86' Power Ram 50 Project: Desert Hunter

Gonna finally get around to moving this over here. I'm lazy, I admit it fully and in the light of day.

First off, I'm just going to link the old thread so the posts can be seen, then I'll just pop in the old pictures to start things off again.

OLD THREAD

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...DSCF1848-1.jpghttp://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...DSCF1849-1.jpghttp://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...DSCF1853-1.jpghttp://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/001-1.jpghttp://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...DSCF1850-1.jpghttp://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...DSCF1852-1.jpghttp://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...DSCF1851-1.jpg

So where am I now?

The MSD box is long since installed, but not yet hooked up (see? lazy...)

Dizzy has been replaced with a new OEM

Water pump has been replaced along with the radiator hoses and thermostat

New cam is at Oregon Cam for a street/tow grind

The cylinder head was replaced with a NIB 8 valve light port and polish (I lost my photo program when I built my new machine, no purdy graphics anymore):
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...ds/002-1-1.jpghttp://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...20Mods/004.jpghttp://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/005-1.jpghttp://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/003-2.jpg

Still need to get a pic of the shiny new head on the block, thought I had one, seems I don't!

Edit: Going to pull the engine this summer for a re-paint and to clean/paint the engine compartment. On the "to do" list.

The ever-growing pile of suspension/brake parts for the IFS:

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/006-2.jpg

The "to do" list, ever growing and often changing:

Montero rear axle swap and 2"-3" lift (summer)

Install the new cam and hydro rollers soon as the cam gets back (2-4 weeks)

Finish the ignition install and get the new alternator in at the same time (still having issues figuring the regulator wiring)

New radio/speakers (radio died on the way to work this week...)

IFS rebuild (duh?)

Find a damned 2" or 3" body lift kit for this thing...then get it installed (would like to do it same time as the IFS, but not looking good)

Start cleaning up the surface rust/cancer on the body/frame and get some quotes for paint

New radiator

Second fuel tank

Interior (will likely wait til Fall for this)

Build my headache rack (summer)

Tear out the old dash and box with aluminum (Fall, possibly early next year)

Find/fab bumpers I like and get a receiver mounted

Fab a new grille next week or week after, mesh is on the way from Minnesota

Mod for and install my HID kits I have here now, get my LED markers mounted

Get off my ass and put an anti-vibration mounting on my fuel pump before the buzzing drives me nuts

Found some Peterson resin-sealed markers. These are 4-chip SMD LED units. My old lenses and fixtures were just too FUBAR (google it) to deal with. They cover the OEM hole, just need to find a mounting base for them to fit the body lines and drill a couple holes.

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/007-3.jpghttp://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/008-1.jpg

I finally got my HID kits in. The projector housings are Bi-Xenon for high/low beam. The OEM H4 housings are (illegal) super bright high-beam/off road lights. Putting the reflector housings on a rocker switch to avoid large tickets....high beam will be effected by the projectors. (God help the sonofabitch that blinds me!!!)

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/001-3.jpg

2x Pilot H4x200mm reflector housings
2x 8000k Chinese metal/acrylic projectors with CCFL Angel Eyes and "Evil Eyes" daytime lamps (more to follow)
2x generic HID ballast
2x 8000k HID conversion kit for reflector housings
2x CCFL ballast (connects to parking circuit)
1x LED controller (connects to parking circuit)
1x Bi-Xenon relay harness w/high-low switching plug

To mount the projectors will require a fair bit of modding to the existing headlight holders. Will need to use my heat gun and some perspex or polycarb to create a sealed and adjustable unit, but I'm up to this minor challenge! The "Evil Eye" is stock red with the white CCFL "Angel Eye", my brother-in-law is a county cop, my Dad's best friend's son is also a county cop (different counties). I gave em both a call, red and blue forward-facing lights are a no-no for non-emergency/police vehicles. $250+ ticket here in Oregon. SO?? I have to replace the LED in the projectors with "ANY color except red or blue!!!", I went with a 4-chip SMLED unit in green. Should look cool enough and avoid tickets. They should be here by next weekend, along with the honeycomb modder's mesh for my new grille!

