'79 E150 going back to Alaska
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From: Anchorage US
'79 E150 going back to Alaska
Well where to begin...
We purchased a very solid E150 in Anchorage about a year and half ago, the engine and the tranny are in great shape, it needed some gaskets and some help with the power steering, she's got new tires, some new odds and ends all around (brakes, shocks, etc), and she seems to be in good shape. The frame is solid, and thats all im really worried about (just) about everything else can be replaced
We drove her down here to Savannah, GA around thanksgiving time 2000, and its time to head home. She's got a 6000+ mile road trip ahead of her, and im trying to tie up loose ends. Since Wynona's my first car, Ive never had a chance to work on them, but Im trying to learn all I can.
Ive got an oil leak, which ive narrowed down to either an intake manifold gasket leak, or a rear main seal leak. I keep getting oil in my flywheel/starter assembly, and ive gone thru two flywheels before I started investiaging on my own. Ive gotten varied opinions down here, and since my trusted mechanic is in Anchorage, im SOL. Like I said, I may sound like I know what im talking about a bit in this post, but if im way off base, its because Ive just been reading and reading and reading, and I missed something :P
The only other thing that needs work, and the reason she's been sitting in the driveway as much as possible, is that the tie rods/king pins are going (thank you, Midas mechanic). I put some nice heavy duty shocks on her, and i still get the vibration/shimmy that everyone talks about associated with suspension/steering problems in the front. Ive got a nice long list of things to check out, but Im pretty sure I need to replace the kinpins and probably the tie rods. Im having no camber problems as of yet *knock on wood* so i know the problem isnt too bad. I cant get a shimmy out of it when i try to move the tire while she's not jacked up, just feels ever so slightly loose, so I know Im not in too bad shape.
Like I said, I need to adjust the carb (she seems to need to warm up too much before she'll back out of the driveway ok without stalling when i put her in reverse), but otherise the engine and tranny are running smooth. Put some nice parts in her last tune up, started putting 93 octane in her, and ive gotten almost 6 or 7 more mpg highway than when we picked her up for a cool 950$. Ive still got some fluid on the rear axle, and ive counted out brake fluid, which leaves rear axle fluid.
If youve gotten this far, and you havent slapped your hand to youre forehead too many times, Id appreciate all the help I can get. I want to turn this baby into something to be really proud of, but I have to get her back to Alaska first. I have a few specific questions, and feel free to put me in my place about anything else, I can use the abuse- erm, i mean the advice
-Metal bushing tie-rods vs nylon: the way I understand it, the metal bushing needs lubing, and the nylon dont, but the nylon dont last as long. is there a performance/lifespan difference between the two? could the problem with my front end just be a lack of lube if my metal bushings havent been greased up in a while?
-my oil leak: which makes sense to get oil onto the flywheel/starter, a rear main seal, or an intake manifold gasket? unfortunatly, after the flywheel/starter fiasco ive gone thru in this town (ive gone thru 2 and 4 respectivly) I dont trust any mechanic for 50 miles as far as I can throw them. im completely lost on this, despite the research ive been doing on how the engine is layed out, where oil can leak from, etc, etc.
-venting system: regardless of if i have the heat or the vent on, it seems i dont get a lot of air pushed thru the vents. i know the heater blower motor is relativly new, so im thinking theres something screwy with my ducts. any suggestions?
I cant sound like any more of a newbie, but Im trying to come off as someone who wants to learn, and who cares about getting Wynona into something I can show off (not that I dont already, most people dont have fold down benchs in the back of their van)
Thanks in advance you guys, this forum has been a lifesaver already. Ive probably got 50 bookmarked posts, and a whole notebook full of jotted down tips and advice. Gimmie a few years, and Ill be laughing with you guys in response to posts like this
Michael
1979 E150
351 w/ a block heater *and* a/c (just in case
We purchased a very solid E150 in Anchorage about a year and half ago, the engine and the tranny are in great shape, it needed some gaskets and some help with the power steering, she's got new tires, some new odds and ends all around (brakes, shocks, etc), and she seems to be in good shape. The frame is solid, and thats all im really worried about (just) about everything else can be replaced
We drove her down here to Savannah, GA around thanksgiving time 2000, and its time to head home. She's got a 6000+ mile road trip ahead of her, and im trying to tie up loose ends. Since Wynona's my first car, Ive never had a chance to work on them, but Im trying to learn all I can.
Ive got an oil leak, which ive narrowed down to either an intake manifold gasket leak, or a rear main seal leak. I keep getting oil in my flywheel/starter assembly, and ive gone thru two flywheels before I started investiaging on my own. Ive gotten varied opinions down here, and since my trusted mechanic is in Anchorage, im SOL. Like I said, I may sound like I know what im talking about a bit in this post, but if im way off base, its because Ive just been reading and reading and reading, and I missed something :P
The only other thing that needs work, and the reason she's been sitting in the driveway as much as possible, is that the tie rods/king pins are going (thank you, Midas mechanic). I put some nice heavy duty shocks on her, and i still get the vibration/shimmy that everyone talks about associated with suspension/steering problems in the front. Ive got a nice long list of things to check out, but Im pretty sure I need to replace the kinpins and probably the tie rods. Im having no camber problems as of yet *knock on wood* so i know the problem isnt too bad. I cant get a shimmy out of it when i try to move the tire while she's not jacked up, just feels ever so slightly loose, so I know Im not in too bad shape.
Like I said, I need to adjust the carb (she seems to need to warm up too much before she'll back out of the driveway ok without stalling when i put her in reverse), but otherise the engine and tranny are running smooth. Put some nice parts in her last tune up, started putting 93 octane in her, and ive gotten almost 6 or 7 more mpg highway than when we picked her up for a cool 950$. Ive still got some fluid on the rear axle, and ive counted out brake fluid, which leaves rear axle fluid.
If youve gotten this far, and you havent slapped your hand to youre forehead too many times, Id appreciate all the help I can get. I want to turn this baby into something to be really proud of, but I have to get her back to Alaska first. I have a few specific questions, and feel free to put me in my place about anything else, I can use the abuse- erm, i mean the advice
-Metal bushing tie-rods vs nylon: the way I understand it, the metal bushing needs lubing, and the nylon dont, but the nylon dont last as long. is there a performance/lifespan difference between the two? could the problem with my front end just be a lack of lube if my metal bushings havent been greased up in a while?
-my oil leak: which makes sense to get oil onto the flywheel/starter, a rear main seal, or an intake manifold gasket? unfortunatly, after the flywheel/starter fiasco ive gone thru in this town (ive gone thru 2 and 4 respectivly) I dont trust any mechanic for 50 miles as far as I can throw them. im completely lost on this, despite the research ive been doing on how the engine is layed out, where oil can leak from, etc, etc.
-venting system: regardless of if i have the heat or the vent on, it seems i dont get a lot of air pushed thru the vents. i know the heater blower motor is relativly new, so im thinking theres something screwy with my ducts. any suggestions?
I cant sound like any more of a newbie, but Im trying to come off as someone who wants to learn, and who cares about getting Wynona into something I can show off (not that I dont already, most people dont have fold down benchs in the back of their van
)Thanks in advance you guys, this forum has been a lifesaver already. Ive probably got 50 bookmarked posts, and a whole notebook full of jotted down tips and advice. Gimmie a few years, and Ill be laughing with you guys in response to posts like this
Michael
1979 E150
351 w/ a block heater *and* a/c (just in case
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