Does anyone here have a recommendation for a stand-alone controller for a 4l80e?

Well it's been a while since I have updated but honestly it's just sat thus winter.

Today my step-dad and I pulled the transmission and transfer case out in prep for the th400 install.

Honestly it wasn't hard, just a pain trying to get everything aligned to get it out.

Look at the clutch, she was getting toasty. The throughout bearing had some play in it along with the bearing in the middle of the flex plate (I can't think of it's name).

Also, a few of the associated clutch rods had some heavy wear on them and I am honestly surprised they didn't break.

So tomorrow we will hopefully get the th400 and transfer case installed. Drive lines need to be measured to see about fitment. The steering column will also have to be removed and replaced with a tilt wheel.

The only other thing I may do is swap the holley carb off my 69 and use it on this truck. It seems to run better and this edelbrock needs to be rebuilt. It leaks and it has a slight hiccup when you accelerate.

Oh lastly, I need to research the linkages that go to the trans from the steering column and to the carb.

I got rid of it for a few reasons.

First, I want to get rid of that trans with granny gear. It's miserable to drive with. I have a th400 and a tilt wheel sitting around so it's a fairly easy swap. Lastly, I drive this all over town, and trying to drink coffee and shift is not the easiest thing. It will be nice to have an automatic.

The gearing on this truck is 4.10

Update. TH400 and transfer case are in. It took all day but we finally got it. It was a trial and error day, lots of error. I may have to have thr exhaust done as I think it's going to hit the transfer case when it's all said and done.

Tomorrow we will finish drilling the holes for the tcase mount,  and getting it secure.

I do need to figure out what I need in regards to the kickdown cable. I also need to figure out what wires need to be hooked up. There were two that went to the old trans.

Oh, man do they.

I have never done it before. Honestly, it's not hard. It's all about having a basic knowledge of how things work and problem-solving the issues that pop up. I still need to figure out the wiring that went to the old transmission. I will have to pull out the manuals and see if I can find what they are then I need to find out what wiring is required for the TH400 solenoids. I will also have to get a kickdown switch for it.

Thanks.

I think it runs down the firewall on the DS anyway so I can move it back. The single black wire with the female spade is the other one I am still trying to figure out.

Well the column lower half is in.  It gave us a little headache with the collar alignment but we figured it out.  

I also routed the trans cooler lines. I just need to install the brass fittings on the cooler and finish hooking it up.

We also messed with the exhaust.  We Originally thought it was going to hit the transfer case but we dodged a bullet and it will work with no modification.

Lastly I figured out how to wire the neutral safety switch so I will work on that my next day off.

I'm confused.   You have two frames/engines but one orange body and got it all set up but are now swapping out engine?

Or is this building the other frame/engine you found into a complete new other orange truck?  

Saw the pics of it running and driving and you having a good time with it, now you're digging into it again? Sucker for punishment?

Remember to swap in all LED conversion bulbs for the dash lighting/indicators while you have it apart, keeps you from having to mess with them later.

The project has changed a few times.

Originally we were going to swap the orange body onto the other Frame with the 427. Then we bought a purple 69 and decided to use that body and keep this truck together and make a daily driver out of it which is why we put the th400 in it.

Thanks. I pull a bunch of info off of that site.

Has this engine been built or tuned or at least an oil analysis done to get idea of general condition?   I'm guessing yess if swapping out transmission but kind of lost track on which one was being talked about since I have only seen photos of orange stuff (even engines).  

427 is balanced and blueprinted. We think around 500hp ?

Can anyone id this fitting?

It came off my oil cooler, I need to figure out the threadpitch and find a connection that necks down to 3/8" hose barb.

It's roughly half inch and very close to 1.5 metric thread pitch.

I don't think "very close to" is the same as that bolt.   What is he closest any standard pitch gauge you have?  Or is yours not double ended/no thread gauge in American units.

Looks just a smidgen smaller which would put it really close to 18 threads per inch - (1.411 mm thread pitch)

If you've got a caliper (dial, or if you can read a vernier scale)

--ETA: See if a 5/16 coarse thread bolt screws into the hole more than 4 turns and you'll know without measuring I suppose.

Ok a question.

I wired in the neutral safety switch and installed a new starter. When we went to turn the truck over we get nothing.
No click, no anything.

I checked the nss and it is allowing power to go to the starter like it should. The starter is getting signal from the ignition when you try and start.

The tack will move a little when you turn the ignition but that's it. Does the distributor have to be installed with the hei hooked up?

Thoughts?

We figured it out. The distributor has to be hooked up.

It's been a bit since I posted an update.

We ended up scrapping the idea of modifying the oil cooler into a trans cooler and bought an aftermarket one. It is now mounted and ready to go.
The steering column is in, the neutral safety switch is also installed. It took me a bit to figure out the wiring for that one but after I got it done, it wasn't that bad of a job.
The dash and steering column are back together.
Lokar transmission linkage is installed.
The Lokar kick-down cable is mounted on the side of the transmission and wires have been run to the appropriate places.
I put fluids in the trans and transfer case.
New drivelines are ordered.

So what's left?

