Not entirely today, but lately...
I recently posted about putting new shock absorbers on my rig.
Also, have a pretty reliable source of fuel as well that I posted.
What I haven't talked about though is over the course of keeping the truck in good tune, I hooked it up to a vacuum gauge and had a terribly bouncing needle indicating a valve train problem. I did a compression check and found a dead cylinder (#5) so I assumed valves too tight. Not having a baseline to compare to its hard to tell how good or bad the truck is running. If it sounds good, starts well and runs smooth is about all I can go on. Adjusted the valves and got compression back on #5. Generally better except for a miss at idle. A little more tune of the idle mixture and timing led to a broken idle mixture screw when loosening the vacuum line right next to it.
I found then that after extended driving it wouldn't idle well at all. Hard to correct that though with no mixture screw; I did find moisture in the brake booster line at the air cleaner lid maybe brake fluid was getting sucked through the system and pulled into the carburetor (surely that won't help an idle).
I also have a leaking wheel cylinder in the rear; pulled the drum and it was bad. Real bad. Brake fluid and dust mud everywhere. Ignored that for too long. Lots of pressure washing and cleaner. Disassemble, clean and reassembled the wheel cylinders, bleed brakes. Firm pedal never came back...
Dipping brake fluid at the master cylinder, mess with the boot at the peal shaft and lots of fluid in there. Rebuild the master cylinder.
Rummaging around under the truck the bed bolts are loose. Three sticks of 5/8" all-thread and now thats tight. Much quieter too without that thing bouncing around back there.
Lastly, scored a factory brake booster to rebuild and replace the one under the truck, that doesn't look factory.
Meanwhile the truck is running pretty good-set a new top speed in it of 60 mph.
