Woohoo! I disconnected the battery, roughed up the contacts with a 4-in-1 (plumbing) tool, reconnected, and it fired right up!!

Time for a test drive.

 

hell yeah man..haha cheap and works

 

Yeah, good to have a multimeter. No battery issues now, but the oil is leaking again. Not from the same place -- from several other places.

I probably created some weak spots when I sanded and brushed, then it sprung leaks at operating temperature. It's got layers of rust peeling away, so there's probably not much metal left.

This seems hopeless - the oil pan's done!!

Into the shop, I think, unless someone dares me to do it.

 

hahaha, put some love into it man. its a great looking truck

 

Heh, thanks punkandpissed.

I still have a power steering fluid leak, following my test drive, and I think I found it.



If I've done my homework right, these nasty caked up globs are called 'ball studs', drag link and tie rod. Yuck!



So I assume I clean them... will Brakleen do the trick?

And there must be something leaking for it to look like this and, well, leak.

 

A spray bottle and a gallon of Purple Power will be your best friend....Spray, rinse, spray, rinse......

And the PP is cheap too....

 

mooktarus your not alon im gonna replace my pan in the near future i jbwelded it last summer and worked good till three weeks ago right where i cleaned it

 

What'd you clean it for? lol You gonna DIY?

Thanks, Sidewinder, I'll give the purple stuff a try.

 

Purple stuff is working pretty well!

A lot of spraying and rinsing, more to go yet.



The main thing I notice driving the truck is that there's a lot of play in the steering. Also, it has a tendency to "groan" when turning sharply.

 

A grease job is in order....The groan is a telltale sign...Grease all the fittings, and if there's a few missing, buy new ones, and replace them....And BTW Mooktaurus: Spray the purple stuff on, and use a brush while rinsing....It'll looken up the gunk....A nylon bristled one will be fine...


Look at the dust boots....They're flat....Once full of grease, they'll be nice a fat lookin'...

 

Ah, yes, I see!! Had to remove a lot of gunk to see there are grease fittings there... filled em up, though I think the boot on the drag link end could use a replacement -- leaked pretty quick after I pumped it up. The tie rod dust boot filled up like a balloon and then squirted out, then I topped it up again. Messy job!

I'll drive it around tomorrow, then take it to the shop for a new oil pan.

 

What do you think of this 'push bar'? Worth the effort?

In its present state, it's butt ugly. I think it's coming off.

 

Take it off, get u a grinder with a wire wheel and strip that thing down to bare metal and put a nice paint job on it. I PROMISE you, it'l look brand new

 

i think it will look good after some rust removal/paint work

 

it looks like its bolted to your bumper?!?!?!?
if it is then TAKE IT OFF!!!! and redo it..mine is going through the bumper to the bumper mounts...basically..if its bolted to the bumper and u hit anything.the front of ur truck is SPLAT