Buying '78 Lil Red Express Truck

[Wiredawg]

What's your surgeon's opinion on bull riding???

He said no bull ride'n and be CAREFUL bull TALK'N.

 

[GCroyle]

Better question how would the bull like Ron riding it?

Oh wait, I forgot The Lone Star State, all legal and common practice.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

What's your surgeon's opinion on bull riding???

He would probably recommend the bull not do it!

 

[HPSimpson]

Great doctor let you out but, remember everything not to over due which you always seen to do Wiredawg!

 

[Wiredawg]

I'm pretty much holding to 2 to 3 hours low effort activity rest, assess, and if good, another couple. Interesting thing, week before last, I was most weight, same program. Xray apparently didn't show details like the CT scan. I've had no swelling since last Thursday, the air cast is good, but to work, it constricts some. I'm stopping the LRE for a week or two because I anticipate will take two or three days, and most sitting on the truck seat disconnecting and removing old fuse panel and splicing in the new one, then another day modifying the firewall connector for high current circuits.

You know me, can't be quiet too long, so will likely chime in when I start back up, take pics of progress, and share any revelations. Saw the LRE project on Garage Squad a couple of times... gonna pop the cover on the heater blower in the engine bay and inspect. It was working, but not a lot of velocity. Best to check all this out this far into it.

So, catch y'all soon.... stay away from whatever wildlife/livestock y'all cohabitate with.

See y'all in the funny papers.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

Started back on the LRE today. I removed the old fuse panel, cut and labeled the truck wiring, and noted condition of wiring. Heat damage occurred to the wiring right at the fuse panel connections for blower, AC, and headlights. I'm breaking up the clusters of circuits to have thier own paths and protection.

Here is the spaghetti in the dash:

and the old fuse panel:

Happily, where I cut the wiring is shiney and flexible, whereas the wiring for the high current circuits was black and stiff.

I'm going to fit the new fuse panel into the fuse panel opening to work out securing it. Then, I'm pulling it back out while I upgrade the blower, headlights, AC compressor wiring from 14 to 10 ga.

More to come tomorrow.

Cheers, Ron

 

[brucejohnson]

Friends,

Started back on the LRE today. I removed the old fuse panel, cut and labeled the truck wiring, and noted condition of wiring. Heat damage occurred to the wiring right at the fuse panel connections for blower, AC, and headlights. I'm breaking up the clusters of circuits to have thier own paths and protection.

Here is the spaghetti in the dash:

View attachment 115920

and the old fuse panel:

View attachment 115921

Happily, where I cut the wiring is shiney and flexible, whereas the wiring for the high current circuits was black and stiff.

I'm going to fit the new fuse panel into the fuse panel opening to work out securing it. Then, I'm pulling it back out while I upgrade the blower, headlights, AC compressor wiring from 14 to 10 ga.

More to come tomorrow.

Cheers, Ron

Ron,
Sounds like you are right on track for a superior modification to the weak link of the wiring harness.
Were you going to change out the heater motor? If not, you may want to oil the bearings/bushings to help reduce the rotation friction of the motor, which is the biggest cause of the higher current draw. IIRC most were oiled bronze bushings, at least in some of the late 60's thru at least the 70's+. I seem to remember some had bolts holding the motor pieces together, and later had rivets. I used to drill out the rivets of whatever it was I worked on and put long screws and nuts in their place. Other motors I was able to carefully run a thin wire through the cooling ducts of the motor and slowly drip a stream of light oil down the wire and into the bushings. Motors sure sound and run much better when they are cleaned and lubed...and wires remain much cooler. Also, check the heater fan switch. The contacts get extra crispy, especially on the high setting which runs straight 12VDC at high current to the motor (bypasses the heater fan resistors, which may also exhibit some heat degradation if the motor was pulling heavy current due to "sticky" bushings).

Bruce

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

I have another day or two to complete the truck rewire project. The new fuse panel has a nice fit in the stock location.

Do y'all think this blower switch got hot?

Going to shiney up the contacts, but checking resistance through the switch first.

I have three more circuits to wire to the fuse panel, then I need to bypass the firewall connector for the four high current circuits.

Cheers, Ron

 

[HPSimpson]

Fuse panel fits real good in that spot, well blower switch mite got bit toasty.

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

I spent a couple hours today figuring out how the instrument lights power source from the old fuse panel. I traced the circuit on the wiring schematic and here's what I found. I already had verified the headlights were not fused through the fuse panel; the only fuse was the 14gauge fusible link on the main power circuit feeding the ignition, fuse panel, headlights, and wipers. No wonder the headlight switch connector was melted. Then, off of the headlight switch, instrument light power fed from the headlight switch to the fuse panel thru a 4 amp fuse, and back to the instrument lights.

So, the headlight circuit is 30 amps, so don't want the instrument panel lights with 30 amps on them, so I'm running a 14 gauge wire from the instrument light dimmer, to the fuse panel, through a 4 amp fuse, and back to the instrument lights. Just a nuance I had missed when planning the circuits.

I replaced one of the 10 gauge circuits feeding power into the truck through the firewall connector. I removed the male and female connectors and drilled them. Now, there is a dedicated 10 gauge wire with 14 gauge fusible link feeding the fuse panel. The old 10 gauge wire I cut inside the truck I clear capped it at the fire wall, and now it feeds only the ignition battery from the new fuse panel. I cut and isolated the headlights and wipers off this circuit and they are now feed from new fused circuits from the new fuse panel.

