Buying '78 Lil Red Express Truck

[Wiredawg]

Here is my Ramcharger that I had. It is a 77. Started life as a 316 - progressed to 360, then 440.

This is how it was when I sold it when I got the 96 Dodge Diesel PU.View attachment 129785 View attachment 129786

You ever heard of anyone installing a hi-flow intake, 4bl carb, headers, and dual exhaust out the sides in front of rear tires and with tall, skinny mud tire 4spd and a 318? A friend, who worked in the site motor pool had one in Iceland... the only thing I ever saw be bad at was climbing steep... just a lot of weight. You had to get decent fuel mileage in Iceland because you use a lot of fuel four wheeling, have to get back plus some reserve for unforeseen events. Anyhoo, that 318 had a 650 (I think) 4bl that got fair fuel mileage up there. Iceland in 1980, only sold 82 octane fuel (gasoline), so had to do a lot of tuning on a V8 to get it to run OK. I'm told you can add a little aviation fuel to car gas to raise the octane, but I can neither confirm or deny that fact.

Anyhoo, thanks for the photo... really scratching that itch for a Ramcharger....

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

Hope its cool to keep using this thread to talk about my LRE. Cruised it Saturday approximately 20 miles down the interstate to a local town. Been noticing a drop in oil pressure... used to show ~40 PSI cruising 70 MPH, now seeing ~ 20 PSI. So coming back home on the interstate in the truck, I hit around 80 MPH and started seeing oil pressure drop to what I estimate by the scale to maybe ~5 PSI. I slowed down and as I exited the highway and pressure dropped to 0 (zero) PSI. i put down the window to see if I could hear anything and no abnormal sounds (knocking, squealing, nothing). sat there deciding to shut down or proceed cautiously. just as about to shut down pressure came up to ~10 PSI and leveled off, so took here home. Got into shop and shut down. Checked oil level and right up to full mark... not any above it. Let set for an hour, same, and checked again today, it's the same level. Could the oil pump have a leak at the top (loosing prime?) or beginning to fail (worn out)?

My thinking is to get a mechanical oil pressure gauge and a T fitting so I can check concurrently to verify factory gauge sending unit, compare readings, assess if I have an oil pump issue. Can't think of anything else, so wnated to check my gearhead friends for confirmation of my process and/or propose any other actions.

Thanks guys, Ron

 

[AH64ID]

I’d verify the oil psi gauge first, in the shop. If they look the same go for an drive and at the first sign of odd pressure in the cab pull over and compare.

 

[Wiredawg]

I’d verify the oil psi gauge first, in the shop. If they look the same go for an drive and at the first sign of odd pressure in the cab pull over and compare.

Copy. gotta go through my suff... think I have an old fashioned 3 gauge cluster that could go under the dash... mechanical oil gauge (copper tubing), coolant temp thinking about trans temp too. Thanks!

 

[brucejohnson]

I agree with checking the oil pressure with a mechanical gauge. I have had a few mid/late 70's Power Wagons/Ram Chargers. A couple of them had similar oil pressure indications. Both were cured by a new oil pressure transducer (sending unit); common problem. You "may" find some oil seeping from the seams of the sending unit.

 

[EDankievitch]

If you list oil pressure the lifters would start clacking away. I’d start with the mechanical gauge. Chances are the electrical sender has failed. But you need peace of mind. You can also pull the filter and cut it open and look for any metal to be sure.

 

[AH64ID]

Start with a temporary mechanical gauge, and then fix the OE setup if it’s the culprit.

 

[Cummins12V98]

YEP, my 12V dropped to ZERO coming off the freeway. Threw a mechanical gauge on it all was well. Replaced sending unit, still good 350k later.

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

Bought a mechanical oil pressure tester last week, back is doing OK, so gonna roll out the top creeper and test it tomorrow. I'm pretty sure (hoping) the oil pressure sensor is intermittent. Read in OEM service manual idle should read 20 PSI. Googled 70s Dodge 360 V8 oil pressure and saw several posts reading as low as 8 to 12 PSI and calling it normal. I'm running Pennsoil 10W-40, so that should help pressure. I'll post tomorrow what I find.

Cheers, Ron

 

[bcbender]

My Chevelle runs as low as 5psi on hot days with trans in gear and idle around 750rpm. Engine build is 20+years old but I dont worry about it, I run Rotella 15w45 in both that and my LT1 Camaro with no issues or worries.

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

As suspected, all is well in Pleasantville. Mechanical gauge shows almost 60 PSI at startup. Ordered a new sending unit with 3 to 7 days shipping and 10 in stock at Parts Geek.
I had to loosen and rotate the distributor vacuum advance out of the way to get to the pressure sending unit and boy was it a booger to get off. I connected my Sears Automotive Test set (tach function) and timing light so I could get'r back in proper timing range for the test. So, I'm leaving everything as is 'til I get the new sending unit installed.

Anyhoo, I'll post when I get'r done. Thanks for all the advice and words of encouragement.

