Coolant level sensor possibly? Is it in the top or bottom of the radiator?
CK5
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That’s probably what it is. It’s in the top, underneath the top port for the engine oil cooler tank.
Yep that port is for the coolant level. The anode I think would be just fine in the drain hole. Nice and out of the way.
What he said. ^^^
This weekend’s project. Been working to get my coolers installed. Installing extra coolers and building new transmission lines was one of the first things I did on this truck. Naturally, when I pulled the damaged core support, I questioned my thought process back then. Then, afraid of heat, I added two auxiliary coolers in line with the rad cooler for the transmission. Naturally, the trans runs pretty cold. This time, only one trans cooler is added, routed over to the passenger side. You can see the old line from the rad cooler to trans and the new line to the new cooler. Not perfect, but it will get the job done. The cooler on the driver side is for the engine oil, bypassing the oil cooler in the radiator. Both will be manually controlled with a flip of a switch, because I’m that kind of guy.
Looking good.
David
David
Very nice work!
Headlights are reinstalled. Surprisingly, the passenger side lights suffered no significant damage beyond some scuffs. Feels good to use new hardware. I’m undecided if I will replace or repaint the buckets, or leave them as is. Either way, I’m spending my time knocking out the little things, before we tackle some more big things.
Did all the plastic inserts come with the core support or did you buy separate?
I bought them separate from LMC. Inserts, adjusting nuts, and springs.
Ok, part number?
30-0731 for the adjuster assembly. Includes 1 adjusting screw and 1 insert.
These can also be bought at a whole lotta local parts stores under "Dorman Headlight Adjusting Screw 42119."
I found this out after I broke one in Nowhere, Michigan.
Time for an update I suppose. As @KirsL says, we’re in the last 10% that takes 90% of the time. Full transparency here: I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t completely burned out of steam. Trying to find the right balance between producing the best product I can and just getting it done. Perhaps this is a good time to take a break and get some work done on my wife’s truck.
Wait, how is that a break?
I digress...
To recap where I’m at, I decided to replace the headlight buckets. New side marker lenses also. And one 1/4 NPT zinc anode plug for the radiator. Yes, that’s double stacked rubber underneath the radiator. Turns out the height of the lip where the tanks and the core join is about a quarter inch short.
Then it was time to sort out the wiring. It was obvious that the wiring had turned into a rats nest with all of the gadgets and gizmos that I had added over the last few years, so I wanted to take this opportunity to organize the cables and wires in such a way that wasn’t so unsightly. Again, this was one of those balancing acts between perfection (which I typically strive for the best I am capable of) and just plain getting it done. I did accomplish something pretty neat (to me) though.
Here’s the best photo I could find to depict the previous rats nest on the driver side:
So the neat thing I did: I wanted to find a better spot for the two junction blocks on either side of the radiator. Somewhere out of the way, easier to mount (rather than trying to hold a wrench and nut on the inside of the fender), but not have to redo any wiring (so same general location). I started to think I was limited to the same spot on the fenders, until I discovered the underside of the core support. So I marked and drilled holes, then tack welded nuts over the holes and threaded automotive studs into the nuts. This is something I wish I had thought of when I had the core support on the bench (because welding upside down is not exactly easy), but, you know what they say about hindsight. My step-by-step photography game isn’t quite up to par either, but here’s what I got:
The nuts ended up slightly inward of the holes, which is causing the junction blocks to bow slightly. I may massage the mounting points in the blocks themselves to compensate.
Anyway, I also wanted the same ease of mounting with my starter relay for my manual glow plug control, but couldn’t really think of any better spot to put it than where I already had it, so that’s where I went to work. I actually really like this spot because it’s makes for easy maintenance access.
Careful examination of my welds will show that I am still quite the newbie, but I am learning.
Anyhow, with all of that set up, wire organization and cable management could commence. I know there are guys out there who could do this better, and I’d probably get shot at a car show, but again, there’s a balance that must be found. Not sure if I’ve found it. That headlight harness isn’t exactly doing me any favors.
