24in of vacuum at idle too high for the 2.8L?

[franklin2]

thanks for joining In. What I really don’t understand is why my bronco idles normally with the “idle solenoid” completely removed and unplugged. With this solenoid completely
Removed and unplugged, the throttle still does not make contact with the stopper. I know in the pictures I posted the solenoid is touching the throttle.. and it’s giving everyone the idea that this is the reason the throttle is not closing all the way.. that’s not the case.

I understand that the Duraspark conversion requires the removal of some emissions equipment. I live in an area in California where SMOG is required and is very strict. If anyone knows a way to do the conversion and keep all the emissions equipment, please let me know.

If the engine idles normally with the butterflies completely shut inside the carb, then the engine is getting air from somewhere else. Or as some of the other guys were saying, if the butterflies were removed, they may not be seated correctly in the carb and are not sealing off very well. I hope the butterflies where not removed, that is a real can of worms when that is done, and then the screws should be re-staked to prevent them from loosening and falling into the engine.

I would say your truck is just like so many others. The 2.8 and 2.9 were decent little engines, but all of them came out with this computerized carb system, and when something goes wrong they are so difficult to diagnose and repair. Converting them to something more conventional brings them back to life instead of clogging up everyone's back yards.

I don't know how your California inspection stations are. Here in Va, it depends on the person running the station. You have ones that are lax, and others that are strict. Also, when you do the duraspark II swap, you do not have to remove any of the smog equipment. You can leave the air pump hooked up, and all the other lines and stuff hooked up. It just will not work. I did the swap and are still using my stock carb and it works fine. These old things did not have a check engine light, so who is to know that it is not working. I dare to say right now that part of the problems you are having, is because your system is not working. The engine still runs, but I bet you have so many error codes the computer is hardly working at all, thus why the engine under performs.

 

[SgtDan94]

If the engine idles normally with the butterflies completely shut inside the carb, then the engine is getting air from somewhere else. Or as some of the other guys were saying, if the butterflies were removed, they may not be seated correctly in the carb and are not sealing off very well. I hope the butterflies where not removed, that is a real can of worms when that is done, and then the screws should be re-staked to prevent them from loosening and falling into the engine.

I would say your truck is just like so many others. The 2.8 and 2.9 were decent little engines, but all of them came out with this computerized carb system, and when something goes wrong they are so difficult to diagnose and repair. Converting them to something more conventional brings them back to life instead of clogging up everyone's back yards.

I don't know how your California inspection stations are. Here in Va, it depends on the person running the station. You have ones that are lax, and others that are strict. Also, when you do the duraspark II swap, you do not have to remove any of the smog equipment. You can leave the air pump hooked up, and all the other lines and stuff hooked up. It just will not work. I did the swap and are still using my stock carb and it works fine. These old things did not have a check engine light, so who is to know that it is not working. I dare to say right now that part of the problems you are having, is because your system is not working. The engine still runs, but I bet you have so many error codes the computer is hardly working at all, thus why the engine under performs.

Thanks for contributing. Speaking of codes, they are the following:

21. 24. 85. - Break - 41. 54. 63.

Just checked them this morning. They just seem to be either sensors out of range, all of which I replaced, or engine running rich.

 

[SgtDan94]

I drove the bronco home this morning from my base where it’s been parked. In total about a 7 mile drive, it did well, ran fine. The engine temperature gauge seems to be dying, I replaced both sensors and it just kind of raises the the “c” then dies.

otherwise, the only real thing that keeps me from saying it drives good is the clutch, as I mentioned earlier, it feels like it needs some lube. Has plenty of fluid.

 

[Uncle Gump]

@19Walt93 @8thTon @Uncle Gump

Does anyone know if I can lube the shaft that runs into the clutch cylinder from the clutch pedal?? The clutch does not roll out smooth, not as smooth as the gas pedal goes in, it sort of comes out in steps. which makes for a jerky take off... again, if you take your foot off it will come right out I have a full pedal

I don’t think the clutch needs to be bled.. if you push it in and let it go it comes right back out.. also it shifts into all gears just fine...

I noticed there’s a little rubber grommet that this shaft slides in and out of.. I was wondering if I could just slide that back and put some type of grease inside.

Im open to suggestions

I don't think lube on the push rod going into the clutch would do much good... I would probably put some lube on the pivot shaft where the pedal meets the bracket under the dash.

 

[SgtDan94]

@Uncle Gump @19Walt93 @8thTon @franklin2 @sgtsandman

well.. I went to replace the thermostat today... and there’s no thermostat installed. Not on the lower or the upper. I guess this confirms that the gauge actually does work and the engine really does run cool all the time...
So I’m going to install one. The issue is that since there was not one on there I have no F’n clue how it’s supposed to go on.. any ideas?

it for sure goes in the lower because the fail safe goes straight through to the bypass

 

[sgtsandman]

I don't know enough about that engine to say. Normally, thermostats are in the goose neck at or near the top of the engine.

 

[8thTon]

Sorry, I don't know that particular engine very well.

 

[SgtDan94]

It’s super confusing... their doesn’t seem to be any sort of grove that the thermostat fits
Into like most engines. I found this picture online, however there’s no guidance on placing the thermostat correctly

 

[franklin2]

I just did the one on my 2.8. It's pretty weird, it does go down low in the water pump housing right where the lower hose hooks on.

