Restoring Rusty

[Gregski]

also the new fuel gauge has a yellow wire for the sending unit so we will splice /crimp a yellow wire for the home run all the way from the sending unit to the gauge, we will NOT be using the bulk head connector that's just another potential area to have a failed connection

note how it took me 2 years but I finally separated my bulk head connector to two sides, the left side (closest to engine) is for engine run wires only, (starter, alternator, ignition, choke, etc) the right side with mostly green wires is for all the lights (headlights, tailights, turn signals, etc.) and windshield motor

then all my diagnostic wiring enters the firewall by the distributor using the old mechanical oil sender tubing hole

it aint perfect yet, but it is getting much better

[Gregski]

so here is how all the four digital gauges look in the back all wired up, I joined all the red wires into one common positive lead with a quick disconnect bullet connector and did the same for all black wires for a common ground

I ran out of shrink tubing so I just wrapped them in electrical tape

[Gregski]

and here's the cluster with all the OEM gauges evacuated

I like how the new digital gauges fit without having to cut up the back bluster housing

[Gregski]

well the Good News is the new digital fuel gauge works

the Bad News is now the Water Temp gauge don't work

whaa haa haa ha ha

love 'em ol' trucks!

[rusty76]

Welcome back to the world of funny fickle old pick-it-ups. Lol

[Gregski]

Last camping trip of the year and the twisties were just fine with the manual steering box I think I was doing about 40 MPH with one hand on the wheel and the other on the stick

Did I mention truck camping is the best!!! Git on outder!

[D13]

Manual steering is fine until it's a 3/4 ton with big tires sitting on concrete.

[rusty76]

So awesome.

[Gregski]

Out with the New and in with the (slightly) Used

so I got tired of the head pounding drone of my Flowmaster Series 40s and decided to weld up the Magnaflows

here's how they compare, the Magnaflows are longer

[Gregski]

see how they came with the hanger rod, I try to do a good job a clean job so I cut it off and grinder that area smooth

[Gregski]

and so the passenger side is done, this is what it looks like it will go slightly down and out the side (not exactly how it lays in the picture but you git the idear)

[Gregski]

and here is the driver side same but opposite (hey is that like yes and no or same difference, ha ha) by they way I can't stand both of those responses, ha ha

took me about 3 hours from the time I got home to take the old exhaust off cut it up, moc up the new exhaust, and weld 'er up - for those of you keeping track of our billables, hee hee

FACT: The best exhaust clamp is a WELDER!!!

[Gregski]

alright enuff of your bugger welds how do it sound?

well honestly it's too soon to tell I did drive it around the neighborhood a bit (late at night) cause that's where the drone was the worst below 1000 RPM and I also took it on a highway

in One Word I would say it seems - RASPIE...ER

but ever since I topped off my transmission fluid now my New Process 833 overdrive transmission likes to make a Chewbacca choking on a hairy dog noise in second gear making it difficult to hear the exhaust note, and a bit of a whinning noise in 4th gear, old trucks gotta love 'em fix one thing and TWO others break

also, it seemed like I left it idling a bit high at 850 RPM the last time I made carb adjustments so I toned it down to 700 RPM (that put some low end rumble back in it) and will drive it to work tomorrow and report back my findings when I have more data

[Wide Open]

So the drone was still that bad after you added the turn outs?
Posted via Mobile Device

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Wide Open

So the drone was still that bad after you added the turn outs?
Posted via Mobile Device

Yes Sir, seemed like every time I did something the drone moved down in RPMs, originally it was at about 1500 RPM then I added the resonators before the mufflers and it moved to about 1000 RPM (head pounding during fast idle choke warm ups, couldn't sit in the truck until the truck warmed up) then I added the turn outs and I thought it got better (cause it wasn't there during warm ups with the choke) but it moved down to about 800 RPM, so PIA at stop lights

I figure I could have played the H pipe or the X pipe game but I wanted better flowing mufflers anyway so went with the straight through design of the MagnaFlows

[Gregski]

So lowered the RPMs to 700 and drove the truck in to work, it's not as loud as the Flowmasters and it is a bit raspier, I want more of a low tone rumble though so I may remove the 9 inch resonators that are currently in front of the mufflers and see what it sounds like without them

[Gregski]

~ Parts ~

time to do something different and away from the engine

got this Roll Pan from Summit for $99 bucks looks like a nice piece

[rusty76]

Cool pan.

[harley87ta]

That roll pan looks like a nice piece. It even comes with the plate light. I assume it's weld in?

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by harley87ta

That roll pan looks like a nice piece. It even comes with the plate light. I assume it's weld in?

screw on, has six holes across the top and comes with SEVEN philips head screws - LOL

[Gregski]

so lets fit this thing

OK our roll pan is 67 and 2/16ths (that's right I said 2/16ths take that my 6th grade match teacher)

And our opening is [wait for it] 67 and 1/16ths - Surprise Surprise

so out comes the Power Spreader 3000

so Moses parted the Sea out to 67 1/2 inches so that after the spreader was removed the opening now was 67 1/4 inches, see how that works

[Gregski]

alright so now it fits width wise but why won't this darn thing slide up another inch? what is it hitting on?

so we clampatize it and take a peak underneath

(finally git to use my cheap Harbor Freight clampy clam, and oh boy does it suck)

[RDrancher]

A math lesson, product introduction and tool review all in the same thread? C'mon now...it doesn't get any better than that! Wait...maybe it does...

Keep up the good work.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by RDrancher

A math lesson, product introduction and tool review all in the same thread? C'mon now...it doesn't get any better than that! Wait...maybe it does...

Keep up the good work.

ha ha yup, thanks

[rusty76]

Are sure the license plate isn't in the way? Lol.