brand new slant six guy please help

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madd

madd

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OK so I just got my first /6. Its 1981 d150 with lean burn carb and a four speed on the floor. I believe it has 110k on it with no info on the motor other than its quiet no valve noise. Got it and been driving it since daily 35miles round trip. No oil missing from dip stick and started runs great food mpgs and love the truck. It is a 32 year old farm truck and needs love. Already got full tune up, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, battery, alternator, air filter, fuel filter, oil change and tires. Brakes are good. Checked myself. I am doing all the work myself. I am 27 year old and very mechanically inclined but not a mechanic. So far so good but I am scared of timing, carb and any head stuff. Please help point me in the right direction. I am looking for safety (2 little girls) reliability (work/2 little girls) and performance ( do I have to say :). So where do I go from here.
**edit** sans a.I.
Sans air pump thing
 
Tune UP
i hope you did some research on your tune up parts?? you want the CH410 cap, NGK ZFR5N Plugs, i like these plug wires as they are low ohm

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261045845276?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

also should get a hotter coil, i like MSD blaster 2 for my race stuff but the petronix 45K coil is ten bucks cheaper and works great. have you changed the oil? go for a WIX filter (the tall one) and VR1 10-30w oil.

you will see a wheel about 2.5" or so across on the exhaust manifold, make sure it turns freely. if not start spraying it with PB blaster till its free.

SAFETY
for safety you said the brakes look good but what about the rubber lines from the frame to the caliper/wheel cylinder? two up front and one to the axle in the rear. while your in the brakes a fluid flush is a great way to spend time with the kids!

PERFORMANCE
alot depends on where you live and how lax your smog laws are. without a second thought you can do a 2.25" exhaust from the manifold flange back, dont let them easy out and just add off the old pipe!

there should be an OASC valve either on the air cleaner or firewall, you will see small vacuum line going from the carb to the valve, and then the distributor. bypass that stupid valve! with buy a new piece of line or use a little connector to join the old lines (using new lines gets rid of cracked vacuum lines).

having you distributor recurved is a big help! stock it has to different weight springs causing one "curve" to start @ 2500rpm and the next "curve" @ 4000 rpm! your new curve will be all in @ 2500rpm. so you want to have it set to 12 initial, 30 total, with 10* of vacuum adv(crank degrees).
 
805moparkid said:
Tune UP
i hope you did some research on your tune up parts?? you want the CH410 cap, NGK ZFR5N Plugs, i like these plug wires as they are low ohm

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261045845276?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

also should get a hotter coil, i like MSD blaster 2 for my race stuff but the petronix 45K coil is ten bucks cheaper and works great. have you changed the oil? go for a WIX filter (the tall one) and VR1 10-30w oil.

you will see a wheel about 2.5" or so across on the exhaust manifold, make sure it turns freely. if not start spraying it with PB blaster till its free.

SAFETY
for safety you said the brakes look good but what about the rubber lines from the frame to the caliper/wheel cylinder? two up front and one to the axle in the rear. while your in the brakes a fluid flush is a great way to spend time with the kids!

PERFORMANCE
alot depends on where you live and how lax your smog laws are. without a second thought you can do a 2.25" exhaust from the manifold flange back, dont let them easy out and just add off the old pipe!

there should be an OASC valve either on the air cleaner or firewall, you will see small vacuum line going from the carb to the valve, and then the distributor. bypass that stupid valve! with buy a new piece of line or use a little connector to join the old lines (using new lines gets rid of cracked vacuum lines).

having you distributor recurved is a big help! stock it has to different weight springs causing one "curve" to start @ 2500rpm and the next "curve" @ 4000 rpm! your new curve will be all in @ 2500rpm. so you want to have it set to 12 initial, 30 total, with 10* of vacuum adv(crank degrees).
Click to expand...

^dont let him fool ya! That's only a race bred /6 under that good scoop! Lol
 
madd said:
I am scared of timing, carb and any head stuff. Please help point me in the right direction.
Click to expand...

General tuning info: http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=138010&highlight=#138010

Carb info here: http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33102

Head info here: http://www.slantsix.org/articles/combustion-chamber/sl6-combustion-chamber.htm

Fuel line mod: http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15778

Interesting bit on why the stock air cleaner is adequate: http://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=310699#310699

File under 'things to consider': http://www.slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=15779

Welcome to the /6 club!
 
Safety for kids: Don't let them ride in the bed.

