electrical
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 228
Likes: 1
From: socal
electrical
i picked up a 1978 f150 custom with a 351 engine. It has no a/c no radio. All the ac parts have been taken off the truck. Does anyone have an idea how much it would cost to rewire my truck any kind of estimate would help. the truck runs great i just need to get it smoged
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
Is anything actually shorting out? Don't fix what isn't broken. I realize I'm not answering your question, but this kind of preventive maintenance doesn't make sense to me. Rewiring an entire truck alone is a pretty big job; I'd hate to think what it'd cost to have a shop charging $50-75 an hour do it.
The fuse box and fusible links are there to prevent anything catastrophic from happening; other than that I'd recommend fixing things as they happen. In all honesty, 95% of the wiring problems people have with these trucks are from previous owners hacking up the wiring for no good reason. If this is what happened to your truck, I'd recommend looking at Painless wiring kits and taking a stab at it yourself. But, if your truck's wiring has been untouched for the most part, a tail light socket here and there is probably the majority of all you'll ever have to do.
The fuse box and fusible links are there to prevent anything catastrophic from happening; other than that I'd recommend fixing things as they happen. In all honesty, 95% of the wiring problems people have with these trucks are from previous owners hacking up the wiring for no good reason. If this is what happened to your truck, I'd recommend looking at Painless wiring kits and taking a stab at it yourself. But, if your truck's wiring has been untouched for the most part, a tail light socket here and there is probably the majority of all you'll ever have to do.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 228
Likes: 1
From: socal
the only problem i have is if i turn the ignition key to fast the gauges and blinkers don't work. So all i do is turn it very slow and its ok. I just passed smog today its running very rich and idle very low thats what the smog guy said. it dosen't sound right to me but i haven't delt with carburators in a long long time. Thanks for any advice its all appreaciated
MSEE
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,386
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
Do you mean to say that once you've started the truck by turning the key too fast, the gauges don't work for the entire period that the truck is running? Only by shutting it off and turning the key slowly do they work? If so, that's very strange.
As far as the idle stuff goes, the best way to set the idle mixture is with a vacuum gauge. You can use a tachometer to set the idle speed, but idle speed is pretty easy to do by touch and sound.
As far as the idle stuff goes, the best way to set the idle mixture is with a vacuum gauge. You can use a tachometer to set the idle speed, but idle speed is pretty easy to do by touch and sound.
