Though some might not approve, I used straight 30 weight oil when I changed the oil...about as thick as I'm willing to go. However, there is not ANY smoke on cold start-ups, now...impressive for an engine that may have 218,000 miles on it (not sure that the odometer tells the true story...it could have been rebuilt at some point, and I'd never know). Getting 25 MPG and better. I did replace the coolant temperature sensor but still get some hesitations at thermostat-opening, but once the engine is at operating temperature, it hums like a happy sewing machine. Even during warm-up, there is little vibration. There are times you can't feel it running.

I'm very happy with the repairs. The u-joint replacement really made a huge difference eliminating vibrations in the drive train. Some day in Spring, I'll replace the clutch, and while the transmission is out, I'll have the input bearing replaced. The input bearing still makes noise with the clutch out, but it hasn't gotten any worse since I bought the truck some 5,000 miles ago.

Having the shock absorbers replaced was a really good move, as the ride is spirited and handling is actually kind of cocky-determined (in a good way).

And somewhere in the future, I would like to take the bed off and address the typical rust issues of the frame. There is some body 'cancer' in various places that will sytematically be eliminated over time.

It IS, after all, a project truck. My goal is to keep it as stock as possible, with useful modifications.

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