Cheers, Ron

 

[bcbender]

FWIW when I built the LT1 for my Camaro, i almost had a coronary when the idiot light lit up on the second test drive (6k engine), but I also had a mech gauge so it was a ok.. IMHO, the senders are pretty flaky.. I also lost one on my V8 boat a few years later,.. same situation, but no pressure on the gauge so we never left the ramp since no oil pressure,... new sender problem solved. Glad it was that simple

 

[Wiredawg]

FWIW when I built the LT1 for my Camaro, i almost had a coronary when the idiot light lit up on the second test drive (6k engine), but I also had a mech gauge so it was a ok.. IMHO, the senders are pretty flaky.. I also lost one on my V8 boat a few years later,.. same situation, but no pressure on the gauge so we never left the ramp since no oil pressure,... new sender problem solved. Glad it was that simple

I like having the factory oil pressure gauge, but may set up permanent mechanical gauge with a T fitting off the block.

Happy to hear thoughts about it. Thanks.

Cheers, Ron

 

[EDankievitch]

I’m a huge fan of gauges. Just be sure to use schedule 80 fittings. I’ve had both brass and steel fittings crack.

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

New sending unit came in today. but need to wait... could get regular appt so had to go to ER and get a pain shot today. Be a few days before I'm back to Abby Normal.

Wanted to ask fellow gearheads about timing the 1978 LA1 HP 360 with 850 Thermoquad. Factory shows 4° BTDC using 87 octane. Wondering if I can go 10° BTDC or more? Do you recommend higher octane if I do? I've read about a procedure to really dial it in... requires timing tape, well adjusted carb, where you document vacuum and centrifugal advance and modify it. Record timing every hundred or two RPM until you reach rated HP RPM. Not sure I'm up to it, and nobody I know is either. Just want to set it optimally for performance that won't hurt the motor or me.

As always, thanks for all your help through this project. Ron

 

[brucejohnson]

Friends,

New sending unit came in today. but need to wait... could get regular appt so had to go to ER and get a pain shot today. Be a few days before I'm back to Abby Normal.

Wanted to ask fellow gearheads about timing the 1978 LA1 HP 360 with 850 Thermoquad. Factory shows 4° BTDC using 87 octane. Wondering if I can go 10° BTDC or more? Do you recommend higher octane if I do? I've read about a procedure to really dial it in... requires timing tape, well adjusted carb, where you document vacuum and centrifugal advance and modify it. Record timing every hundred or two RPM until you reach rated HP RPM. Not sure I'm up to it, and nobody I know is either. Just want to set it optimally for performance that won't hurt the motor or me.

As always, thanks for all your help through this project. Ron

Ron, I remember trying that many decades ago. Seems there is something missing...probably my memory. Is that test with or without the vacuum advance connected? Are you are charting the vacuum or centrifugal advance curve, then when you get to the max HP RPM adjust to max vacuum. Then at idle you would have a "new" initial timing to set vs. the factory 4 degrees. I seem to remember about 7 to 9 degrees (fuel dependent) on my slightly warmed over 318s in 75-79 Power Wagons, and one '76 440 in a Ramcharger.. All that work helped some. I still preferred advance a little at a time, take it out and romp on it. Keep advancing and romping until you detect an audible ping under heavy load, then back off 2 or 3 degrees. Of course you don't get the mapped curve. When I was doing that it was with Gas-o-hol, which actually had better octane than straight gas...and smelled sweeter too. Of course you needed to insure the carb had the correct seals and innards stuff to handle the alcohol content. Higher octane may allow a tad more advance without preignition...something keeps rattling in the flickering memory cell about heat and valves, too much advance running at lower RPMs, backfiring up through the intake and carb when you get on it quickly, etc., but not sure if it was on this series engine. Maybe some fresh brains can chime in sharing their more current knowledge.

 

[EDankievitch]

On the marine engines I believe the timing was set at 8 degrees advance. Marine applications did not use vacuum advance system in the distributor. I seem to recall on engines in trucks an cars you would remove the vacuum line and plug it to set base timing. Yes boats are a different animal, but if you think how a boat is used it’s very much like a truck pulling a heavy load uphill all the time. That said I think you will be safe setting things at 8 degrees base. Then take a drive an listen there shouldn’t be any pinging when accelerating.

 

[bcbender]

On the GM stuff I have base timing is set with the vacuum adv. disconnected

 

[Wiredawg]

Thanks all, you gave me great info... in bed now recovering from hyperextending my glute muscle and not doing cool down stretches. Boy howdy the pain, but nothing permanent.

Thanks again.

 

[brucejohnson]

On the marine engines I believe the timing was set at 8 degrees advance. Marine applications did not use vacuum advance system in the distributor. I seem to recall on engines in trucks an cars you would remove the vacuum line and plug it to set base timing. Yes boats are a different animal, but if you think how a boat is used it’s very much like a truck pulling a heavy load uphill all the time. That said I think you will be safe setting things at 8 degrees base. Then take a drive an listen there shouldn’t be any pinging when accelerating.

There was a time when removing the vacuum line and capping the vacuum source was "the thing". Certain entities began failing vehicle inspections with the vacuum advance line removed...so an excess BB just laying around would miraculously find its way into the line. Instant mechanical advance only. A little altering of the advance curve recommended.