1st Gen. Ram - All Topics Discussion for all Dodge Rams prior to 1994. This includes engine, drivetrain and non-drivetrain discussions. Anything prior to 1994 should go in here.

Lucky day today- picked up a low miler

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 9, 2017 | 07:34 AM
  #31  
j_martin's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,479
Likes: 211
From: Isanti, MN
The sheet metal's worth 2 grand.
Don't blame the rats for the wiring. It's standard issue. You bought a million mile motor in a 150,000 mile body with a 30,000 mile electrical system.

I'm betting the fuel screw is turned up within 2 weeks.
Reply
Old May 9, 2017 | 08:33 AM
  #32  
mknittle's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,918
Likes: 603
From: Tulsa, OK
Originally Posted by j_martin
The sheet metal's worth 2 grand.
Don't blame the rats for the wiring. It's standard issue. You bought a million mile motor in a 150,000 mile body with a 30,000 mile electrical system
aint that the truth.
Reply
Old May 9, 2017 | 09:12 AM
  #33  
bigragu's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,867
Likes: 536
Originally Posted by j_martin
The sheet metal's worth 2 grand.
Don't blame the rats for the wiring. It's standard issue. You bought a million mile motor in a 150,000 mile body with a 30,000 mile electrical system.

I'm betting the fuel screw is turned up within 2 weeks.
Well, it's good to have you back, J, and your as feisty as ever, LOL.

It's getting power sprayed today, to clean up that engine bay for sure, as I do see rat turds every where. The 4x4 shift boot is 3/4 gone, and the PO used and old doiley shoved into the crevice to keep whatever out.
30,000 mile electrical? On this truck, yes, for sure. Just noticed the fuse box isn't at its home behind that plastic access compartment, but off zip tied to the emergency brake.
Also noticed some Romex house wiring underneath the truck, running from one end to another, all coming from a trailer brake controller. What would make someone use residential electrical wiring on a vehicle just surprises me. These are the same kind of people that could out right destroy an anvil with a tacking hammer. No finesse whatsoever. Same stuff as using a bungee cord in the engine compartment somewhere. Like to slap those people
Reply
Old May 9, 2017 | 09:17 AM
  #34  
oliver foster's Avatar
Registered User
15 Year Member
Community Builder
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 7,293
Likes: 2,884
From: vermont
I have seen a lot of Romex used as trailer wires on old trucks. You are correct finesse doesn't come to mind.
Reply
Old May 9, 2017 | 09:33 AM
  #35  
bigragu's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,867
Likes: 536
LOL! Another one, is using coat hangers as a means to support components. I know everyone like to joke around about "redneck methods", but some of these methods are beyond that.

Worse one I saw, not automotive related, was at a job site in Woodland, CA. I was running a clean room project, for a place that made CD's and DVD's. The commercial building was built just a few hundred feet, from a residential farming community. Saw this house that used black, corrugated 4" drain pipe, meant for underground drainage, as his down spouts. It hung vertically from one downspout, then ran horizontally, a foot above the ground, suspended with bailing wire every 4'( attached to his fascia board with nails, mind you) to the next downspout where it tee'd and continued on. So, the owner would come off his front porch, take the stairs down, and step over the horizontal run. This thing was at the front of his house, for all to see!
I can only imagine what the inside of his farm equipment looks like, or his vehicles, maintenance wise.
Reply
Old May 9, 2017 | 09:43 AM
  #36  
mknittle's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,918
Likes: 603
From: Tulsa, OK
Originally Posted by bigragu
LOL! Another one, is using coat hangers as a means to support components. I know everyone like to joke around about "redneck methods", but some of these methods are beyond that.