You have to be careful, it's sort of a sandwich deal. You have the front part, the waterpump housing, and then a rear plate that is threaded that the bolts go through. One of my threaded holes was stripped, so I had to use a longer bolt with a nut on it to get it all back together. This thermostat also uses a o-ring with a groove in it that goes around the od of the thermostat to seal around it.

Once you get it all together, I had something else I had to learn. You can't use the standard procedure and leave a heater hose off, fill the radiator till coolant comes out of the hose, and then put the hose on, fill it to the top and then start the engine to burb the rest of the air out. Mine overheated quickly after I did this, and I tried and tried to get water in it.

I finally found the procedure in a manual I had. Once you are done, you take the upper radiator hose loose, and pour as much coolant as you can down into the engine like that. Then put the upper radiator hose back on, fill the radiator, and then run the engine till the thermostat opens to burp the remaining air out of the system.

 

[Uncle Gump]

@franklin2 ...

You seem to know your way around these 2.8L's... Help the fella with his thermostat please.

Edit... we posted at the same time pretty much... and thank you sir...

 

[19Walt93]

@19Walt93 @8thTon @Uncle Gump

Does anyone know if I can lube the shaft that runs into the clutch cylinder from the clutch pedal?? The clutch does not roll out smooth, not as smooth as the gas pedal goes in, it sort of comes out in steps. which makes for a jerky take off... again, if you take your foot off it will come right out I have a full pedal

I don’t think the clutch needs to be bled.. if you push it in and let it go it comes right back out.. also it shifts into all gears just fine...

I noticed there’s a little rubber grommet that this shaft slides in and out of.. I was wondering if I could just slide that back and put some type of grease inside.

Im open to suggestions

If the clutch is jerky when you release the pedal lubing the actuator rod probably won't do anything for you. Just make sure not to use anything petroleum based on it. One thing you might try is flushing out the clutch fluid with some silicone fluid, otherwise you may be looking at replacing the clutch master cylinder.

 

[SgtDan94]

I just did the one on my 2.8. It's pretty weird, it does go down low in the water pump housing right where the lower hose hooks on.

You have to be careful, it's sort of a sandwich deal. You have the front part, the waterpump housing, and then a rear plate that is threaded that the bolts go through. One of my threaded holes was stripped, so I had to use a longer bolt with a nut on it to get it all back together. This thermostat also uses a o-ring with a groove in it that goes around the od of the thermostat to seal around it.

Once you get it all together, I had something else I had to learn. You can't use the standard procedure and leave a heater hose off, fill the radiator till coolant comes out of the hose, and then put the hose on, fill it to the top and then start the engine to burb the rest of the air out. Mine overheated quickly after I did this, and I tried and tried to get water in it.

I finally found the procedure in a manual I had. Once you are done, you take the upper radiator hose loose, and pour as much coolant as you can down into the engine like that. Then put the upper radiator hose back on, fill the radiator, and then run the engine till the thermostat opens to burp the remaining air out of the system.

thanks very very much for this explanation and putting me at ease, I’ve been stuck trying to research this.

so, just to be clear, the thermostat is inserted into the engine and sits flush on the block, then the O ring, then the front part of the assembly that the hose attaches to..

did you use any RTV to secure the thermostat in the center before putting the rest together? If not, how did you keep the thermostat center while you sandwiched everything in place?

 

[franklin2]

The thermostat sits in the water pump. Just so you know, that casting is the waterpump, and it hangs off the side of the block. There are gaskets, one on the front inbetween the hose nipple housing and the waterpump, and also a gasket on the back where the threaded plate goes. I did not know about the rear gasket, the old one tore a little bit but I did use some silicone back there as well as the front and it sealed up ok.

There is also a weird bypass hose back there. Mine looked original and not so good. I tried to make my own but just could not do it. You can see in the picture below one end is very large, the other end is small. This hose is not cheap, but you can still get it. It's Dayco B70773

 

[franklin2]

P.S. I know what you mean by keeping the thermostat in place, I have had trouble with 302's. But I didn't seem to have any trouble getting this thermostat to stay in place, it may have been the silicone holding the gasket in place, and the gasket was holding the thermostat.

The whole reason I was into this thing, the waterpump bearing was bad. It wasn't leaking, but I had a noise up front. I took the belts off and checking everything, the waterpump was really loose. I have never seen a waterpump so wore out and not leak any coolant.

 

[SgtDan94]

The thermostat sits in the water pump. Just so you know, that casting is the waterpump, and it hangs off the side of the block. There are gaskets, one on the front inbetween the hose nipple housing and the waterpump, and also a gasket on the back where the threaded plate goes. I did not know about the rear gasket, the old one tore a little bit but I did use some silicone back there as well as the front and it sealed up ok.

There is also a weird bypass hose back there. Mine looked original and not so good. I tried to make my own but just could not do it. You can see in the picture below one end is very large, the other end is small. This hose is not cheap, but you can still get it. It's Dayco B70773

does this look about right to you? I realize the thermostat goes in the water pump, there’s just no grove that centers the thermostat in the hole, so I don’t know how I’m going to keep it centered while I’m reassembling.