Builds Trash truck .... a diary and build thread (2 Viewers)

[CruiserTrash]

No biggie. Just curious if he’s a guy a friend refers to… Knuckles easy. Rite of passage… next, cracked manifold.

So is that the OTHER rite of passage on mud, is I gotta show everyone my crack??? What the f**k did I sign up for???

Just kidding. I’ve trolled your build thread many times and I gotta say … inspirational. Absolutely fantastic. Your ****-everything-else determination is a shining light amongst us mere mortals here. And also thanks for all the info I’ve stolen from you haha.

Manifold turned out not to be cracked way back when. Starts became easier for some unknown reason. The Cruiser Gods have spoken and I don’t ask questions of them.

Robbie was in Colorado but a few months ago retired to the desert southwest. I was able to scrounge up his email and we’ve started a good chat. His work on this truck was from 2005-2016ish so memory is making things fuzzy, but I’m glad for his I for nonetheless.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Finally made it over to the shop. Let the testing commence.

New build thread or no? What do y’all think? I got lots of photos to post right now and I’m not sure where to put them - here or elsewhere.

Edit: the tomato truck isn’t going anywhere for the foreseeable future, so this thread will live on regardless. It may become my winter truck.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Ok, new thread:

Welcome home Matilda - faded like your favorite pair of jeans

 

[CruiserTrash]

Cruisers: a fickle mistress … two days ago there was a change in how the tomato runs. Read the following conditions and comment if you have any thoughts!

1. Occasional raw fuel smell; this has NEVER been an issue with this truck.
2. Gas coming out the filler neck when I fill up. This had almost gone away completely when I had the gas tank replaced under the recall in 10/2020.
3. Idle rpm’s changed from 700 -> 900
4. Idle A:F changed from 13 -> 12
5. Idle vacuum changed from 13.75 -> 15 (remember I’m at 5000’ above sea level, this vacuum reading is not as low as it sounds; add roughly +1inHG for every 1000 feet going down to sea level)
6. Stock temp gauge changed from 3/4 -> 2/3
7. Upper rad hose temp changed 182 -> 175

Remember, I have these installed so I have lots of accurate feedback while driving:

 

[Skniper]

Don't do this!! Denial is how old 'cruisers survive! I started down this route too. You really don't want to know. . I suggest blaming it on alcoholism or side wenches. If she finds out, you are done for unless you get her a horse. A horse will make a Cruiser look cheap.

“Denial is how old ‘cruisers survive!”

…this might be one of best lines ever written on ‘Mud. Well done.

 

[CruiserTrash]

While my focus might be on my new blue 60 Matilda, I’m still daily driving the trash truck, and I feel like it’s falling apart around me. Here’s what’s going on:

1. My driver’s door handle completely cracked at the hinge. It still works luckily, and I know they are still available from Toyota, but it’s disheartening.

2. My gas mileage - which I track on EVERY tank - went from 8.5 to 12 to 9.5 over the last three tanks. The tomato truck seems to do whatever it pleases.

3. During a cold snap (10-25*F) last week my idle went from 650rpm to 850rpm and at the same time my idle vacuum went from 14 to 15. At the same time my idle warm temperature went from 178 to 170. After the cold snap we had a few days at 70*F, and then back to 20-40*F for a few days now. Despite the temp swings, these changes have stuck. I’m also occasionally getting a slight - and I mean VERY small - bounce of rpms, and mixture at idle. So what happened?? Remember I have all these gauges giving me feedback:

4. When it’s real cold and has snowed, I get cracking sounds from the rear end when I first drive off in the mornings. In other words the truck sits cold all night, I warm it up for my commute in the morning, and for the first 50 feet the rear ends gives me cracking sounds. I park the truck outside and I’m pretty sure this is water finding its way in between leaf springs, freezing, then the ice “cracking” as the truck moves. I’m also still getting springs shifting laterally on each other when cornering. I obsessively tighten u-bolts and spring eye pins. I’ve just accepted that the OME springs are just … a bit disappointing. Am I correct on water finding its way between springs and then freezing?

 

[CruiserTrash]

Also, my dog Tuco got to ride in the truck for the first time in a while. He was a good boy at the vet and got a milkbone, but decided to bury it in a blanket on the rear seat instead of eating eat. He’s weird.

 

[MoaByte]

Vacuum will change with the weather. And that will change everything else about the motor. When you learn how it reacts through the seasons your weather forecasting will improve.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Vacuum will change with the weather. And that will change everything else about the motor. When you learn how it reacts through the seasons your weather forecasting will improve.

The surprising thing wasn’t that it changed during a cold snap, but that it didn’t change back during the following warm weather … or the cold snap after that. And it didn’t change during the previous cold snaps this winter.

Fickle beasts, these old trucks.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Steering question:

I am getting a lateral (left-to-right) clunk feeling in the steering wheel when going over bumps and what not. It's not a clunk noise, it's a jerking of the wheel. The steering wheel will move, either left or right, and it feels like it hits a hard stop. It's hard to explain.

Let's say I hit a bump. The steering wheel will jerk to the left freely with no resistance - almost like it's moving through it's freeplay range - and then it feels like it slams into something to stop. Freeplay is about 1.25".

