Short update. After thinking about it for awhile, I decided to check the oil again, and noticed it was black and very runny. I have been fighting the edelbrock since I got it together. It always needs help starting. Its like the bowls are empty. And it stumbles when I try to keep the throttle steady. So, I thought maybe I was washing the cylinder walls, and bearing by spraying gas and starting fluid into the carb on every start. Or it could be the carb is dumping the gas from the bowls into the oil after shutdown. So, I changed the oil and switched to a 20W50 and drove the truck. And the oil pressure was about 35 psi at idle, and went to about 55 at 2500 rpm. So, the engine isnt dead, yet. But I was right about thinning the oil out. Im not sure how its happening, but Im going to fix it. Im going to add fuel injection, I just havent figured out which one to get yet.

My plan now is to replace the carb with fuel injection, add some mirrors, and fix the tailgate. Then Im going to drive the truck for awhile. Ill still have some things to fix, but its running pretty good.

 

You can replace it with a Holley. Never had any of those issues with one. All the kits are going to be throttle body injection. Not that much different than a carb but more efficient(and expensive).

 

Im going to be adding the fuel injection and some other goodies in the next month or two. I am doing this so I can start driving the truck. My wife and I have been on the fence about some decisions, and we think we have found a way to fix some things. I want to build my car, the 07 charger rt. Ill have a build thread in the charger section. I have wanted to build it for awhile, but in light of the circumstances we felt we needed to build Isaacs truck first. I sold the ford f100 back to the original owner, after I put the 5 speed in. I just have too many projects and didnt want the hassle.
So that leaves me with Isaacs truck, and my charger. We considered buying a beater to drive while I work on mine, but I didnt want another insurance payment, and another car to have to work on. So I am going to fix the carb issue on Isaacs truck with a TBI. Im going to add some electric cut-outs with some resonators, because its rowdy. I like that, but at 5 AM in the morning, I dont want to be that guy. There are a few other things Ill fix also. Im dropping off the new Ididit 30" column tomorrow for paint. Ill get another steering wheel with it to, and finally wire up the blinkers. Ill fix the tailgate too. And maybe some other things along the way, but the goal is to drive it. Thats what Isaac would have done. Itll let me sort out some issues, and get my car built also.

 

Started working on the exhaust and fuel injection upgrade. I am adding some cutouts and resonators to tone the exhaust down a bit. I plan on driving the truck, but when its 5 am I dont want to wake the whole house. Plus some towns have noise laws, and I dont want to draw attention, until I want to draw attention. I had to move the mufflers forward about 2" to make room for the cutouts. Then the angle was off, so I had to re-do the part that goes over the axle. I have one side where I want it. I have to order another J-bend for the other side.

The EFI looks killer on the engine. I love the way it looks. The Aces Killshot is a newer system, but they had some good reviews, better than the FItech, and even the Holley which was much more expensive. Plus they are out of Tennessee, so I had to show them a little love. If looks and presentation are any indication, it will work great. I also got most of my fuel system components. Now Im down to the fittings and lines. After I finish the exhaust, and the fuel system, Ill wire it all up. I also have the new, longer column painted, but I dont know if Ill get it put in this winter. We will see. Im working 60 hr weeks at work, and there isnt a lot of time after that to work on the cars.


The cutout and new over-the-axle section. When open, the exhaust will dump right at the cutout.

View from the back. Ill have to add a few more hangers also.

The new resonator. I hope its super quiet. Thats what I was going for.

New EFI from Aces, and the 14" air cleaner. I might swap out for a K&N eventually.

It looks great. I could have got it in gold also, but I thought the black worked better.

Fuel system. This stuff is expensive. All together its about $400 for everything here. And I still need lines and some extra fittings. I was able to use one of the lines in the picture.

 

Looks like a holley four barrel. Wonder if this was the idea.

 

Ive been doing a little here and there. Work is trying to kill us, so I dont have a lot of extra time right now. Im not complaining though, it wont last forever, and I could have the exact opposite problem. Im just blessed to be making good money to afford these parts, because they are adding up. Holy cow.

I ordered what I hope is the last of the fittings for the fuel system. I probably have over $300 in lines and fittings. Itll look good when its done though. I built a few lines, then had to buy a tool. That makes it a little better. Still a pain though. I also finished the exhaust welding and cutting. I wanted to do that before the weather sets in and I cant open the garage door. I set off the carbon monoxide alarm a few years ago. Dont want to do that again, so I make sure the door is open now. I still need a few hangers, but its practically done. Then I mounted the ECU and the relays, and started figuring out where all the wiring is going to go.

Here is where I wish I had planned better in the beginning, because I wanted to mount the ECU under the dash, and keep the engine bay as clean as possible. But, I dont have a lot of room. This truck has some weird shapes and angles too, so a lot of the room is unusable. Had I known I was going to go with the fuel injection, I would have planned it out better. It will work, but the engine bay is starting to look cluttered. There are tons of things I would do different if I could do it over again, but Ill probably never get the chance. After this Im working on my car for awhile. Maybe in 10 years, I can go ahead and build a frame for it like I want, and do it the right way. We will see.

Anyway, pictures. Im not done with the lines. Fittings are in the mail.

I almost forgot, I had the new longer column painted. I might put it in while Im doing all this wiring and fix the turn signals, horn and hazards. I dont have pictures of it, because it all wrapped up. I dont want to scratch it.


Fuel pressure regulator. I wanted this on the firewall, but the heater takes up too much of the space, so it has to go here.

ECU and the relays. Ill work on the harness and make it as clean as I can. It says it can be mounted under the hood, so it is water proof.

I just started the wiring. I plugged everything in, and dropped it in place. Ill work with it. If it gets too bad, Ill shorten the harness where needed.

I dont remember if I have shown this, but this is likely where the screen will go. It doesnt interfere with the shifter, and its out of the sun too.

 

I got a few things done this week. Its hard to get motivated when we are working 60+ hr weeks. We have a crazy schedule for the rest of the year, and I only get Saturdays and Sundays (we typically work 4-10s) And Saturdays are probably going to go away soon.

But anyhow, I managed to get some brackets made and welded in for the fuel pump and one of the filters. I also made a small throttle cable and spring bracket, but I didnt get a picture of it. Im going to have to reroute my battery cables I think. They are going to be in the way of the return fuel line. Ill have to take a closer look at some point. But for now, I have the pump and filter in, and they are far enough away from the exhaust that Im happy with them. The pump is above the fuel pickup by a few inches, but I think itll be fine. Ill have to run the hard line for the return also. And Ill have to make a few more lines to tie the new pump and filter into the system.

Pump and filter. The bracket is welded top and bottom to the frame.

Fuel lines. I will find a way to secure them to the firewall and engine.

Next will be wiring. I still have to weld in an O2 sensor also.
.

 

That fuel line looks real close to the header!

 

It is. I'll have to reroute it slightly.