Palf's Little Blue Jimmy

[Palf70Step]

Just out and about getting in some fresh air for me and the truck. The new 6 is running really good. I probably should check plugs to see if/how rich it is running, but I am enjoying driving it instead of working on it.

[OutlawDrifter]

Glad it's running well, Bill!

[joedoh]

wow came out great!

[Palf70Step]

Finally, I have AC again. Sort of a pain for sure. If I knew this I probably would have tried Vintage Air. I put in the new condenser, then I took it to my AC guy to make the hose and hook everything up. Then It happens. The orifice tube had broken and go stuck somewhere in evaporator, so on with thet. I also found out why it was not kooling as well as I though it should. You cannot have holes in the heater/AC box. They were on the bottom and never saw them. The box was patched and everything hooked up. She works good.

I also got rid of the 31x10.50 off road/all terrain tires and went with the 255/70 all the way around now. It seems to be a bit peppier now too.

Love driving it. Now I need to get brave enough to dig in the carb redo to lean it out. She still running rich, but between not doing one in MANY MANY years and enjoying the drive, I have been putting it off.

Of course the mandatory video of what I get to listen too.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/z5hsbZbzMgdQCacWA

[OutlawDrifter]

Sounds and looks good, Bill! I'll bet it's nice to have the AC, again!

I had a dealer stamped bumper on my '79 Bonanza K10.

[LT7A]

Sounds pretty grumble-y. I like it!

[moregrip]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Finally, I have AC again. Sort of a pain for sure. If I knew this I probably would have tried Vintage Air. I put in the new condenser, then I took it to my AC guy to make the hose and hook everything up. Then It happens. The orifice tube had broken and go stuck somewhere in evaporator, so on with thet. I also found out why it was not kooling as well as I though it should. You cannot have holes in the heater/AC box. They were on the bottom and never saw them. The box was patched and everything hooked up. She works good.

I also got rid of the 31x10.50 off road/all terrain tires and went with the 255/70 all the way around now. It seems to be a bit peppier now too.

Love driving it. Now I need to get brave enough to dig in the carb redo to lean it out. She still running rich, but between not doing one in MANY MANY years and enjoying the drive, I have been putting it off.

Of course the mandatory video of what I get to listen too.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/z5hsbZbzMgdQCacWA

Looking good, Sounding good!

[Palf70Step]

Man....The batteries of today. Here yesterday, GONE today. Oh Well, at least I didn't get left stranded, just never got to start the fun today. I guess I can't complain too much, the battery was in the truck when I got it about 3 years ago, and pretty sure it was in there a while before that. Oh well, new one is in and tomorrow we cruise (if it lays off the rain some).

[Palf70Step]

Out for a breakfast run this morning (250 miles round trip). Only 3 of us could show, rest were tied up with issues from Laura. Trip there and back was very smooth. GPS said 70, regular speedo-65, RPMs were around 2150. So not too bad. Truck ran great, but still very rich. Time to quit procrastinating and dig into the carb and rejet/rod the thing (whatever Edelbrock calls it).

[OutlawDrifter]

2150 @ 70mph, not too bad at all. Once you get that carb dialed in, it should produce some reasonable mpg numbers.

[LT7A]

Maybe just 3 but still cool to see the truck lined up.

[Palf70Step]

Racked up some good miles yesterday on the ole guy, about 575 miles total. Had a 3 hr drive (in the rain) to a club meet early yesterday AM. The club got together and drove about 80 miles to a church for a memorial service to our club mom. Weather was great for that and the drive back where we gathered, ate and reflected. Then my 3hr drive back home, (2 hrs in the rain). Truck is still too rich, so more tweaking, but she cruises nicely!

[Corts60]

Sorry to hear about your club mom's passing Bill. Looks like a nice turn out with some great trucks!

[Palf70Step]

All cleaned up and ready for 8 days of Cruising the Coast.

[OutlawDrifter]

Looking good!

[chevy3100truck]

Looks great!

