Saving a '91.0 W-250
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From: vermont
The old hair spray trick is as follows:
Find an old spray can of Aqua Net or the like. Spray down the inside of the boot and where it attaches to the tubes or intercooler. The hair spray will help hold them together and hold up to a little more boost.
Find an old spray can of Aqua Net or the like. Spray down the inside of the boot
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From: Land of the Toxic Avenger
I got a pressure tester for intercooler systems for another truck I was working on. I bought it from Crazy Carl's. It would have been easy enough to make one, but at $40. I just bought one.
Well I figured I would check some other trucks I have. So I took the air intake off the turbo and clamped it on. I pulled the other boot that goes to the intake horn and plugged that with a plastic re useable water bottle that fit just right and then clamped it on. This isolated the intercooler along with all the boots, tubes and clamps allowing me to pressure them assembled and on the truck.
Remember I have swapped in the 2nd gen intercooler, boots / tubes, clamps, '94-'97 style intake horn and the 2nd gen HX35 turbo on the non intercooled '91.0 motor.
I pressurized it to 10 PSI and it lost pressure pretty quickly. With a little soapy water in a spray bottle I found a clamp that was a little loose and was letting air out the boot. Tightened that up and snugged up the rest off the clamps while I was there. Then I pressurized it up to 20PSI and let it hold for a while. It slowly lost some PSI over a couple minutes...good enough for me.
I bet a lot of you 1st gen inetrcooled guys would find leaky intercoolers with this test. I find most of those are leaking a bit at this point now they are 30 years old.
I plan on testing the rest of my intercooled trucks to see if I catch any other small leaks I was missing.
Well I figured I would check some other trucks I have. So I took the air intake off the turbo and clamped it on. I pulled the other boot that goes to the intake horn and plugged that with a plastic re useable water bottle that fit just right and then clamped it on. This isolated the intercooler along with all the boots, tubes and clamps allowing me to pressure them assembled and on the truck.
Remember I have swapped in the 2nd gen intercooler, boots / tubes, clamps, '94-'97 style intake horn and the 2nd gen HX35 turbo on the non intercooled '91.0 motor.
I pressurized it to 10 PSI and it lost pressure pretty quickly. With a little soapy water in a spray bottle I found a clamp that was a little loose and was letting air out the boot. Tightened that up and snugged up the rest off the clamps while I was there. Then I pressurized it up to 20PSI and let it hold for a while. It slowly lost some PSI over a couple minutes...good enough for me.
I bet a lot of you 1st gen inetrcooled guys would find leaky intercoolers with this test. I find most of those are leaking a bit at this point now they are 30 years old.
I plan on testing the rest of my intercooled trucks to see if I catch any other small leaks I was missing.
A relative of yours ?
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From: vermont
Fired up Poncho for the first time in a month or two last week. I needed it to pull out a truck stuck in the spring mud.
After the week of rain they are calling for, the paved roads should be free of road salt. Which means it is time to start driving the old 1st gens again.
After the week of rain they are calling for, the paved roads should be free of road salt. Which means it is time to start driving the old 1st gens again.
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After a few days of 50+F rain and warm weather, that 15 inches of snow we just got is now 100% gone - other than the piles where the roofs dumped snow.
We are in the middle of 5-6 days of warm rain, which should be enough to wash off the blacktop. Once the sun comes out and dries the road up it should be good.
We are in the middle of 5-6 days of warm rain, which should be enough to wash off the blacktop. Once the sun comes out and dries the road up it should be good.
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From: vermont
Poncho is all loaded up with some metal for a trip down to the scrap yard today.
I have a collection of a few roughly 30 year old brass radiators that are spanked and several leaking aluminum intercoolers to trade in for some $.
I have a collection of a few roughly 30 year old brass radiators that are spanked and several leaking aluminum intercoolers to trade in for some $.
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From: vermont
They are paying decent cash for old brass rads. I got almost $60 a piece for some rotten, old 2nd gen radiators.
Oh, and the truck drove, great. Nice being back in the old 1st gen.
After the scrap yard, I got to meet up with my daughter and grab some spicy Thai food for lunch. There is a little hole in the wall style kitchen that only serves lunch and is almost completely take out orders. Their $11 lunch options are always worth it.
Oh, and the truck drove, great. Nice being back in the old 1st gen.
