Isn't the Blue Top I just got a Marine Battery? So It's deep cycle
Like the ones that are for the bus? So it will fail soon? Man it spins
over when hot like the plugs are out. If it had a clutch I could almost drive
it.

 

That blue top also has 800cca. Most marine batteries have like 500cca. A standard 24 series in a camper is 495cca. They have a really long discharge

 

That's good to know, Thanks.

 

My brother ran a deep cycle marine battery in his 84 bronco. It was a wet battery so not quite as nice as Optima. I've had a yellow top and a red top, the yellow top performs fine until you carve a deep groove into one cell after it falls on your alternator. I got an interstate that is nice. Optima is cool but expensive new. Now I've got a bum yellow top to get rid of and once had a redtop to get rid of but that's going with the stang.

 

Installed a Heartthrob dual exhaust system on wife's 1981 Bronco. Sounds wonderful!

 

Today I did not a damn thing to the Bronk. It starts and goes down
the road almost like new. It's so great that there is nothing that needs
fixed. I am enjoying the hell out of it. Just knowing I can jump in and go
and know it will start right back up when hot is so cool to me. I am not sure
any of you really know what I have gone through the last few years to
get it past this eating starters/no start crap. But I think we finally made it
without having to change out the block plate. Now to find an M5OD parts
truck to swap it over and I got the truck to last my life time. Yes the swap
would also fix the no start problem but around here there isn't any Found On
Road Dead 5 speed Ford trucks that are not still running.
Just for the record if ya have to use an 87 or newer block plate with a C6
you need to read my threads and get the 10 tooth starter. Napa just told me
when I got the blue top battery that they sell a 10 tooth starter for the 351W.
Hell of a time to find out now after all this. If I had only known. I had to
build a starter with a special ordered 1.9 Escort starter drive to make
it all work.

 

I ripped the ac box off the outside of the firewall, and made a cardboard template to make a plate to fill the hole with.

Sure is cool being able to see the whole engine

 

I pulled the steering wheel and started to remove the dash and take apart the steering column. It's a bit tricky.

 

Not today but a few days ago I dragged my dirty SOB of a 78 out.y intentions were pure, warm it up, clean out the cobwebs and mold, put a few drops of gas in and bleed the brakes so I can diagnose my leak. This turned into losing $20 to get 1/4 tank( forgot how little my money goes with this), parking my truck in my front yard, and spending the next 3.5 hours trying to get it started.

I am not a bright kid, I don't retain information well either. A while back I read a few things about these stupid Starter solenoids going out and causing a weird situation where the engine cranks while the key is off. I couldn't remember all the details or how to fix it so I bought a new solenoid. That one was broken out of the box. My neighbor came over and noticed my solenoid hanging off by one loose screw and said I didn't have a good enough ground.

He ground off the rust and made a smoother contact, then ran a wire from the fender bolt for the solenoid directly to the negative battery cable. That didn't help. We bolted the solenoid down with some nuts and bolts(pulled the inner fender out), then charged the battery and it fired up. That was at about 4:30pm and I had work at 9pm. The truck ran really rough cause I was dicking with the distributor and I decided to park it and continue another day. So, now I've got more gas, and more problems. Time to invest in nice grounding straps and go through everything.

 

That has caused me more electrical headaches over the years then anything else! Good luck chasing those gremlins!

 

99% of the time electrical issues are indeed, a bad ground.

 

Started a coolant flush today ... going to have to continue on tomorrow. Why is it taking so long? The water is still ugly brown I'm also putting in 2 gallons but only draining about 1.5 I'm assuming the other half gallon or so is in the block. I've put in 6 gallons distilled water and only gotten 4 to drain (including the initial draining).

I thought the capacity was a lot higher than 2 gallons though, the manual says 17 Liters (4.5+ gallons). So that means .... I don't know, what does that mean?

EDIT: I've pulled the thermostat for the flush, going to replace it and the rad cap since I'm there. Hoses are all in good shape, only leak is from the timing cover which I'm not too worried about anymore

 

It seems since the whole clip on the clutch fork broke off the ball fits and stays in the divot thingy. Soooooooooooo I insured it this afternoon. Will replace the fork once the forklift at the wreckers gets a new tire.

 

You only need a clutch at stops anyway.

Cooling system drain - you'll never get it all out. Remember the heater core is involved too, so when flushing / draining have the temp control to max hot. Doesn't hurt to pull the heater hoses and blow air through them to clean out the core too.

 

On top of what Mike said, I wonder how bad it would be if you pulled the top hose and shoved a garden hose in there to flush it out. Leave the drain plug open on the radiator if you have one. Sometimes there is a valve on the heater lines that you can hook a garden hose to and pressurize the system to make flushing easier.

Although tap water isn't quite "proper" I don't think it makes a world of difference.

As for my grounds, I've gotten advice on how I should set them up, I just need advice on what to use. Some are saying they use 1/0 gauge wire. I doubt the standard auto parts store would have that. They have your average braided copper ground straps.