I'm going to drill out and run a new ignition circuit too.

BTW, ankle is feeling pretty good. Around the house, not using the cane... have a brace I'm using that helps a lot.

Cheers, Ron

 

[HPSimpson]

Ron,
Sounds like making good progress on the fuse box feeds to headlights feed, heater blower and of course all the other goodies you will be adding. Don't overdue the ankle so take time doing the electrical work.

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

I twisted together the last of the LRE's circuits today. Tomorrow, I'm going to do a final check for correct splices and circuit rerouting and then I'm going to run the circuits for the new accessories: OEM Volt Meter, OEM Vacuum Meter, Sun Tach, and CB radio and likely do all my soldering and dressing up Saturday. If I have time, I'll run the 6 gauge power wire for the new amp and sub Saturday.

No pics today...nothing to really see that's different.

When I'm all done, I'm going to create a new wiring diagram and typed documentation of wiring circuit changes.

Today, I decided I want red instrument lights and ordered red LEDs today. I'm going to be careful to remove the blue rubber bulbs in the instrument panel, just in case I change my mind about the color.

I'm starting to get antsy... could be later next week I'll have her street ready and get her registered and licensed.

Cheers, Ron

 

[HPSimpson]

Good to hear sounds close to begin able to drive '78 Dodge Express truck! Good luck Ron!

 

[TFucili]

Time to roast some tires, soon

 

[Wiredawg]

Ron,
Sounds like you are right on track for a superior modification to the weak link of the wiring harness.
Were you going to change out the heater motor? If not, you may want to oil the bearings/bushings to help reduce the rotation friction of the motor, which is the biggest cause of the higher current draw. IIRC most were oiled bronze bushings, at least in some of the late 60's thru at least the 70's+. I seem to remember some had bolts holding the motor pieces together, and later had rivets. I used to drill out the rivets of whatever it was I worked on and put long screws and nuts in their place. Other motors I was able to carefully run a thin wire through the cooling ducts of the motor and slowly drip a stream of light oil down the wire and into the bushings. Motors sure sound and run much better when they are cleaned and lubed...and wires remain much cooler. Also, check the heater fan switch. The contacts get extra crispy, especially on the high setting which runs straight 12VDC at high current to the motor (bypasses the heater fan resistors, which may also exhibit some heat degradation if the motor was pulling heavy current due to "sticky" bushings).

Bruce

Hey Bruce and Others in the Gallery,

The stock blower was working fine before starting the rewire project. Wanted to get an opinion: I have a new in box GM blower that is almost identical fit for the OEM Chrysler one, except the GM doesn't have that cooling tube. Would you service the OEM one and run it or replace with the GM one?

The GM motor has heavier wiring, but there may be a way for me to upgrade the wiring to the OEM blower.

Thanks for the input, Ron

 

[TFucili]

It's easy enough to change. If the stocker bench tests at rated amps I think I'd run it and keep the new one in reserve.

 

[brucejohnson]

It's easy enough to change. If the stocker bench tests at rated amps I think I'd run it and keep the new one in reserve.

^^^^^^^ What he said!

Heavier wires = Higher current = leaking "smoke" at the weak points...

 

[Wiredawg]

It's easy enough to change. If the stocker bench tests at rated amps I think I'd run it and keep the new one in reserve.

Bruce/Tom,

You're right, I'll service it per above instructions and keep it in service.

Looking for cause(S) for overheating of the blower circuit: There is 14gauge wire running to the switch from the fuse panel, 14 gauge to the heat regulator, then drops to 16 gauge to the motor. Reference post 228, it appears the high setting generated major heat, melting the fan speed switch connector and melting the old fuse panel, with a 20 amp fuse.

I haven't tested the switch yet; probably should do that tomorrow. Found New Old Stock on Ebay. Any idea haow many Ohms we should see on the the motor? Haven't researched that yet.

Thanks guys, and happy for any suggestions, as usual.

Ron

 

[brucejohnson]

Bruce/Tom,

You're right, I'll service it per above instructions and keep it in service.

Looking for cause(S) for overheating of the blower circuit: There is 14gauge wire running to the switch from the fuse panel, 14 gauge to the heat regulator, then drops to 16 gauge to the motor. Reference post 228, it appears the high setting generated major heat, melting the fan speed switch connector and melting the old fuse panel, with a 20 amp fuse.

I haven't tested the switch yet; probably should do that tomorrow. Found New Old Stock on Ebay. Any idea haow many Ohms we should see on the the motor? Haven't researched that yet.

Thanks guys, and happy for any suggestions, as usual.

Ron

The high speed circuit is the culprit causing most of the melty parts. It draws a lot of current. The switch may get some crispy contacts, usually only on the high speed contacts. I have been able to clean some of them up once I fixed/lubed/changed the motors, but they were very delicate and touchy to position. If you can change the switch with a new one your future problems will "almost" be eliminated with all you have done.
The fuse panel hot spots are due to constant high heat deteriorating the metals over time. Since you have changed the fuse panel out you are on the road to an electrically problem free truck.
Don't remember the ohmic values for the motor...it's been more than a few decades ago now...I wonder if the brush kits are still available? They were something that was a standard size and cheap...years and years ago, before throwaway parts came into the mainstream.

 

[HPSimpson]

I would keep the stock dodge blower if the amps are ok on bench test, put the GM on real high self and forget about it, period.