If I EVER...

[mowerman]

The way I heard this was ford was down there and was gonna use the bailout offer to invest in expanding such as a home improvement loan they didn't really need it...but they didn't like the government terms so they refused it...bob

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[41chevy]

On 9/18/2016 at 9:01 AM, Maddog13407 said:

I think the 200 and 700 r 4 were both junk compared to a 350 or 400 and m a diehard gm guy. guess its al how you use them.

I uesd a 200 in on of my hot rods behind a Good Wrench 383 with a B&M kit it was bullet proof. Ran a Power Glide with a trans brake behind my 55 in one of it's big block phases, it's all how you set them up. (the '55 now has a Vitar Clutch Flite in it)

200 Metric and the700R4 were both to meet CAFE requirements. The 200 was a lighter weight version of the 350 with a lot of stampings and diecast to lower the weight. The 700R was a decent trans if you dumped the computer activated lock up converter. The computer controls either locked up when ever it felt in the mood, semi released or semi locked up with slipping or chatter. We did conversions to  by pass the computer with a rocker switch to get a positive lock up when you wanted it to lock up.

Same period that Ford came out with the AOD and AODE versions of the C-4 and Mother Mopar with the electronic 904.

All flung on the public by the EPA CAFE requirement s and no real period for the Manufacturers to come up with a viable product. Think Mopars Lean Burn, Fords Vari-Jet Carb and GM's first Computer Controlled system in 1987 and Cadillac's Bosch/Delco fuel injection set op on the 1976 Seville's.  All big steaming piles o crap but Federally mandated.     Paul

Edited September 19, 2016 by 41chevy

[cpgeneration]

You might want to try to remove the inner fender, the 2016 2500 and 3500's need the inner fender panel removed to change out the diesel fuel

filter. there is a company that makes a plastic piece that you can put in after the inner fender is cut so you don't have to remove the inner again to change the filter.

something like that may let you get at that plug with less trouble than the moron's designed in to the spark plug change.

could try it from the bottom too.

[Keith Pommerening]

On 9/7/2016 at 6:07 PM, 1965 said:

I havnt bought new truck since 06; probably never will again; always GM man; never seen a Ford that would out do them in any way; I don't like the problem that GM did; probably wouldn't buy a new 1 because of it; but I never seen a Ford that could run or haul what a Chevy could; there front ends were terrible; you can ride in a Chevy loaded or unloaded & you got to drive a ford!!

Is this what you are talking about?  Thanks,  Keith

[41180]

On 9/28/2016 at 9:09 PM, Keith Pommerening said:

Is this what you are talking about?  Thanks,  Keith

I love the 73 thru 87  gm trucks they are really rugged beasts . The half tons were probably tougher than today's 3/4  ton made  by any mfg, I'd take one of those and put a modern LS chevy v8 and have the best of both worlds.

Edited October 1, 2016 by logtruckman

[carlotpilot]

can we say overloaded

[fxfymn]

Quote

I love the 73 thru 87  gm trucks they are really rugged beast

They could haul so much weight because they lightened themselves up by rotting away.

[Mike]

The wood is like a veneer. Really it is hollow inside that stack of wood. The shocks were removed and the tailgate was already bent to crap. And I guarantee you someone saw this on u boob and decided that Chevy is the best truck by far. Like no other could do that.

Looks like the axle is bent and it would roll up and down like a clowns wagon.

[Mike]

Hey, where is Hatcity when we need him? The little birthday boy with glasses would be appropriate for this subject.

[Maddog13407]

I'm a diehard gm guy and own a few f bodies and a 77 truck. I think the doors on 72-92 Camaros and firebirds were sagging on the assembly line and I think the 73-87 trucks were starting to rot on the car carriers.....still love em tho

[yarnall]

On August 21, 2016 at 4:26 PM, RowdyRebel said:

Meet the college edumacated know-nothing "engineer" who designed the 2000 Chevy Blazer, I'm gonna punch him in the nose. Who in their right mind locates the motor so that the #3 cylinder spark plug is directly behind the dadgum steering column so you can just BARELY get a socket on the plug, but you can't get the ratchet on the back of it? Seriously, short of pulling the damn motor, there isn't an "easy" way to change the plugs on this POS. No wonder it's still got the OEM plugs & wires. Throwing a code, though, so the wife volunteered me to do the job. #'s 1, 3, & 5 had to go in through the wheel well to get at the plugs...hoping #'s 2, 4, & 6 will be easier.

