awesome thing though was being able to DRIVE the '55 out of the shop! just fire it up, move it inside somewhere else, and free up the shop for emergency repairs. https://i.imgur.com/Fc1wPtEl.jpg |
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