Worse one I saw, not automotive related, was at a job site in Woodland, CA. I was running a clean room project, for a place that made CD's and DVD's. The commercial building was built just a few hundred feet, from a residential farming community. Saw this house that used black, corrugated 4" drain pipe, meant for underground drainage, as his down spouts. It hung vertically from one downspout, then ran horizontally, a foot above the ground, suspended with bailing wire every 4'( attached to his fascia board with nails, mind you) to the next downspout where it tee'd and continued on. So, the owner would come off his front porch, take the stairs down, and step over the horizontal run. This thing was at the front of his house, for all to see!
I can only imagine what the inside of his farm equipment looks like, or his vehicles, maintenance wise.
Woodland is full of stuff like that.
Reply
Old May 9, 2017 | 10:47 AM
  #37  
bigragu's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,867
Likes: 536
I could see MKnittle using coat hanger on his rig- heavy gage, mil spec, not one odd ball kink, and every bend is purpose designed, then finally powder coated. And yes, some thing hand made from his mil spec sewing machine will be attached to it, also, LOL.

Lastly, if I called him out on a 53 degree bend, I'll put an angle finder on it, and worse case 52.999 degrees!
Reply
Old May 9, 2017 | 09:08 PM
  #38  
BHD's Avatar
BHD
Registered User
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,393
Likes: 511
From: BFE, Pennsyltucky
Originally Posted by bigragu
Also noticed some Romex house wiring underneath the truck, running from one end to another, all coming from a trailer brake controller. What would make someone use residential electrical wiring on a vehicle just surprises me. These are the same kind of people that could out right destroy an anvil with a tacking hammer. No finesse whatsoever. Same stuff as using a bungee cord in the engine compartment somewhere. Like to slap those people
My favorites are: the overabundant use of Scotch Loks in automotive circuits, and bungee strap battery hold down, duct tape covering rust holes, and soup cans and radiator clamps holding exhaust pipes together. All classic repairs!! I hope I didn't offend anyone using these engineering techniques and hurt your feelings.
Reply
Old May 9, 2017 | 09:10 PM
  #39  
BHD's Avatar
BHD
Registered User
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,393
Likes: 511
From: BFE, Pennsyltucky
Originally Posted by bigragu
LOL! Another one, is using coat hangers as a means to support components. I know everyone like to joke around about "redneck methods", but some of these methods are beyond that.

Worse one I saw, not automotive related, was at a job site in Woodland, CA. I was running a clean room project, for a place that made CD's and DVD's. The commercial building was built just a few hundred feet, from a residential farming community. Saw this house that used black, corrugated 4" drain pipe, meant for underground drainage, as his down spouts. It hung vertically from one downspout, then ran horizontally, a foot above the ground, suspended with bailing wire every 4'( attached to his fascia board with nails, mind you) to the next downspout where it tee'd and continued on. So, the owner would come off his front porch, take the stairs down, and step over the horizontal run. This thing was at the front of his house, for all to see!
I can only imagine what the inside of his farm equipment looks like, or his vehicles, maintenance wise.
Pennies stuck behind fuses is a common household fix around these parts, at least until the owner lets the smoke out.
Reply
Old May 9, 2017 | 09:56 PM
  #40  
j_martin's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,479
Likes: 211
From: Isanti, MN
Talk about haywire mechanics. I once decided to give a friend (call him Joe) a replacement motor for his carry all (76 or so). I had another friend (Call him Al) whose resume included a few years as a dealership mechanic, and he was doing a roaming repair service at the time. I commissioned him to swap out the 350 engine for me.

He used the old gasket under the quadrajet carb. Anybody who has fought one of those at all knows you always replace the base gasket. Engine wouldn't start/idle fer crap. Joe wiped out several starters in a few months. There were other haywire things also.

The clincher was when Joe ran over a brush pile with the truck and hooked one of the soft copper transmission cooler lines and pulled the fitting (that was loc-tited into a bad thread) out of the transmission. Ran it out of oil and burned it up.

BTW, romex wire is an upgrade in these first gen Dodges.

Fer crying in the beer, you would think a 4x4 headed for the Northern Minnesota woods should have tightly installed steel cooler lines in it.

I do take exception to decrying the duct tape. I had a rusted out 12 passenger van, and about 8 kids when we decided to travel to Montana with it. I threw several rolls of duct tape at the kids and told them to make it keep the water out. One roll rebuilt the bottom 6 inches of the side doors. Another did the rocker panels. Another fixed random holes where the trim had fallen off.

