68R/T
I got drunk and swallowed my teeth, now
With the engine out I'll almost always change the chain. I hate those OEM plastic cam gears.
If the water pump leaks later.....so what, that's an easy fix. :dgt:
I said I was going to do it...
- Thread starter Dr.Jass
- Start date
With the engine out I'll almost always change the chain. I hate those OEM plastic cam gears.
If the water pump leaks later.....so what, that's an easy fix. :dgt:
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
I'd finish the 360 if I could get the block & heads to the shop. The boss doesn't feel like carrying grimy engine parts in the morning, and I don't blame him for not wanting to load the stuff the night prior and having 300lb of cast iron rolling around back there.
However, that engine will not find its way into the Dakota. The 3.9L is perfectly happy where it is and I don't want to go through the hassle of not only a swap, but one where the engine isn't a direct replacement.
However, that engine will not find its way into the Dakota. The 3.9L is perfectly happy where it is and I don't want to go through the hassle of not only a swap, but one where the engine isn't a direct replacement.
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
I just ordered a Sure Grip for it and new tires. 
The Conquest trans is even easier to break than the AX15. Even though the front bearing is the same one as an A833 (and the shaft is 1"x23 spline) the case flexes so badly they blow out gears from shaft deflection. However, a Toyota R154 is a bolt-in with just a clutch disc change... too bad they never made one for 4WD.
The Conquest trans is even easier to break than the AX15. Even though the front bearing is the same one as an A833 (and the shaft is 1"x23 spline) the case flexes so badly they blow out gears from shaft deflection. However, a Toyota R154 is a bolt-in with just a clutch disc change... too bad they never made one for 4WD.
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
Yes, yes they are. And they're expensive as hell when you do. I wouldn't waste that kind of effort or money on a pickup truck. Trucks are for work. They're not hot rods, they're not cool, they're generally not much fun unless you like off-roading, which isn't my bag. The only things I care about with this Dakota are its reliability, economy, and ability to haul a load or a small trailer. If I need a car hauled, I'll call SHAT or my boss. I only intend for this thing to be my primary driver until I can get the Imperial tagged, at which point the truck becomes first and foremost a lawn ornament.
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
Once again, assumption is the mother of all f__kups.
I looked down the throttle bores and could see no evidence of a plenum gasket leak. I'd assumed that it had to be leaking since the truck smoked blue and it was not likely that the rings were shot in 144,000 easy miles, but there was no evidence of oil in the intake and the runner floors looked pretty clean. So, I pulled out the PCV valve and blasted brake cleaner through it several times both ways to clear out any buildup. Yep, that did it... no more smoke at idle or low RPM. :dance: The little bit I get now from revving I'm assuming is from stuck rings since the engine spent so much time sitting. I know of several methods to break those free but I'm inclined to just let them free themselves with usage.
That sure was a lot easier than changing the plenum gasket, and frees up my day for other things like a tune-up, oil change to Royal Purple, and cooling system flush, which I will follow up with the new radiator and hoses. I'm not going to do the water pump at the moment, since I don't have to disturb the accessory drives, but I am going to change the belt and the idler & tensioner pulleys for now. It should be a pretty pleasant workday since there's so much more time to accomplish the things I want to do. I might even swap out the rear bumper this afternoon. :dance:
I looked down the throttle bores and could see no evidence of a plenum gasket leak. I'd assumed that it had to be leaking since the truck smoked blue and it was not likely that the rings were shot in 144,000 easy miles, but there was no evidence of oil in the intake and the runner floors looked pretty clean. So, I pulled out the PCV valve and blasted brake cleaner through it several times both ways to clear out any buildup. Yep, that did it... no more smoke at idle or low RPM. :dance: The little bit I get now from revving I'm assuming is from stuck rings since the engine spent so much time sitting. I know of several methods to break those free but I'm inclined to just let them free themselves with usage.
That sure was a lot easier than changing the plenum gasket, and frees up my day for other things like a tune-up, oil change to Royal Purple, and cooling system flush, which I will follow up with the new radiator and hoses. I'm not going to do the water pump at the moment, since I don't have to disturb the accessory drives, but I am going to change the belt and the idler & tensioner pulleys for now. It should be a pretty pleasant workday since there's so much more time to accomplish the things I want to do. I might even swap out the rear bumper this afternoon. :dance:
thrashingcows
Drowning deep in my sea of loathing...so I'm
Hey that looks a lot like mine in the crewcab....
Looking good!!
Did you get eh 5 speed shift pattern insert for the top of the shifter? I found one for my NV4500 shift pattern.
Looking good!!Did you get eh 5 speed shift pattern insert for the top of the shifter? I found one for my NV4500 shift pattern.
Not A Duster
Well-known member
Is that a Hanes manual I see on that seat? :wtf:
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
Yeah, the NV4500 and the AX15 have the same shift pattern, so I likely bought the same indicator you did. I was hoping it would be close in appearance to original, but even the one that came on the stick wasn't correct-looking. The font is all wrong. Mine is Hurst all the way down, too. I bought a Hurst Billet Plus from an outfit called Core Shifters. Man, what a difference! It's still a truck transmission but it's so much more precise now. The difference is amazing, plus the throws are about 30% shorter.
