A few tedious questions, if I may. First, my water temp. gauge seems to be accurate, and is always on the "cold-side". I got and installed a hotter thermostat awhile back, think it was 195 F., but it still runs "cold". I've seen bus-drivers use a physical cover, i.e. fabric or even cardboard with varying size apetures cut in them to retrict air flow to the radiator. The front of a Ram is very open and the radiator is fairly large, is there any benefit to this? Also, I've seen others discussing removing the lean-burn system and I know it's already been discussed. (I'm still trying to figure out how to use the search mode). So, just a pointer to one of the previous threads about the lean-burn removal. The Ram with a slant is such a slow beast! Thanks!

Hi there! I have an 86 Dodge shorty van with a slant six. I recently removed the lean burn system form my van and it has made a huge difference.

As far as running cool, my van also rund very cool. I have never had it get above the first line on the temp guage. I think the cooling systems on these vehicles were just very well designed. As long as you are still getting hot air for your heater and defroster I say just let it be.

Just this week I removed the lean burn system and swapped in an HEI ignition. I think that this is by far the cheapest and easiest swap possible for replacing a lean burn system. Here is the web page with the HEI wiring schematics: http://duster318.freeservers.com/tech/hei.html Installing this system on a vehicle that was equipped with lean-burn merely requires swapping distributors and hooking the HEI unit up to the coil. Lean burn systems used no ballast resistor and the (+) feed on the coil will poer the HEI unit. It took me about three hours to do the swap, but the vast majority of that was spent unwrapping the wring harness, carefully separating out the lean burn component wiring, and then re-wrapping the harness. The only wires I had to cut were the grounding and power wires fgor the lena burn computer and components. The only fabrication I had to do (besides the harnes for the HEI system) was to make a ground for the HEI unit, but that was due to the place I mounted it.

Remember that the HEI unit MUST be grounded to work properly. The best way to do this is to make sure that you use both holes in the unit to screw into a good grounding surface.

You also must remember that removing the lean burn computer requires replacement of the carburetor with a non-computer controlled model.

Reed, Thanks a lot for your help. What distributor did you use? I thought it said you could also get an aftermarket distibutor(?). I replaced my carb, (the infamous 1945) with a Poop-boys rebuild, which was useless, and got a brand new, in the box, Holley 1945, but it doesn't seem to have any wired connections to it. Not sure. About the temp. question, I will leave it alone, I had just read an article on the AllPar site, (I recognize some names over there from here) that lower engine temps. could create an acidic condition that was bad for bearing surfaces, and could also help to create sludge. Anyway, it sounded plausible, but I probably change my oil enough to take care of both problems. Again, thank you!

Here are some of the things I've done to my 82 D150. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/658846

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82 D150 Slant6 Shorty
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/658846

I used a spare standard electronic ignition distributor I had laying around in my gargae. My research indicates that its original application was a 78 Volare station wagon with a Super Six. Any slant six standard electronic ignition distributor will work, but you will want to play around with your distributor advance curve and your vacuum advance if you are adapting a car distributor to a truck.
Sounds like good move, but you most likley need to go through the carb and adjust all the settings to make it work with your truck. You also need to double check the main metering jet size and make sure it is reight around a # 60.
This can happen, but if you are really worried you can install a cardboard blocker in front of the radiator to restrict airflow, or do things like remove the fan shround or install an electric fan with and adjustable temp sending unit.

More complete, slant-6-related HEI information is located Here.

Overly-cold running is a bad thing, so don't just leave it alone—fix it! It spoils your fuel economy, contaminates your engine oil, and makes the exhaust dirty. It will definitely pay you to figure out if the engine is actually running cold, or if the gauge is just telling lies. The correct thermostat temperature for the later-model applications like yours is 195° unit.

Are you sure you got the correct carburetor for your late-model application? There should be at least one wired connection.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I'm trying to do this upgrade right now.
I've got a few questions.
How do I identify the ballast resistor or that my coil has one?
Also, I seem to have only one wire comming off the distributor. Where did the other wire go?

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The Old Goat '83 D150 225-2

AKA Ice Titan

Dan,
Yes, I do have one wire to (I don't know the proper name for it) some module mounted on the carb. next to the choke connection. I'll try another thermostat, or the old cardboard trick, or maybe even take a thermometer to the coolant! Thank you.

Are you sure it is not two wires gled together? I suppose an easier method would be to check if you have a vacuum advance pod on the distributor.

Reed,
I just have an idle-solenoid, and no vacuum advance. Am replacing exhaust intake with the 109 dollar replacement found on 1A Auto, not a bad Chinese repro! In fact some areas are built up and others, (like under the choke-pocket) are ground down to ease the nut and triangle washer install, we'll see when I turn the key! Found a hole in the smog-pump tube to head connection, I'm wondering if that would have affected running condition, I would assume so. It's funny how filthy that side of the engine is when you remove the intakes!! Good time to clean. Thanks for your inputs, take care.

[quote="Reed]
This can happen, but if you are really worried you can install a cardboard blocker in front of the radiator to restrict airflow, or do things like remove the fan shround or install an electric fan with and adjustable temp sending unit.[/quote]

I'm running into the same problem with my 85' D100. The electric Fan would be easy for me because of my access to a salvage yard. If I went with the electric fan, I would like to install a temperature switch so the fan would come on automatically after a certain temperture.

1) What would be a good interchange for a temperature switch/sending unit?
2) What temperature is considered normal, 180 degrees?
3) What is the preferred location for a temperature switch/sending unit?

Thanks

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85' D100
225cid
A833OD