Bumbles Bounce Don'tcha know..

[tgreco]

Welp, time to set the unofficial timer. ACC/Upstate event is coming up the end of April and it's time for a list.

1. Finish the bronco tank installation
2. Replace the body mounts
3. New hardware for hitch and bumper
4. Install new fan and shroud on the WarPig
5. Install new fuel pump, lines and filters on the warpig.

If I have time I need to fab a seat mount for the little , mount the action packer and find some tunes for it too. I have 7 weekends to pull all that off... wish me luck.

Nothing like a deadline to get things done! Hope you have better luck on your maiden voyage with a Ford tow rig than I did. Went out and bought a Onetundra after that…

 

[jynx]

Nothing like a deadline to get things done! Hope you have better luck on your maiden voyage with a Ford tow rig than I did. Went out and bought a Onetundra after that…

Well, it won't be the actual maiden voyage, it will however be the maiden on the new tank setup, so hopefully we're in good shape.

I did get the new SPAL fan ordered today. Hopefully I can get the tank hung this weekend and get that project a step closer to getting ready to get back in the road.

Then onto the WarPig work.

 

[jynx]

So today I got in the shop and went at the tank install. Got after cleaning up the frame and then hit the area around the tank. Then I put the top straps in to locate the tank and then jacked the tank into place.

And the I started hammering out the straps.

Good bit of trial and error and I got a shape I was happy with. And I got really close to the ones that I got with the tank kit.

You can see the difference in the depth in the new and the old, hence why I decided to make new ones.

Making the second one was way easier with a pattern! So after I got the second strap on I threw the receiver hitch back on jsut to see how much it was going to hang down.

Basically perfect. I super happy with it.

So now I just need to blow it all apart, clean up a little wiring and hit everything with some semi-gloss black and then start putting it all together.

I plan to clean up and paint the hitch, and I am going to add a little more to the straps before I bolt it all up.

On to step 6.

 

[FJCRAWLER]

Bet you are just chomping at the bit to fill that big boy tank up with some of Biden’s liquid gold.

 

[jynx]

Yeah, I finally got this thing in and Uncle Joe finds a way to butt F me... last year it was the dang oil pipeline crash, now this. It's like the gubment doesn't want the WarPig to wheel at chocco for some reason

 

[jynx]

Well I spent pretty much all day yesterday working on the new fan for the warpig. Came out today with the intention of doing wiring and realized I don't have a good assortment of wiring bits, so kicked that one. Figured I'd work on the fuel pump, but I've misplaced my 3/8" hose clamps, so skunked again. So figured I'd get back on the tank swap. I pulled the tank and painted the straps and while they were drying I started buttoning the back end up. Somewhere in the past someone t-tapped 2 wires on one of the plugs, so I decided to pull those horrid things off and fix the splice.

They were close to the plug, so un-pin and then heat shrink. But first how to un-pin...

Turns out you have to get that little red "X" out before you can pull the pins. In the above picture you can see a little gap on the bottom right so I figured it must be how, but the how was a bit more. My picks weren't doing any good, so I took a HF Phillips head and fashioned this little widget.

Then slid it in and after a few tries, out it popped.

And here is how that works.

So I pulled the 2 wires, heat shrieked them and then wrapped it all up with some of 3Ms finest.

Then with the straps dry I moved on to that fun.

 

[jynx]

I got the straps in and then started working on exhaust clearance.

The front right corner of the tank was contacting the tank. I took my MAP torch and a small sledge and pounded on it until I was semi-happy with it.

It isn't pretty, but it has about a fingers gap between the tank and pipe.

I am going to order some of that stick on thermal barrier for that corner which should be good to get me down to the exhaust shop for them to redo the tailpipe. I might just have them put a new muffler on while I'm there.

Then I went ahead and bolted the hitch back on. Man, that is way easier without the bed in the way. I may go ahead and drill the 3rd "optional" hole in the frame since the bed is off.

Then with that done, I need some butt connectors to finish up the fuel pump, so I got a wild hair and decided to sand down a rusty spot on the corner of the roof.

It's in primer now.

I'll let that cure and sand it down then maybe more primer, sanding and then I'll hit it with some white. The whole roof needs to be sanded and sprayed. The clear is peeling on most of it. But that can wait til I decide to have the whole cab redone.

So that pretty well wrapped up what I could do today. I ordered a 4xinovations can holder to mount the cans in the back of the pig, so in between things today I got it painted and assembled. It holds the scepter water jug perfectly.

And bonus the way the opening is made, it will clear the Toyota can cap. So I'll get another one to hold it too.

All in all, not a bad weekend.

I should be able to finish the tank next weekend and be ready to fire the pump up and see if it is all going to work the way I hope.

 

[jynx]

Random, before, during and after pictures

Technically still "during" but has come a long way.

 

[jynx]

Pump is wired and home. Have to pull the tank to install the thermo-tec heat shield and put the rubber on the straps, then I should be ready to strap it down and maybe put a little juice in it to see if it works or not.

Tomorrow fan wiring and fuel plumbing on the pig and Bumble tank installation when I need a break from that.

 

[jynx]

Well today was very productive. I finished wiring the new fan in the warpig, including getting the sensor in the passenger side head.

That little 5/16 square drive and the big impact were required to get that plug out, but the sensor threaded right in and that was pretty much that.

While I was waiting for a battery to charge, they were all dead, I charged into the tank install. My thermo-tec wrap came, so I wrapped the front corner of the tank.