Tomorrow I get the electric fan installed. Woulda been today but I need some spacers/washers to blank the old fan hub on the water pump pully.

I would have done the same thing but I need to pass a brake and lamp inspection in the near future, so all of the lights need to have the DOT approval on them.

Awesome, finally someone who is doing a true HID upgrade. I plan to do a retrofit also but that wont be for a while, so I'll be watching this for sure.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by camoit

I would have done the same thing but I need to pass a brake and lamp inspection in the near future, so all of the lights need to have the DOT approval on them.

---

As far as I understand USDoT regulation, as long as the headlights are properly aimed and not "diffuse" (not in a reflector housing without a baffle), they are fully approved. The illegality comes in with the baffles missing (creates a cut-off line in the light) and/or un-aimed lights that are the equivalent of running your high beams all the time and blinding people.

However, you live in California, all bets are off...

Thanks DroppedMitsu, will do my best to pull it off cleanly.

During the inspection I go through all the safety lights. IE: brake, marker, turn, head. All of them must have an SAE, DOT number on the lens or I'll fail. I have only found 1 DOT legal HID replacement light setup for our trucks. It was $1000 for it. But it did come with the projector style lights, the rear mounting base and adjuster.

This was easy as pie...

Removed the old fan and clutch, used stainless 14mm M6 hex heads (1.00 pitch), stainless washers, and stainless lock washers to blank out the the pully:

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/001-4.jpg

Installed a Torqflow 14" reversible fan (puller):

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...20Mods/003.jpg

Put the relay unit/adjustment pot next to the headlight relay:

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/002-2.jpg

...and finished the wiring with some split loom:

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/004-1.jpg


Got her fired up to operating temp and got the potentiometer adjusted. Damn fan cools insanely fast. If I wanted it to run all the time, I swear I could run ambient temp..

All in all? Probably the easiest mod I've ever done and now I can idle in 4-low across the desert without melting my engine!

Cost: $68 for the fan, $32 for the relay harness, $8 in stainless, and about an hour of my time.

Very Cool.... Your wiring is starting to look mine in the Camo truck. 30 years of mods have taken it's tole on it. My battery post connector looks like a Porcupine mating with the battery.

Yes, I hate wiring and it just keeps getting uglier. Got a few tricks up my sleeve for that later. Need to pull the old harness and the rest of the vacuum lines/evaporative emissions, first. Gonna go with a couple of distribution blocks in a box. Should clean things up nicely. Need my new alternator, the Optima's, and an isolator on board first, though.

Here is a place that can help you find what you might need. I don't think they would have a problem shipping to you. They have all the trick things for lighting. I go there all the time. http://www.thelighthouseinc.com

I went the industrial route for all my power wiring under the hood. I used Phoenix contact blocks that are DIN rail mounted and can be bridged or isolated to fit your needs. It allowed me to run 1 wire from the battery to the contact block through a fuse, then hook each relay off a terminal on the assembled block. Each terminal on the block can source up to 60 amps each at 12VDC. I will take pics soon as I have time to get out there and pull the battery; I hid the block in front of the battery at the back of the core support. That's what happens when you used to work around high powered industrial controls for a living like me.

Thanks for the link, Camoit. Place seems to have plenty of fun toys!

@Penny- Pics, damn you! Looked up the blocks in question, but I wanna see how it's done.


__________________________________________________ ________________________________________

Got sick to death of no tunes in my rig today. I get anal about any little odd sound, so I gotta cover it up. Stopped by Stereo King and bought a Kenwood HD head unit, a pair of Alpine coaxial 6" (gonna take em back tomorrow and get components), a pair of Alpine coaxial 6x9's, and a pair of 6x9 boxes. May consider a sub down the road, but I hate to lose what little room I have.

