Took her out for her first drive and things went well for the most part. Still have a short list of wrinkles to iron out before its really ready to go:
1. Brakes- replaced the master cylinder with a 2002 for discs in the rear, and it doesn't fit, so i swapped it for a new one from a 99 (parts numbers say that either should work with my hydrobooster- also from a 99, but they simply don't fit together.) Bench bled the master and bled each wheel and the brakes are still really spongy and weak. Pedal is very soft and they just don't stop like they should.
2. Wiring- feel like I spent forever on this. Solidified my hatred of wiring. Using a 86 harness and adapted it to the diesel, replaced several melted wires along the way. Still need to run the taillights wiring. I was afraid to hook up the alternator because I'm scared it would melt something, and also I've got a large black wire that splits into several smaller wires. Not sure where it goes, on the wiring diagram for the 84 Gasser motor and it goes to the "BATT" terminal on the alternator. Don't have the grid heater hooked up, and still using my 770 CCA single battery- seems to start fine.
Electrical issues I'm having-
- none of my gauges are working. Even the Boost EGT and fuel pressure I added aren't working properly.
- I have the "hold" wire for the Fuel Shutoff Solenoid hooked to what was the "Ign coil" feed on the old harness. Truck starts with the key but does not shut down, even after the key is turned off and removed.
3. Driveline- Got a vibration that is noticeable in 4th gear. The axles definitely need to be shimmed.
4. Windshield- needs to be replaced
5. Transmission- guy I bought it from said it had just been rebuilt. I'm hoping it just needs to "loosen up" but it's very difficult to get into both first, second and reverse. The others shift very smoothly.
6. HVAC- don't have the vacuum lines hooked up or the AC compressor lines hooked up. Probably just going to take it to a professional.
Other than that I loved how it drove. Right now just the stock 175hp pump setting with the BD Super B turbo. Tons of torque and sounds amazing. Might be a while before I feel compelled to mess with the pump or install the delivery valves I bought! Rides decent with the Rancho shocks up front. I'm loving the clutch. It's a ceramic/kevlar unit from Valair. Combined with the HD clutch master from them, the pedal effort is perfect. Feels exactly like the stocker in my uncle's 03 Cummins.
Still have a ways to go before before its "finished" but a couple of things I'd definitely do differently for those of you contemplating the swap-
1- Intercooler/radiator- I would spend the money to get a nice First gen cummins intercooler/radiator/core support package. Using the 99 stuff may have some performance benefits, but damn it was a lot of work to get it to fit and I still haven't figured out how my grill is going to fit.
2- HVAC- I wouldn't even mess with old HVAC stuff, I'd just spend the money on new stuff from Vintage Air or somewhere. The plastic and controls are so brittle on mine, I'm sure that I'll be replacing most of it in a year anyways.
3- Gauges/wiring- In the same vein as the HVAC, I'd spend the money to get all new gauges and start with a new wiring harness. I just don't have confidence in the 30 year old wiring to last very long, and I think it would have been pretty easy to replace the instrument panel with a flat piece of sheet metal that looked pretty snazzy.
Anyways, some photos and videos:
Maiden voyage:
Three gauge mounting panel from Glowshift that fits decent in the dash:
Difference between the disc disc and disc drum master.