First attempt at TBI,here goes

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MrMarty51

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Finally got room enough to get the 79 in,now it begins

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Just a tad bit filthy,I`d say.A good scrub job while the snow`s melting off,get it all dried up afore I get started.engine components`ll get warshed as I go.
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But first,before I start on the conversion,I will get this diff. instilled under the front,new spring bushings will be in the gist of things too.
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MrMarty51

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Does these springs look like they are getting a bit weak.It seems about every chevcy pickup I look at,the springs are arched backards,seems like it "Should Be" bending the otrher way,I dunno:Insane:

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Swims350

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that's called negative arch and it's definately typical. If you had another leaf maybe add a leaf they would be closer to flat or even on the + side. our 86 had 3 leafs and was flat or a bit positive.

You interested in lifting it any?

ever heard of the 52 inch spring swap? adds about 4 inches overal height give or take, some say they are too flexy up front for street driving, others say it works just fine.

It's pretty cheap, hardest part is the factory rivets up front get removed and hangers swapped sides, bolt back in place, then finding a set of used rears should be fairly cheap and sometimes easy to come by.

That would fix the negative arch plus gain some inches.
 

89Suburban

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All the factory half tons at least sit like that. Great thread, can't wait to watch this one. :popcorn:
 

smurph20

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My 3/4 sat that way too till i added some leaves to the front to level it up with the rear.
 

MrMarty51

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OK on the springs,I`ll be scrapping for a set,add one but then I think with that "Tommy Lift From HELL" hanging on the rear the front`ll be higher than the rear,add leaves to the rear too and it`ll be gooder n ****.

Nope,not going for any kind of a "real" lift,just want to help out some tired springs.

This will be a kind of a slow paced project,all contingent on how thet there reuhmatoid artritis kicks My ass and the back problems too,fuggin tramadol,it "HELPS" with the pain,but,I try not to take too much so I get totally loooopey,I dont like that.
so I have to try and maintain a balancing act with the pain and the looooopeys.

OK,time to get to scrubbing.
 

MrMarty51

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NEVER!!!!!!!!!! just "ASS"UME" ANYTHING.I should have checked but I did`nt.My 79 seemed to be geared sort of low,so,I figgered it would be a 4:10 gear ratio,it warnt,turns out it is a 3:73 and the front I rebuilt,new bearings/balljoints,is a 4:10,fuggittyfuggityfuggity.
Now I will be dismantling the rebuilt diff and transferreing the parts-n-pieces over to the one still in the pickup,fugg.
I wont mess with the bearings on either diff,the original front end turns smooth and free,no slack in the pinion,perfect backlash so I will try an remove them ball joints and transfer the new ones acrost,hope them axle splines is the same between the two,I do`nt like having to remove new ujoints to put into a different shaft,that aint fun.
RANT OVER,You can come back now.:emotions122::popcorn::grd::happy107:
 

89Suburban

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MrMarty51

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:owned::emotions122: :popcorn::happy175:
Sometimes it is tough,trying to maintain a sense of humer,but,I must,or else I`d become a sad ass and there`s already enough of those in this world.
 

MrMarty51

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Well, comes time to do some switch over.
All of the fuel hoses was rotted and leaking.
I am going to drop the tanks to replace the hoses, going on with injection rated hose, and in the process, busted a nipple{OUCH} off of the tanks switching valve.
It is time, I am going to, while the tanks are down, drill the sending units covers and solder in a fuel return pipe then, as long as I will be needing a new tank switching valve, convert it over to the TBI valve.
I will need to cap the return lines on the engine side of the switching valve and, install the switching valves wireing/connector/pigtail, Will I need to, at this time, replace the switch, on the dash, to match the switching valves wiring or, can I still use the old switch and just wire it accordingly, the bare minimum for now, until I get this thing on the road again, for a while.
I just want to make it driveable for now so I can work out more of the bugs before doing the complete TBI conversion.
 

Jims86

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Well, comes time to do some switch over.
All of the fuel hoses was rotted and leaking.
I am going to drop the tanks to replace the hoses, going on with injection rated hose, and in the process, busted a nipple{OUCH} off of the tanks switching valve.
It is time, I am going to, while the tanks are down, drill the sending units covers and solder in a fuel return pipe then, as long as I will be needing a new tank switching valve, convert it over to the TBI valve.
I will need to cap the return lines on the engine side of the switching valve and, install the switching valves wireing/connector/pigtail, Will I need to, at this time, replace the switch, on the dash, to match the switching valves wiring or, can I still use the old switch and just wire it accordingly, the bare minimum for now, until I get this thing on the road again, for a while.
I just want to make it driveable for now so I can work out more of the bugs before doing the complete TBI conversion.
Stock engine, right?
 

MrMarty51

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Stock engine, right?
Yes, not cam`d or anything like that.
It might be a 400 but, probably a 350.

Dropped the right side tank.Hoses is all rotted as is the pickup screen mesh filter, has holes in it too.
The sender is a 3 port, center must be for a charcoal canister, it has a check ball and had a differential breather on it.
Suction side port is 3/8ths and the return port is 1/4 inch.
I suppose the 1/4 inch return port would be too small to use as a return for the TBI huh.
I keep looking over in Rock Auto, for some reason, I just cant seem to get myself to pull out one of the credit cards and go for the 87 TBI components to do the conversion. I think it was about three fifty for both sides, including the tanks switching valve.
Something about wanting to get debt free, crap.
 
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Jims86

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Yes, not cam`d or anything like that.
It might be a 400 but, probably a 350.

Dropped the right side tank.Hoses is all rotted as is the pickup screen mesh filter, has holes in it too.
The sender is a 3 port, center must be for a charcoal canister, it has a check ball and had a differential breather on it.
Suction side port is 3/8ths and the return port is 1/4 inch.
I suppose the 1/4 inch return port would be too small to use as a return for the TBI huh.
I keep looking over in Rock Auto, for some reason, I just cant seem to get myself to pull out one of the credit cards and go for the 87 TBI components to do the conversion. I think it was about three fifty for both sides, including the tanks switching valve.
Something about wanting to get debt free, crap.
1/4" should be fine if there are no crimps in the line.
 

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