Time for some CPR on an old truck.
Background
My Grandfather, Reg Schlemmer, purchased this cream puff RAM D150 truck new in 1984. He drove it as a farm only vehicle, maintaining it in his farm ways ( black grease in hinges-or anything else that squeaked) and drove it like a grandpa.
In 2000 he decided he couldn't drive anymore, and sold it to me. Then he went out and bought a brand new blue Dodge Ram truck only to sell it 6 days later.
Sound like someone you know? ---
ok, anyhooo--
Financially challenged is the term of the year, however it has been like this for us since about 2000, and, in 2004 we were hit pretty hard with some issues, as I had a large surgery blah blah--
However, before this when we had a little cash flow going I spent about 1300.00 , and did a power improving buildup on the 318.
Basically, it is a stock bottom end 318
I got some '88 4bbl heads from a 360 van, had them worked over, larger valves and surface milled .050
this drove up the compression to about 10.75:1
Then Edelbrock Performer RPM cam, lifters, cloyes timing chain, edelbrock rpm intake and carb. I also bought the cheap chrome edlebrock covers and air cleaner, also, added a chrome alternator housing.
Trans is a stock 727
As I said it was sold to the neighbor across the street from me. Which was cool, as he washed it once in a while and I was able to use it if I needed.
Well, he didn't maintain it too well. He did put in a new radiator, but I told him if I ver helped work on it we needed to drop the pan and change fluid-adjust bands and also adjust the rocker arms evry once in a while. He didn't like that too much and we never did that----
fast forward to now. My oldest son Nate asked if we could get a cheap project, so we got this back for 300 bux and are now fixing some issues.
ok the good
compression was at 147-152 across the cylinders.
After adjusting the rockers, all arms seem to be deflecting equal amounts!! Phew. Rookieshooters thread had me a bit scared but looks like good oils were used. I know he did change oil in it a few times, and used semi synthetic motorcraft oil. In the past 5 years 13k miles were added to the truck. So, it is now at 90k miles.
It has my stock Mounty wheels!
has decent -but dirty interior. Stereo and full gauges.
The bad-
it is dirty dirty
the driver wing vent is broken
The 727 slips like you are riding a clutch,
We dropped the pan and I found a very tiny, yet I assume very important little c shaped piece of metal. It looks like a washer which has been shaved off on one side, kind of. It could be the end of a small shaft also-it i kind of round like a wire-
It is approximately 1/4" to 3/8" in diameter if it was all there. ( I will get a picture later of this)
We changed the filter, adjusted the band in the valve body and buttoned it back up. I still need to adjust the band on the side of the transmission, however it is very hard to get in there.
Speaking of adjusting bands---
Well, you need an inch lb torque wrench.
We went to Iola Auto Parts to get our supplies, and then all over town looking for such a wrench. Couldn't find any, Other than the one back there for 120 bux.
Herb, the owner said" just take it use it and bring it back"
I asked" do you want me to sign something?"
"Nope, just clean it up and bring it back"
OK, now, would you loan a 120.00 tool to jon smith without knowing his number or address?
I Have to think of some way to pay back this gesture.
Anyway, here is where she sits now. We have to name the ol gal so she wants to drive around again.
Side dirty
interior dirty.
Ok, we will make sense of this, but it's just a truck remember. Some easy off oven cleaner and a good power washing will do a good deal toward shining it up again
The headers are going to have to rust thru
if they do we will deal with it then, as, sealing these up was a mother beeshusdz
ok flame on. It's an old truck, and a 4th generation of my family will be driving it for a while.
edit
piece I found in transmission pan
It was very low on fluid. we only drained about 1 , maybe 1.5 qt when the pan was dropped.
Background
My Grandfather, Reg Schlemmer, purchased this cream puff RAM D150 truck new in 1984. He drove it as a farm only vehicle, maintaining it in his farm ways ( black grease in hinges-or anything else that squeaked) and drove it like a grandpa.
In 2000 he decided he couldn't drive anymore, and sold it to me. Then he went out and bought a brand new blue Dodge Ram truck only to sell it 6 days later.
Sound like someone you know? ---
ok, anyhooo--
Financially challenged is the term of the year, however it has been like this for us since about 2000, and, in 2004 we were hit pretty hard with some issues, as I had a large surgery blah blah--
However, before this when we had a little cash flow going I spent about 1300.00 , and did a power improving buildup on the 318.
Basically, it is a stock bottom end 318
I got some '88 4bbl heads from a 360 van, had them worked over, larger valves and surface milled .050
this drove up the compression to about 10.75:1
Then Edelbrock Performer RPM cam, lifters, cloyes timing chain, edelbrock rpm intake and carb. I also bought the cheap chrome edlebrock covers and air cleaner, also, added a chrome alternator housing.
Trans is a stock 727
As I said it was sold to the neighbor across the street from me. Which was cool, as he washed it once in a while and I was able to use it if I needed.
Well, he didn't maintain it too well. He did put in a new radiator, but I told him if I ver helped work on it we needed to drop the pan and change fluid-adjust bands and also adjust the rocker arms evry once in a while. He didn't like that too much and we never did that----
fast forward to now. My oldest son Nate asked if we could get a cheap project, so we got this back for 300 bux and are now fixing some issues.
ok the good
compression was at 147-152 across the cylinders.
After adjusting the rockers, all arms seem to be deflecting equal amounts!! Phew. Rookieshooters thread had me a bit scared but looks like good oils were used. I know he did change oil in it a few times, and used semi synthetic motorcraft oil. In the past 5 years 13k miles were added to the truck. So, it is now at 90k miles.
It has my stock Mounty wheels!
has decent -but dirty interior. Stereo and full gauges.
The bad-
it is dirty dirty
the driver wing vent is broken
The 727 slips like you are riding a clutch,
We dropped the pan and I found a very tiny, yet I assume very important little c shaped piece of metal. It looks like a washer which has been shaved off on one side, kind of. It could be the end of a small shaft also-it i kind of round like a wire-
It is approximately 1/4" to 3/8" in diameter if it was all there. ( I will get a picture later of this)
We changed the filter, adjusted the band in the valve body and buttoned it back up. I still need to adjust the band on the side of the transmission, however it is very hard to get in there.
Speaking of adjusting bands---
Well, you need an inch lb torque wrench.
We went to Iola Auto Parts to get our supplies, and then all over town looking for such a wrench. Couldn't find any, Other than the one back there for 120 bux.
Herb, the owner said" just take it use it and bring it back"
I asked" do you want me to sign something?"
"Nope, just clean it up and bring it back"
OK, now, would you loan a 120.00 tool to jon smith without knowing his number or address?
I Have to think of some way to pay back this gesture.
Anyway, here is where she sits now. We have to name the ol gal so she wants to drive around again.
Side dirty
interior dirty.
Ok, we will make sense of this, but it's just a truck remember. Some easy off oven cleaner and a good power washing will do a good deal toward shining it up again
The headers are going to have to rust thru
if they do we will deal with it then, as, sealing these up was a mother beeshusdz
ok flame on. It's an old truck, and a 4th generation of my family will be driving it for a while.
edit
piece I found in transmission pan
It was very low on fluid. we only drained about 1 , maybe 1.5 qt when the pan was dropped.
