84 Grand Wagoneer Revival

[devildog80]

Pressure tested radiator & system, and so far just the cracked neck.
Will solder up and test again, but fluid level is staying full, so this might just be the only issue.

Cracked neck by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

[devildog80]

Just running OEM ECM & distributor right now, and I think (ouch that hurts) it is on ported vac at the moment?
Should check that, but also if I had a slight pressure bleed from the radiator up to this point, makes sense why the truck was heating up so bad as the cooling system could never reach proper pressure.
Like having a bad radiator cap......which brings to mind I just replaced the radiator cap 10 days ago, and now I find I have a crack? Hmmmmmm.....makes one think the previous "new" cap I had on it was not holding pressure very well.
Going to pull the radiator, do a pressure test, and see if the neck is the only problem. If it is, I can fix that, but if it gets down in the tubes somewhere......will see.
Even here in greater PHX Metro area, very few actual radiator repair shops left.

[rang-a-stang]

When I had a dizzy in my 401 I think it liked about 10 degrees of timing at idle with no vacuum signal. I think I had about 34 degrees of total time above 3000RPM. Also, I remember going back and forth between ported and manifold vacuum and I think my engine liked manifold vacuum more than ported.

[rang-a-stang]

This Bilstein's look sharp! Nice swapout for the mirrors! WIN!!

[devildog80]

Replaced OEM electric mirrors with larger manual mirrors for towing visibility.
78-93 Dodge Van
Very easy switch out using the Billet FSJ Mirror Mounts.

Here is a pic progression from OEM to final mount.

OEM Driver by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
78-93 Dodge Van DS1 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
78-93 Dodge Van DS2 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
78-93 Dodge Van DS3 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

OEM Passenger by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
78-93 Dodge Van PS1 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
78-93 Dodge Van PS2 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
78-93 Dodge Van PS3 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

Here is front to rear view of initial mounting. Notice how high the mirrors look.
I did not care for this profile, so modified.

Initial mount by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

Final pic after cutting vertical tube on mirror down 2 inches.
Looks more like OEM now, easier to see, as new mirrors are much larger than the OEM ones.

Final by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

Billet set runs $88 and mirrors were around $65.

Anyone want to barter for an OEM electric set of mirrors?

[devildog80]

Update

Serviced the auto transmission yesterday, after putting the Berrymans B12 in it some weeks back, to clean it up on the inside.
Loved the results and convinced it has improved operation of the transmission, without rebuilding. Shifts perfectly now.

Did a full flush on it, and that was the easiest part. We all know how messy it is dropping the trans pan & filter, so had cardboard down under the drip pan, and I think amount of oil in each was near equal.
Found there was no magnet inside the pan, but had some good 1" craft magnets I had for an outside bird deterrent project that did not work, so put 2 of them in before replacing the pan. Should do the job picking up anything flowing through, and really not much grit in the bottom of the pan when first checked.

Trying a different air cleaner setup
Replaced the OEM snorkel with a 6" Edelbrock that Mongo228 had sitting on his shelf. Seems to work ok for now, but thinking long term might end up with a 14".
As I intend to do mostly hiway driving with the truck, this should work.

Another note.....took the truck on a test drive after flushing the transmission. Engine temps were getting a little higher each mile driven on the hiway, and when I got home I popped the hood to check for leaks. Noticed a little antifreeze around the neck of the radiator cap. Closer inspection I see there is a crack in the weld....UGH!
Never noticed any drips from the radiator all summer while trying to diagnose cooling issues, but service the transmission and look what I find. Now to find a shop to get an estimate for rebuilding my radiator. No doubt it will be as much as a new one, but to have my original brass radiator as good as new, is worth the cost of getting a radiator of less quality than what I already have. And who knows, if this is the only leak, I can probably braze weld it myself. Dad taught us to weld when growing up on the ranch/farm, so not unknown to me.....just been awhile.

Closer every day to camping trips

[devildog80]

Replaced inner/outer window wipes on rear doors today.
Tinkered with some tuning of timing & carb, and went over to Mongo228's for some help with mirror fitting.
Drove interstate there and back, and engine temp stayed down just into the green, but in town it climbed again to 1/2 way mark.....ugh!

