71 F250 4BT Cummins Work Horse: Just doing a little work

[KRob]

Well Folks,

Sorry about being MIA for awhile. Spent a three weeks in the woods cutting fire wood, for the family, the VFW and a few friends = a lot of fire wood.



The above was early on, when we had only gotten about 10 cords out of the mountains...we are now over 30, and have plans for another 20 in the fall. My Dodge was carrying a cord and a 1/3 out every trip. Coming out we had to negotiate 5 miles of 16% plus downhill grade on a goat track. Poor Ol' Dodge got worked pretty hard. (Most of the wood brought out was Red Fir, wood in the forefront of the picture is some Lodge Pole)

Then I ended up going in for a hip surgery so I am currently gimping around on crutches.

HOWEVER....The GOOD News.

Today, I managed to shave enough off the transmission that I was able to shift the Transfercase out of 4L and now have 2H and 4H. So I took it for a quick test drive. I don't have a speedo cable yet...should be in tomorrow...so i don't know what the break down of speed was for the gearing but it seemed fine. Seemed like i hit the governor pretty fast, so i maybe tuning the pump a little sooner then planned, or at least getting a 3000 or 3200 spring installed sooner rather then later.

Tomorrow if i get time, I plan on getting the new cable installed though i will be waiting on the gear, and a few more things wired like the temp gauge. Anyone know the values for the stock gauge? Also if possible i will get a video of "Frankin Ford" zooming on by.

Have a good day
Rob

[jdeshler]

Nice build! Can't wait to hear that cummins

[KRob]

Alright I have some videos....now if i can figure out how to post them.

Sorry the camera man, didn't listen to instructions and thus took multiple short videos instead of one long one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-KW3of8nfk[/video]

I will say i am very impressed with the camera on my phone.

Speedo cable is not in, do not have the gear yet, I am painting the rear bumper right now so that should be going back on. The spring brackets for the hood are sand blasted and being painted so maybe the hood might go back on. Besides that nothing has happened for the last few days. To much other stuff.

[Alstoyz]

SAWEET!!!

[jdeshler]

Oooooooooooo..... I am jealous!!! Just wait till you start upgrading that motor and you see its potential power.. okay ill quit drooling now!! Very nice!

[KRob]

Well, Hoods on...still a lot of stuff to finish up. But i drove it a few miles today and it performed well. Pump will probably get turned up sooner then expected though, needs a little more juice. But i also have to remember its not my 300+ HP 750ft/lb + Dodge.

Temp Sensor isn't talking to the Ford gauge but i have a Ford sensor now that will go in tomorrow....That is the one easy thing to write about right now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiQZN-WBBbk[/video]

Have a good day
Rob

[KRob]

Frankin Ford went to the Spa today, and her nails and hair done.


The corner ahead of the door, before the hood, was the test spot.



A little while later. The whole passenger side is done now and i will work on the driver side tomorrow. By hand applied something called TR-3 which takes out the oxidation and adds a resin coat. Time will tell how long it lasts but for now it made the truck look pretty sharp. I will take more pictures tomorrow, when i finish up.

I also am planning on fueling the truck tomorrow so i will have my first milage guess on it. My guess is i have put a hundred miles on it so we will see!

Rob

[motzingg]

DAAAANG that looks clean! It always blows my mind what a little rubbing compound will do to save old paint. I do it on mopeds and motorcycles all the time, every time its like magic!

I usually use a 'wax' product over the top called 'nu finish' its in an orange bottle. It holds up on my boat for an entire season, and it would be about twice a year on cars and bikes, but i'm lazy so it gets done every now and then. I'm way too lazy for regular wax.

[KRob]

This side got finished up yesterday. Driver side I started working on however my shoulders are telling me no more. So now I am looking for a power buffer. But I figured you all would Luke another picture.

[KRob]

So Operation SPA or Make Over, is just about done.

I am truly impressed with this TR-3 stuff....i guess time will tell how long it holds up. However here are a few pictures....not quit as exciting as hauling heavy loads or looking at a shiny engine but still cool.

So this is what it looked at when i started.


And here are the final results....minus hood since i have a straighter one sitting in the shop



Anyway, so time to put some more milage on it and get the little stupid things buttoned up.....like transfercase linkage.

[sargentrs]

Great transformation! Good work.

[popeyes71]

Not bad! Even though you may use it primarily for hauling at least you can look good doing it.

[KRob]

Well Good News and Bad.....Urgh

Bad first i guess, i just installed my third starter. First one was most definitely defective (rock auto or something), second and third (Both Napa) just click periodically especially when its been running. They seem to, once it cools down or sits a little awhile, will start. So third starter went in this evening and its still doing it. We eliminated all the switches and went straight to the starter with a remote starter tool and it still is just clicking. So that's the bad.

The GOOD!

Filled up today, I filled the truck all the way to the brim a week ago and since then i have driven it 69 miles. Well it took a little over 2 gallons working out to 30.24 MPG. Which i figure aint bad since i haven't been driving very economically when i have been driving it.

However the pump is most definitely going to be tweaked, currently its governed at 2500 rpm, i think 3000 or 3200 is much more reasonable and while i am at it i will turn the fuel up a little. I don't want to be real powerful/smokey however i would like it to have a little more grunt to get up to speed.

Anyway....we'll see if i get anything done tomorrow. Have a good evening.

[Fordnatic]

WOW, 30 MPG! That's great, I'll be looking for further updates.

[mcheath]

Holy cow, 30mpg???!!

That would sure be sweet, I could afford to drive my truck if it did that.

Good job. Like the buffing on the paint as well.