With that done, I put the rubbers on the straps and dropped it in and started tightening things up. Got the pump hooked up and plugged in and then got the filler neck wrestled on. That thing about beat me. But it's all in and tightened down ready for some fresh non-ethanol so I can see if it actually works.

I think the rubber part of the filler will need trimming to hit the gas door properly, but I won't know that until I drop the bed on. Had a big block of foam I wedged in front of tank which should keep everything right where it needs to be.

Then I spent the next few hours reblumbing the fuel pump on the warpig. Installed a shut off valve to make pump swaps easier in the future, then a wilbro pump, new pre and post filters and then tied it back into the existing supply lines.

So in short, in a rare feat, I actually got pretty much everything I was aiming to do done. Mark it down, may never happen again.

The victory was short lived however. I am 99% sure the new fan setup and proper thermostat have knocked any overheating issues dead in the head. However, I am still stumbling when I hit half throttle. I thought the pump was weak, but even with the new pump, the issue persists. I know nothing about this motor other than it is a TPI 350. Not sure if it is vacuum related, computer, fuel regulator, fill in the blank... I got to start do8ng some research and see if I can figure out how to check for codes on this motor, and then start troubleshooting.

Tomorrow, I'll fill up the gas cans and put 8-10 gallons in the new tank and see if it starts and drives. If so, then I'll fit the bed and then it'll be time to clean up the hitch for re-installation. I Al's need to knock out the body mounts before the bed goes back on for good.

That is all assuming I can move tomorrow. I'm super sore tonight, so hopefully I can get up and going tomorrow.

 

[Hugh Heifer]

I moved dirt. Contract on the shop is to be signed tomorrow. I need to start a thread

 

[jynx]

Not to much on the Bumble front. I didn't make it to the co-op to fill up the cans, too busy taking the girls out for lunch and picking up a fuel pressure set from the Ole Harbor Freight. I did get the hitch cleaned and a coat of semi-gloss black.

I'll pick up some new grade 8 bolts to get it mounted.

On the pig front, I tried out my new fuel pressure setup and at least found the next step in the fuel system saga.

At idle, 34 psi which is low to start with...

And then under load, drops to 20 psi.

So a new regulator and fresh gaskets for the plenum when it comes apart will be on order.

I figure I'll get a fresh set of plugs while I'm at it.

@Hugh Heifer pics or it didn't happen. Can't wait to see the shop come along.

 

[jynx]

Well I nursed 4 or so gallons into the tank tonight. Got to work on the venting. Not sure if there is just a lot of air space to fill and the vent hole just isn't big enough.

Anyway, I got some fuel in the tank and after some priming and fiddling it fired up and idles. So I need to get a few more gallons in it and then run it a little before I drop the bed on it. When it finally fired a wave of relief passed over me. I'm just glad I got everything hooked up correctly and fuel is going the right way.

 

[jynx]

Well we got home from out spring break trip to ATL to visit @BMThiker and Ms Kitty. That's what Hannah wanted to do.

Anyway, got home and after a few hours at the office to catch up on a couple things I came home to see what I could do.

I pulled the Ford out and decided to see if I could get the vent situation sorted. I was able to pull the old vent and gasket out of the old tank. It looked to be working good, so cleaned them up and made the switch.

The old vent next to the new one.

And got them installed.

After I got that sorted, I cut the filler hose down since the bronco neck was about an inch and a half too long.

So with that, I tried to filling the tank again and that seemed to go much better.

You can see how much it hangs down from the side.

Can't wait to get the bed back on it.

Now just have to tidy it up a little and put some new shocks out back and then the bed can go back on.

 

[FJCRAWLER]

Do I see a radiator hose on the filler neck?

 

[jynx]

Do I see a radiator hose on the filler neck?

You see whatever they gave me to connect the tank to the filler. Radiator, garden, whatever you want to call it, they sent it, I used it lol.

 

[Elbert]

my list of stuff to do..and misc crap acquired to do it with....has gotten out of hand.

I've gotten to the point of I get started and and try to get at least something done 1/2 way or more if not a time consuming project. The ship from China must have taken a detour on my last acquisition of some "hose grip pliers"..

truck project looking good.

 

[jynx]

Fresh pair of Bilsteins arrived today for the rear. Throw them on tomorrow and then start working on getting the bed back on.

 

[jynx]

So close yet so far....

Got the shocks on and then got the bed on, but the tank is just a smidge high. It lacked about an 1/8 seating. So off it came. I will have to loosen the bolts and add some washers or spacers to drop it down enough to let it the bed sit down all the way.

 

[jynx]

Take 2 went better. A stack of washers to drop it down and I straightened the bronco top straps to gain me a little more thread to pull it down. I didn't get a picture, but they did the trick.

After much fiddling and checking I got the bed on and bolted down.

Still have to get the body bushings replaced, but need to get it back together so we can get ready for the ACC trip in a couple weeks.

Then I bolted the freshly painted hitch back up.

After I got all that on, I got the filler necks back in. The front bolted right back in, the rear one however was more work. Where I placed the tank, the filler is just a little back and it made for an odd angle. Some persuasion with a hammer and a pry bar I was able to get it all bolted in and then I got all the clamps tightened up.

I think all I lack is cleaning up a couple more t-taps on the bed harness and getting the bumper back on and I should be ready to got fill that big honkin' tank up. I need to get to an exhaust shop and let them re-route the tailpipe to give me more clearance around the tank.

While I was rolling around under there, I found the HF light I lost months ago...

I have no idea how long it's been under there, but likely for close to a year. And it still worked! Good magnet. So if you weren't sold on them before, these HF lights are a good investment.

This week I'll clean the truck out and get it ready for the road trip.