Buying '78 Lil Red Express Truck

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

FIREWALL CONNECTORS: I'm on the fence as to whether to disconnect the firewall connectors inspect and treat with dielectric grease or let sleeping dogs lie.

Those of you who know me know I'm a type A and tend do this, but I can be dissuaded if there's too much risk.

CADILLAC HORNS: Another question, with the Cadillac loud horns being four, do you think I should wire them two parallel in series. I have them all in parallel and will take a resistance reading to see where I am.

Anyway, comments and recommendations ALWAYS appreciated. Wife made me take her shopping today, sitting in the 5500 while she shops, but will likely bench test the horns.

Cheers, Ron

 

[DavidC]

I would check and treat every wire connector you can find and that includes connections not just plugs. If there is a problem with electricity it can only get worse. At least this way you may avoid a fire. We are talking of a 41 year old electrical system. He** I wouldn't trust my 99 and it's only 20.

 

[DavidC]

Wire horns in Parallel. In series you have to go through all the coils, besides the lower voltage with that resistance if the first goes out they all go out.

 

[Wiredawg]

I would check and treat every wire connector you can find and that includes connections not just plugs. If there is a problem with electricity it can only get worse. At least this way you may avoid a fire. We are talking of a 41 year old electrical system. He** I wouldn't trust my 99 and it's only 20.

Dave,

Thanks for the PUSH. I'll start tomorrow. I'll bench test the horns AND start cleaning the instrument panel today.

Cheers, Ron

 

[HPSimpson]

Since you are there pull the circuit breaker panel out and correctly clean each connector, then put dielectric grease on, if you don't down the road will have a real headache.

 

[GCroyle]

Ron,

Not in the shop to look over things and I see a quandary. You have a frame off restoration and keeping things looking factory very understandable. But there was something about the terminal connector on my M880 that is bugging me and wish I could see it. How's your confidence in the junction block?

Gary

 

[Wiredawg]

Gary,

It looks pretty clean on the outside I'm gonna go for cleaning them, but very carefully.

As I guessed, horns work individually, but only vibrate when all hooked in parallel. Got the new looking one that was on the truck to work, but it's not very loud. pondering the horn situation now.

Thanks, Ron

 

[DavidC]

Gary,

It looks pretty clean on the outside I'm gonna go for cleaning them, but very carefully.

As I guessed, horns work individually, but only vibrate when all hooked in parallel. Got the new looking one that was on the truck to work, but it's not very loud. pondering the horn situation now.

Thanks, Ron

Check voltage at horn when activated, that will tell you if you have a low voltage/contact or not. Sounds like a wiring/voltage problem

 

[GCroyle]

Horn, sounds like time for a direct heavy fused or CB protected line and a relay controlled by horn button.

Did you measure the amp draw of each horn?

 

[Wiredawg]

Horns are drawing 4 to 5 snps EACH, so time for a relay with 20 amp fuse from the battery.

Off course, I'm deaf now cuz these are right next to air horns on loudness.

Got my Genos Painless Wiring Panel today which will be my 20 Amp source for air horns. Already had Genos heavy duty relay which I'll connect factory horn circuit to activate horns.

Today, gonna wire horns to relay, tomorrow clean firewall connectors, Friday install Painless wiring for CB, Pia lights, horn power source. Got LED bulb for some light, but gonna install mini SPST switch to turn off with doors open and likely add a couple either side under the dash.

Bout done today, thanks for hang'n in there with me wished you could join me for a brewskie.

Cheers, Ron

 

[GCroyle]

OK, sounds like you're on track for the audible horns. Gonna put a pair of longhorns on the hood?

Just kidding.

Yup almost Yuengling time here. https://www.yuengling.com/

 

[Wiredawg]

OK, sounds like you're on track for the audible horns. Gonna put a pair of longhorns on the hood?

Just kidding.

Yup almost Yuengling time here. https://www.yuengling.com/

Hey, a few years ago I was gonna put some Longhorns on my 02 3500. Wife told me she'd never ride in it if I did... about 30 minutes later, I decided not to... still....

Hey, had to post pic of my little windshield wiper reservoir with pump, only $18 on Amazon.

Gonna finish ALL electrical before plumbing the windshield washers. The only thing, I just happen to have some HD tubing for it.

Done for the day, had my Shiner Bach, and now sitting in the AC.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

Today I successfully removed, cleaned, and applied dielectric grease to the firewall connectors. I then decided to see if the AC compressor clutch was getting voltage, and of course it wasn't. Found the the rebuilders actually MOVED conductors on the connectors. So, I decided to create a circuit ID table by tracing and labeling ALL the circuits on the factory wiring diagram. I'll make a nice one on the computer, but this will expedite MOVING conductors BACK where they belong.

So, tomorrow I will be physically verifying each circuit and getting back to stock configuration.

Cheers. Ron

 

[DavidC]

Electrical, the downfall of many. They probably thought they did a great job.

 

[Wiredawg]

Electrical, the downfall of many. They probably thought they did a great job.

Dave,

They picked the RIGHT thing to mess up... I'm better at electrical than body work, painting, and major mechanical. And no big hurry. What will be a major surprise if the AC system is OK, and just needs a charge. I'll get'r converted to R134 after i get the electrical fixed, the new radio, amp, sub woofer, and speakers.

