65 4x4 Daily Driver Upgrade

[9Fingers]

Thanks Bill. I picked up a timing light from a CL ad close by for $25, made by Mac tools. Set the timing with vacuum source to carb disconnected and plugged. Adjusted fuel level in fuel bowls. Picked up fittings to tie the vacuum gauge in the dash into the manifold vacuum source. After connecting the vacuum gauge I will continue with carb tuning and keep check on the plugs. Think my father had an infrared thermometer, just need to look through his tools for it to double check my temp gauge. Will post updates as I get it done.

[9Fingers]

Today I got the vacuum gauge plumbed into the manifold vacuum source.

Then made some adjustments to the carburetor according to the manufacturer instructions. The engine is pulling 18" of vacuum at 750 rpm. Throttle response is great with no stumbling. I still need to get the air cleaner fixed and installed.

Moved the truck around back for a pic next to the new bee hives.

[9Fingers]

Slowly working at getting it back together. Spent some time trying to get the bed leveled and aligned with the cab.



Got the aluminum grill back in temporarily till I get the metal grill repaired and painted.



I've got wiring problems.

Headlights, high/dim, all 4 running lights, both front turn signals and driver's rear turn signals all work.

No brake lights and passenger rear turn signal do not work.

Passenger rear signal works if the rear wire harness is switched(blinks with opposite front light), but then the driver side does not. Don't think it's getting current through the firewall. I've got various versions of wiring diagrams, but with the replacement turn signal switch, I could have something in the wrong place, as these colors didn't seem to match diagrams I had.

[9Fingers]

Chased down the gremlins with the brake and turn signals.

It was a combination of wires in the wrong socket from the turn signal switch AND the pressure switch for the brakes was bad.

Emergency flashers working with a piece of gum foil wrapped around the 2 amp instrument fuse till I can get one tomorrow.

Next is to confirm engine temp with an infrared thermometer, the temp gauge is creeping past 210. Need to either find or fabricate a fan shroud and install it.

Anyone have suggestions on the brakes? I've bled them several times with a helper pushing the pedal. I jacked up the right rear wheel today and it turns, and when brakes applied, you can't budge it. Still have to almost bottom out the pedal to stop.
I need to check the front brakes for operation when pedal down. I have read about the proportion valves, metering valves, pressure differential spools for indicator lights on later model trucks there's a problem with the brakes. It seems the cast iron units there is a pin you pull outward when bleeding the brakes. The brass unit in this truck didn't appear to have this pin?

Thanks for any suggestions you can offer.

Bradshaw

[9Fingers]

Time passes in the blink of an eye. I've not driven the truck on the road over the last year. Brakes are not the way they need to be for safe driving. There is an intermittent issue with the horn, it blows when it wants to, but not every time I push the horn ring.

I installed a remanufactured power steering pump as shown below. To bleed the air, i jacked the front wheels up in the air and turned them lock to lock several times with the engine off and listened for the air bubbling. I also used a vacuum pump to get air out. The pump lasted 5 trips around the yard. Here's a picture of the factory style setup I had.



I was so frustrated with the brakes, the power steering pump and the intermittent horn, I just walked away from it and tended to other things.

Recently I read about folks upgrading to Saginaw style pumps on 4x4's. Turns out Ford sold Econoline vans with the Saginaw pump new from the factory. After what seemed like a long search I located the Ford Saginaw brackets for a 300 inline six cylinder. Cleaned them up, painted them, and installed a Borgeson pump. Had to get a different high pressure hose. Was able to reuse the same belt from the other pump. Here are some pictures of the Borgeson pump, brackets, and hoses.









I have the wheels jacked up again, been steering lock to lock, don't hear any more bubbles. Will get a helper tomorrow to turn the wheel while I watch the fluid in the reservoir for bubbles. I hope this will work better than the previous pump. Tomorrow will tell. Then on to tackle these brakes.

[slick4x4]

Nice fabrication work

[9Fingers]

Thank you sir.

I'm just glad the Saginaw conversion was 98℅ bolt on with Ford brackets.
I did have to hack-n-weld the adjustment bracket on the backside of the pump to keep it from dragging on the return port, as this pump is a little different than the Econoline pump.

I had my wife turn the wheels today and I checked for bubbles. Kept getting bubbles after hard left turn and back to center. Followed some bleeding instructions from another website. Disable the coil, crank over engine, lock to lock turns, top off fluid, repeat process two times, then hook up the coil, crank engine. This process seems to have worked. No bubbles in fluid, no foaming, no boiling over out of the reservoir.

One finger steering! I'll post some updates in the future, but for now, I'm glad I made the switch.