[Corts60]

Very sharp! Have a fun and safe drive!

[Palf70Step]

Post Delta morning. Highway 90 is pretty sandy, but nothing but wind, some rain and tides a little higher/rougher. Hope all that had to leave Cruising the Coast early are safe.

[Palf70Step]

Well I finally got the nerve up to tackle the Edelbrock carb readjustment thingie. Before I got sick (Dec 29), I went had changed the springs and metering rods out on. Seemed pretty simple and the truck ran when I was done. It helped, but it still ran very rich. Someone was going to help me, but then BLAH, I am out sick for 3 weeks. I have been very leary about going further since I had not torn a carb apart since before my daughter was born and that was over 30 years ago and it was only a 1bbl on a ford 6 banger. So, on Friday I got brave and pulled the top off carb. I wish I would have known those accelerator pump and choke rods would fall off completely and be one heck of a pain to get back on.

Anyways, I re-jetted everything to lean out on the primaries about 13% and the secondaries about 8%. After the use of many adjectives on the rods, I got it all back together and it actually started and ran.

Fiddled with the idle mixture and timing and she seems to be running pretty good. After about 50 miles, a quick check on a couple plugs and they seem to be burning about right. I am going to drive it a couple weeks and recheck plugs to see if I solved the super rich running issue. No pictures during the work, but just these from some of today's cruising around. Feeling pretty good about myself at the moment, but when I got back, the drivers side window is acting up when you roll it up. Gotta love these old beasts!

[straight6chevyguy]

Good to hear she's running better, and those are some more great pic's!
I want to get a engine back in my 76 and go cruising so bad!!!

[OutlawDrifter]

Bill, glad you're feeling better and have the pickup running better!

[moregrip]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Well I finally got the nerve up to tackle the Edelbrock carb readjustment thingie. Before I got sick (Dec 29), I went had changed the springs and metering rods out on. Seemed pretty simple and the truck ran when I was done. It helped, but it still ran very rich. Someone was going to help me, but then BLAH, I am out sick for 3 weeks. I have been very leary about going further since I had not torn a carb apart since before my daughter was born and that was over 30 years ago and it was only a 1bbl on a ford 6 banger. So, on Friday I got brave and pulled the top off carb. I wish I would have known those accelerator pump and choke rods would fall off completely and be one heck of a pain to get back on.

Anyways, I re-jetted everything to lean out on the primaries about 13% and the secondaries about 8%. After the use of many adjectives on the rods, I got it all back together and it actually started and ran.

Fiddled with the idle mixture and timing and she seems to be running pretty good. After about 50 miles, a quick check on a couple plugs and they seem to be burning about right. I am going to drive it a couple weeks and recheck plugs to see if I solved the super rich running issue. No pictures during the work, but just these from some of today's cruising around. Feeling pretty good about myself at the moment, but when I got back, the drivers side window is acting up when you roll it up. Gotta love these old beasts!

Is that edelbrock carb based on the Carter AFB?

[Palf70Step]

Yes...Edelbrock bought out Carter and I believe Quadrajet also. Not super sure on the quadrajet thing, but yes, Carter and Edelbrock are the same.

[Palf70Step]

Nothing earth shattering, just changed the oil and added new sticker for the window. Getting my RoadKill beater thing going

Truck needs a bath bad, but been too cold (till today) and lazy (mostly) to do it.

[Palf70Step]

Stretched out the legs of the ole 81 today. Did a run to Baton Rouge for breakfast with the truck group. I think I am getting pretty close now on the carb adjustments. Driving there in the early morn I got about 12.8 MPG at 70-75, which was up from 9-ish before the rejetting and all. Also, found a bad PCV valve which I think was causing the oil usage (pushing it out some gaskets and dip tube. Coming back running AC at 70-75 I got 10. May not sound great but, my experience with straight 6s is they were not always super fuel efficient any ways. With the cam and mods to it, this may be its happy spot. I am still learning, but she is running good and sounds great.

And just some of the rides that showed up this morning.