Hello,

I need help. Here is the problem. My truck was down a few months ago and in the process of getting fixed certain hoses that were not plugged up before, now are. I used to get 200 miles to the 19gallon tank (yes i know its very little, like 11mpg!) but anyways, not after a few fixes, and those hoses now being plugged up, i get 150 miles to the tank. Its reeeeally affecting me financially, but i try not to stress about it.

Can someone tell me if my neighbor plugged up the right hoses and if they are going to the right parts?

I took these pics to better help you guys pin point what my problem might be.

Thanks



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btw the two red plugs and #1 and #8 were not there before, i really dont remember exactly about #1 though.

 

Do you have the vacuum diagram on the radiator support?

 

No it doesn't have it. Having a hard time finding one online.

 

It looks to me like your neighbor plugged some vacuum leaks which is usually a good thing,
BUT sometimes people intentionally create vacuum leaks to help lean out the idle mixture
in an attempt to pass emissions tests.

What "fixes" were just done on this thing?
Are all of your emissions devices hooked up or no?

That thing in the air cleaner cover is the bimetallic valve, it's basically a temperature-
actuated vacuum switch that tells the butterfly flap in the air cleaner snout to draw in
pre-heated, warmed air (which comes from a tube running down to a flimsy tin surround on
the passenger side exhaust manifold) or fresh, cold air, which comes from the front of the
truck (assuming the dryer-vent-like hosing is in place).

The warmed air helps on startup in cold weather.

EDIT: Yes. that thing in the air cleaner is supposed to be connected to a manifold
vacuum source (which it looks like it is).

The thick hose (#3) looks like your PCV valve, that also looks correct ASSUMING there
is a PCV valve in the valve cover there, it's kinda hard to see in your pic..

 

yes its a pcv valve. I was told that the blue plug (#1) needs to go to the exhaust air manifold end, but i kept looking and couldn't find it there. Some of these were not covered, so yeah I always thought that whoever owned the truck before me did this for a reason, but before I knew it, my neighbor just plugged them up. Now im wondering which hoses coming out of the vacuum tree should I unplug so air can go in/out.

I don't know if all emmision devices are hooked up, honestly before this truck i knew little about cars, then this truck had major issues about 3 months ago and through that tough situation I began learning about this truck, but still a newbie.

Fixes in the last 3 months...
1. New Fuel Pump - The old one was squirting fuel out of it.
2. New Distributor - Didn't really need one I think, but at the time I was desperate for any instant fix that any suggestion my neighbor made I accepted.
3. Ignition module - Same as above, desperate times, desperate measures. Turned into a guessing game. A costly one, but whatever, new parts can't live in regrets.
4. New Cap/Rotor/Spark plugs.
5. New Alternator - The old was gave out.
6. New Fuel Filter
7. New Computer (used but new to me)
8. New Accelerator Cord - The old one was hanging on by two hairs.
9. New Master Cylinder
10. New Air Filter - Looks old again, my truck squirts a lot of oil, i mean a lot. I did over fill it, so Im waiting for this oil to go down a bit before thinking about fixing it somehow.

Are the two top plugs on top of the air cleaner supposed to push air in or suck air out?

 

It seems to me your neighbor is on the right track, there should be *no* vacuum leaks in
a properly-running system.

These are all vacuum lines, there is no "pushing" involved anywhere.

I don't know squat about the I-6 engine much less the 1986 implementation of it (which,
to my knowledge, may or may not have a computer-controlled carb) so I'm not gonna be
much help here but I can this about vacuum-operated devices:

In general, there are two sources of vacuum - that which comes from the intake manifold
and that which comes from the carburetor, and carburetor vacuum itself is split into at
least two designations which are representative of the strength & frequency of vacuum
supplied by the various carb ports.

All this vacuum together is controlled by a handful of valves & other devices (amplifiers,
etc.) most of which are temperature-actuated meaning they open & close to various
degrees depending on the engine's temperature (sometimes also its implied RPM).