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/001-5.jpg

Got it all installed finally! Had to mod the door holes a bit to fit the thicker Alpines, nothing too major.

Bass response without a sub is still enough to turn my mirrors to a blur. Good nuf for me!

Went to Auto Battery & Electric last Friday. Picked up an Optima red top and a 105a alternator. New radio+the engine fan kicking in = almost stalled truck.

All better, now!

Will get a pick tomorrow or Sunday. Keep forgetting about it. Alt is a bit bigger than stock and required some minor Dremel work to fit (nubby bit meant to strengthen the lower bolt hole was in the way). Other than that? Bolted right up. Got stainless hardware to mount it up for durability/shinnies.

Just adding the pics like I said...

Battery:

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/002-3.jpg


Alternator:

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/001-7.jpg

Well, for as good as the stereo is, I just had to gild the lily a bit. My high range hearing is just about gone thanks to years of gunning ducks, I really want a bit more bass response in my stereo to make up for it (mids are AWESOME, atm).

Well, I went to Stereo King locally to ask about one of the Pioneer shallow mount subs scguy put in his. They were out, but the guy pointed me at a Kicker 10" shallow mount and said it was a bit better but more spendy. He ended up cutting me a deal and charged me $10 more than the Pioneer (was gonna bail when he priced the Kicker). Well, $295 later I walked out with the sub, a Rockford Fosgate Amp, wiring, and some split loom.

Looks really good...better when I get it in, I think:
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/002-4.jpg

The dog, however, was not so impressed (she watches more TV than I do):
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/001-8.jpg

(No, I'm not white trash, just recently single. Ex took all the good furniture, I like toys better than furniture. Sue me.)

So, does everyone just hate my thread or....?


Got the wiring mostly done for the MSD, can't figure the signal wiring yet, though. Posted a thread about it with pics, not gonna rehash my stupidity.

Sub is about 80% in. Just need to hook up the pot adjustment and the speaker wire.

Amp fuse in, stuck on with "Tape of the Gawds" (google it):

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/003-1.jpg





Wall O' speakers, and not much room for anything else now....:

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/002-5.jpg


Ran outa light and answers, more tomorrow.

I check your thread out, dude. Regularly.
But, like I try to do on most threads here, I sit back, shut up, and try to learn something. I've spammed a couple of threads up here already (although unintentionally), and don't want to make a habit out of it.
Post on, and I'll continue to read and enjoy. :)

I read the threads, But if I don't have the facts I keep my opinion/thoughts out of a post. In my garage I chase my own tail around enough for everyone here. As for your new MSD box, Mine is a 6A and has no led light, with a MSD distributor.
The only input I will share with you is when you get it right, Mother BEAR they'll shock the FU^% out of you!
I don't go near they dam thing when the engine is running

Makes me think of a buddy of mine that accidentally (sure as hell wouldn't have done it on purpose) bridged the coil terminals on a VW with an end wrench. We all thought it was funny as hell, he wasn't of the same opinion...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Rickdees

The only input I will share with you is when you get it right, Mother BEAR they'll shock the FU^% out of you!

---

I can vouch for that one, I was adjusting my carb one day and I guess my coil wire had some small cracks in it. Bad for business

Bump!

Been kinda lax about anything on my truck, fairly obviously... The bump was so I could link the thread to a friend of mine. Wouldn't link until I did for some reason.

Realize I shoulda updated a couple things here I never did. The stereo system is fully installed and sounds GREAT! Bit tinny because the truck isn't soundproofed, but I will be working on that whenever it is I get to the interior of this thing.

The MSD issues were cleared up in THIS THREAD

Ignition works beautifully, but thanks to PowerRam348, I am likely going distributor-less this summer.

Well, despite the Winter doldrums (WTB a shop/garage!!), I am taking a week off at the end of the month to try and get some work done. Plan is to finish the fab work on the HID projectors, get the LED markers/turn/tail/backup lights done, fab the new stealthed grill, remount the fuel pump (and possibly put it behind a relay or VReg), and change all the oils.

