I went and drove at the Dodge

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa)
04/22/2016 at 09:01 • Filed to: None

SURE IS TRUCK. Rust free, exhaust is free of holes, the bed sits a little crooked on the frame but it’s gonna go away and be replaced by a flatbed anyways so no fucks given. A/C does stuff sorta, windows go up and down, brakes go almost to the floor before doing anything and even then it seems like they just like to lock up the rears, so bleeding the fluid and looking at the front brakes is necessary. Kept dying when I came to a stop because I only put a gallon of gas in it and the pickup tube must be at the rear. When I popped the hood after returning there was water bubbling from around where the upper radiator so it probably has a seized thermostat. The engine is a 5.9 LA Magnum engine, but since it’s from 1990 it has so much emissions crap on it that it makes practically no power. Same engine as the Li’l Red Express, BTW. Aaaand last but not least shifting the transmission into drive or reverse is incredibly hard and jerky, but I’ve seen plenty of freshly-rebuilt Chevy engines do this so maybe that’s just a thing with 3/4 tons?

Also I might be able to get it for under $1000 instead of $1200, which makes these downsides far more inconsequential.

Picture of it to refresh your memory.

DISCUSSION (29)

JKER > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
04/22/2016 at 09:05

I know everyone makes bad financial decisions when it comes to cars every once in awhile... But you take the cake. At least include an explanation of why you would buy an old dodge when you don’t even have your current cars paid off?

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > JKER
04/22/2016 at 09:07

Because I’m selling the only car I make payments on within the month and probably buying this as soon as it’s gone.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
04/22/2016 at 09:10

If you're selling the mustang, go for it.

JKER > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
04/22/2016 at 09:13

Well that’s reasonable, at least if you wait until it’s sold. What’s going on with the miata? I liked that :(

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches
04/22/2016 at 09:25

Gonna pimp out the Mustang absolutely everywhere on Monday. But first, gonna autocross it.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > JKER
04/22/2016 at 09:26

I actually fiddled around with the Miata a bit yesterday. Going to need to remove the engine in order to get to the oil pan. Going to replace the clutch while we’re in there, but getting the time/motivation to drop the engine out will probably mean another month of it sitting around.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
04/22/2016 at 09:37

Nice. I want an early-ish X5 with a I6/5 speed or a V7/auto

Flies With Thunderbirds > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
04/22/2016 at 09:40

Them Ford hubcaps though.

Gone > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
04/22/2016 at 10:13

Unless it was swapped, it should have a 5.9 LA TBI w/308 swirl port heads. The Magnums didn’t come out until 92 (3.9, 5.2) and 93 (5.9).

Trans could be u-joints going, bad trans mount, or probably the engine not idling down before shifting it in/out of park/reverse. Could also be low line pressure, stuck accumulator, shift linkage out of adjustment, low/reverse band need adjusting, worn out front clutch, or bad governor springs. Some of these are easy, some not so much. The bands can be adjusted by dropping the pan btw. Not hard.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
04/22/2016 at 10:20

Keep the bed. You might have bought richard hammonds truck when top gear did the florida challenge.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Gone
04/22/2016 at 10:22

Yay! Someone who knows about old trucks! I was just going by Wikipedia to figure out the engine based on the fact it’s a 5.9. I’m not terribly worried about the trans. It basically feels like high line pressure in a GM trans.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins)
04/22/2016 at 10:29

Wasn’t his a 1/4ton? And nah, the bed is sagging and I want a flatbed for car hauling anyways.

unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins) > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
04/22/2016 at 10:34

Didn’t know his was a 1/4 ton.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins)
04/22/2016 at 10:36

err, 1/2 ton. I am still not used to truck designations. The one I’m looking at is a 3/4 ton.

Gone > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
04/22/2016 at 10:40

It could be the 5.2 - 8th digit in VIN is Y, Z is 5.9. 5.2 is 170/260ish and 5.9 is 190/290? Something like that.

Trans could also be high line pressure like a GM...

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
04/22/2016 at 10:45

My grandpa has a nearly identical flatbed 3/4 ton manual, with the 360 (5.9), I want it badly. I nearly borrowed it earlier this year, but the starter is broken and it’s not tagged.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Gone
04/22/2016 at 10:45

Sticker under the hood says 5.9, but who knows if the hood is original. If the trans has a high line pressure problem at least I know where to look for stuff like that. The 5.9 made something like 290hp at the beginning of its run if I remember the wikipedia article right, but emissions stuff choked it down to 190 by the time the ‘90 model year came out. Needs go-fast parts. And a loud exhaust.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
04/22/2016 at 10:48

I love big trucks. Bump steer for days combined with a shitload of steering slop makes for endless entertainment. Lots of noise and uses a lot of gas but you don’t get anywhere very fast, you have a big-ass vinyl bench seat, brakes that sort of kind of do shit... super fun.

Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To
04/22/2016 at 10:55

Gotta get a “Mexican blanket” to cover that vinyl seat, lol. I want to drive down to Wichita to fix it myself.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Bman76 (no it doesn't need a WS6 hood) M. Arch
04/22/2016 at 11:00

Kinja'd!!!