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  1. #1

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    1988 Dodge Ram 50
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    RamBam's Journies

    So I bought my truck this past Friday for only $500. she has 192,303mi. on her. the guy wanted $750 but it didn't take any haggling to get him down. After an hour at the DMV and a few minutes at State Farm, it was officially mine and legal and good to go.

    What I've done so far:
    changed out vacuum lines
    changed air filter
    new spark plugs(had 2 dif. kinds, 2 weren't screwed in and 3 wires weren't even connected)
    changed some blown fuses
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  2. #2

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    Stuarts Draft, Va.
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    1988 Dodge Ram 50
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    Im pretty sure the head liner isn't stock because it doesn't seem to fit, and the interior light is small and crummy and my visors are held up with zip ties, my dads ranger blew this past weekend and the scrap yard picked it up Monday so I snagged the visors and interior light from it to put in mine.
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  3. #3

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    Maurertown, Virginia
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    1990 Dodge D-50
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    4G64
    Awesome! I am envious of the bucket seats and console...but those will come to me, some day. (Along with the sports cluster).

    Trucks amazingly good on that snow, isn't it!?

    With those speakers placed there, you'll never have problems with constipation!

    You might appreciate an after-market, windsheild-mounted rear view mirror.

    Looks in amazingly good condition, RamBam...nice find for an excellent price!

  4. #4

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    1988 Dodge Ram 50
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    also the console is at Walmart I believe

  5. #5

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    Thanks for the bucket seat info: I'll know to look for Neon seats.

    As for the console, I'll eventually fabricate my own out of wood. The one I have now serves its purpose, but I'm looking forward to utilizing the space buckets seats provide. Should I happen to find an original stock console, I'd likely use it to keep the truck stock. Consoles can be worthless catch-alls, and I try to minimize the clutter that accumilates in such a small cab (in the F-150, too). My neighbor cleans his vehicle out once every Mayan calendar cycle: he has McDonlad's bags that the Smithsonian has wanted for years.

    And need I mention THIS guy?

    hoffa.jpg

  6. #6

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    1988 Dodge Ram 50
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    thanks, seats are from a dodge neon, there's a small tear on drivers side you can see right when ya open the door but hey it beats the bench IMO and there not too bad for a big guy(6'2").

    yeah the speakers came with it, theres some kind of 4" in the dash too but never heard of that brand either. ive got an amp floatin around somewhere ill eventually throw in it.
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  7. #7

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    Did the seafoam through the brake vacuum today. DAMN, nuff said there. and I gave her a bath and took plenty pics to show the dif between how the paint is and what the 3m compound has done comparably and the Turtle wax as well. ill post later tonight im gonna be late for class.

  8. #8

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    Did the seafoam through the brake vacuum today. DAMN, nuff said there.
    No, we wanna hear what your experience was with that! And we'd also like to know if you're happy with the results. The Seafoam Dispute is on-going with this forum, and I choose to remain middle-of-the-road by attesting to its benifits, but only when used in mederation. I can well understand how using too much of it could ruin an engine.

    By the way, nice avatar: the perspective is great.

    Looking forward to eye candy

  9. #9

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    im sayin if seafoam works for some then power to em, as far as me, it worked for a few minutes and I think it is now worse off than it was and It was junk to begin with. somethings seriously wrong with it.

  10. #10

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    ok now that my daily "hate my truck" rant is over, I did wash her up and get her clean. so I have pics of that so you can see how dull the paint is. and out in the building was the front valance of my dads ranger he had and it will fit nicely on mine.
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  11. #11

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    1988 Dodge Ram 50
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    after all the smoke cleared and I went on a test drive I really though it had helped me out, after class I start it up, massive ticking and its power acts as if the head gasket is blown. it would lose speed and nomatter where I hold my pedal theres no power but its been like that since I bought it. at one point from 55(barley) I dropped to 4th, 3rd and even down to second cause that's just what the truck wanted to do. im honestly pissed at the truck right now and am seriously considering selling it unless it can become a normal running vehicle and keep up with old man magoos tractor cause literally a dog running will pass this hunker. im not downing these trucks but this one is clearly on its last leg and just needs a motor or something cause its just junk, I need someone with experience in these trucks(not just a mechanic) but a ram 50/max owner mechanic to drive this thing and tell me what to do.

  12. #12

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    Now I feel bad for the suggestion, but I also feel it probably is indicating the core problem.

    I hope so: it would let me off the hook.


  13. #13

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    no worries I was going to seafoam anyway. seafoam isn't the issue but im thinkin its helping to narrow it down

  14. #14

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    I painted the ranger valance today and finished doing the whole cab with the 3m compound, and then turtle wax. I took a pic that compares the bed(havents done anything but wash it) and the cab after compound and wax.
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  15. #15



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    Your truck looks fine, don't give it a bad mojo by talking mean to it. Every time I look at it I think of orange juice.
    Be sure to put that valance on tight. I have had one fly off on freeway on another car.