Performance: The big need IMHO is increased compression. Without that you're just burning money. Exhaust header, larger pipes will help. If you can find a Super Six car, grabbing the intake, carb (2bbl Carter BBD), and air filter housing off of it will help the truck.
 
Just wanna say welcome. Good luck with your plans. These are great little motors.
 
Post some photos of the engine bay, particularly the fuel and spark controls. I am not too familiar with 81 truck slants. Does your distributor traditional with centrifugal weights and vacuum advance canister or was that done in a "spark computer" box like my 82 Aries had (w/ Hall-effect distributor pickup)? I have heard that "lean burn" ignition boxes were erratic. I understand they attached to the air cleaner. I think your engine has hydraulic lifters, so no valve adjustments to fool with. Check the underhood wiring for brittle insulation. Also check the bulkhead connector since they are problematic, at least in earlier Mopars.
 
BillGrissom said:
Post some photos of the engine bay, particularly the fuel and spark controls. I am not too familiar with 81 truck slants. Does your distributor traditional with centrifugal weights and vacuum advance canister or was that done in a "spark computer" box like my 82 Aries had (w/ Hall-effect distributor pickup)? I have heard that "lean burn" ignition boxes were erratic. I understand they attached to the air cleaner. I think your engine has hydraulic lifters, so no valve adjustments to fool with. Check the underhood wiring for brittle insulation. Also check the bulkhead connector since they are problematic, at least in earlier Mopars.
Click to expand...

He has the box attached to the air cleaner.
 
OK so I am unable to upload photos as I am on my phone. I will figure it out. As for the tune up I got NGK plugs for a 1999 jeep 4.0l as that's what I read is good for /6. I am putting new brake lines on this weekend. And yes brake flush too. Yes it has had an oil change. I work at a brand name car dealer in the service department so access to tools and discounts and delivery junkyards.
Engine bay: car quest oil filter castrol 10w30 non synthetic. Car quest fuel filter. Napa air filter. NGK plugs. Accel 8mm spiral wires. No name new rotor and cap. Napa coil. Hei is in the mail. I have a computer attached to the air cleaner house. And wires going into carb. Pretty sure that's the "lean burn " computer I have read about. I also believe, have not looked that yes hydraulic lifters.
 
madd said:
OK so I am unable to upload photos as I am on my phone. I will figure it out. As for the tune up I got NGK plugs for a 1999 jeep 4.0l as that's what I read is good for /6. I am putting new brake lines on this weekend. And yes brake flush too. Yes it has had an oil change. I work at a brand name car dealer in the service department so access to tools and discounts and delivery junkyards.
Engine bay: car quest oil filter castrol 10w30 non synthetic. Car quest fuel filter. Napa air filter. NGK plugs. Accel 8mm spiral wires. No name new rotor and cap. Napa coil. Hei is in the mail. I have a computer attached to the air cleaner house. And wires going into carb.
Click to expand...

Try the forum runner app. Makes uploading pics much easier
 
OK reread entire thread. Umm. I am posting on fabo because I have read y'all are friendlier than ss. org . Yes I have done some studying on the /6 before buying and chose the truck for the motor. There's an eBay 2bbl aluminium intake up right now for $49. Should I or should I look for complete 2bbl carb/ setup. I know I need vacuum advance but I dunno timing . I have friends that know timing stuff.
 
madd said:
OK reread entire thread. Umm. I am posting on fabo because I have read y'all are friendlier than ss. org . Yes I have done some studying on the /6 before buying and chose the truck for the motor. There's an eBay 2bbl aluminium intake up right now for $49. Should I or should I look for complete 2bbl carb/ setup. I know I need vacuum advance but I dunno timing . I have friends that know timing stuff.
Click to expand...

We're friendlier than /6.org! Yay!! Stick around, my friend; there are some opinionated old cranks here, too. There's lots of knowledge and experience on both boards, and knowledge is what I'm looking for. I've learned a lot from those two boards and some other /6 sources, and I'm still learning. I recommend you check old posts on both forums, especially Doug Dutra (Doctor Dodge) and Slant Six Dan on /6.org. Learn to use the search features and read a bunch of old postings. The info is out there, and here!

Meanwhile, since the word is out that we're friendlier than /6.org, I'm sure the denizens of these parts will be on their (our) best behavior!!

ATB

BC
 
Thank you all so much. I am still reading all the info I can. Thanks for the links. I have done a lot of reading on /6.0rg but no posting. She seems to idle to low but I dunno what to adjust. You all rock and I am happy to be here and learning. Thanks again.
 
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