BENDER stays in hibernation with me

[K85 Octane]

OO, and I found my color choices. I'm leaning more to the gray. It will match my black DD better lol. This dark gray is cool. But I like the idea of an orangish red too. A slight more red than this bug. I saw one in person and liked. Either one will be done by Macco (sp?), on the cheap, cause I'm going to scratch the crap out of it.

 

[andyblack]

I think you'll like the gray better in the long run. You would probably get tired of the orange. Also, if you ever get in a tight and need to sell it, the orange would turn some buyers off.

Nice job on the fuse box too. I know it's a pain getting down there. Unless you're a contortionist midget with three arms. I had to replace my column after someone busted it up in order to steal the truck. It sucked.

 

[K85 Octane]

ok, don't laugh at me, never claimed once to be a professional at wiring
this is bout best I can do
Don't mind the rats nest on the bottom, some stuff will get ziptied closer or together, other than that....it is what it is.
Used some bus bars to connect some things together, like grounds, IGN hot, and constant hots. Trying to not connect different circuits with different fuses.
used some terminal strips to make connection for the gauges, that way when I need to remove the cluster, it's a simple screw holding in each wire for each gauge. Didn't know any better way of doing it, other than bullet connectors, but that might be messy. Now I can put a nice length of wire on each gauge, pull the dash apart with room, and remove the wires. I've read a couple people using the multipack/ weather pack/ whatever pack connector for multiple wires, those would be sweet. I recommend doing that if you know how to crimp things, I don't. It would have looked real clean and factory. I'm still not quite done but close. Whatcha think?

 

[79rustyk10]

can anyone tell me what the white box looking thing, is with the connector pins, at the bottom of the steering column is???

And anyone know a good way to mount my new fuse panel? EZ Wiring panel doesn't go back in the stock location. I need to come up with something

thats the park/neutral safety switch.

 

[K85 Octane]

Not much to report. Finally got around to hooking up my tail lights. I check out the factory wiring and it looks really good. No problems anywhere and the bulb sockets are good, so I just connected the wiring kit to the existing wires, instead of running them all the way back and dealing with that mess.

Also found a good driver's side battery tray. Rusted on top, but the structure is sound!
Lastly, I've been looking for a rear tailgate window switch and haven't been able to find one, new or used. I've checked everywhere! I was gathering more crap from a local electrical store. Figured I'd look at switches and came across one that I could make work. Got it home and wanted to start the project, except there isn't one!! LOL it fit right in place ahahaha
Haven't had a chance to check it out yet. Hope it works. All I had to do was cut the wires in the back to put some spade connectors on. I took a pic of the tag, you might be able to order it from where I got it www.orvac.com, or just look it up. OEM one for the older blazers cost $40, this was I think $13.

 

[TheBeast_88K5]

Nice build.... about to start a teardown myself.
Keep the updates comin', we're watchin'....

 

[K85 Octane]

Got my gauges in, along with my dash pad, glove box, and ashtray. It took a lot of wrangling to get all those wires back into the dash, then get all the holes to line up. I'm missing one screw still, but it's a simple find at the hardware store.
My switches are for:
Headlights
Running lights
Electric fan off
Dome lights

The electric fan and headlights are going to run off my second battery.
The second volt gauge was tricky, or at least I over thought it until it was tricky. That gauge is the only one powered by the second battery. But it would be on all the time with a constant hot wire. So I ran a relay into an IGN hot as my switching leg. The power to the gauge is off with the ignition. Then with IGN on, the relay allows power from the second battery to the gauge. I figured that would be the only way to keep things separate.

I wanted to run the marker lights off the second battery as well. That way they can stay on all night if I'm sleeping on the side of the road. Dunno, just a thought, but the wiring would get to complicated so I ditched that idea. I figured the headlights should be off battery #2, so I can keep them on without worrying about killing my main battery. The electric fan pulls so much amperage that it too should be off battery #2. That way I'm not taxing the entire system every time it goes on and off.

I haven't actually done any headlight or fan wiring. Tis still to come. I also have a problem with the shifter. I don't know if I screwed something up doing the column rebuild, but I can't get it out of park now. Still need to look over that. Damnit

 

[K85 Octane]

I've been doing quite a bit lately since I'm unemployed at the moment. I have a very small side business that's paying the rent and utilities, but that's it, not many new parts without taping into my portfolio money.
Only update pictures I have, more to come. I replaced all the bulb sockets and finished all the trucks wiring. All that's left is put the plastic flex stuff over most of it. The old grill was smashing the blinker lights, rusted, and mickey moused. I think it was for a different year. I had to toss it. Picked up this one from EBay. It should end up looking great after the dark gray paint is laid on the body waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay down the road lol

BEFORE

AFTER

 

[K85 Octane]

got my dual batteries in
isolator is in and wired (except for the 1st battery, I need rad shroud to hold power wire going across)
wired up my fan controller (DCC controller runs fan at 50% and then 100%)
it has the temp sensor, AC input, and kill switch. I wired it to stay on after the engine is turned off for cooling down.
70amp breaker is in
kill switch relay is in for fan override off
don't have fan in yet to mount temp sensor into radiator
headlights are wired and blinkers

I am using a Mark8 electric fan. They are plentiful, strong, and factory equipment. I plan on going out and grabbing a spare during a 50% sale at the Jyard. I had a local welder make me an aluminum shroud that covers the entire radiator core, instead of having gaps with the plastic shroud. If the fan takes a crap on me, I can easily get another and bolt it in. I have the stock pigtail for the fan too, which is nice.