I think I'll install the AM/FM/CD/Cassette from my former 2003 Ram 2500 4x4. Nice installed aftermarket with Bluetooth and media input jack. I have about 150 cassettes, oldest from the 60s, Tom Jones Greatest Hits. Have some I recorded in 1982 at an cold war radar early warning site in Iceland. You can here the blip every revolution of the radar on the tape. I'm sure the radiation wasn't too harmful.

Cheers, Ron

 

[jgillott]

Dave,

They picked the RIGHT thing to mess up... I'm better at electrical than body work, painting, and major mechanical. And no big hurry. What will be a major surprise if the AC system is OK, and just needs a charge. I'll get'r converted to R134 after i get the electrical fixed, the new radio, amp, sub woofer, and speakers.

I ended up keeping my Corvette R12 when I went over the car this summer. Much more expensive than the 134 at this point, but is still available if you would want to keep the system original.

 

[GCroyle]

Ron,

Fixing up a wiring harness like you're doing, that'll keep you busy for a good while but likely best way to do it.

Bringing back early 90's memories of rewiring the engine wiring harness on a 1985 Dodge Caravan 2.2L 5 spd after I was given and installed a complete fuel injection cyl head and all of it's associated parts to cure a chronic cyl head leak on the 2.2L carb eng. The carb eng had a 40 pin bulkhead connector and the FI harness had 60 pin. I had both FSM's. Cut about 2' off of the 40 pin harness and opened it up, labeled each wire. Cut off 60 pin connector. Opened harness and labeled each wire. Put a big fuse between batt and main power connection and started attaching one circuit at a time with wire nuts and tested each circuit one by one as it was connected. It worked, cleaned up harness and ran the snot out of that Caravan for years.

The carb eng had a really annoying upshift light right in the center of the cluster. Didn't like it so I made that the CEL and code light.

Wiring takes a methodical approach and making a map of the project, you'll get it for sure.

TAKE CARE OF THE ANKLE!

Gary

 

[Wiredawg]

Ron,

Fixing up a wiring harness like you're doing, that'll keep you busy for a good while but likely best way to do it.

Bringing back early 90's memories of rewiring the engine wiring harness on a 1985 Dodge Caravan 2.2L 5 spd after I was given and installed a complete fuel injection cyl head and all of it's associated parts to cure a chronic cyl head leak on the 2.2L carb eng. The carb eng had a 40 pin bulkhead connector and the FI harness had 60 pin. I had both FSM's. Cut about 2' off of the 40 pin harness and opened it up, labeled each wire. Cut off 60 pin connector. Opened harness and labeled each wire. Put a big fuse between batt and main power connection and started attaching one circuit at a time with wire nuts and tested each circuit one by one as it was connected. It worked, cleaned up harness and ran the snot out of that Caravan for years.

The carb eng had a really annoying upshift light right in the center of the cluster. Didn't like it so I made that the CEL and code light.

Wiring takes a methodical approach and making a map of the project, you'll get it for sure.

TAKE CARE OF THE ANKLE!

Gary

Gary, I had one of those, loved the 5spd standard.

My claim to fame was rewiring a 1990 Dodge Spirit after the wiring harness burned up in it. The ignition switch had a contact disk that broke loose and shifted causing a direct short. Didn't fry any fuses or surprisingly any fusible link. I started the car and instantly cabin filled with smoke immediately shut it off. Had to completely drop the dash and rewired the whole thing, taking almost 6 weeks to complete. In hindsight, should have tried filing insurance claim, but seemed more like a vehicle system failure than what car insurance would cover.

Guess I'll get at it in a few.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

Had a GREAT day. Successfully verified and FIXED firewall wiring. Getting voltage at compressor pressure switch now when turning on AC in truck. I HOPE all it needs is freon, either R22 if I can get it done or the R134 conversion if not.

Additionally, I cleaned up the dash, painted the gauge needles, replaced incandescent bulbs with LEDs, and bench tested them. Got my little tachometer 2 5/8" that will have a nice fit, and I have Mopar factory wiring diagram to connect it through the firewall connectors.

Here is dash with LEDs fired up on the bench with freshly painted gauge needles:

Here are dash and components pending installation:

Bench tested the voltmeter and it's spot on. I'll test vacuum gauge before cutting off left wing on the dash. Gotta hole saw to cut out 2.5" and sand to fit tach. Gonna use a worm screw radiator clamp from behind to hold it in place.

Now, having a slight sentimental moment and bench clean and test the stock OEM AM/FM stereo (Top). I have a Serius XM FM modulator that will work if I can the radio to work. If not, I'll use the AM FM CD Cassette (bottom) and Serius XM FM modulator.

Decided to stop for today.

Cheers, Ron

 

[GCroyle]

Ron,

That first ride for ice cream will be darn nice.

My project for today was carefully sliding up on the roof of my Airstream and taking out the Fantastic Fan just to clean the bug guts off of the blades and such. Nice to have a section of scaffolding, it helped.

Not near as exciting as your dash.

Gary