Am seriously considering buying some variety of shitbox car and asking my Grandpa if I can borrow some hangar space this summer. I want to get the frame off the old girl in a bad way. Mebbe I get lucky and can find a 1st Gen 4x2 and make that my NEXT project?

VAAAACAAAATION!!!

Shit, this means I gotta get to work.

Damnit...

On the agenda:

Relocate fuel pump/new fuel filter(s) (going with a primary and secondary system)

Change oils/lube order

Install LED marker lights

Front brakes (full rebuild)

Master Cylinder/Brake Booster replace (might wait for Second Saturday at Napa)

Get off my ass and fab the projector housings

Install HID

Find the short/ground fault in my dash


Have other things I can do, IF I can actually work through this list...

Didn't get shit done over vacation. Played lots of video games, drank beer, and slept (I needed it, sue me). Did get my oil changed and tranny fluid changed, LED markers done a few days after.

Today I wired up my HID high beams (4-headlight system on 86). They are ready for install as soon as I wake/sober up in the morning/early afternoon.

35w 8000k HID in Pilot H4 reflector housing (PN: WI-HL6A):
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/002-7.jpg

Will be changing plans and going with FX-R projectors (optical glass lens) for the low/high side. 4 headlights = 2x low/4x High. My ex gets the el-cheapo fleabay projectors for her Kia. She's happy, and I didn't totally waste my money. Gotta get the top-end and brakes done first, though.

Ok, broke the link for that last pic by accident...can't edit to repair it.

FIXED:
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/002-8.jpg


Got the HID high beams installed, finally! To say the HID are cleaner and brighter than the halogen is an understatement. Makes my normal lows look yellow and dim by comparison. You'll have to pardon the pics, taken with my crappy phone. Pouring down rain and I wasn't taking my fancy DSLR out in it. LOL

Halogen Low:
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...329_194804.jpg


HID High:
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...329_194851.jpg


8000k seems the perfect heat range. A touch blue for contrast, but not overly so.

Odd thing happened today.

Opened my rotors up again and realized I had the wrong ones. Looked like the 2WD version. SO, I took em back to Napa. Turns out the manager had grabbed the wrong rotor set, what I had was actually from a Kia Sorrento. Here's the funny bit...I bought these last June, the rotors that I had ordered for my truck were still sitting in inventory waiting for me this whole time!

Proof there ain't many D50 floating around, I guess?

Off to install fuel/air gauge....

Gauge is in...and the carb is stoich . Which confuses me as the damn thing smells rich as Hell.

/shrug

At least you got the dog...

Starion/Conquest OS stainless valve set is on the way!


http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-VALVE-SE...#ht_518wt_1396

New set of oversize stainless Starion/Conquest turbo valves in-hand!!

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...ods/001-10.jpg


http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/002-7.jpg



More fuel in, and should last longer. And.....Hell....they're SHINY!!! (shiny = better, no?)


Speaking of shiny, new booster and master are painted up!

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/003-4.jpg

Ignore the beer, I'm sure some other strange person left it sitting there. Don't touch the stuff myself...;)

You will have to have the seats cut for the o/s valves, but not much. Since you have an 86, the retainers are correct for those valves. Are you going to replace the valve springs with schneider ones with higher ratings?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pennyman1

You will have to have the seats cut for the o/s valves, but not much. Since you have an 86, the retainers are correct for those valves. Are you going to replace the valve springs with schneider ones with higher ratings?

---

Machine shop is awaiting me to get all my parts and head over to him. Not sure on the springs, certainly wouldn't hurt any, and I can. Perhaps I should? Few more RPM can't be a bad thing, and if nothing else it'd offer a bit of peace of mind.

Will have to poke around and see if I can find some. Those the bee hive type or dual spring?

