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Reviving an 87 D150

Depending on the amount of nylon that is broken off the timing gear I would pull the oil pan, it will find it's way to the oil pickup screen. While the heads are off have then check for flatness and milled if needed
 
65 sporty said:
Depending on the amount of nylon that is broken off the timing gear I would pull the oil pan, it will find it's way to the oil pickup screen. While the heads are off have then check for flatness and milled if needed
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Yeah, about half of the teeth have broken off. I was under the impression that you have to raise the engine up off the subframe a little to get the pan off, but if it's easy to just drop it as-is, I'll clean it all out. I did check the flatness of the heads with a aluminum straight edges (level and a Drywall square) and both heads were flat, but maybe that's not precise enough?
 
volaredon said:
oh and does the distributor in that truck have a vacuum advance on it? Being an 87 it is probably lean burn, the computer is behind teh battery. Id definitely convert it to regular Mopar electronic ignition, real easy to do and chuck that computer in the garbage. Especially being as how youre putting a different cam into it!
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Yes, that is the plan, or an aftermarket HEI. Getting rid of a lot of wiring on this thing (not that it had a lot to begin with).
 
Gustav said:
Yeah, about half of the teeth have broken off. I was under the impression that you have to raise the engine up off the subframe a little to get the pan off, but if it's easy to just drop it as-is, I'll clean it all out. I did check the flatness of the heads with a aluminum straight edges (level and a Drywall square) and both heads were flat, but maybe that's not precise enough?
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I always use a steel straight edge and check with a .003 feeler gauge, make sure the gauge won't slide between the straight edge and the head.
Watch this video
 
Congratulations on your new truck! I just bought a 93, looks a lot like yours. I’ve never owned a 91-93, 17 1st gens though. Absolutely no rust, the sun is hell on the paint here in Az. One dent by the gas door area. It runs like a top, so far. I too put all new weatherstripping in, shocks, front brakes, rears are next. New tires are going on next Saturday, treads good, but it sat in a garage for 6 years so they are old and checked. Have fun and enjoy!
 
Found a million little bits of nylon in the oil pan, as expected. Don't know how this thing was getting oil at all... the oil pickup screen was jam packed with them. Cleaned the pan and now replacing the rear main seal before closing it all back up. Any tricks to getting out those rope-style seals other than a Sneaky Pete tool and some swearing? There's no way I could keep the existing rope seal up top and install a rubber seal on the bottom, right?

The half of the main I removed looks sorta...bad? The bearing, I mean. There are marks on it, and some grooves. But no extreme wear or anything. The crank itself looks flawless, shiny, no ridges or scratches of any kind, nothing i can feel with my fingertip, so I'm a bit stumped as to why that might be, or whether I should replace the main bearings. Feels borderline?


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In other news, the new cam is in, along with timing gears and chain, timing cover and crank seal, new water pump, harmonic balancer is back on, too. Of course, did all of that before removing the rear main seal, and realizing the bearing is so bad. Fun times.

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Generally feeling a bit demoralized finding all of these things wrong one after another, but hoping that the bad luck will end soon. I'm just wishing I had pulled the engine... maybe not too late.
 
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Unfortunately that’s what happens when you buy a used vehicle. You don’t know how well it was taken care of in anyway. If the pan wasn’t all full of gunk, besides the timing gear teeth, that’s a good sign. I bought an International and the valve covers were filled with gunk along with the pan. I don’t think they ever changed the oil, just added to it. Funny thing was, it ran like a top. I just pulled them for an oil leak. I’ve been replacing little things, did a tuneup, don’t think it ever had one, plugs were at a 60 gap at least, cap, rotor, wires and PCV valve. Starts much faster and it runs good. Keep going at it sir, you’ll enjoy it. Take care!
 
Yeah, I've owned a lot of used vehicles - just never owned a basket case before! It's a different thing. There was a ton of gunk in the pan - that image is after I cleaned it up. But yes, doesn't sound as bad as the gunk you had in the International. Thanks for the encouragement. It'll get done.
 
That just part of buying an old vehicle. My 82 has taken many progressions over the twenty some years of owning it. Never have I called it a basket case.
 
I had an 82’ I installed an HEI setup on. I loved it. Only problem I found is check your clearance to the firewall, I had to massage mine back a little. Other than that it worked great.

Great looking truck!
 
volaredon said:
oh and does the distributor in taht truck have a vacuum advance on it? Being an 87 it is probably lean burn, the computer is behind teh battery. Id definitely convert it to regular Mopar electronic ignition, real easy to do and chuck that computer in the garbage. Especially being as how youre putting a different cam into it!
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Depending what has to be there for state inspection altering the ignitions system may not be advisable. Simply put just because we can doesn't mean everyone can.
 
7mopar said:
Depending what has to be there for state inspection altering the ignitions system may not be advisable. Simply put just because we can doesn't mean everyone can.
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His location say New York. If that’s true then I believe they have no emissions, only safety. I may be wrong.
 
some of those trucks each year were made from the factory with the 4 pin ECU ignition and vacuum advance instead of the Lean burn type setup. I had heard that makes it OK to switch over/ since some came that way anyway, in that given year.
That and many states, from what I understand, "don't care" once a vehicle reaches a certain age.
I don't care. I just want my stuff to run when needed and when maintenance is needed (it's inevitable... these are machines and all machines eventually need maintenance) I want easy access to replacement parts. Not like a computer for one of these ever was an easy thing to find at the corner parts store, even when just a few years old.
put the older Mopar 4 pin ECU system on or the HEI and either way there will be better performance. Then tweak and tune til it is "peaked out" the best it can be, and you will have zero issues with any "tail pipe sniffer test".
 
Yeah, this one has what looks like an ECU behind the battery, electric choke, various sensors, connectors, EGR valve, etc attached to the orginal intake. Half of them were disconnected or poorly blocked off, so it never really ran right, and was actually burning very rich when I got it. Because it's so old, NY state does not do emissions testing.

I got a mopar ignition ecu (ICU?) and a new distributor with vacuum advance on it, so should make it quite a lot nicer.
 
You may also have to change the carburetor out also. Some were controlled by the ECM even more so than the lean burn system. At the very least you will need an above throttle plate vacuum port for the vacuum advance.
 
7mopar said:
You may also have to change the carburetor out also. Some were controlled by the ECM even more so than the lean burn system. At the very least you will need an above throttle plate vacuum port for the vacuum advance.
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Yeah, I'm putting in an edelbrock 600cfm - the stock carb was so tiny! Also installing a performer intake. A case of "while I'm in there"
 
The engine refresh is coming along well - getting all the pieces put back together now. Is there a well-known solution to the throttle linkage hookup when using an edelbrock intake and carb? Can I use the stock bracket? Seems like the throttle cable housing is a bit long, but with the placement of the bracket, the end doesn't quite reach the connection on the carb. Seems like there must be a simple fix...

And is one hole on the carb's throttle attachment better than another? I know I want to match the overall throw of the pedal with the rotation of that throttle attachment. Maybe I should just try to dig up a manuel on the carb.

Getting real close to firing it up. Just need to run new fuel line, reinstall the exhaust and wire up the new distributor and ignition module. Will post pics soon!
 
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Most go with after market cables and brackets. Myself I am cheap. Got a welder, not afraid to cut things up and put them back together again.
 
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