Mission Creep on a D-150

[halfafish]

Progress! I got all the Kilmat installed last night, it took another 4-5 hours to complete. Tonight in goes the insulation padding, and I'll start straightening out the vinyl flooring for an install. I'll be hanging goodies back on the block tonight.

 

[RustyRatRod]

The key to Kilmat installation is to do it while it's HOT. Kitty and I installed it over a period of two days in the broiling summer heat. Was between 98-101 degrees. It went on easy, formed easy and stuck like who flung dung. We were real happy with it.

Did you ever find out what went wrong with the engine? What caused that whole fiasco? I'm just hoping that you don't duplicate it.

 

[halfafish]

The key to Kilmat installation is to do it while it's HOT. Kitty and I installed it over a period of two days in the broiling summer heat. Was between 98-101 degrees. It went on easy, formed easy and stuck like who flung dung. We were real happy with it.

Did you ever find out what went wrong with the engine? What caused that whole fiasco? I'm just hoping that you don't duplicate it.

It was only about 60 or so in the shop when I did the Kilmat, but it went on easy enough. It just took a while for all the cutting and fitting.

On the engine, I'm not sure I'll be able to know for sure what went wrong. I have some ideas, starting with a list of what it was not. I didn't forget to tighten down anything. All the rod, main, and head bolts were properly torqued when I took it apart. The oil pump was fine. It wasn't oil blow-by on the rings, they were all in the right place, right side up, and clocked correctly. It wasn't the valve guides - I had the head gone through again, they were pristine.

It appears it was running wildly pig-rich, which I agree with. That likely caused fuel washing on the cylinder walls and gas in the oil. It certainly would explain the horribly greasy/nasty plugs and combustion chambers I found on disassembly. I also suspect I used engine lube on the OUTSIDE surfaces of the main and rod bearings. I imagine that would make it lots easier to spin a bearing. However, the bottom line is I don't know for sure.

For this go-round, I'm double checking everything again. I've been over the mains and rods so many times I had to stop being overly compulsive. I had the shop do all positive valve stem seals when they cleaned up the head, along with re-lapping the valves and double checking the springs and spring height. I added an exhaust bung installed and invested in an A/F gauge so I can monitor the carb settings. I down-sized the carb from an AVS2 500 to the Holley 390 I got from you. The 390 has been rebuilt. And I got a new timing light as I don't trust the ancient, thoroughly used dial back unit I had previously. Hopefully this all puts me on the road to Valhalla. This would hardly be the first time in my life when I got smarter by making mistakes and paying dearly for them.

 

[halfafish]

I got tired of futzing on the engine so last night I decided to upgrade my front end. At some point in time, the bumper clearly met Mr. Telephone Pole or someone of the same ilk. The grill has three pretty good creases in it.

I popped the grill off and a buddy came over to help me manhandle the bumpers. The new bumper had two small areas on the top and bottom edges where it was a little tweaked. The time to fix those is now, says Halfafish. So I dig out the HF 20-ton press and said buddy helps hold everything in place while I flatten out the boo-boos. The first one goes back into alignment easy peasy. Hah!, says I, what could possibly go wrong with this project?

Let's take a time out for a moment. My buddy is a professional assembler of vehicles, like adding a dump truck bed to a chassis and so forth. He's on me all the time for using hand tools when air or battery operated options exist. Hell, I even have some of them in my toolbox but I still tend to use hand tools. We are a couple of beers into the evening when he's orienting the bumper on the press and asking why I'm hand pumping the ram when it has the air-assist ram on it. Idunno says I, and I hook up the air line just to keep him quiet. We start straightening out the second bent booboo, and again it nicely goes back into place. I let go of the air valve to stop the press and much to my dismay discover the air valve has a hold-down feature that will lock the valve open. This was news to me as I released the valve and and then see the press continue to smash the living **** out of the bumper. By the time I get the air line disconnected the press has pushed the bumper over an inch in the wrong direction. Having discovered the valve-locking gizmo I remove it and toss it in the trash. Another 20 minutes of shaping and I get the bumper more-or-less back into shape. From ten feet away you'd never know this happened, but there's a round ring mark from the press ram that's not going to come out. The new bumper even comes with snazzy bumper guards.