Bee hive springs have been available on ebay - the schneider cams springs are just stronger single springs. Those are availabkle direct from schneider cams or engine machine services. There used to be a guy on ebay under the starion catagory that sold titanium retainers and locks machined from nascar engines - lighter for higher revs. I have a set for my conquest motor to go with the tim c monsta banchee cam and o/s ss valves.

Got the Schneider PN, will order as soon as I can source some damn mech rockers....

Got all my new fuel system together. -6 AN fittings and line. Overkill? HELL yes! There is NO kill like overkill! I want this truck to be bomb proof, this system will be.

9ft -6 AN sleeved hose (more than I need, but I hate being short)

25ft 5/16 hard line: only came in 25ft length and I needed to increase my return line size to make this work, so now both lines get replaced.

3x tube to hose adapters (hard line)

3x female -6 AN to hose (hard line)

2x 45° 3/8 NPT to -6 hose (canister in/regulator out)

1x 90° 1/4 NPT to -6 hose (pump out)

1x 1/4 NPT to -6 male nipple (pump in)

1x 90° Female -6 to Female -6 swivel (pump in)

1x 3/8 NPT union (connects canister and regulator)

1x 3/8 plug (for canister)

1x 3/8 to 1/8 NPT reducer bushing (for pressure gauge)

1x 90° 1/8 F to 1/8 M NPT (for pressure gauge)

Banjo Weber -6 AN fuel fitting

Stainless mounting hardware

Carter silencing kit (with lots of extra rubber gromets)

Billet 100 micron -6 AN pre filter

10 micron high-flow canister filter (HELLUVA lot bigger than I thought it was gonna be...)

Mallory 4309 3-12lb pressure regulator with return

Summit 15lb liquid filled fuel pressure gauge

Relay, 10ga wire, and breaker

thread seal tape

(pesky beer bottle migrated in there for scale)
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...ds/001-3-1.jpg


Also got my Tuff Pan and a pair of manual hubs
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...ds/003-2-1.jpg

Tuff Pan is more overkill, but again, bomb proof....

Got some stuff done this weekend, woulda got brakes done, but I couldn't get the damn spindle nut wrench to break my hubs until today.

Tuff Pan is installed:

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/003-5.jpg




Got my gas struts put in and the hood support yanked out (thans Fordubishi for the idea):

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...20Mods/006.jpg

Went with 17" 90# instead of 70#, gonna be hood mounting my hi-lift.



AND, got the fuel pump bracket made, ala mopar-ja (yet another thanks):

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...Mods/002-9.jpg
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...ods/001-11.jpg

Got the 1/4 fender off the bed, as well. All the further I got on fuel system.

SCE Ready-To-Run (O-ringed) 0.043 G54B copper billet head gasket ordered. Being made to order, so got a bit over a week before it ships. $130, but it's re-usable.

Had a long talk with the tech, suggested NOT going thicker than stock on a naturally aspirated engine, and if I do turbo it down the road, this gasket will still work, albeit not as well as a slightly thicker one.

Unless the head has been shaved beyond .010 or the block decked beyond .010, I agree with the SCE tech on that statement - these are low compression motors to start - 8.0 to 8.2 - so a thicker gasket would lower the compression too much and kill the power.

Part of the trick was, I don't know whether or not the block was decked. The issue of having my paperwork go *poof* for the short block. Guy who did it died and his shop was liquidated. Not very helpful. Guy felt it was still safe going OEM thickness, however.

:thumbup: My dog likes this build. Hes ready for desert hunting

Another small piece of the puzzle is here. SCE 0.043" Copper Billet re-usable performance head gasket!

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...ods/001-12.jpg


If this F**Ker blows, the engine is in pieces.


Drew hunt 168B East White Horse for Mule Deer starting 9/28/12. Desert HERE WE COME!