And that is pretty much where she sits right now. Like I said, she’s in the last 10% and I probably need to take a break. Wife’s truck is going to get some treatment this week: new Bilsteins, Toyos, and a steering stabilizer. New headlights went on last week. As for Rusty, I am hunting down some plugs to cap off the radiator engine oil cooler, hope to have the PSC steering box back this week, need to paint and install the passenger front door, and need to install the harness for the trans cooler and a gauge for the engine oil cooler. Then, it should be ready to go to the shop for a frame straightening. Once that’s set, the inner fenders can go on, as well as, the grill and headlight bezels. Then to the alignment shop it goes and then back to Driveline Services of Jacksonville to get measured for a new front drive shaft. During and after all of that, it’ll be getting a surprise that I’m pretty excited about. Hint: it starts with a “B” and will better protect the truck from the next Honda that tries to kill it.
Till then.
Andy.
Wait, how is that a break?
I digress...
To recap where I’m at, I decided to replace the headlight buckets. New side marker lenses also. And one 1/4 NPT zinc anode plug for the radiator. Yes, that’s double stacked rubber underneath the radiator. Turns out the height of the lip where the tanks and the core join is about a quarter inch short.
Then it was time to sort out the wiring. It was obvious that the wiring had turned into a rats nest with all of the gadgets and gizmos that I had added over the last few years, so I wanted to take this opportunity to organize the cables and wires in such a way that wasn’t so unsightly. Again, this was one of those balancing acts between perfection (which I typically strive for the best I am capable of) and just plain getting it done. I did accomplish something pretty neat (to me) though.
Here’s the best photo I could find to depict the previous rats nest on the driver side:
So the neat thing I did: I wanted to find a better spot for the two junction blocks on either side of the radiator. Somewhere out of the way, easier to mount (rather than trying to hold a wrench and nut on the inside of the fender), but not have to redo any wiring (so same general location). I started to think I was limited to the same spot on the fenders, until I discovered the underside of the core support. So I marked and drilled holes, then tack welded nuts over the holes and threaded automotive studs into the nuts. This is something I wish I had thought of when I had the core support on the bench (because welding upside down is not exactly easy), but, you know what they say about hindsight. My step-by-step photography game isn’t quite up to par either, but here’s what I got:
The nuts ended up slightly inward of the holes, which is causing the junction blocks to bow slightly. I may massage the mounting points in the blocks themselves to compensate.
Anyway, I also wanted the same ease of mounting with my starter relay for my manual glow plug control, but couldn’t really think of any better spot to put it than where I already had it, so that’s where I went to work. I actually really like this spot because it’s makes for easy maintenance access.
Careful examination of my welds will show that I am still quite the newbie, but I am learning.
Anyhow, with all of that set up, wire organization and cable management could commence. I know there are guys out there who could do this better, and I’d probably get shot at a car show, but again, there’s a balance that must be found. Not sure if I’ve found it. That headlight harness isn’t exactly doing me any favors.
And that is pretty much where she sits right now. Like I said, she’s in the last 10% and I probably need to take a break. Wife’s truck is going to get some treatment this week: new Bilsteins, Toyos, and a steering stabilizer. New headlights went on last week. As for Rusty, I am hunting down some plugs to cap off the radiator engine oil cooler, hope to have the PSC steering box back this week, need to paint and install the passenger front door, and need to install the harness for the trans cooler and a gauge for the engine oil cooler. Then, it should be ready to go to the shop for a frame straightening. Once that’s set, the inner fenders can go on, as well as, the grill and headlight bezels. Then to the alignment shop it goes and then back to Driveline Services of Jacksonville to get measured for a new front drive shaft. During and after all of that, it’ll be getting a surprise that I’m pretty excited about. Hint: it starts with a “B” and will better protect the truck from the next Honda that tries to kill it.
Till then.
Andy.
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Very nice work dude!
Good morning y’all.
