ClifFORD - the big red truck

[85crownHPP]

quite possibly... although I do want a smaller 4x4 truck ultimately, and having 2 trucks is (like having 3 boxes isn't... )

[85crownHPP]

bling bling!!!!!!!!

[85crownHPP]

Well shit!

I also installed yet another used cluster to try in Clifford (the current one starting acting weird too), and thought this one had a bad temp gauge. So I swapped back in an old one to see, and still no dice. Evidently the sensor took a crap, because grounding the wire pegs the gauge
One good thing I learned was that the fuel/oil and volt/temp gauges pop right out of the cluster together, so I can put the good gauges in the cluster with the right mileage.
Anyway, so Im driving around to test out the gas/oil gauges, they seem to be working the best out of the three, at least.
As I get close to home, I'm smelling gas. I find the driver side of the lower intake FULL of pooled up gas boiling off!!! :jawdrop:
Lucky for Clifford, I am planning to pull the upper intake to do valve cover gaskets anyway, and injector O-rings are cheap. I'm pretty sure its just an O-ring leaking, but it seemed like it was coming from the bottom of the injector... which I thought was weird... plus it sounded like air was squirting out with the gas too, by the hissing sound it was making. hhmmmm
I'll probably go ahead and do the lower intake gasket too, for the chance I wind up keeping the truck for the long haul!!!

[87gtVIC]

The wheels do look nice Pete. Did a lot of effort go into cleaning them or were you lucky?

[85crownHPP]

nah, the previous owner must have kept them polished, this is just a good wash, lol. I polished the center caps a little though, the other three have some pitting.

[85crownHPP]

:drug:



If it aint broke don't fix it!!!!!!!!

[87gtVIC]

What happened?

[85crownHPP]

ah, its not too bad...

but instead of just doing the valve cover gaskets and injector O-rings, I just HAD to pull the lower off too... in the process breaking 3 manifold bolts, the knock sensor, and the air pump crossover check valve. Then broke the crossover tube trying to remove the broken off valve... and hopefully didn't wreck the fuel rail connection o-rings wrestling them loose.
I didnt know there was a sensor screwed into the block right behind the intake... the runner is tall so I couldn't see it back there.
I got two of the bolts out, they left a lot to grab once the intake was off. The 3rd just left a little nub sticking out, and after trying everything including welding a little nut to it (fail) I gave it a rest. I did other stuff like the VC gaskets and the o-rings while I prepared for the nervous breakdown. Luckily, a co-worker stopped by and got it out with little good ole' voodoo magic.

I just got back from getting some 5/8 bolts to take care of the air tube stuff, but couldn't find a knock sensor for it. Hopefully its not too hard to replace with the upper on, so I can put it together enough to get it outside the shop before Tuesday!

[packman]

I was wondering; do you got 1/2" studs on your truck? The reason I'm asking is because I might get F-150 lug nuts for my axles with the 1/2"x 3" studs.



Packman

[85crownHPP]

yup! I put some nuts I had from one of the boxes on it, 1/2 X20 thread size.

...and it looks like I can just leave the broken knock sensor, according to some stuff I'm reading.

[85crownHPP]

Well... things seem well...! Clifford runs and drives the same as before *whew* and held 14psi of pressure in the coolant for about 10 minutes... haven't taken it for more than short trips but things look good.

The wetness you see is gasoline pooled up in the lower intake to the point it was dripping down the backside of the block when it was hot it was literally boiling off too. This can happen to boxes too!!! any old car...

Also we have one of the bolts that didn't break, next to a nice one from a set i saved from an explorer 5.0 upper/lower I pulled many moons ago.
I had hoped that the lower had been pulled at least once, but evidently those bolts where sitting in little sealed off rust chambers for 25 years, waiting just for me!

[85crownHPP]

more pics... in the last one you can see the weird empty threaded hole... at first i thought i had forgot something, but then I saw it was full of stinkbugs and led to nowhere (blank)

[85crownHPP]

Today I put some heat (just a little) on the front bleeder screws, got them open, and got nice fresh fluid bled all the way through. Brakes feel great now...!
Also I loosened and adjusted the rear bumper, its not crooked anymore!
All before 10am!!!! odd for me...
Took him for a nice trip to the junkyard way across town, ran fine, does well at 65mph on the highway! Found a proper fan shroud to boot, already removed from the donor truck, waiting just for me

[sly]

w00t!

gotta love a happy truck.

[Grand Marquis GT]

Having a truck = Good.

I am glad I have mine, although it's slow and doesn't like the heat!