In case no one has figured it out, project is on hold for a bit. Wanted to get down and dirty during the warm months, but I'm just not getting the parts together even HALF as fast as I'd hoped. SOO, going to go buy a DD this coming weekend (I think, got a couple Rangers and an S10 to look at, though), then I'm gonna find a house with a shop/garage. I have no chance of getting things tight enough to go into the desert in 6 weeks, so I'll just concentrate on getting what I need together.

Hopefully have a house with space soon, then I can just tear this SOB down to the frame. Be easier, faster, and much less annoying than trying to work on it while it's also a DD.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Acuta73

I'm just not getting the parts together even HALF as fast as I'd hoped. .

---

Welcome to the club :)

Well, 6 hours til I'm rolling East into the shrub steppe. Really pissed this truck ain't goin with, but, next time she will. Nice to have the DD though, can tear into this thing at leisure and not worry about having it back together for work!

Hopefully can find a stupid deer willing to stand still at close range, wish me luck!

How much did all this cost? I want to replace my mechanical fuel pump and want to do it right, but try not to be expensive? Or how do I do it cheaply?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Acuta73

Got the Schneider PN, will order as soon as I can source some damn mech rockers....

Got all my new fuel system together. -6 AN fittings and line. Overkill? HELL yes! There is NO kill like overkill! I want this truck to be bomb proof, this system will be.

9ft -6 AN sleeved hose (more than I need, but I hate being short)

25ft 5/16 hard line: only came in 25ft length and I needed to increase my return line size to make this work, so now both lines get replaced.

3x tube to hose adapters (hard line)

3x female -6 AN to hose (hard line)

2x 45° 3/8 NPT to -6 hose (canister in/regulator out)

1x 90° 1/4 NPT to -6 hose (pump out)

1x 1/4 NPT to -6 male nipple (pump in)

1x 90° Female -6 to Female -6 swivel (pump in)

1x 3/8 NPT union (connects canister and regulator)

1x 3/8 plug (for canister)

1x 3/8 to 1/8 NPT reducer bushing (for pressure gauge)

1x 90° 1/8 F to 1/8 M NPT (for pressure gauge)

Banjo Weber -6 AN fuel fitting

Stainless mounting hardware

Carter silencing kit (with lots of extra rubber gromets)

Billet 100 micron -6 AN pre filter

10 micron high-flow canister filter (HELLUVA lot bigger than I thought it was gonna be...)

Mallory 4309 3-12lb pressure regulator with return

Summit 15lb liquid filled fuel pressure gauge

Relay, 10ga wire, and breaker

thread seal tape

(pesky beer bottle migrated in there for scale)
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...ds/001-3-1.jpg


Also got my Tuff Pan and a pair of manual hubs
http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s...ds/003-2-1.jpg

Tuff Pan is more overkill, but again, bomb proof....

---

Braides lines and -an fittings are not cheap, thats easily $100 in those alone. As he said that is overkill, all you need is rubber fuel line and a fuel pump/regulator.

The AN plumbing system with the big filters was hundreds of dollars and is totally not needed, just desired. When done, this thing will be taking me to some of the most remote spots in the lower 48 through some badass unforgiving terrain. I want bomb-proof, as I said.

Get yourself a Carter P4070, think they go for ~$60? Been a while since I bought mine. Remove and block off the mechanical pump location. The rest I think you will find in Mopar_ja's post on installing here: http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...=8596#post8596

Easy to do, but a bit time consuming. Not terribly expensive, either.


Edit: No deer for me, we only got one for 9 guys. Whole damn area burned out over the Summer, animals were few and far between. Was fun, though!

THANK YOU, DOPRIUS!!!

Full set of Mech rockers in-hand!

Attachment 5799

Now just remove the jet valve screws and you are set...

Gonna go a step further than that...dremel and my powder scale. Not only will that mass be gone, they will all be the same weight (not that is matters hugely).

I don't like cutting cast parts like that - I feel it causes a weak spot where the tab was originally. The loss in weight is not worth the possibility of broken rockers.