The PSC steering box is back from rebuild and reinstalled (they even painted it black for me). The replacement passenger door is painted and installed. I am now waiting on a couple fittings from Summit that I missed for the oil cooler lines. Once those are in, the truck will be able to be fired up again. Then, the replacement driver door will need to be painted and installed, then the truck can finally go to the shop for a frame straightening.
Here is my best shot at a remaining to-do list to get the truck back to pre-wreck status and then some:
- install oil cooler fittings
- paint and install driver door
- inspect tie rod ends
- straighten frame
- assemble remaining grill components
- install temp gauge for oil cooler
- install harness and switch for trans cooler
- trim, paint, and install inner fenders
- replace bent wheel (tire appears to be okay)
- develop solution for radiator overflow (already have a plan in place)
- build front and rear bumpers (more to come on this).
Seems like this list should be longer, but that’s all I’ve got for right now. In the meantime, enjoy some progress pics.
I only had 20 miles on this truck with the freshly rebuilt Dana 60 & 14Bolt, ORD springs, and Toyos, before the wreck. So I have really yet to experience how this rig drives after such extensive work. To say the anticipation is huge would be an understatement.
Andy
The PSC steering box is back from rebuild and reinstalled (they even painted it black for me). The replacement passenger door is painted and installed. I am now waiting on a couple fittings from Summit that I missed for the oil cooler lines. Once those are in, the truck will be able to be fired up again. Then, the replacement driver door will need to be painted and installed, then the truck can finally go to the shop for a frame straightening.
Here is my best shot at a remaining to-do list to get the truck back to pre-wreck status and then some:
- install oil cooler fittings
- paint and install driver door
- inspect tie rod ends
- straighten frame
- assemble remaining grill components
- install temp gauge for oil cooler
- install harness and switch for trans cooler
- trim, paint, and install inner fenders
- replace bent wheel (tire appears to be okay)
- develop solution for radiator overflow (already have a plan in place)
- build front and rear bumpers (more to come on this).
Seems like this list should be longer, but that’s all I’ve got for right now. In the meantime, enjoy some progress pics.
I only had 20 miles on this truck with the freshly rebuilt Dana 60 & 14Bolt, ORD springs, and Toyos, before the wreck. So I have really yet to experience how this rig drives after such extensive work. To say the anticipation is huge would be an understatement.
Andy
So I would assume you are going white with the whole vehicle now?
Yessir that is correct. Kind of a snowball effect in decision-making. The hood and driver fender were already white, so it made sense to paint the passenger fender white also. And that same logic followed with the doors. Plus, as it turns out, I really like the white paint/black wheels look. And white is really easy to get in a rattle can for touch up.
Very nice work sir! I like the white too!
So it’s time to humbly submit myself to those more intelligent than I.
Today was hopefully going to be a big day, the first start after the tear down began. But I have made myself a massive oil leak.
I added an external oil cooler, and thought I could reuse my original oil cooler lines (which were replaced only a year ago) and just adapt them to the -8AN line extensions I made. Well, turns out I was wrong. Probably because the original cooler lines are hydraulic and even though the threads seem to match 3/4-16, there is still a difference and the threads do not seal.
I’ve attached a video for reference. I am also accepting of the high likelihood that I will have to completely replace the original hydraulic lines with -8AN all the way to the engine block. My question is: what fittings will I be looking for to adapt the -8AN fittings to the ports in the engine block?
Thanks in advance,
Andy
Today was hopefully going to be a big day, the first start after the tear down began. But I have made myself a massive oil leak.
I added an external oil cooler, and thought I could reuse my original oil cooler lines (which were replaced only a year ago) and just adapt them to the -8AN line extensions I made. Well, turns out I was wrong. Probably because the original cooler lines are hydraulic and even though the threads seem to match 3/4-16, there is still a difference and the threads do not seal.
I’ve attached a video for reference. I am also accepting of the high likelihood that I will have to completely replace the original hydraulic lines with -8AN all the way to the engine block. My question is: what fittings will I be looking for to adapt the -8AN fittings to the ports in the engine block?
Thanks in advance,
Andy