I'll tackle the grill this afternoon and get it back on, then return to the engine. I got the head back so it's time to get this puppy moving under its own power again. There is a pretty casual monthly meeting of
A-body folks at a nearby pizza place. The weather should be excellent today so I think I'll take the Valiant for a spin down there before I get back to work.

 

[halfafish]

I got the grill done, it massaged out fairly well. It won't fool anyone but it's a decent 20 footer now. Here are some before and after shots.

 

[halfafish]

Slow progress lately, but I'm moving forward a step at a time. I went over the grill a bit more but it's wrapped up now, new uupgraded headlights in, and fixed the front turn signals.

Having been hounded mercilessly for NOT cleaning up the engine bay when I did the original rebuild (yes, you know who you are...) I gave it as good a go-over as it's going to get until - and if - I repaint it. Surprisingly, this was a two-evening job but I do have to admit, it looks better.

I removed all the lean burn junk when I went through the truck at the beginning of this saga. Then I wired in what I needed for the HEI conversion. I didn't do wire looms since I needed to make sure all was working well. That appears to be the case so I'm going to finish the wires and get it loomed up. I wanted better gauges so I bought this super small set. I'm still fiddling with location but I think they will go in front of the cargo light switch. I can still reach the switch if needed but it's a decent spot for the install. I'm going to run the new gauge wires first, then do the looms, then finish off the gauges afterwards.

Looks like someone had the hiccups for that last photo, eh?

 

[j par]

Slow progress lately, but I'm moving forward a step at a time. I went over the grill a bit more but it's wrapped up now, new uupgraded headlights in, and fixed the front turn signals.

View attachment 1715919842

Having been hounded mercilessly for NOT cleaning up the engine bay when I did the original rebuild (yes, you know who you are...) I gave it as good a go-over as it's going to get until - and if - I repaint it. Surprisingly, this was a two-evening job but I do have to admit, it looks better.

View attachment 1715919838

View attachment 1715919839

I removed all the lean burn junk when I went through the truck at the beginning of this saga. Then I wired in what I needed for the HEI conversion. I didn't do wire looms since I needed to make sure all was working well. That appears to be the case so I'm going to finish the wires and get it loomed up. I wanted better gauges so I bought this super small set. I'm still fiddling with location but I think they will go in front of the cargo light switch. I can still reach the switch if needed but it's a decent spot for the install. I'm going to run the new gauge wires first, then do the looms, then finish off the gauges afterwards.

View attachment 1715919840

View attachment 1715919841

Looks like someone had the hiccups for that last photo, eh?

I knew I seen them gauges somewhere before...
The nerve of someone suggesting you clean that grubby engine compartment out before installing a brand new engine.......

 

[RustyRatRod]

Slow is better than stopped.

 

[halfafish]

Some progress to report. As we all know, halfafish is a crap mechanic. So everything I do takes several times longer than it would for a normal person (a grouping that will clearly never include myself...). Previously the rear speakers were some "meh" 6x9's in a small box lying on the back floor. They didn't sound that good and slid all over the place. I scabbed some rear cab speaker mounts from a '90 D150 at the PNP. This truck had no provision for rear speakers but some mods got them installed. A Benjamin to Crutchfield for a new set of speakers and we are in business. I really like these, they are tucked well out of the way and sound lots better. The subwoofer will stay part of the system for now. If it's not big enough I have a big bruiser and equally big amp I can install instead.

I got the new gauges all wired up and installed. This took longer than I figured (no news there, eh?). But they came out nicely. I moved the trailer brake controller to make room for the gauges and like the location lots better. I also installed a hidden kill switch.

Lastly, I cleaned up the majority of the engine bay wiring. I left it loose when I got the truck going in case something needed fixing but everything is OK so I finalize the tach and new gauge wires and loomed up the back half of the wires. I'll loom the rest when the engine is back in the truck so I can get the length and runs correct. From this:

To this:

I figured I'd better stop playing chicken with degreeing the cam so I dived into it. Much to my surprise I think I got it right. I'm going to do some consulting with folks that know what they are doing, and if it looks good it's time to hang the exterior hardware and get then engine ready for break-in.