[devildog80]

Installed new Bilstein shocks yesterday, and finally driveable at hiway speed.

Bilsteins - LF by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

Bilsteins - RF by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

Bilsteins - Rear by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

[devildog80]

Connected the fuel filter return yesterday and adjusted timing back just a tich.
Warmed engine up and starts better now than when I had it at 12*. Did not put the gun on it, just loosened the dist lock bolt and turned back some to near where it was last week before we set it with the gun.

[devildog80]

Well....took the waggy out for some errands, and not pleased.
Temp still pushing up more than what I would like, and timing is just a tad high as really grunts to turn over when stop, run in for a few minutes, then back out to go to next stop.
Get out on the street and put my foot in it and pings, so need to back timing down a tich off the 12+-2*.
Mongo228 and I adjusted it last weekend up from 8-10 to 12+, and finding it needs to come down some.
Need the truck to drive good on its own before thinking of throwing the camper on the hitch, and pulling 6-7* grades for 2-3 mile stretches, as some are that where we go.

Getting most of mechanicals done where it will be road worthy for hiway travel, and wife is asking we clean up the paint some, before "presenting" it to family/friends on camping trips.
Problem is mainly clear coat is flaking off, so looks like a sunburn peeling off the truck. Honestly not far from the truth there, as it sat for 18 years waiting to be rescued.
That said, went to an auto paint store and a body shop this morning to ask how to just take the clear coat off.
Both said not able to as once you get through clear coat, then paint starts coming too.
Body shop said $10k to strip & repaint without even looking at it, but he is quite busy too.
So, plan is to get a good block sander, 800 grit sand paper, and see what I can do here at home with wet sanding it myself.
Can't hurt worse than it is, and might just be ok for now.

Anyone been there done that with your own trucks?

I am researching forums to see what is possible, and what is not.

[devildog80]

And......as just sheet metal where it is mounted, I put a rubber O-ring over the stem before pushing up from underneath to mount.
This should keep any water/debris from working its way up around the stem and sitting in the space around the switch through the sheet metal.

[rang-a-stang]

Very smart! And super clean looking install!

[devildog80]

Installed battery ground cut off switch, so no more opening the hood to pull negative cable, to save battery from bleeding down when truck is off.
Funny thing when I connected the short cable to ground the body, got everything wired up and when I turned on the switch, one of the map lights came on.
Thought this was my parasitic draw but alas, still there, after I shut off the map light. Have good body ground now.

20230820_121125 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

Cable on left comes from negative battery terminal.
Cables on right, large one goes to engine motor mount, small one ground to body.
A bit extreme to use 2/0 cable, but found 2-12 ft pieces that came with the truck when I got it.
Look like battery cables off a semi tractor, one positive (red) and one negative (black).
Had to wrap the excess up under the body on frame (thats what the big one around the body mount is, just excess length), but will get connector & trim to fit later.
For now it works

dataurl760969.gif20230820_121242 by Scott Weckerly, on Flickr

[devildog80]

It is all good info, and I will use it for sure, to get the right ones.
Springs have been in the rig for awhile, and ride ok, just need to replace the shocks to stop the bouncy down the road.
Thanks

[rang-a-stang]

Yeah, those are really old RS9000's. Pretty sure you can mount them either way.

When I go to Rancho's website, they list RS999113 as the shock for stock height. it's measurements are:
13.28" compressed and 6.75" of travel.
it lists RS999118 for the 2.5" lift and it's measurements are:
14.32" Compressed and 7.96" of travel.
Monroe recommend Gas-Magnums # 34821 for my Cherk with a 3" lift and they measured:
14.25" compressed and 8.63" of travel.
I loved the Gas-Magnums and will order them for Chuck when the time is right. They are pretty comfy. My Rancho springs were a bit tight for my liking when I installed them so i
ulled the smallest leaf out of the pack and that seemed to help a bit.

Not sure any of this info is needed but i hope it helps some!