I bought my first Dentside on Saturday. I'm sure there will be much to come as far as questions and such.

 

That's a beauty.

 

Thanks! I'm gonna try to keep all my questions and updates in this thread to tidy things up. Mostly just so I don't lose my mind looking for my posts, lol.

 

Nice truck!

We will help any way we can

 

Very nice. Good luck and welcome. I hope your username means you like to wear bow ties.

 

How do I know if this truck has "Thermactor Emission(s)"? Getting the correct PCV valve depends on it.

 

Nice Truck, The Thermactor is the Smog Pump, you can tell if its there, if you have more than an a/c compressor, power steering pump, and alternator hanging you likely have it

 

Awesome, thanks.

 

Actually the "thermactor" itself was Ford's name for their first generation of catalytic converters (just an oxidation cat, not a 3-way), but the air pump was part of the "thermactor air injection system" - it was there to pump air into the exhaust so there would be excess oxygen to oxidize the unburned hydrocarbons and CO in the exhaust. But yes, the air pump would definitely be clearly visible under the hood.

 

I'm not ignorant to vehicles at all, I just haven't looked for it lol. I'm assuming, if the truck was equipped with a smog pump, it would be mounted UNDER the alternator?

 

does not look like that truck has one, I don't see the ports on the heads which should be there if it had that system either

 

That's what I was thinking, too. I'm at work, so I can't go out and check it right this minute

 

I'm replacing the ENTIRE exhaust system due to a blown out muffler and general age. I'm considering replacing the manifold to head gaskets, as well. I've never messed with a 360/390 style setup, so I have reservations. My concern is breaking bolts; they will be soaked very well in Zep45 before I attempt to remove them. My main question here is what do I use to replace the old bolts with? I'm thinking stainless bolts, but I'm not sure if there are supposed to be nuts on the head side of it. - TIA

 

If you take those exhaust manifolds off you WILL break manifold bolts off, no matter how much penetrating oil you use, if you have a torch and get the ears on the heads red hot you may get them all out, the only problem ones will be the upper ones, the lower ones shouldn't give you any hassle, don't take the manifolds off unless you are prepared to take the heads off and take to a machine shop to have repaired

 

if there are nuts on the head side, its a good guess that someone has already broke the bolts off and drilled the heads out, if this is the case then you will be ok even if an upper bolt or two breaks as long as there is that nut there you can just knock it out and replace, the better the bolt the better off you will be, lots of heat equals lots of corrosion/rust, make sure you liberally use anti-sieze when going back together