After the scrap yard, I got to meet up with my daughter and grab some spicy Thai food for lunch. There is a little hole in the wall style kitchen that only serves lunch and is almost completely take out orders. Their $11 lunch options are always worth it.
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From: Land of the Toxic Avenger
They are paying decent cash for old brass rads. I got almost $60 a piece for some rotten, old 2nd gen radiators.
Oh, and the truck drove, great. Nice being back in the old 1st gen.
After the scrap yard, I got to meet up with my daughter and grab some spicy Thai food for lunch. There is a little hole in the wall style kitchen that only serves lunch and is almost completely take out orders. Their $11 lunch options are always worth it.
Oh, and the truck drove, great. Nice being back in the old 1st gen.
After the scrap yard, I got to meet up with my daughter and grab some spicy Thai food for lunch. There is a little hole in the wall style kitchen that only serves lunch and is almost completely take out orders. Their $11 lunch options are always worth it.
Do they fry the cat, or bake it before serving it to you ?
Meow !
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From: Central KY
We have a similar joint here. It stays packed. They even make a bunch of extra meals and donate to local shelters. They rate their hotness by "stars", I find 4 provides about the right bite and flavor for me.
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From: vermont
Charlotte drove Poncho around yesterday with me. We did a little Christmas shopping and I took her out to lunch at a different Thai place.
One of her first comments after driving the truck for 20 minutes….”Everybody seems to wave at you when your driving this.”
Why yes they do, I replied.
One of her first comments after driving the truck for 20 minutes….”Everybody seems to wave at you when your driving this.”
Why yes they do, I replied.
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From: vermont
The lift was free, so I put Poncho up in the air to do a solid pre-season check up. Everything was greased up, even the grease-able shackle bolts. Which I used when I did the mild front lift springs, rear shackle flip and bracket drop on the suspension. I did the rear shackle flip and drop bracket to loose the factory lift block years ago.
All the driveshaft joints took grease.
The Dana 60F axle has a set of recently swapped in non grease-able Spicer U-joints in it. The front end has been gone through completely over the years, so everything was good to go.
The rear axle had signs that the pinion leaked, so I blew out the breather hose and vent. The 'Rag, NP-205 and axles where checked for fluid levels.
When it all looked up to snuff under the rig, I sprayed it down with 2 cans of Fluid Film. I got it in the cab mounts, rockers, along with on the brake lines and the frame - paying extra attention to behind the fuel tank. I also got the rear axle shock / U-bolt saddles. All the places I have seen WAY too many Dodges rot out in.
Tomorrow I can get it off the lift. Then other than a few minor interior things I may or may not get to, it should be ready for another summer.
All the driveshaft joints took grease.
The Dana 60F axle has a set of recently swapped in non grease-able Spicer U-joints in it. The front end has been gone through completely over the years, so everything was good to go.
The rear axle had signs that the pinion leaked, so I blew out the breather hose and vent. The 'Rag, NP-205 and axles where checked for fluid levels.
When it all looked up to snuff under the rig, I sprayed it down with 2 cans of Fluid Film. I got it in the cab mounts, rockers, along with on the brake lines and the frame - paying extra attention to behind the fuel tank. I also got the rear axle shock / U-bolt saddles. All the places I have seen WAY too many Dodges rot out in.
Tomorrow I can get it off the lift. Then other than a few minor interior things I may or may not get to, it should be ready for another summer.
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From: Central KY
Ahhh, summer. Seems so far away right now. But soon I'll be complaining about mowing the yard and weedeating...
Were you able to detect any difference in handling after losing the blocks and flipping shackles?
Were you able to detect any difference in handling after losing the blocks and flipping shackles?
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From: vermont
The suspension mods made the truck much more enjoyable to drive in unloaded, yet still handle the loads it normally sees. Things like my #800 ATV, firewood, Dana 60/70 axles, #1200 Cummins motors, camping gear.
It used to bounce around like an Amish hay wagon with the factory leaves / block, camper springs and aftermarket airbags.
I have a bunch of pictures of the suspension mods in post #147 and 148 of the thread.
It used to bounce around like an Amish hay wagon with the factory leaves / block, camper springs and aftermarket airbags.
I have a bunch of pictures of the suspension mods in post #147 and 148 of the thread.
