ahardb0dy

not sure I know the trans/transfer case combo new in the crate has different part numbers from the V6 to the 4 cylinder. Oem-surplus used to have them in the crate for sale.

Couldn't believe the price, I mean I just filled the PF like 4 days ago since it gets such great gas mileage !! and it wasn't that much. But can't complain I drove my 87 hardbody with 33's for about 5 years down here no AC no over drive, it had to get worse MPG than the PF.

filled gas tank, $62 !! Can't believe gas went up to $3.55 here , was 20 cents cheaper two days ago !! 17.2 gallons I think it took

Ok, sorry the technical name for that part, straight out of the 89 FSM is "Wax Type Fast Idle Cam", Here is a link to a 1989 FSM for the hardbody, this will be better than me scanning mine as there will be no grease on the pages like mine has, LOL http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/hardbody/d21_truck_1989.pdf takes a little bit to open, when it's done save it so you have it, the mechanical stuff is mostly the same as the pathfinder I'll post what page you need to look at, starting with page: 221 shows the components on the TB 259 diagnostic table 420 checking idle speed and ignition timing 427 TB diagram showing thermo element (wax type fast idle cam) 428 FAST IDLE INSPECTION AND ADJUSTMENT (see this !!) that's about it, go thru page 259 and it will tell you what page to go to, to do a diagnostic on the specific part, anything else let me know. good luck

That is the thermo element I mentioned earlier, it has 2 coolant nipples on it, one in, one out. There is a procedure in the FSM for measuring the stroke of the rod to see if it is working. It should be on the drivers side of the TB, the rod pushes against one of the cams that opens/closes the butterfly. It is designed to raise the idle when cold and as the coolant flowing into it gets hot it reduces the idle. Per the bleeding air out of the cooling system, don't the TBI trucks have the air relaease screw in the upper radiator hose? Plastic screw, be careful when removing it. I'll scan the section on testing the thermo element for you first, I don't think it really says how to replace it, it just shows a diagram of the wax element removed. I replaced it when I had my 87 hardbody, don't recall it being that difficult. I believe there is a metal ring like a "C" shape with 2 screws, you remove the 2 screws and the retainer ring and the wax element pulls out. Give me a few minutes and I'll do the scan for you.

I think Mountainbred is referring to the thermo element, it is a wax element that raises the idle until hot coolant rus thru it causing it to drop, if it is not working right it may cause the idle to remain high instead of dropping down as the engine warms up. If you have to adjust the timing or mess with the idle screw than something is wrong somewhere else. Have you tried cleaning the butterfly in the throttle body? I have a FSM for a 87 hardbody (paper copy) will be the same for your truck, can scan pages if you need it.

Exactly what I wanted to know, thanks, Could it have been smaller?? How they clog is beyond me as well !! Appreciate it.

Anyone ever cut open the radiator to see what the stock trans cooler actually looks like?

I don't plan on using the stock cooler anymore if I add a separate one. So would a junkyard one be large enough to run alone?

OH, there's a conversion factor that needs to be done, I did not know that. What junkyard coolers are good to use, I don't think I can afford to buy a new one right now. Thanks

a 70268 is rated 13K BTU, I thought everyone recommends going 18K or bigger?

What size or part number is that cooler? Is there room there to go larger?

you just named 2 brands of tires I will never buy ! LOL, Cooper and general, unless they changed them from how they were way back I won't buy those, kelly is another brand I won't buy. I saw a Hummer one day with Dynapro MT's on it, I liked how they looked like the old BFG MT's.

Don't know what size or thread tires you want but the Falken Rocky Mountain all terrains I bought for my 94 in 31/10.50/15 and paid $138 each are now down to $108 at Discount Tire ( if you have them near you). Tires ride really well, haven't been off road with them yet.

So, still no leaks after driving to work and back so that's good. I do notice it seems there is more heat than normal from the floor area. I re-checked the fluid level when I got home and it is full. I wonder if the stock trans cooler is not doing it's job correctly. I did blow low pressure air thru it and got good airflow coming out the other side. May have to do the separate trans cooler sooner than I was going to.

does the starter spin and the truck won't start? Or does the starter just click? Need to know this before going further.

installed new tranny filter, put everything back together, added new Valvoline maxlife ATF, test drove, cleaned the wheels

ME TOO !!! Have to say that Valvoline ATF sure does smell funky !! After I filled it I kept smelling the new tranny fluid and thinking it's leaking some where, turns out the smell was coming from the funnel sitting next to the truck !!

that was one nice thing about the Trailmaster body lift i had in my hardbody, it came with a longer steering shaft

SUCCESS !!! Added Valvoline Maxlife ATF and started truck, no leaks, shut truck off and re-installed trans crossmember, took truck off jack stands and backed into street to be on level surface, checked fluid, looked ok, TEST DRIVE, seems like the 1-2 shift is smoother, doesn't rattle your teeth like it normally does, down shifts were hardly noticeable, drove about 10 minutes than back home. Checked fluid, slightly low, added some more. No drips in road anywhere, looks good. 45 minute 38 mile drive to work tomorrow will tell, thanks for everyone's help, always appreciated.

What a pain in the rear !!Tried putting the new filter in first but than couldn't see where the metal brackets that hold the metal tube go, so had to put front of pan up first, than the metal tube, which was a pain also because one end always wanted to go in further than the other which caused the other end to bind I guess and than the end that wasn't in all the way wouldn't go in any more !!, Ended up putting the end of the metal tube that was being a problem in first, the other end after moving the pan over slightly gave room to tap it in easily. Installed the metal brackets, than the new filter, than the pan. Everything went together ok except one pan bolt that seemed like it didn't want to get tight, it kept spinning, it was one of the bolts front of the pan that the bracket that bolts to the metal line that runs to the trans cooler is bolted to. Ended up taking the bracket off, than the bolt tightened right up, thought the threads were stripped out but it is ok. All together I drained 22 cups out ( measured with measuring cup I bought this morning) which converts to 5.5 quarts. Going to start refilling now, had to come in to look up conversion from cups to gallons, Hope the pan does not leak !!! I'll beat it with a sledge hammer at this point if it does !! LOL

too late, pan is cleaned and put a thin layer of the grey rtv on the pan and stuck the gasket to it, figured it couldn't hurt (hopefully) !! Thanks.

Forgot about that, if you look inside the cap you can see how the raised parts cross,

question on the gasket, I plan on using some grey RTV to help hold the gasket in place, should I coat the entire surface of the pan than place the gasket on, or just go around the inside edge as if there was no gasket?

I thought it was designed to be taken apart, I was on the website but they don't say very much.