[04sd]

Great to see you back working on the truck.
What are the issues with the brakes?

[9Fingers]

Bill,
The brake pedal feels a little spongy. When going down the road and hard on the pedal, it just seems slow to stop. Yesterday, I tightened the rear adjusters all the way tight, then backed off till then wheel turned and no shoes dragging. Test drive was the same result. The last time we bled the brakes, we started right rear, left rear, right front, left front, bled till no bubbles. Must have air somewhere as the pedal just doesn't feel firm.

Any suggestions and experience is appreciated.

Chris

[04sd]

The spongy sounds like air. Are all of the hoses good. Lack of stopping power, maybe an issue with the booster. Were the brakes OK before tearing it down?

[9Fingers]

Before teardown, brakes stopped the truck, but there were issues. Swapped out the 9" that was in the truck for a Dana 44 rear from a 77 F100 2wd. Brake shoes on the 9" were worn badly, not sure they were engaging? The factory cast iron proportioning valve was frozen and I don't think fluid was flowing well to the rear end. So I plumbed new hard lines, rebuilt the Dana 44 with new cylinders, shoes, hardware, hoses are new, MC, and booster from a 78, rebuilt. The only thing I have not re-worked are the front calipers and pads. Yesterday, with a helper pushing the pedal I could feel slight movement at the front calipers.

[04sd]

Good vaccum to the booster, check valve working?

[9Fingers]

Been working long hours the last couple of days, outer bands of hurricane here now.

I just went out and cranked the engine, vacuum is 19.5" if the dash gauge is reading correctly. Push down on brake pedal, reading does not change. Let off the pedal, it momentarily drops to 18.5", then back up.

Plans are to bleed the lines again this weekend if I can get my helper out there.

How do you test the check valve? Take it off and see if it allows air to pass only one way?

[04sd]

The check valve keeps air from going into the booster. They're cheap to replace if bad.

[64shortbed]

Were you able to fix your brakes?

[9Fingers]

Don, I've changed jobs, driving less to get to work, but still leaving in the morning when dark, and home after dark in evenings with the shorter days we are having now. I have not worked on the brakes any more. I've saved quite a bit of vacation time and will have a good amount of time to devote to truck work in December. I'm planning to rewire it to upgrade the old fuse block and harness. And I plan to keep at the brakes till I get them fixed.

Bill, I have not tried diagnosing the check valve yet either, but I will pull it and try pushing/pulling air through.

[9Fingers]

Started work on the rewire project. Some pictures.

Pulled the gauge cluster. There were several connections to separate.


Back side of the gauge cluster after it was pulled.


The new harness had three connectors with three wire bundles. I didn't use one bundle for a modern electronic gauge set. This is much cleaner and now there are 5 items to separate when pulling the cluster in the future: mechanical tachometer cable, speedometer cable, two electric plugs, and the tube to the vacuum gauge.


Hazard/Emergency Flasher circuit before work.


And After shortening the harness, crimping and soldering new pins and a new plastic connector to make up with the remainder of the new harness.


Next is to mount the new fuse box and main harness under the dash.

The harness does not have a bulkhead connectors to get circuits through-the-firewall.

I found an option and hope to install it in the same location as the original two rectangular plugs.

I had thought about re-using the same rectangular plugs, but this build has a few more circuits than those had connections. With the new firewall connector I can route all electrical wiring through at one place, then go back and get some good round rubber grommets to better fit where mechanical cables are routed through.

Need to do a little shopping for my family, and the hope to get some dash mounted switches and accessories back in place today.

Bradshaw

[Mr. Jones]

On your brakes,have you measured the booster rod into the M/C..... I once had mine a hair long and it would not bleed off pressure..eventually the brakes locked up... I’d have to get out and pop open a bleeder valve to relieve the pressure,finally made it home and then set the correct length according to a Ford shop manual.Yours sounds almost the opposite.....






These pics came from a factory shop manual 1966 click on the pic for a clearer image

[9Fingers]

Mr. Jones,

I have not checked the booster rod length.

I will measure and adjust and test drive once I get the electrical done.

Thank you for the suggestion and pics from the manual!

Bradshaw

[9Fingers]

Rewiring project complete. Managed to get it all done with only two wires reversed. Test lamp and switching the pins in the connector fixed that.

Mr. Jones, I pulled the master cylinder off the booster, and the rod was not adjusted out like it should have been. Used a set of calipers to measure and adjust the rod. I saw an immediate improvement in braking. The pedal is still a little soft, but I plan to bleed the brakes again. If the master cylinder was never fully engaging before there might still be air in the system that can be purged. Thanks again for the idea and pics from the manual.

Working now to get the shop better organized.

Happy New Year to All.