84 Crewcab...AKA..Patches

[69.5CUDA]

looks pretty well identical

 

[v8440]

Yeah, they look identical to me, other than one being much cleaner than the other. I replaced the evaporator and heater core on my buddy's '92 d250 diesel recently. Makes a helluva hole in the firewall when you take the box out, doesn't it?

 

[Mark Nixon]

In picture number 2, clear on the LEFT end, there's the fitting/block that the line bolts to, you'll probably want to swap the older one onto the new box.
Unless you're running the newer wiring and dash harness, that is.

Mark.

 

[thrashingcows]

Mark...you mean the Exp. valve for the A/C? I plan on running a mix of the two A/C systems....will update that when I eventually get a set of 91.5-93 IC style A/C lines.

 

[thrashingcows]

Over the long weekend I ground out all the sealant from the drip rails. Used this handy little wire wheel on the grinder. That wheel, and the sealant being torn up...looked like it had just snowed.

But be careful trying to get into the tight areas...I hit the roof with the metal nut on the underside of the wire wheel...but a few good gouges in the roof....ooh:



...Photobucket is being difficult. Tried for a hour last night to upload and post pics and had to give up. Still not working this morning.

 

[thrashingcows]

After grinding out all the sealant I used some small picks and screwdrivers to dig out as much of the old sealant I could. I then used a small flat brush to paint in some rust converting primer. Took a while to get into all the nooks and crannies, but got way better coverage then trying to spray primer from a can or gun.

You can see the rust through on the very front endge of the drip rail....

 

[thrashingcows]

Then use a bunch of old sheets and blankets I keep around for whatever...and some tape and start spraying primer then paint. I found some of that pre-mix touch up paint...from Canadian Tire, that closely matched the creme on the new box.

 

[thrashingcows]

Then yesterday I decided to work on the blower motor upgrade for the heater box. The unit I'm using is a unit designed for a GM pick up truck...but is way cheaper, and flows more air then the old mopar units. Only problem is it doesn't mount in the same way as the mopar unit. So had to do a little thinking outside the box.

Here is the original Mopar unit...

I then cut off the wires and cut off the outside mounting ring.

I had to then position the new motor and trim it to clear the rubber isolator/seal, and have the vent hole at the bottom to line up with the vent fitting on the heater box. I also had to notch the old ring to clear the power supply hump on the new motor.

 

[thrashingcows]

Then it was clamp the ring in position and tack weld then together. It was nice the new motor had a bnch of small misc holes all alround the mounting flange so i was able to spot weld each of those as well.

And the fan positioned in the spare front cover I'd been using for alignment pourposes.

Then I used the spare orignal plug to wire up the motor...then it will plug in directly to the factory wiring.

 

[Dr.Jass]

I don't mean to be a jerk, but did it occur to you that the heat exchangers (heater core and A/C evaporator) in the truck were designed around a certain amount of air flow? Too much might actually decrease overall efficiency as the air is cooling/heating the core too quickly, meaning they never reach their full potential. My guess is that your old blower was weak with age and a stock replacement would've been fine. Worn bushings can do a real number on the effectiveness of an electric motor.

 

[69.5CUDA]

however the old core was also likely designed for the lower temps of a v8 not a diesel..also...he can always turn the speed down to compensate meaning less NOISE

 

[Dr.Jass]

Diesels and gas engines used the same heater cores and evaporators. Diesels also run coolant at the same temp as gas engines, because water boils at the same point no matter where you put it-212° unless it's pressurized; diesels are not pressurized higher than gas engines. The thermostat is always between 195°-208°, be it a V6 2WD or a 3500 dually 6WD. In the same year, they'll likely be the same temp.

 

[71dusterman]

Pick a very calm day for your spray painting as a neighbor of my brothers found out years ago. He did some outdoor spraying and ended up with overspray on several neighbourhood houses that his insurance picked up the tab for the cleanup. :doh:

 

[thrashingcows]

Thanks for the thoughts and advice guys...good, bad or other. :2thumbs:

As for the heater blower...like 69 says if it's moving more air then the system is used too, then I can run it on one of the lower settings...there are 4 on my heater control. As for the painting...I was thinking of doing it inthe garage...with a booth made up of plastic sheeting. Or I might be able to use my neighbours shop where he works...they make fiberglass pieces and have a big spray booth.

 

[thrashingcows]

Doc it was a guy over on the Diesel board I frequent who decided on this motor, Jim Lane is his handle. I could not remember why he chose it so I dug up his thread and this is why....

Now if I was going to just replace the blower motor here it would be a simple task of swapping out the motor on the old blower wheel, clean out the air box using compressed air from the inside to the outside, I would them wipe down all of the air box and plenum using a cotton towel and Windex to get rid of the dust.

And then simply reverse the order to finish the job,

But when I took the blower wheel off the old motor I found out that I had several broken vanes on the blower wheel.

So after about a hour on the phone with every auto parts and automotive A/C shop I could think of I came up empty handed, I had called West Covina Dodge and he told me that blower wheel has been discontinues several years ago so I ask him if he could use the locator and he said he found ONE at a dealer CW Beamgard in Atwood Kansas remember I am in Southern California so he gave me the phone number, I called them and I talked to a guy also named Jim and I ask him about the blower wheel and I ask him if he could get it and describe it to me. He comes back and I ask him to read the part number off the casting and guess what, IT IS THE WRONG PART, someone put the wrong wheel in the right box so now there are NO blower wheels at any Dodge Dealer anywhere, but he did say they had a couple of wrecked D-350’s on the lot and he was going to go and see if they had the blowers in them yet and he would call my back.

He said he had a D-350 like mine, bought it new and he really loved that truck.

So now here I am with a broken blower wheel, I cannot get one anywhere at least right now and I need my heater. So what to do…

I will make something else fit.

So I went to Pep Boys and started looking at the computer for blower motors that came with wheels, that were close to the original size and vane count and it had to turn in the right direction and before he could find anything I said get me a blower motor for a late 1982 Chevy truck, he brought one out and they are almost a perfect match except for the mounting flange on the motor.

Here is the motor that I bought, it fits 1988-1993 Chevy Truck and probably many more GM applications, it is a short motor with a permanate magnet field.

VDO
PM129
#35334

 

[69.5CUDA]

you could also grab some plstic sheeting and some CHEEP abs? plastict tubing the white stuff..no need to glue.get some bends and some t's and some duct tape i boothed off the gamer bus for painting outside

 

[thrashingcows]

I just remembered I have some big scafolding behind the shed. I can set that on either side of the truck, some long 2x4's over the roof, then tape up a bunch of plastic to make a small booth....might work....:hmmm:

 

[69.5CUDA]

yeah would totaly work......may not be "ideal" but nothing ever really is outside lol...i only mention the 3/4 pipe cause the stuff is dirt cheep and cause the joints hold soo well you dont need glue and when your done you take it apart wrap it up and stuff it in the atic

 

[thrashingcows]

The 3/4 pipe is a great idea 69...will keep it in mind for sure.

 

[Dr.Jass]

PVC is stupid cheap, lightweight, and very easy to work with. I actually thought about a fold-up PVC spray booth in my garage. It would've worked, too, if it hadn't been for those meddling kids (apologies to Scooby Doo).