You're Rubbing-Me-The-Wrong-Way!

(Split-loom protection for your rubber.)

By Lewis Haehl

   Well, not actually me, but my truck.  We can understand why some members choose not to do their own maintenance.  Many don¹t have the time, others would just prefer to pay someone else, and a few don¹t know how.  For those that do think crawling around on the ground under a piece of cold steel is a fun time or is simply necessary, there are some real-world benefits for spending your precious time flat-on-your-back. 

   Your reward for  going the extra mile (takes a while on a creeper) will be locating and then upgrading the little things that may not receive attention or be discovered at your local repair shop.  As we all know, little things left undone can develop into big problems.  We have discovered a few items that owners of F-Trucks may want to examine, especially the 1994-1997 crowd.  Several minutes spent attending to the items listed below may save you from spending hours stranded beside the road. 

    Finding and correcting these things usually occurs during our routine maintenance/labor of love (the little woman calls it "making love to the truck") while we lay on a creeper in the driveway or bent over the grill looking down from on-top-of-old-smoky. 

Fuel/Water Drain

    Our first suggestion applies to both the pre- & post-99 trucks.  The fuel/water separator drain has a metal line running off of it which runs down the right/front side of the engine.  This line doesn¹t extend low enough to allow us to see what is flowing out of it, allow for easy placement of a drain pan, or help prevent the fuel from dribbling over other components when the drain-valve is opened.  The obvious solution was to extend the drain line.

   Our simple solution was to add a length of 5/16-inch rubber fuel-line over the end of the metal drain tube.  Where you chose to relocate the end of this drain will dictate how long your hose needs to be.  We used a section of hose we had laying around the garage that was approximately three-feet long.  One advantage to using 5/16 hose is that it is a tight fit.  After you force it over the metal line, you shouldn't need a hose clamp to secure it.  Our drain extension has been in place for over 40,000 miles and shows no signs of slipping.  It will probably rot before it falls off. 

To read more of this article, JOIN the PSR Today!

ISSUE 3 - SUMMER 99

4………………………...…..Driver's Side

6……………………..Letter X/Comments

13……………..….Indy Plant Tour, Part 3

21…………….……Ford's New Excursion

32..…Understanding Turbo Diesels, Part 2

37…………You Rub Me The Wrong Way

40..Press Release From Navistar&Siemens

41…….……………..Truck of the Quarter

42………...…Engine Oil Change How-To

46…………….….Project Pull Dog, Part 2

52.……Ford's Commitment for Recycling

53…………...………..………PSR Survey

55………………………....PSR Tech/Q/A

65………………………………..….TSBs

66……………………………...Classifieds

CLICK HERE TO RETURN THE HOME PAGE

#2

#3

#4

#8

#10

#11

#12

#13

#14

#15

#16

#17

#18

#19

#20

#21