  16. #16

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    yeah I haven't looked at how ill mount it yet. I pulled my grille off today and attempted to pull the stock valance off, I only have a flat head and a phillips and a rinky dink pair of pliars for tools so I manages to bend it back and forth and break a couple of the bolts out lol they were a little rusted to begin with but im hoping to get it on there tomorrow

  17. #17

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    Turns out Fisher had all the parts i needed in stock, so i went to the store and bought my parts, made a field trip to the warehouse to pick them up and ill be roadtripping later this afternoon to pick up my harmonic balancer!

    Both timing belts
    tensioners
    valve cover gasket
    pcv valve
    fuel filter

    CAM00124.jpg

  18. #18

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    RamBam, as we spoke about the harmoic balancer wobbling, I showed you the geared part of the crank pulley assembly. It might be that the threads are stripped in yours. If you find that to be the case, let me know and I can yank the gears and get them to you.

    Looking forward to your build thread: from here it's really going to take off. The cool thing about them is you're not alone, and as you share your experience, others learn and can avoid mistakes.

    With camoit's new thread for new-to-you owners, and those trying to provide help information on their build threads, MightyRam50.net is taking a quantum leap in being the forerunner of how to keep these trucks in good condition. It won't surprize me if this summer features Mighty Max's and Ram50's as THE cool truck to have.

    Sometimes God just puts you in the right place, at the right time.

    He uses the timing mark on the head, not the block

  19. #19

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    Ive made it home safely and me and my daughter are about to begin organizing everything i have that's strung across the basement! and i brought my grill and other parts from outside inside from the rain to clean up and start breaking down a plan/agenda to start my build/rebuild/restore/ bring back to life thread!!

    Many thanks goes out to Roy for knockin' this outta the park and making my process even possible cause i started with a couple screw drivers and he really saved me on this.

    More posts to follow! ill keep the site updated on a regular once this takes off!

  20. #20

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    Your daughter is a beautiful girl, and I'm sure you're proud of her. How cool she's a part of this process/project. The fundamentals will be a good education for her. She'll be the first to applaud your success.

    I forgot (I think) to send along a 6" 3/8-drive extension...you'll wanna pick one up soon enough.

    Be sure to make a cardboard holder for the timing cover bolts, as they are different sizes. I meant to give you mine, but we were waaayyy stressed for time, with a lot of ground to cover. Draw the outline of the covers on the cardboard, poke holes where the bolts go, and put 'em in as you remove them. Save the template: you'll likely need it again some day.

    Be very mindful of that half-moon rubber filler at the back of the engine!!!

    You were admiring how shiney my valve cover is: just use the one you have, get the job done. I have one here you can take your time to clean up, and swap later.

    A couple photos for referrence.

    scan0011.jpg scan0012.jpg

    Red arrow shows you the silent shaft plug. BE SURE TO REMOVE YOUR SCREWDRIVER when you finish, and put the bolt back.
    scan0035.jpg

    (Left) "Crook" shows spring placement: (Right)Red arrow shows the jumper connection for timing, remember I showed you on the parts truck. Manual has info, more details at Roy's Garage.
    scan0044.jpg scan0048.jpg

  21. #21

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    so far today ive gotten to the point of almost gettin the harmonic balancer off, however, theres one last bolt thats decided the socket wont grip it and its starting to round off :/

    also the smaller timing belt i found just chillin in there shredded to hell. along with a years worth of oil and grease and plenty of shavings and crud down in there. i wont know how bad the situation is fully until i get the balancer off to get the cover fully off. and for now this is as clean as ive gotten my valve cover, ill get some clay and a drill attachment tomorrow maybe and get her lookin like a mirror along with the thermo housing and if im feelin spunky enough later this week to get the intake mani off i might polish that up too. after i go put some PBblaster on the balancer bolt ill prolly call it quits for the day and go ease my mind of these troubles.
    CAM00132.jpgCAM00137.jpgCAM00134.jpgCAM00139.jpgCAM00140.jpgCAM00141.jpgCAM00138.jpgCAM00145.jpgCAM00147.jpg

  22. #22

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    Put the straw on that PB Blaster and get some dribble-down from the upper bolt hole, above the stubborn bolt. Once you PB Blasted the bolt good, get the other three bolts back in tight, and tap on the stubborn bolt lightly, to cause some vibration, so's the Blaster can get in there.

    I'll be bringing you the gear assembly from my 2.0 and I'll bring the bolts for the pulley, so you don't have to use the old bolt.

    There is no question about the timing issue...what's the right-side of the timing belt feeling like? I don't doubt that with the broken belt and all that grease, it's slipped time a tooth or two, and the tensioned-side is slack. Though the existing belt may be in good shape, please DON'T attempt to re-use it. Once you get it off, i bet you find some serious damages to it.

    And be sure to get a new roll of toilet paper: as you see, Forest Gump was correct: shit happens.

  23. #23

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    ENCOURAGEMENT
    If that engine still ran under those conditions, imagine how well it will run with some loving care!

  24. #24

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    According to that last photo, you're out of toilet paper.

  25. #25

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    that empty roll has been like that for a month, i never put my TP on the roll. :D yeah im bout to go pb blast and tinker with some other things, might paint up my bumper and clean and paint my radiator.

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