Going to send my next oil change off to make sure the engine is still doing well internally.





Still have 23xx miles till then, but if you are reading this years from now then you can go to this thread and see what happened, what I found out

Blackstone Do & Review thread

 

I did a bonehead move a few weeks back. Right before christmas to be exact. I am going through all my cell pics/videos doing editing to the tuneup video and trying to find all my footage and pics and all.. I come across what almost cost me a tow home.

I went to the carwash to wash the engine down, get the gunk off for the tuneup video and got water into the distributor or something.. I got stuck in traffic with a dead truck at 4pm.. I pissed a lot of people off.. LMAO oh well sh*t happens. Cop comes up to me finally and stayed behind till I could finally get the truck started and running enough to get it to the nearest parking lot. Tow company wanted $60.00 to tow me into a parking lot from the street.. I was determined to get the ole girl in by her own power. At the time the tow truck came by my truck was finally able to run (albeit very badly) on its own and I got to the parking lot on my own. Tow driver came by to see if I needed help, told him no and gave him a $5-spot for the trip over.. told him to get a burger and thanks anyways.

Pics of the fun at the carwash that caused it all:

 

If it isn't too windy tomorrow, I will be changing out the door lock actuator, and window regulator/motor. Supposed to be 15degF as a high.. brrr.. lol

 

Usually when I clean the engine I do it at home, I cover the cai then spray it down with simple green. After that I gently hose it off then I bring out my compressor set it at 60 psi and try and get all the water out before starting her up.

I had a friend that would use a leave blower so that would work also.

 

I take the R-tard award on that one. I learned my lesson LOL but you are right about getting it all dried off. The PCV and Breather boots were hard as a ****** nipple in antartica.. they had been leaking for some time. The cab of this truck was really nice, the body in good shape also, but the maintenance wasn't the best from what I am finding out. Any who.. getting better now

I plan on an air gap intake soon and some aluminum valve covers. I will be able to get things more cleaned up once I get to that level.

What do you guys use to dress your hoses and such?

 

lol, thats ok sounds like the truck is alive.

I don't use them dress up hoses but I did install magnum valve covers at the same time I put in harland sharp na rockers.
https://dodgeforum.com/g/picture/2412615

 

Sharp NA rockers eh? I might as well do that while I am at it. You go with thicker pushrods? (I say that only knowing that is generally what you do on other automakers setups).

As far as dressing up the rubber hoses, I just meant polish or conditioner. Tire shine? Don't know.

 

I am going to my buddy's place once I get the valve covers and intake. I am going powder coat them Ferrari Crinkle Red for both, with the raised bits on valve covers polished.

 

Well I finally got the P0420 code problem licked.

With trying to figure out that situation, I ran into issues (my own understanding) of the tank's fuel volume. Seems our tanks are 19gal +6gal? but each time I fill up I can not get that volume at fill up. Logic says the remaining amount is past red or (reserve).

Reason this was an issue is that I bought CataClean and basically wasted it per its instructions (1 bottle per 4 gallons of gas). So I ended up basically wasting $25.00 because I had it too diluted. I did get the light to go off for a bit though. The answer was what I found online. Cleaning the cat with 1 gallon of lacquer thinner to 10 gallons of fuel (which was 16 gallons??) ****.. I don't know..

I say that but I actually had a misfire from a bad spark plug that I ordered from Summit Racing.. got a replacement for damn near half the price from Orielly's and problem solved. A misfire code was coming up along with the P0420 code.. the misfire or oil consumption can cause a cat code to come on.. because it is fouling up the cat. I still think that it was the injection cleaner I used when I got the truck.. I think the truck's maintenance was so poor that when I ran all that through it cleaned out the engine but screwed up the cat.. bottom line I did a lot of maintenance and had an issue with a plug, and after everything the cat was clogged up. No code as of now, will update the cat code thread should it come back.. which I hope it will not.

Not only that.. the truck has never ran smoother. I mean you cannot almost not feel it running at a stoplight. Pretty damn nice you ask me.

I will say this also.. the numbers you can purchase from MSD for wires came in handy like crazy when diagnosing my misfire. Not that I didn't know the first left plug was Cyl #2, but I was able to check connections super easily and was able to eliminate connection issues.. in short those numbers are invaluable when it comes to maintenance of your vehicle, I highly recommend buying an extra set when you buy your MSD wire kit (1 set of numbers comes with the 8.5mm wire kits), or buying 2 kits (one for distributor, one for plugs side) when you redo your wires, or if you just get a wild hair and decide to do it. VERY worth it.

On to newer and better with the truck. First is getting the roll pan & factory tow wiring installed and a hitch installed after that.

Lots of stuff to do to get her back to square one (window regulator & lock actuator installed.. headlight install, dash replacement.. etc.. etc, and have to give the interior a full vacuum and detail.

The issue with the cat has made me want to get the exhaust addressed sooner than later and some way to tune everything.

If any of you read this and have a suggestion on a tuner, please let me know

 

02 sensor replacement tonight. The white power residue all over the O2 sensor.




























Put some holes in the guard to zip tie the O2 sensor wire to keep it off the exhaust this time.





exhaust.. wire was welded to it..