69 Ford Camper Special Budget Project

[projectsamanthacampy]

Haven't updated much. Been on vacation this whole week in thanksgiving... I got back home to it raining and wet. So I'm holding off on the wiring and trying to figure out some other problems with this truck. After filling her up (ran out of gas as I left the driveway; because I have no gauges to tell me ) I let her warm up an took for a drive. I notice that my timing felt a little retarded... So I went home and checked and timing was on point... I have it to 11degrees.. If that's wrong then shout at me all you want and ill fix it in the morning but I was told by a family member that it was supposed to be at 11 and he put it at that so I left it at that. Lord help me. Anyways... Felt retarded but was idling high. So I go to lower the idle screw on the carburetor and it's practically all the way out. Now I ask, where do I go from here? Any input would be great

[sargentrs]

I always use a vacuum gauge to set timing and tune a carb. Set/tune for highest steady vacuum reading at idle (around 700 rpm). I've gotten some really odd, unexplained, initial vacuum readings before. Then rev up to 2500 rpm and check your timing again. Should be around 35*-38* @ 2500 rpm. If now, advance until it is and let your initial timing fall where it may. Then try it out for driveability. There is no magic formula for timing. Each vehicle has it's own little problems/quirks that could affect it. My old 302, with 300,000 miles on her, ran great with max timing at 38*. However, when I got it set there, the initial came in at 22*. Seemed odd to me but she ran great that way.

[moonhanger007]

http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... 22&t=22303
Here is a link that should help with posting your pics. love the instrument cluster, great idea.
Just went through the timing issue with my truck, after new points and condenser, i pulled the timing chain cover ended up having a chewed cam gear.
Hope it's not that serious for yours.

[motzingg]

are your throttle blades fully seating shut? worn throttle linkage? those will cause a high idle.

having the timing wrong can mask a high idle by making it idle rough and low. when you fix the timing other problems show up.

[projectsamanthacampy]

I always use a vacuum gauge to set timing and tune a carb. Set/tune for highest steady vacuum reading at idle (around 700 rpm). I've gotten some really odd, unexplained, initial vacuum readings before. Then rev up to 2500 rpm and check your timing again. Should be around 35*-38* @ 2500 rpm. If now, advance until it is and let your initial timing fall where it may. Then try it out for driveability. There is no magic formula for timing. Each vehicle has it's own little problems/quirks that could affect it. My old 302, with 300,000 miles on her, ran great with max timing at 38*. However, when I got it set there, the initial came in at 22*. Seemed odd to me but she ran great that way.

Thank you so much. Tomorrow morning ill take a look at it. Just went to the DMV and got it registered again... So ill be able to tinker with it on the road more often (and legally)

[projectsamanthacampy]

http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... 22&t=22303
Here is a link that should help with posting your pics. love the instrument cluster, great idea.
Just went through the timing issue with my truck, after new points and condenser, i pulled the timing chain cover ended up having a chewed cam gear.
Hope it's not that serious for yours.

Thank you so much for the link!! Been looking forever! And yeah I'm hoping not... But it could be. Never know with a truck that sat in a barn half it's life and on a farm the earlier half as a work truck. Thanks a lot. Ill keep that in mind.

[projectsamanthacampy]

Update: Seemed to have fixed the idle/timing problem for now. Lets hope it stays out of my hair a while longer. Meanwhile I'm waiting for this rain to shut up so I can get under the hood and get all this wiring situated. Until then, I'm at a stand-still. Guess I'll just order more parts online while I play the waiting game

[projectsamanthacampy]

Been neglecting and putting off working on the truck, as when I have the time it's raining. *sigh* Well, on the bright side parts came in and one that I know how to do, just curious. Any tips or tricks for a Master Cylinder? I know it's bad because in the master cylinder itself its seeping from the back (which indicates something is busted or a bad seal of some sort) so I finally decided to break down and get a new one. Keep in mind it's a Camper Special truck. With that said, any tips tricks or ideas when I go to put this bad boy in? Thanks a lot!

[projectsamanthacampy]

Oh and figured I'd share another glimps of my truck on the road. This is from earlier today after work. Bay Area sure is gloomy here.

[Mancar1]

Looks like u r coming right along.

[popeyes71]

Nice looking truck! As for tips on installing your master cylinder, I like to bleed the master cylinder of air on the bench before installing on the truck. It helps shorten the amount of time you need to get the air out of the entire system.

[projectsamanthacampy]

Sad day for old Samantha...


As I was driving in a parking lot (luckily) and of course.... It was raining... The whole rear end locked up. Shot me into a slow sideways drift.... Didn't go to far. Didn't know what happened and kinda figured my driveline dropped or snapped since all I heard was a clanking sound. Put it in park, got out, and surveyed the scene. Nothing looked visually wrong. Jumped underneath in a puddle and shook the driveline and didn't seem loose or anything. So I put it in drive and started to leave the parking lot and go for home so I could further more look at what might be the problem.... I don't get more than a mile down the road and it locks up again, this time shooting me sideways into the fast lane of those 2 lane street. Corrected it and as I did it sounded like something snapped an broke free.... And when I went to hit the gas pedal I had no Drive.... So I had to hop out with my hazards on and push the heavy ******* off the road and did a little more in death look. STILL nothing. Hmmmm Well, I tried all gears.... Nothing. Then as I tried to put it back in park it sounded like a grinding noise (kinda like if you were rolling and you try to shove it in park and makes the heartbreaking gear grinding sound... Yeah that. So I now had no gears what so ever. Long story short it was on the trailer and headed home within 2 hours if raining. Gave the tow guy a generous $20 tip for support in the rain and now she sits back in the driveway immobile .

So now springs the questions... Any ideas on what the heck happened based on my description of the incident? Because I'm thinking its something to do with the gear box in the tranny.... All linkages are fine btw. (This is a 2wd truck) so what the heck man.... What's going on here? Is Santa playing a crude truck on me this close to the holidays?? Come on fellow truck guys....

[Stealth69]

was it making noises any before?

[projectsamanthacampy]

was it making noises any before?

Yes.... Kinda clanking sound like something was loose underneath but I was thinking it was a center support bearing that was ba so I was replacing it once it stopped raining. But then this happened... What's your idea or reasoning behind what is wrong?

[moonhanger007]

Have you checked the oil level in your differential? Sounds like maybe your axle locked up.
Hope its something simple.