 

Between the Suburban and the Blazer, I'm starting to question the sanity of everyone who has ever told me GM's were easier to work on...NEVER had these kinds of issues with any of the Ford's I've wrenched on. Distributors right there on the front of the motor, plugs easy to reach...no matter what I was doing, the Fords were SIMPLE to work on. Everything about these GMs leaves me scratching my head trying to figure out what they were smoking when they designed the thing. Absolutely ridiculous...

Cal Little sold his last Ford pickup with about 100,000 miles on it to a friend.  I don't remember if it had a problem but the back two spark plugs couldn't be reached.  He took it to the dealer and was told the cab had to be removed to change them. 

[fxfymn]

Quote

Cal Little sold his last Ford pickup with about 100,000 miles on it to a friend.

Correction - Cal Little sold his last Ford pickup with about 100,000 miles on it to an ex-friend.

[41180]

21 hours ago, fxfymn said:

They could haul so much weight because they lightened themselves up by rotting away.

If they rotted so bad so quickly they'd all be gone by now . Why's there so many of those trucks still running when ford's of the Era are all but non existent 

[fxfymn]

Quote

If they rotted so bad so quickly they'd all be gone by now 

The 67 - 72's hardly ever rusted; 73 - mid 80's came from the factory equipped with rust holes in the fenders. If there are survivors out there than they are probably sporting after market tin or they lived in the desert.

[Mike]

On 10/1/2016 at 7:15 PM, j hancock said:

Because we are talking about wood....?

LOL, LOL, LOL 

[Keith Pommerening]

On 10/3/2016 at 8:10 AM, fxfymn said:

The 67 - 72's hardly ever rusted; 73 - mid 80's came from the factory equipped with rust holes in the fenders. If there are survivors out there than they are probably sporting after market tin or they lived in the desert.

Had some of those pick-ups.  After spending time in them I would get into my brother-in-laws Ford and get my ass chewed.  He use to always say, "This is a Ford.  You don't have to slam the damn doors to get them to shut!"  Thanks,  Keith

[glitchwrks]

Back to hard-to-service stuff, Ford's dual-ignition 2.5L 4 cylinder they put in 1999-2000 model Rangers (Pinto engine based) had some hard-to-get spark plugs on the driver's side. With most Pinto engines, you've only got the four plugs on the passenger side, no problem. But the dual ignition (2 plugs per cylinder) meant you had four more *under* the intake manifold! I think we ended up getting creative with a cut-off wrench as well.

The original RACOR fuel filter on our 1985 F-350 (diesel, 6.9 IDI IH engine) is another pain to change. The previous owner went ahead and cut a hole in the fender well to get to the water separator drain. Still requires contortions to actually *turn* the drain, but at least you can get a scrap of hose on it and keep from washing down the inner fender with diesel fuel. I keep meaning to replace it with a spin-on filter base and water separator.

[Maddog13407]

right, never seen a Ford door shut right, back 1950 til around 1971 you could go around a corner with a Ford pickup and the door would fly open

[Maddog13407]

my personal fav was the 2005 or so to 2010 6.0 litre ford super duty that some moran put the primary fuel filter in the frame rail, that gelled up in the winter AND was right over the tranny mount so you had to be a a magician to get it out, then the fuel ran down your arm, not the mention the plastic was screwed into an aluminum housing that screwed out hard RIGHT to the last thread..

[RowdyRebel]

20 hours ago, Maddog13407 said:

right, never seen a Ford door shut right, back 1950 til around 1971 you could go around a corner with a Ford pickup and the door would fly open

That's how the driver's door on my Mack works...gotta close it JUST RIGHT or it ain't really closed! Strap in just in case.

[fxfymn]

Quote

 you could go around a corner with a Ford pickup and the door would fly open

and on a couple of our open cab fire trucks you could end up throwing out a perfectly good fireman if you weren't careful. Nothing like turning a corner and looking over at an empty officer's seat that was occupied a few seconds ago.