 

[RustyRatRod]

As we all know, halfafish is a crap mechanic.

Lemmie clue you in on something. Working on cars is all I've ever done for a livin, cept for some machine shop work as a kid in school and about five year after......and maybe a year in an aluminum wire processing plant. I am the KING of doing things two and three times because I put stuff together wrong, or leave stuff out. And I mean things I've done a boatload of in the past. This steering column I just refurbished in Vixen? Muh huh. The last time I reassembled it was number four. So don't feel bad. lol

 

[my68barracuda]

Lemmie clue you in on something. Working on cars is all I've ever done for a livin, cept for some machine shop work as a kid in school and about five year after......and maybe a year in an aluminum wire processing plant. I am the KING of doing things two and three times because I put stuff together wrong, or leave stuff out. And I mean things I've done a boatload of in the past. This steering column I just refurbished in Vixen? Muh huh. The last time I reassembled it was number four. So don't feel bad. lol

I have a saying from working on my 68 Barracuda and the 83 D150, ‘nothing is really done until it’s been done twice’.

 

[Tooljunkie]

Seems like you manage to keep your sights on the end goal. In my opinion you did a fine job.

The fancy snap on pulley puller was a disturbing casualty,and i saw no grease on the threads.will destroy a puller pretty quick. Those pulleys can really stick.

hope the mill holds up better this round!

 

[halfafish]

I have a saying from working on my 68 Barracuda and the 83 D150, ‘nothing is really done until it’s been done twice’.

I suspect we are twin sons of different mothers, along with RRR. Rarely if ever do I get things right the first time around.

However, what a difference a day (or two) makes. After getting the cam degreed in, it was time to start hanging the rest of the parts back on the block. It's starting to look like an engine again. I need to figure out a detail or two on the distributor and it will be ready to drop in.

All the cab wires are loomed up and in place, including the cab light, cargo light, and stereo wires. I got the floor padding installed - what a PITA that was. I guess "custom made for your make/model" means different things to different people. In my mind, that means you flop it down and you're done with it. Haha, not so Sir Halfafish! You will spend two hours taping, cutting, and fitting it to the floor. Next up is the vinyl floor which is going to be a *****. I have it laying on the cab floor but this stuff is S-T-I-F-F. I'm going to contact ACC to see if it's OK to get some heat in there so I can work with the stuff. It's just about non-doable in its current state. I need to get a new water pump and I'll be ready to do the valve cover, oil pan, alternator, and so forth. It will be a busy day in the shop today.

 

[j par]

I suspect we are twin sons of different mothers, along with RRR. Rarely if ever do I get things right the first time around.

However, what a difference a day (or two) makes. After getting the cam degreed in, it was time to start hanging the rest of the parts back on the block. It's starting to look like an engine again. I need to figure out a detail or two on the distributor and it will be ready to drop in.

View attachment 1715928950

All the cab wires are loomed up and in place, including the cab light, cargo light, and stereo wires. I got the floor padding installed - what a PITA that was. I guess "custom made for your make/model" means different things to different people. In my mind, that means you flop it down and you're done with it. Haha, not so Sir Halfafish! You will spend two hours taping, cutting, and fitting it to the floor. Next up is the vinyl floor which is going to be a *****. I have it laying on the cab floor but this stuff is S-T-I-F-F. I'm going to contact ACC to see if it's OK to get some heat in there so I can work with the stuff. It's just about non-doable in its current state. I need to get a new water pump and I'll be ready to do the valve cover, oil pan, alternator, and so forth. It will be a busy day in the shop today.

Probably just lay it out in the sun..
Lol when we get some..

 

[halfafish]

Probably just lay it out in the sun..
Lol when we get some..

Good idea, but I'd like to get this wrapped up before August. I just got off the horn with ACC, they said it's fine to warm it up if it's laying on the cab floor, but not to do it on a flat surface where the molded floor hump could get flattened out. I'm going to stick a small space heater in there and close the doors for a while. Wish me luck...