So far it's only the fan and headlight running off the second battery. I wasn't able to put the marker lights on it cause of the way things laid out, but down the road I might change that. I'd like to have my markers on when parked on the side of the road overnight. o well

I buttoned up all the wires, everything is done, except the engine stuff and I need to put on all the plastic insulation, which I've been putting off. I also haven't been able to get the shifter to move. Another PITA

 

[toner91]

Hey, any idea on how much the mark8 fan pulls? just trying to get an idea compared to the windstar fan set-up that seems popular lately.

 

[K85 Octane]

I don't remember what the cfm rating is but it's supposed to be very high and it's really quiet. Air movement is suppose to be better than most, dunno, it feels like a lot. My friend and I were sitting at the border crossing for 3 hours with 95* temps and the fan on his bronco didn't have a problem. The AC wasn't on though. The amps however are probably higher than the windstar set up, but with the controller I'm using set up to run them at 50% first, then kick up to 100%, the spike amps should be in the 30s

 

[blowedupmotor87]

Your instrument panel looks awesome bro! Great job! Looks like things are coming together well, nice work!!!

 

[K85 Octane]

got my radiator fan bolted in, it's only a test fit and mount location. It needs to come out when the motor goes in. I didn't double check my measurements like I should have, now I'm praying it clears the waterpump pulley.

I also got the mirrors I bought from KirsL installed. Mine wear painted and ugly. These also seem to be holding tight better. The convex piece of glass looks decent. I put it on using Liquid Nail's mirror bonding stuff. I had it in my garage already. I remember using it in the past and having good results.

Before I put the mirrors on, I sanded down any bad stuff that was behind the old mirrors. I also sanded where the old fender emblems used to be. They were removed by a previous owner and replaced with some sticker of a bull lol. (at least I think it was, there's only an outline now) Then I painted the area. You can see it in my before pic.

 

[skidog1us]

What rig did you pull the drivers side battery tray from? Any specific years or models I should search for?

 

[K85 Octane]

most all diesels have them
I've found a couple gas motors, but not many, and those are on the older trucks.

I pulled it from a junkyard, cost me 8 total with entry. They are on the heavier duty trucks and diesels.

 

[skidog1us]

Thanks for the info.

 

[K85 Octane]

mmmm engine
400sb 330817
vortec heads
pro products intake
Haven't gotten a build sheet from my uncle yet, so dunno anything else lol
Starting to put thing back together, but I need bolts to replace crappy or missing ones
Got to bolted to the trans, flexplate, TC, aluminum cover is on with support rods, removed stupid PO 1" TC drop, oil filter with oil, haven't filled engine yet. Got one header on but need to figure out what bolts I'm supposed to use from Edelbrock. Cleaned up all the acc brackets. Wanted to get water pump on but I'm missing one bolt and the other 3 look like crap. Need new water neck bolts. Need to plug unused holes in manifold.

Then all the stuff I don't know how to do. Prime engine oil, install distributor, fit carb, TV cable, VACUUM nightmare, etc

 

[andyblack]

Looks real nice in there - all shiny and orange and clean. Looks like you need some more brake fluid in the master cylinder too, by the way.

 

[K85 Octane]

the brake fluid is on the list, along with cleaning the discs and drums of their new rust
that MC wont be there long hopefully, have another waiting in the garage w/ discs conv.

 

[K85 Octane]

Things have been moving slowly. Had finals to study for, some setbacks, and lack of motivation at times. I've had to ditch the electric fan for now, it needs another shroud but that will have to happen later.
I got my fangs trimmed, that was fun actually.
Still trying to get someone to help with replacing my hing bushings, they are read to go but rather not fight with the door alone.
The shiny intake was the wrong one for me, so was lucky enough to return it and get an new one with EGR. Not so shiny this time, but I don't care.
I did manage to get the carb, upper rad hose, heater hose, throttle/ TV bracket mounted, fuel line, and booster line put on AFTER the picture was taken.
I've never done any of this stiff before, putting the intake on was a little time consuming to make sure I did it right, hope it holds for a million miles.
I think I will cap off all the vacuum lines and get it running. Just run enough for the PCV, breather, and distributor. I'll work all the rest of the mess out in due time.


I am using some FUEL tubing that was the perfect size for the booster. Will this work or will it suck itself closed?