Are you sure you don't have a vacuum diagram on your radiator support? It should look
something like this:


Without that, you are going to have a very hard time as there are just too many variations
& possibilities (what Ford calls a Calibration Code).

How much does your neighbor know and how much is he able to help you?

You might post pix of your distributor & carb so the people here who are good with this
engine & ignition system can see what you've got.

 

One of the problems is the computer is running in "Limp Home Mode" because half of the emissions systems are unplugged or missing. this will reduce fuel mileage conciderably. I would recommend a Duraspark-II conversion, since there is no diagram to properly connect the missing hoses properly..

You would get a new distributor for DS-II, a new non-feedback carb, and a Duraspark-II ignition module, and the DS-II engine harness and remove the computer completely. Get the Carb, distributor and ignition module for a 49 state 1980-1983 F-150/F-350 without the high altitude package, and get the engine harness out of any 1980-1983 with a 300-6 in a wrecking yard. The engine DS-II harness is plug and play into your existing wiring, and you will only need a couple vacuum lines. One going from the carb to the vacuum advance on the distributor, one going to the EGR valve, and one line going to the PCV valve from the intake manifold. Then the choke stove and other componets like the canister purge are simplified as well.

I know you already spent money on replacing parts, but it's never going to run right, unless the whole computer system, and smog controls are replaced and in good working condition. You would still be money ahead to get the other parts for a DS-II conversion, in my opinion.

There are various posts on this forum about the DS-II conversion.

 

I live in California, will the duraspark conversion be legal? My truck hasn't passed smog but i take it to a guy that makes it pass anyway. The problem is that I don't know how duraspark works. Will my guy still be able to pass it or it it simply impossible to pass this type of conversion?

 

Technically, it will be impossible for it to pass if you modify it with a duraspark II system. That would be going backwards, and even though it would be easier to work on, technically you can only go "forward" with engine modifications(fuel injection may pass).

But it's all in the inspector. If you have a guy that will pass it, then that's all you need.

 

my tags run out this month. so i was thinking about passing it, THEN immediately going to duraspark and that would give me two years till the next smog check. Only problem is i want to fix every dent and paint my truck a solid shiny color, just fear not being able to pass it later, having spent money on it... tough one. Even though i have a guy that will pass it, im scared if he CANT pass it. I dont know how that works though.

 

Having a easy inspector is the way it works where I live. We don't have a tailpipe sniffer test and all that stuff, but we are not supposed to modify anything that could affect emissions. I have got caught several times on this when I took one of my vehicles to a new place, or the place got a new inspection guy. Most people where I go don't even lift the hood. The big thing where I live is the catalytic converter. If it has a rumble to it or has dual pipes coming out the rear, they look for the converter first thing.

You have to realize also, that California wants you to get rid of that old truck. It's going to get harder and harder to keep it, and they are going to look for more and more ways to make you get rid of it. So you are going to have to spend some time and money and be bull-headed about it to keep driving it over there.

 

Oh, man...

To get that thing to pass california smog will be a miracle. A DS-II conversion is definately out.

The only real way you could get that thing to pass california emissions legally is...

1: to get the system hooked back up exactly as it came from the factory. This could be done, but would be extremely difficut to do without the vacuum diagram. This wouldn't guarentee it to pass either...

2: Replace the engine with another 300-6, (it sounds like it's worn out from your other thread) and use the smog system and vacuum diagrams out of a 1986 or newer F-150, then go to the smog referee.


Unfortunately you are not eligeble for the financial burden waiver, (IE: if you put in so much money into it, we will let you drive it for awhile longer then mandatory junk it waiver) as the truck has been tampered with. Infact you could be opening yourself up to heavy liabilities, as there are exorborent fees for driving a vehicle that the smog system has been tampered with, and they go up exponentially the longer you drive it.