1990 Mighty Max - new member!

Hi All!
I have recently acquired a 1990 Mighty Max regular cab 2wd with the manual tranny.

It has a recent repsray in the original blue color. The truck is probably an 8/10 overall but has some weird
electrical features from the previous owner. There is a 240v outlet in the bed which runs to a box mounted on the firewall with the label "suppresed diode". Is this some sort of inverter?

There is a loose metal eye like the kind you put on the battery post, it runs up from the starter and is hanging next to the battery? what is this?

The previous owner must have added A/C to the truck becuase he wired in a toggle switch to manually activate the compressor. there is a second toggle switch in the cab but i have no idea what it does.

Mechanically the truck is in pretty good shape with good pain, no rust and nothing broken. It leaks alot of oil from around the valve cover, it runs a little hot even though it is full of coolant. The clutch has a very high bite point.

The most interesting issue is that the engine runs like crap at idle, reving up a nd down so low that the motor shakes and almost stalls. If you unplug the MAF, it runs 90% better. Is my MAF bad? i pulled it and it looks like new, not even dirty.

Glad to be here, thanks in advance for all your help. Pictures to follow.

Welcome, MightyMe. It sounds like the previous owner may have had a trailer and used those connections for accessories outside the truck. Just a guess.

I suggest back-spraying the radiator: hosing the fins from the engine compartment outward, see if that dislodges bugs and dirt. On my truck it made a huge difference in the temperature gauge reading. 25 years of crap, dontchaknow.

I'm also thinking the idle issue is Throttle Position Sensor related, but start by checking your vacuum hoses, see if there are leaks. A vacuum leak very often causes idling problems.

Also, if you haven't already, see Camoit's comprehensive "to do" list http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...and-do-it-ASAP

You can get a valve cover gasket from just about anywhere for $8 -12, and replacing it will help get you familiar with the engine without getting too deep into it. Plus it allows you to see what's going on with moving parts.

I suggest to disconnect the battery, then removing the contraptions from the previous owner. Otherwise, they'll forever be a mystery you have to carry around. If you don't need them, strip it back to standard.

Good choice in trucks, by the way

:grin:

Welcome!