New TREs & REs last year, I did NOT mess with the adjusters and they really feel like they don't want to move now. I put about 1.5 pumps of moly grease in them at install, and about 1/2 pump a few months ago. OME suspension 6/2020, no-name steering stabilizer with new bushings installed by PO about 3 years ago. Power steering has not worked in about 1.5 years.

Anybody else get this feeling in the wheel?

 

[77CruiserDog]

Steering question:

I am getting a lateral (left-to-right) clunk feeling in the steering wheel when going over bumps and what not. It's not a clunk noise, it's a jerking of the wheel. The steering wheel will move, either left or right, and it feels like it hits a hard stop. It's hard to explain.

Let's say I hit a bump. The steering wheel will jerk to the left freely with no resistance - almost like it's moving through it's freeplay range - and then it feels like it slams into something to stop. Freeplay is about 1.25".

New TREs & REs last year, I did NOT mess with the adjusters and they really feel like they don't want to move now. I put about 1.5 pumps of moly grease in them at install, and about 1/2 pump a few months ago. OME suspension 6/2020, no-name steering stabilizer with new bushings installed by PO about 3 years ago. Power steering has not worked in about 1.5 years.

Anybody else get this feeling in the wheel?

Here is one way to narrow down what might be happening. Park on a flat high grip surface like pavement or blacktop. With the key turned to the on position but the engine not running, ask a friend to turn the steering wheel to the left and right throughout the freeplay range. Then with the hood popped and a flashlight, follow the steering shaft checking the two u-joints then look at the power steering box, steering box bolts, pitman arm nut, TRE/drag link and so forth then check your ubolts on your front axle. Listen for noises and looking for movement.

I had a similar situation and found two things. My adjustable drag link end connected to the pitman arm was very loose and so was the passenger side U bolts holding the spring to the axle. I adjusted the drag link end and retorqued the ubolts and problem solved.

I'm not 100% certain this will point you in the right direction but it is what I would do in your situation.

Hope that helps!

 

[CruiserTrash]

Here we are again with voltage discrepancies. I know the aftermarket gauge is accurate. So why at similar voltages does the stock gauge vary so much? I know it’s old, I know “never trust the stock gauges … but why does this happen?

4/2 PM

4/3 AM

 

[77CruiserDog]

Maybe because the headlights are on? Mine does that too. Blinkers and brake lights seem to affect it as well.

 

[CruiserTrash]

Well well well … my random Mud perusing, usually of very old and esoteric threads, pays off again. I stumbled onto a post about the dizzy venting system and the failure of the associated VCV. This can create a decent sized vacuum leak because the vacuum-operates diaphragm goes bad and the vacuum leaks past to atmosphere.

On a hunch I plugged the vacuum line feed to the VCV.

Idle vac before:

Idle vac after:

The angle makes the reading look different, I went from 14.5inHg to 16.75, a gain of roughly 2.25inHg. Not insignificant.

Before:

After. Dizzy is vented straight to the air cleaner which has a weak vacuum - better than no venting, or venting into the engine bay until I get a new [80 Series] VCV.

So after spending hours upon hours in this engine bay, and despite feeling like I know this particular 2F like the back of my hand, I still missed something. Something small, sure, but something significant. How many more things am I missing? This makes me want to go completely through the Emissions FSM testing procedures all over again.

 

[HemiAlex]

You’ll need to teach an emissions course for these trucks.

I’d sign up for the power point.

 

[CruiserTrash]

You’ll need to teach an emissions course for these trucks.

I’d sign up for the power point.

@NookShneer asked me to do a video series for CC, and I really ought to get started on that.

After a test drive here’s my takeaway:
1. I have about 10% more guts under throttle (calibrated butt dyno).
2. I’m not seeing my hyper-lean condition under 70% throttle on my A:F gauge. Not nearly as bad anyway. Maxing out at 16 A:F rather than 17.5. Granted that only happens in a very specific circumstance - slightly uphill with a specific rpm-to-gear ratio. Usually slightly less than WOT on the highway.
3. There’s an identical VCV as part of the evap system that will need testing.

 

[Austinc]

I just read through your whole thread, I have to say it is super inspiring. I am on the other end of it than where you are now. I am hopefully just about to purchase a 40 series and have no idea what I am doing. It is cool to see someone that just went for it. Gives me hope. Thanks man!

 

[CruiserTrash]

I just read through your whole thread, I have to say it is super inspiring. I am on the other end of it than where you are now. I am hopefully just about to purchase a 40 series and have no idea what I am doing. It is cool to see someone that just went for it. Gives me hope. Thanks man!

Buckle up man. Read lots of stuff here on Mud. Make a build thread or at least post when you need help. Get the FSMs for your 40. You’ll make it!

 

[Austinc]

Buckle up man. Read lots of stuff here on Mud. Make a build thread or at least post when you need help. Get the FSMs for your 40. You’ll make it!

thanks man! will do! hopefully I will start a build thread soon!

 

[CruiserTrash]

thanks man! will do! hopefully I will start a build thread soon!

Let us 60 folks know so we can jump over to the 40 section!