Found a new project. Ram D250

[threewood]

I hope the freeze plugs are the same. As for the ecm, I may just get one that matches my current one to keep the wiring simple.

Also, this is from a 1999 Dodge truck, so the wiring is different. I'll keep the 92 harness and use all the pieces from 1992 where I can.

 

[threewood]

Only broke off two exhaust studs...

Teardown is going good. I'm going to have a lot of extra parts.

 

[GTXDAN]

Looks like the water pump has been changed sometime as the bypass hose doesn't look factory, and the pump looks newer.

 

[threewood]

Looks like the water pump has been changed sometime as the bypass hose doesn't look factory, and the pump looks newer.

I saw that too. It's going to come off so I can get to the timing set and so I can flush the whole cooling system. Hopefully it's still good.

Santa brought some gifts...

 

[Detective D]

Only broke off two exhaust studs...View attachment 1967244

Teardown is going good. I'm going to have a lot of extra parts.
View attachment 1967245View attachment 1967246View attachment 1967247View attachment 1967248
View attachment 1967249

I just noticed your engine has the factory heat tube plug protection things-a-ma-bobs.
In WI, we call those "salt and dirt collectors" and they are the easiest way to make sure salt from winter roads rusts the plugs in nice and tight if you don;t pull them once a year.
Players choice of course, but if you are not using factory plug wires anyway now is the time to yank those things. A lot easier when the engine is sitting in the open then once it is installed.
Do you know if this engine had the plenum gasket job done?
There are ways to open up the intake for a little more grunt if you have it off, but it is not a huge gain for the work involved and likely not worth it if you are going to leave everything else factory stock, like the throttle body.

 

[threewood]

I just noticed your engine has the factory heat tube plug protection things-a-ma-bobs.
In WI, we call those "salt and dirt collectors" and they are the easiest way to make sure salt from winter roads rusts the plugs in nice and tight if you don;t pull them once a year.
Players choice of course, but if you are not using factory plug wires anyway now is the time to yank those things. A lot easier when the engine is sitting in the open then once it is installed.
Do you know if this engine had the plenum gasket job done?
There are ways to open up the intake for a little more grunt if you have it off, but it is not a huge gain for the work involved and likely not worth it if you are going to leave everything else factory stock, like the throttle body.

A magnet sticks to the plenum bottom so it has not been fixed. I already have the aluminum plate to mount. I can live without the plug protectors. No salt down here, barely any snow. It's 70 degrees currently lol.

 

[Detective D]

A magnet sticks to the plenum bottom so it has not been fixed. I already have the aluminum plate to mount. I can live without the plug protectors. No salt down here, barely any snow. It's 70 degrees currently lol.

If you are going to remove the plug tubes, and they aren't easily movable/wiggle-able with a channel locks, give them some shots of deep creep for a few days in a row. The last 360 I had to remove them on I had to use my home-made 2 foot long vice grips slide hammer, the bottoms of those tubes had already rust-fused with the heads.

 

[threewood]

Three steps forward, two steps back.

Started off replacing the pass side upper ball joint. My socket was too small so I used a giant set of Knipex adjustable pliers with a breaker bar (jack handle) and broke it free. Old one was trashed. New one went it perfect.

Next, on to the shock. Wrong one sent from Rock auto. The second one was correct so I used it. Notice short, stubby bottom bracket and upper bushings were wrong.

Then on went the new caliper. No issues.

New master cylinder bench bled and installed. Pushing fluid to the calipers like they should. Bled the front brakes and got a pretty solid pedal. Here is my one man brake bleeder...

So I went to the rear brakes....no fluid to the bleeder. Cracked open the hard line and got fluid. Wheel cylinders need to come off. Ugh. And while I was greasing my fittings my grease gun said "F it! I'm out." and stopped working.

 

[MarPar]

Three steps forward, two steps back.

Started off replacing the pass side upper ball joint. My socket was too small so I used a giant set of Knipex adjustable pliers with a breaker bar (jack handle) and broke it free. Old one was trashed. New one went it perfect.
View attachment 1968626
Next, on to the shock. Wrong one sent from Rock auto. The second one was correct so I used it. Notice short, stubby bottom bracket and upper bushings were wrong.
View attachment 1968625
Then on went the new caliper. No issues.

New master cylinder bench bled and installed. Pushing fluid to the calipers like they should. Bled the front brakes and got a pretty solid pedal. Here is my one man brake bleeder...
View attachment 1968628
View attachment 1968629

So I went to the rear brakes....no fluid to the bleeder. Cracked open the hard line and got fluid. Wheel cylinders need to come off. Ugh. And while I was greasing my fittings my grease gun said "F it! I'm out." and stopped working.

Is that a one-way valve for the bleeder? Pretty slick if it is! Where did ya get it?? lol

 

[threewood]

Is that a one-way valve for the bleeder? Pretty slick if it is! Where did ya get it?? lol

It is. Found a few on Amazon several years ago. I normally apply thread sealer on the bleeder threads, too. Makes it easy when my wife isn't able to help.

 

[davek]

I never used the one way valve. just put enough fluid in the bottle so it would not pull up

New master cylinder bench bled and installed. Pushing fluid to the calipers like they should. Bled the front brakes and got a pretty solid pedal. Here is my one man brake bleeder...

air.

 

[threewood]

I never used the one way valve. just put enough fluid in the bottle so it would not pull up


air.

Without the valve, I create a high loop in the hose so air goes to the top and fluid stays down by the bleeder.

 

[GTXDAN]

They use those check valves on motorcycles a lot for bleeding brakes

 

[threewood]

Driver side finished up. I swapped the lower shock mount and used a set or regular bushings to the shock instead of sending it back. It worked fine. Then I replaced the ball joint.

Got it all together, checked the brakes one last time for air. Very minute bubbles at first then clear. Put it all back together and put the wheels back on.