Still, I had to make an adapter because then bend in the Pistol Grip would just contact the dash in 1st, 3rd, & 5th. Since I had to break out the welder anyhow, I decided to place it similarly to the stick that came with the Hurst shifter, which was about perfect. I zip-tied the Pistol Grip to the chrome Hurst stick so that the lower bezel of the grip was equal with the threads on the ball-equipped Hurst. I measured the distance between holes and the change in angle of the bolt-hole pattern between the Hurst stub and where the Pistol Grip holes were and started looking for metal I could use. I chopped up a bayonet-mount Inland 4-speed shifter ("push-to-reverse" Hurst copy) from a Volare for its stick mount and heavily carved up a factory E-body pinion snubber. Using the original slot for the snubber's rubber bumper as the stick mounting hole (the snubber is turned on its side), I welded the Volare stick mount to the other end upside down, and drilled the shifter bolt pattern into the side if it. That slips down over the Hurst shifter stub and bolts into it, with the "lower" stick stop now on top so it lines up perfectly. An old oval Hurst threaded stick retainer has two "pilots" around the bolt holes that fit into the slot on the E-body snubber like they were born there, preventing the shifter from rocking once it's tightened. The slot itself allows about 1" of adjustment for height. My fabricated bracket gives the stick about 10° of stick layback, which makes it about perfect. It's in 4th gear in the picture, and the shifter boot looks "right" to me.
I didn't take any pictures of all this nonsense for some reason, but you may be able to figure out what I mean looking at the pictures. I dimmed out the parts of the first two photos outside my cut-off pieces. The stick bolts through the blue slot in Pic #2 on the side facing the viewer, with the threaded stiffener plate coming through the back side, with the pilots aligned inside the slot. The picture is right side up.
I'm not taking that console off again to get a picture of the finished project anytime soon... :doh: When I do, though, I'll get pics of the bracket and the modification I had to make to the boot for it to work.
Still, I had to make an adapter because then bend in the Pistol Grip would just contact the dash in 1st, 3rd, & 5th. Since I had to break out the welder anyhow, I decided to place it similarly to the stick that came with the Hurst shifter, which was about perfect. I zip-tied the Pistol Grip to the chrome Hurst stick so that the lower bezel of the grip was equal with the threads on the ball-equipped Hurst. I measured the distance between holes and the change in angle of the bolt-hole pattern between the Hurst stub and where the Pistol Grip holes were and started looking for metal I could use. I chopped up a bayonet-mount Inland 4-speed shifter ("push-to-reverse" Hurst copy) from a Volare for its stick mount and heavily carved up a factory E-body pinion snubber. Using the original slot for the snubber's rubber bumper as the stick mounting hole (the snubber is turned on its side), I welded the Volare stick mount to the other end upside down, and drilled the shifter bolt pattern into the side if it. That slips down over the Hurst shifter stub and bolts into it, with the "lower" stick stop now on top so it lines up perfectly. An old oval Hurst threaded stick retainer has two "pilots" around the bolt holes that fit into the slot on the E-body snubber like they were born there, preventing the shifter from rocking once it's tightened. The slot itself allows about 1" of adjustment for height. My fabricated bracket gives the stick about 10° of stick layback, which makes it about perfect. It's in 4th gear in the picture, and the shifter boot looks "right" to me.
I didn't take any pictures of all this nonsense for some reason, but you may be able to figure out what I mean looking at the pictures. I dimmed out the parts of the first two photos outside my cut-off pieces. The stick bolts through the blue slot in Pic #2 on the side facing the viewer, with the threaded stiffener plate coming through the back side, with the pilots aligned inside the slot. The picture is right side up.
I'm not taking that console off again to get a picture of the finished project anytime soon... :doh: When I do, though, I'll get pics of the bracket and the modification I had to make to the boot for it to work.
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
Yep. Someone gave it to me about 5 years ago for some reason, and I found it after I bought the truck. I had it in there while I was installing speakers so I could check polarity, but alas--Haynes doesn't include stereo wiring @ the speakers in their manuals.
Suffice to say, evil bitch that she is, Mother Mopar made the speaker (-) wires the ones with the red tracers. :doh:
thrashingcows
Drowning deep in my sea of loathing...so I'm
My pistol grip was made for a 70's style slip in shifter mechanism. I ended up cutting up an old spare hurst shifter mechanism to get the slip in unit. The I drilled the stub coming out of the nv4500 for two bolts. Welded bolts to the side of the slip in shifter unit, and then bolted it to teh stub. Works great! Only thing I don't like is the early "tower" style top on my NV4500....the shifter throws are long and wide. I need to get myself a 97-2002(?) style NV4500 top cover...then I can get a short throw shifter mechanism for it.
I too never grabbed any pics of my shifter adapter. I'll do the same thing as you Doc...next time it's apart I'll snap a couple pics.
I too never grabbed any pics of my shifter adapter. I'll do the same thing as you Doc...next time it's apart I'll snap a couple pics.
Dr.Jass
Pastor of Muppets
I know someone who has such a top plate just lying around... I work with him. Worse yet, he bought it from a board member (v8440) and I brought it home when I picked up the Challenger.
Then, if you were really feelin' it, you could install this little gem. :dance: He makes his own base because Hurst doesn't, but he uses the Billet Plus guts. It does require the later cover, but I can't tell you how impressed I am with mine. Very nice stuff, and well worth the price in my book.
Then, if you were really feelin' it, you could install this little gem. :dance: He makes his own base because Hurst doesn't, but he uses the Billet Plus guts. It does require the later cover, but I can't tell you how impressed I am with mine. Very nice stuff, and well worth the price in my book.