LUVTruck.com

well,

i didn't expect a wonder truck when i bought this truck, but this really has me scratching my head.

everything about this 80 luv says it's a california truck, but many emissions parts are missing or have no place to go.

my underhood sticker shows a few parts im not familiar with such as a backpressure transducer that goes between the egr and the thermo switch valve, an idle mixture solenoid, and some other parts.

the funny thing about this whole thing is that there is no indication on the vacuum routing diagram that shows any hoses coming or going to the air pump. i figure since it's got to be a california luv, that it should be equipped with one.

i have the air pump from my last two trucks, but need an air rail to make it all come together. not only that, but in reality, when i took the truck to get it's emission inspection, it failed the idle test by only 90 ppm on the hC test. 2500 rpm passed just fine.

i just finished cleaning the egr valve out, but realized that i still need the bpt that goes between it and the thermo valve. right now, it will open with full vacuum and makes the engine run like crap.

help me out guys, i'm at a loss as to what i can do with this thing...

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To the Oquirr hills for awesome thrills! Go-go 4wd, Activate!

right click and select view image to see the complete picture...(stupid photobucket....)







the rear solenoid on the carb that has no place to connect to the harness...



the choke pull off i need for the carb...


the hose that goes to the thermo valve and to the EGR.


i could really use some help here guys....thanks!

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To the Oquirr hills for awesome thrills! Go-go 4wd, Activate!

The reason the diagram does not shoe the A.I.R. system is because its a vacuum diagram.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

Ah, gotcha. Well I did also forget to ask about that hose in the last picture that has the bolt in it, I have no idea where it is suppossed to go...

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To the Oquirr hills for awesome thrills! Go-go 4wd, Activate!

That hose with the bolt plugging it goes to one side of the mixture control valve. There should be a manifold vacuum line plugged off after a "T" as well. My California 80' is currently running without a EGR (as well as the backpressure transducer) and the mixture control valve with no problems. I dont know if it will pass a smog test or not, but I have until 2013 to find the parts.

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1980 Luv Mikado 2wd stock
1995 Ford F150 XLT 4X4

Looks like the line that goes to the air cleaner but couldn't make out everything in the picture.

I think the wires you show are the coasting richer solinoid? Not sure but think so.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

I thought the coasting richer was on the side the accel pump was on? The side of the carb nearest the passenger fender?

Here is a thought, ... when the thermo vacuum valve opens up, does the egr get supplied with full vacuum?
Right now it will bog out and die. I've checked and made sure the egr actually holds vac, and it does, just don't understand why its doing it.

Also noticed that the no 1 cyl is not firing at high rpm. Idles fine, but under acceleration it cuts out. Verified this with both an inline tester and a timing light

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To the Oquirr hills for awesome thrills! Go-go 4wd, Activate!

The thermo valve is there to supply vaccum to the egr only when the engine is warm. The transducer is like a solinoid, it uses a lower vaccum to control a higher one, basically a low trigger to let a higher one to the egr. I was guessing about the coasting richer, without pulling out a manual I am not sure.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

Well, as luck would have it (or someone up there is taking a dump on me)

I felt the engine running really rough last night and so I parked it to let it cool so I could pull the plugs in the morning.

I pulled the no. 1 cyl plug, and found the electrode gap was completely closed. It looked like something hit it. I checked the other plugs and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Went to put a plug into number 2 and it turns out the damn thing is stripped. Pulled the head a little bit ago and it looks like there are melted shavings in number 1. Ill post pics tomorrow....

So mad right now....

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To the Oquirr hills for awesome thrills! Go-go 4wd, Activate!

Two things I dont understand:

1. You bought a used truck for a dailey driver without doing a compression test?

2. When working on driveability issues (EGR etc as your post has) why didnt you tune it up to begain with? The first step fixing these issues is plugs, points etc, a proper tune up.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

I did perform a compression test, and found that all cylinders were above 120 psi.

Not only that, but the county that this truck was registered in did not require emissions equipment.
When I got it home, I did a complete tune up including carb, plugs, wires distributor cap and rotor, condensors and points, and even a new battery and starter since they both had issues.

Since the day I got the test done, its been running fine until I started adjusting the carb and timing to help with the hc at idle.


I pulled the head and found what's left of a spark plug ground arm. Its been shaking around in there and causing all kinds of hell. The piston walls are kind of scored, and the top of the piston and cylinder head is pitted.


Go ahead. Tell me " I told you so". Get it out of your system.

I will just take this situation as an excuse to get a newer trooper engine and 5 spd. Or rebuild this one...

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To the Oquirr hills for awesome thrills! Go-go 4wd, Activate!

Not trying to say I told you so, just trying to figure out how a plug gets stripped if it has been out a couple rimes since you have had it.

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Certified pilots, looking down on people since 1903.

yeah i dont understand that either. here are some pictures to show what i found when i pulled the head. im in the process of trying to figure out what i plan on doing...

i talked to a co-worker and asked if he had ever heard of this happening, and said it happened once to a motorcycle he had. turns out the electrode tip had melted off and wedged betweed the cylinder and the piston and scratched a hole in the side of the piston body.

makes you wonder huh?

sorry for sounding like an ass luvr, im just frustrated with this situation. its not something i had remotely considered ever happening...



anywho.... pics for your consideration...sorry for the crappy quality. a cell phone is all i had at my disposal...

as always, right click and select view image to see them fully.












i cant really SEE any scoring in the cylinder wall, but i don't want to chance a problem you know?



you can see in the last pic the missing electrode tip....

your thoughts gentlemen?

i have a lead on a 1.9 trooper engine, but dont know if i should rebuild this one or just go with a swap...

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To the Oquirr hills for awesome thrills! Go-go 4wd, Activate!

You said you just put new plugs in. Maybe you were the "lucky one in a million" and got got a faulty plug. Maybe it just broke off and went out the exhaust.
If you don't see any scoring, I would slap it back together and see how it runs. If you had goo compression before, I'd run it.

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OK, I'm over it. Where's the beer?

I'm trying to inspect the head and I can only see one small gouge towards the side of the cylinder head.

The piston is another case...

The top of it has more gouging than the head. Is it possible that I could carefully polish the top of the piston without causing trouble?

Also, what would would be needed to swap in a 1.9 trooper engine into the luv? Just curious since I have a lead on one nearby.

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To the Oquirr hills for awesome thrills! Go-go 4wd, Activate!

Na, don't mess with it. You'll cause more harm than good trying to polish it. The piston is no biggie as long as the rings are still in one piece, and I've seen cylinder walls in worse shape.

That gouge in the head might be a problem. It's right next to the valve, could have cracked the head. If it was me, I'd have the head checked for a crack. But they'll probably want to disassembly it, to clean it, to check for cracks, which will be more work for you later.

You could just run it and cross your fingers. I mean, your ready to pull the motor anyway. All you'll be out is a little time and some gaskets and fluids and you might get lucky.

I dunno. Your call.

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OK, I'm over it. Where's the beer?

X3...

Like Ben said.

What do you have to lose?

Only a few bucks and a little time to put it back together.

x4, I have ran much worse in an old jeep years ago.

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In life there is the "Way things should be" and then "There's the way they are".

2005 Silverado 3/4T Crew Cab
1981 Luv 2WD
1979 Luv 4x4 Currently going through Open Heart and Cosmetic surgery
1995 Roughneck JetBoat
1981 Luv parts trk