 

[halfafish]

I got back from my buddy's place who has the engine run stand. While the cam is already broken in, I wanted to get everything else dialed in. It's getting the Offy intake and Holley 390 this go-round so it's dialed in and runs well. Now that it's back home the engine is starting to look like an engine again, hopefully this one lasts longer than the last one, eh?

All I need to do is mate up the trans and it's ready to drop back in the truck. I should be doing that today, say a little prayer for this mechanical goon that things work out.

 

[j par]

I got back from my buddy's place who has the engine run stand. While the cam is already broken in, I wanted to get everything else dialed in. It's getting the Offy intake and Holley 390 this go-round so it's dialed in and runs well. Now that it's back home the engine is starting to look like an engine again, hopefully this one lasts longer than the last one, eh?

View attachment 1715933956

View attachment 1715933957

All I need to do is mate up the trans and it's ready to drop back in the truck. I should be doing that today, say a little prayer for this mechanical goon that things work out.

Your friend with the engine run stand does he have an AF gauge?... I remember you saying something about getting one...

 

[halfafish]

I have a gauge, brand new and ready to hook up when I get this thing back in the truck.

 

[halfafish]

After returning from my buddy's place doing the run-in on the new motor, I started to put the headers on. Sadly, the way one of the bolts was clocked on the rear collector, it was touching the downpipe for the front collector, starting to wear a hole. Installing the intake and both halves of the headers is a two person job so my sweetie came over to help get them lined up. So far, so good. Then I saw to interference fit on the downpipes and had to stop everything to put in a round-head allen bolt and grind a touch off the rear collector's mounting ring. It doesn't look like it here, but I now have about 1/16" clearance. Good to go. A friend stopped by to help hold the entire mess together so I could bolt it up. We'll file this one under "one step forwards two steps back". Another two evenings of fiddling with this thing, but the headers and downpipes are done.

This morning started out with lots of worry. I thought I was going to have to call the Sheriff to report a theft.

My engine is missing.

My transmission is missing. Both stands are empty and I'm stumped.

This stuff just doesn't wander off, where did they go? I've heard that sometimes you have to look in unlikely places when trying to locate lost articles. Okey-Doke, let's give that a try. The LEAST likely place I could find these things is.................back in the truck.

Well, how about that! Whodathunk to look in the engine bay to find the engine??

Yesterday was a good day for a change. I swapped some labor with a friend. He came over to help slide this back in the truck, and it went pretty slick. In two hours or so it was back in, trans hooked up. and ready for all the final install stuff. I'll be starting that today. With a little luck this may be back on the streets shortly.

 

[j par]

After returning from my buddy's place doing the run-in on the new motor, I started to put the headers on. Sadly, the way one of the bolts was clocked on the rear collector, it was touching the downpipe for the front collector, starting to wear a hole. Installing the intake and both halves of the headers is a two person job so my sweetie came over to help get them lined up. So far, so good. Then I saw to interference fit on the downpipes and had to stop everything to put in a round-head allen bolt and grind a touch off the rear collector's mounting ring. It doesn't look like it here, but I now have about 1/16" clearance. Good to go. A friend stopped by to help hold the entire mess together so I could bolt it up. We'll file this one under "one step forwards two steps back". Another two evenings of fiddling with this thing, but the headers and downpipes are done.

View attachment 1715936802

This morning started out with lots of worry. I thought I was going to have to call the Sheriff to report a theft.

My engine is missing.

View attachment 1715936801

My transmission is missing. Both stands are empty and I'm stumped.

View attachment 1715936800

This stuff just doesn't wander off, where did they go? I've heard that sometimes you have to look in unlikely places when trying to locate lost articles. Okey-Doke, let's give that a try. The LEAST likely place I could find these things is.................back in the truck.

View attachment 1715936799

Well, how about that! Whodathunk to look in the engine bay to find the engine??