They put a sign (made of duct tape) in the back window. Honk if you think duct tape rocks. It was a noisy trip.
Reply
Old May 9, 2017 | 11:54 PM
  #41  
edwinsmith's Avatar
Registered User
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 1,063
From: Commerce, OK
Originally Posted by bigragu
LOL! Another one, is using coat hangers as a means to support components. I know everyone like to joke around about "redneck methods", but some of these methods are beyond that.

Worse one I saw, not automotive related, was at a job site in Woodland, CA. I was running a clean room project, for a place that made CD's and DVD's. The commercial building was built just a few hundred feet, from a residential farming community. Saw this house that used black, corrugated 4" drain pipe, meant for underground drainage, as his down spouts. It hung vertically from one downspout, then ran horizontally, a foot above the ground, suspended with bailing wire every 4'( attached to his fascia board with nails, mind you) to the next downspout where it tee'd and continued on. So, the owner would come off his front porch, take the stairs down, and step over the horizontal run. This thing was at the front of his house, for all to see!
I can only imagine what the inside of his farm equipment looks like, or his vehicles, maintenance wise.
Sounds like my kind of town!
Reply
Old May 9, 2017 | 11:59 PM
  #42  
edwinsmith's Avatar
Registered User
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 1,063
From: Commerce, OK
Originally Posted by j_martin
Talk about haywire mechanics. I once decided to give a friend (call him Joe) a replacement motor for his carry all (76 or so). I had another friend (Call him Al) whose resume included a few years as a dealership mechanic, and he was doing a roaming repair service at the time. I commissioned him to swap out the 350 engine for me.

He used the old gasket under the quadrajet carb. Anybody who has fought one of those at all knows you always replace the base gasket. Engine wouldn't start/idle fer crap. Joe wiped out several starters in a few months. There were other haywire things also.

The clincher was when Joe ran over a brush pile with the truck and hooked one of the soft copper transmission cooler lines and pulled the fitting (that was loc-tited into a bad thread) out of the transmission. Ran it out of oil and burned it up.

BTW, romex wire is an upgrade in these first gen Dodges.

Fer crying in the beer, you would think a 4x4 headed for the Northern Minnesota woods should have tightly installed steel cooler lines in it.

I do take exception to decrying the duct tape. I had a rusted out 12 passenger van, and about 8 kids when we decided to travel to Montana with it. I threw several rolls of duct tape at the kids and told them to make it keep the water out. One roll rebuilt the bottom 6 inches of the side doors. Another did the rocker panels. Another fixed random holes where the trim had fallen off.

They put a sign (made of duct tape) in the back window. Honk if you think duct tape rocks. It was a noisy trip.
When my brother was alive he called Duct Tape 100mph tape. He flew planes and 100 mph was the speed the tape would peel off.
Reply
Old May 10, 2017 | 07:55 AM
  #43  
mknittle's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,918
Likes: 603
From: Tulsa, OK
Originally Posted by edwinsmith
When my brother was alive he called Duct Tape 100mph tape. He flew planes and 100 mph was the speed the tape would peel off.
Wonder how fast you have to go to peel Gorilla tape off?
Reply
Old May 10, 2017 | 08:03 AM
  #44  
mknittle's Avatar
Registered User
 
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,918
Likes: 603
From: Tulsa, OK
Originally Posted by BHD
My favorites are: the overabundant use of Scotch Loks in automotive circuits, and bungee strap battery hold down, duct tape covering rust holes, and soup cans and radiator clamps holding exhaust pipes together. All classic repairs!! I hope I didn't offend anyone using these engineering techniques and hurt your feelings.
I think I will use the bungee cord or two to hold the battery down on the way to pock up a new hold down.
Reply
Old May 10, 2017 | 09:37 AM
  #45  
bigragu's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered User
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 2,867
Likes: 536
Yeah, but your bungees will be the exact same length, color, run exactly parallel to each other, and be hooked on end to end exactly the same for the both of them!

That's okay, as I'd do the same thing!
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:53 AM.