DodgeTalk Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

89 D350 Dump Truck R&R

7K views 39 replies 5 participants last post by  rickpilgrim 
#1 ·
ECM corrosion/failure caused a rethink on how to get the dump truck back on the road so here goes:
The truck and some stuff from summit racing:
 

Attachments

See less See more
3
#2 ·
Tried to get the 440/727 deal from the boneyard but no go there so got the last TBI 360 they had. It's an 89 van 360 with 84K miles. Looks ugly from being buried on the bottom/back of the engine rack but does come with a 3mo/3000 mi warranty.
 

Attachments

#6 ·
Original was 89 5.9 v8 cab/chassis motor with deeply dished 7.8/1 compression piston TBI engine
"New" engine is a 9/1 compression out of an 89 van.
Will update pics soon now that all brackets and linkages are done to use the Thermoquad with the TBI throttle, cruise control and kickdown linkage.
Next is service and clean/paint the 727.
 
#8 ·
Had some time late afternoon and evening so:
Got the motor mounts and trans support bracket on the motor and painted, then did filter change, band adjustment and line pressure tweek to the 727 and cleaned it up.
Had a few extra rattle cans of engine paint, didn't want Chevy orange but there were 2 cans of F!!d red there so red it was.
Next is floor patching and new fuel supply and return lines, and the rear spring hanger brackets need replacement.
 

Attachments

#9 ·
Really wanted the 440/727 as most of our summer trucks are 400+ cid powered but with the 5.9 TBI roller cam 9/1 compression and our normal port matched intake/heads, Thermoquad plus the headers and X pipe and 2 1/2" dual exhaust the little 360 should hold its own(with a little more rpm) for the driving we do.
In retrospect I could have put the 2000 5.9 magnum I have in it but that's saved for the 99 ram, if and when it needs it.
 
#12 ·
Today we got the mighty 360 and reliable 727 set in and the mounts tightened down and the rusty cab support and floor bar reinforced so tomorrow it's on to making floor panels and getting the Torqueflight all hooked up so we can fit the headers and exhaust up.
 

Attachments

#14 ·
Delayed again due to Meyer E47 snow plow pump not lifting on our 89W250 and center bevel gear box failure on snow tractor. On top of that the city of Wausau filed lawsuit on Village of Maine where I live and am a trustee for so the DT will have to wait a bit. Will update asap
 
#15 ·
Good luck with the headaches.
 
#16 ·
Had a few hrs this afternoon so I grabbed a sheet on the rolling file cabinet sheet metal, made a floor patch and used adhesive caulk and 1/2" self drilling screws and put that in.
I didn't realize that 1/8" X 1" strap would alter the floor level that much so all the hammer work stretched the metal so much it cracked. Rather than start over I just added a patch over that. I was quite liberal with the the floor bonding caulk so I smoothed that out and cut off the protruding screws and sprayed rust preventative over the floor.
Patches for the dump bed are next up.
 

Attachments

#18 ·
Today, first thing up was rebuilding the front double U-joint in that driveshaft for the 89 W250 and I had a bit more time so I final color painted the DT floor and took a shot at hanging the passenger side header.
All I can say is if you want a direct no modifying header don't buy the summit brand header. I had to dent one lower tube to keep it off the frame, the back tube had to be massaged to get bolt #5 in and tomorrow I'll have to re work the front tube with the air hammer to get bolt #2 in. Oh well, I guess the no pain no gain applies to these headers.
 

Attachments

#19 ·
This afternoon I cleaned the floor mat and installed it back in, cleaned the seat, ground the broken stud out and bolted that in and now some advise about the Summit Racing brand headers.
If you have a 4wd a 1/4" grind on the pass side lower flat of the frame, take starter and oil filter off first and the rest is reassemble.
Now if you have a 2wd D250 or 350 you need a 5/16 grind on that pass side lower flat right behind the cradle, and on the drivers side serious re-construction of the motor mount plate and the suspension crossmember below it. I'll get back with pictures of that soon.
My advise is forget the Summit Racing brand headers and go right to Hooker Headers so they fit without torch/mig welder/grinder work we"ll be doing tomorrow.
 
#20 ·
Here's the pics of the finished interior and after spending all afternoon and evening getting those Summit Racing headers to fit and not rub on the frame I can say never again.
When I called their tech line their advise was first:
Those headers are made for the 1/2 ton trucks, not a chassis/cab D350 that is different and we can find no listing for a header made to fit your truck
And second:
Like any aftermarket part you have to modify things to fit.

I had thought this would go like the headers on the 86 K10, the ones on the K3500 dually 427 tall block or even my 98 K3500 with the 402-454 crank 427 which all needed custom exhaust and a dimple here and there. This was as much as 1/2" ground off frame rails and almost 2" of motor mount and K member that all had to reinforced not to mention number one cylinder pipe had to be cut out and replaced with a custom bent oval shaped pipe so the frame grinding could be limited to 1/2".
Please take my advise and DO NOT try to put Summit Racing headers on your first gen Dodge Ram truck.
 

Attachments

#22 ·
Also got the voltage regulator and ign box and ballast resistor in and all that wiring done and my air filter and 3" air filter riser came in so here's what all that looks like
 

Attachments

#23 ·
What I can't figure out is the differences in wiring and equipment between our 89 W250 and this 89 D350. The w250 has different cruise control, different washer/wiper fluid resivoier and coolant overflow bottle.
Wiring differences are 250 has idle speed motor, 350 didn't even have the bolt holes on the TBI for it, 250 has 3 vacumn/electric sensors on the valve cover, 350 had 2 and only plugs for 2 with no cut wires. Egr on 250, wasn't even on the D350's intake manifold and fuel lines/tank are different also, the 250 has all 5/16" lines while the D350 has 3/8" supply and 5/16 return and a much bigger tank.
Then there's the differences in looks. I realize the w250 is a higher trim and option level but that doesn't cover the driveline differences. Ideas?
 

Attachments

#24 ·
This afternoon we finished(I thought) the underhood wiring (nice blue summit spark plug wires), hooked up the fuel lines on the tank end, did the final welding on the exhaust, put the new rear spring hangers on and topped off all fluids.
At 7:10 was ready to fire it up but dumb me forgot the fuel pump re wiring so the pump would run more than 2 seconds so tomorrow is another day.
 

Attachments

#25 ·
Today we took a shot at starting and tuning and had a few headaches. First was the starter that kept cranking after letting go of the key.
Took an hr to find out the ignition box was feeding power back through the ballast resistor keeping voltage in the starter relay circut. I ordered a diode to use as a one way power control and clipped the wire for now.
Then it was the start, run about 1 min and slowly die. Seems that field mice used that Flowmaster 50 series muffler as their condo, plugging the exhaust. After splitting the exhaust I Took the Suburban and backed it to the door, 10' of flex pipe clamped to the Burb tailpipe and a 3-3 1/2 adapter to the DT tailpipe and rev up the burbs 6.0. That got half of the crap out, the rest cleared out on the lot testing.
Now this motor sat for at least 11 yrs and the valves aren't seating the best leading to some popping in the exhaust and a little in the intake, it's getting less the more we run it. Still, starts right up, had great oil psi, runs cool and here's the video link to it while blowing the mice condo.

https://www.facebook.com/cory.a.pilgrim/posts/963575633678509


Another 3 hrs wasted but got it out of the shop and running around the shop complex lot. Took better pics of the spring hangers and more work on it tomorrow
 

Attachments

Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top