Yesterday was a good day for a change. I swapped some labor with a friend. He came over to help slide this back in the truck, and it went pretty slick. In two hours or so it was back in, trans hooked up. and ready for all the final install stuff. I'll be starting that today. With a little luck this may be back on the streets shortly.

I didn't know you swapped labor?!.. I have some ivy taking over a little part of my backyard I'd like gone?......

 

[halfafish]

I didn't know you swapped labor?!.. I have some ivy taking over a little part of my backyard I'd like gone?......

Yep. I'm a labor-swapping fool. After we got the motor in, we went over to his place and cut up a bunch of full size plywood sheets for a project he's working on.

 

[halfafish]

I hit a bit of a stall-out for the last week or so. Everything under the truck is wrapped up except for attaching the shifter and filling the trans. I got all the wiring and looms done. I got the carb hooked up after lots of fiddling, mostly due to this one faces north/south and I was set up for east/west. For sure it is going to need a new shorter cable. I have this one cobbled up but the cable isn't in good shape. It will work while I determine if this carb/intake combo is going to be a keeper or not.

And then there was the power steering pump. Some tasks were just not intended to be done with only two hands. I screwed around with it for two hours trying to hold the pump which is heavy while trying to start the bolts and get the battery cable to cooperate. This must be what moms feel like trying to get their kids to behave in church when they have ants in their pants.

However, the end is in sight. I'm down to radiator and all the hoses and a few minor parts and pieces. The last step is to get the new flooring and the seat in.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the real world has poked its big old unwelcome nose into my business. I continue to be swamped with work which complicates all project time. And I have three massive projects going on the home front. I logged my property last summer and this week is the one I rented an excavator to finish the cleanup of the mess. So far I've gotten rid of three dump truck loads of rocks, loaded one trailer of firewood with 2-3 more to go, and then I start digging out the area behind my shop. It's assholes and elbows 12 hours a day at Chez Halfafish. I'm hoping a few more days of work on the property and I can get back on the truck. Wish me luck. I have free pizza and beer for anyone who feels motivated to come help get this mess under control.

 

[halfafish]

Time for an update, sadly overdue. Life got completely in the way for the last 6 months. The truck has been parked on the lift in the shop untouched for that time. Having gone to the mat with my property-induced demons, I reign victorious. It's hard to believe normal things can cause such a disruption, but that's the truth of the matter. Back to work, halfafish.

The flooring was the next step in the puzzle. I used a space heater to warm up the cab, then had a buddy help me horse this stuff into place. To say the vinyl is stiff would be a wild understatement. It's like trying to wrestle with sheet metal. Lots of heat and two sets of hands prevailed. I used dummy bolts to keep the stuff from moving around while I worked on the perimeter and detail trimming. I got the initial trimming done, and most of the adjustments figured out.

Tonight I started working on the shifter handle hole. The thing is huge, and locating the screw holes to the new floor involves far more voodoo than I'm comfortable with. I got a start on it before I ran out of gas. More tomorrow as I shoot to get the baseplate mounted and the last of the securement figured out. The stereo and all the wires are in place. I need to punch the last two holes for the seat belt anchors, then it will be time to slide the seat back in.

 

[Kern Dog]

Looks good, Zack.
"Mission Creep".
Good term...I call it The Snowball Effect.
The same principle applies though. What starts off simple gains momentum and ends up being far more involved that you ever expected.
HEY...You now have almost the same amount of LIKES as posts!

 

[halfafish]

Cutting the floor vinyl is a tedious process. If I knew what I was doing it would go faster. Haha, I guess that's my mantra any more. After picking the brain of a much-smarter-than-I-am friend, I started the final install on the shifter base. I got the padding trimmed, got the vinyl trimmed, and worked out a game plan for the base. Originally it was just screwed to the floor with sheet metal screws. A cheesy arrangement at best. I'm going to install rivnuts instead so it will easily come off and go back on.

Final trim:

Base sitting in place:

HEY...You now have almost the same amount of LIKES as posts!

Well, hoodathunkit? I hadn't seen this until you said something. I would have thought instead I had a trail of red X's going out to the horizon like the tail of a comet on reentry to the atmosphere.