76 W200 shakedown drive

[ddarnell]

I haven't been able to drive Bud much since I got him. Swapping out the Edlebrock carb with my know good TQ has made him drivable. Here are some of my observations:
1) The transmission is not going into first. Had my staff mechanic (might want to reconsider using him) swap out the trans because the original had a cracked tail shaft. The column linkage is not shifting down down to first. The throttle valve linkage was not adjusted properly but is now. Any thoughts?
2) Clunck on decel...........probably u-joints?
3) A fair amount of side to side play in the steering with some rattle transmitted to the steering wheel during front suspension movement.
4) I grounded out the temp gauge wire and the gauge went to full hot. I replaced the sending unit and still do not have a functioning temp gauge. I'm stumped on this one?
5) Quite a bit of movement on the transfer case shifter on hard accel. Bad mounts?
6) Dash lights work and then they don't and then they do. Any common problem areas?
Thanks for all your help
David

[ddarnell]

Oh and I forgot the speedometer. It swings wildly form stop to about 25 MPH and then flops between 50 and 70 at any speed. Cable? Drive?

[712edf]

Oh and I forgot the speedometer. It swings wildly form stop to about 25 MPH and then flops between 50 and 70 at any speed. Cable? Drive?

Take the cable off & lubricate the inside. Instead of spinning freely its whipping around, causing inconsisitant readings.

Bucky

[ddarnell]

Thanks Bucky, I'll give that a shot
David

[n1265]

When you pull the dash to lube the spedo cable, look for a white 18ga. wire that should be grounded somewhere in the area of the headlight switch. if it is not in this area then look for it somewhere behind the instrument cluster.
( this is the ground for the instrument cluster ). It is probably the cause of your dash lights, make sure the ground is good...

[ddarnell]

I'll check the grounds while I have the dash apart. I adjusted the shift linkage so that it will now manually shift into first but it still does not go to first when in drive.
Don't know what the deal is with the temp gauge. Anyone have any ideas?
David

[Deathdeelr]

I haven't been able to drive Bud much since I got him. Swapping out the Edlebrock carb with my know good TQ has made him drivable. Here are some of my observations:
1) The transmission is not going into first. Had my staff mechanic (might want to reconsider using him) swap out the trans because the original had a cracked tail shaft. The column linkage is not shifting down down to first. The throttle valve linkage was not adjusted properly but is now. Any thoughts?
2) Clunk on decel...........probably u-joints?
3) A fair amount of side to side play in the steering with some rattle transmitted to the steering wheel during front suspension movement.
4) I grounded out the temp gauge wire and the gauge went to full hot. I replaced the sending unit and still do not have a functioning temp gauge. I'm stumped on this one?
5) Quite a bit of movement on the transfer case shifter on hard accel. Bad mounts?
6) Dash lights work and then they don't and then they do. Any common problem areas?
Thanks for all your help
David

Item #1 is covered in another thread from a few minutes ago. Check that one out.

Item #2 could be a great number of things on these trucks from u-joints to differential play to transfer case issues. Could be simple, could be a bid tougher.

Item #3 sounds like steering linkage; maybe a tie rod or steering link. Check the cloth joint at the steering box. I've heard they could be a problem as well. Check the tie rods and links before you grease them. Grease can easily hide a tie rod that's on it's way out and check them by hand. Don't use a pry bar. I've made the mistake of condemning brand new tie rods as defective with the pry bar method.

Item #4 - make sure coolant runs out of the hole when the sender is removed. You might have a blockage. The only other reason is that the sender might actually be a switch for a warning light and not a gauge sender. Double check with your parts guy that you have the correct part. Both might look the same but are very different inside.

Item #5 does sound like bad mounts. That lever shouldn't move more than being slightly noticeable if at all.

Item #6 - n1265 put you on the right track. I have no end of ground problems with my rig.

[ddarnell]

The speedometer problem seems to be in the guage itself. I get the same flopping when I insert a screwdriver and turn it. I'll re-asemble it to make sure.
Playing with the adjustment of the TV linkage right now to see If I can get Drive low to work.
Now the blower motor is squealing. Probably the bearing.
Plenty of coolant coming out of the temp sender hole. I specified the gauge sender when ordering but we all know how that goes sometimes. I'll have to verify somehow
The tie rods rotate freely.................me thinks too freely. There does not seem to be any lateral play in any of the components
David