Replace the gaskets on the carb and reinstall.
Hookup Lokar kick-down system.
Seal and reinstall the transmission hump.
Tune the carb and set timing.
Fill the coolant system.
Install drivelines.
Replace PS front axle bearing.
Fix the leak on the steering box.
And a few other things I am sure I am missing.

Pesky little problems like that have a way of making things not work.

Put aftermarket LED compatible bulbs in the dash lighting while you have it apart.  Though I think I mentioned this before.

What changed to have you tear it down again?  The transmission changes?

Yep. We had to swap steering columns so the dash came apart.

I did replace all the lights with leds while I had it apart. I think the only one I haven't replaced is the gear indicator light.

Pretty soon you'll have enough "one screw left overs" to assemble a second truck.

lol. Don't worry I already have another one on hold.

I had a chance to tinker with it today. I did get a few things done. The lokar kick down cable is installed and adjusted per their specs. I sill need to clip the end of the cable and think of a way to stop it from fraying. Any ideas? I was thinking tape but I don't know how long that would hold up.

I also wrapped some header tape around the exhaust next to the transmission to help keep heat away from the TH400's vacuum line. I also installed a high temp vacuum line which I will try and take a picture of it tomorrow. I need to get the truck into the exhaust shop and have a new system installed but that is a super low priority as I am being cheap and this one will work for now.

I did go trough the carb and clean it out. I also installed new gaskets.

I removed the rear diff cover to clean it up and reseal it as it was leaking.

I filled the radiator.

I ended up ordering an intake manifold T as I needed a vacuum port for the th400. It should be here this week so I will have to remove the carb and install it in the manifold.

I also got the front drive line installed.

We are getting close.

If you're working with the stainless "rope" such as what's in bike cable sheaths when not hydraulic, the only thing there is either casting lead onto it like a lawnmower throttle catch, or a crimp.

We used the crimps to put the keys to a car locked around steering column so they couldn't get lost.  Something like this, but the cutters were the expensive bit, Klein double joint ones to get a clean nip of the cable then the aluminum ferrule to put on and loop back and a zig-zag tight crimp so it couldn't be pulled out of the crimped ferrule.

I suppose you could just crimp a ferrule on without looping it back to finish the end but I don't know how that would effect it.  This is just what I found on Amazon to give you idea of what I'm referring to, the higher quality in the second two are closer to what we use since getting a good crimp needs the high leverage pliers and the cutters are the most important bit to not chew up the wire when trying to make a clean cut.



https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07YHJ24B5



https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06XCX2LL7



https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B081RVRQ7H

Thanks.

I have some lead somewhere, I may try that.

There's some details on that with a certain flux and lead mix as well as not pure stainless wire rope.  I guess you're not aware of what it is since it came at a length/mount.   Meantime could use  one of the little bolt on "u bolts" that you can crank down on for a stop, I'm not sure if you're needing to use the end of the wire or looking for a decoration on it to make it seem neat.

The crimpers and bits are cheap enough, relatively, by using a Dremel cutoff wheel to get a clean end.

The end of the cable does have a crimp nut at the end of the cable, I just want to keep an extra few inches of the cable past it from unwinding.

Small diameter heat shrink, white or black, depending on background desired, about 3/4" plus another 1/4" off the end makes a nice taper and stops it from unwinding if it doesn't have to hold anything other than the springy rope intact and not unwinding ugly (not to be used as a stop/attachment/lever/etc)

OOH! Good call on the heat shrink. Why didn't I think of that???

Well, today was a decent day.

The first thing I did was remove the carb and install the new vacuum T port for the brake booster and transmission. Then I moved on to trying to start the truck. It cranked over for about 5 seconds and started right up. It ran well but it will need to be timed and tuned. I will save that for another day that isn't as cold outside.

I let the engine come up to temperature and I decided to try to put it in gear. With no rear driveline installed, I hopped out and looked at the transfer case output shaft and it was not turning. WTH. I cycled through the gears and checked, no change. So I checked the fluid and it was showing low. I did some research and with the extended trans pan, I figured it would need 8 quarts to fill. I added 2 more quarts and tried again. This time when I hopped out I could see the tail shaft moving. Bingo!

Next, I shut the truck off and started welding the exhaust. I needed to weld up some hangers and a collar we used to mate the exhaust when we had to cut it. Later this summer I will probably have a full exhaust done on it. The previous owner cobbled the hangers and exhaust. It bugs me.

I filled the rear diff with fluid.

Last I went to install the rear driveshaft and this is where I ran into a snag. Reverse back a month ago and we ordered customer driveshafts from Tom Woods (TW's) drive shafts. It was a simple process. Follow the videos, measure, and order. We got an immediate phone call once we placed the order and the tech from TW's wanted to confirm a few measurements. We went over the project and what we had going and he made some changes to the order. When they arrived we installed the front with no issues but the rear was left out for room underneath.

Fast forward to today and when I went to install the rear driveline the U joints were too small for the carrier. WTH. So I called TW's and after some discussion, we figured out they had accidentally sent us the wrong setup. Our new driveline will be made and shipped out Monday. I just need to send them the old one. Free of charge.

So we are now on hold until next week, probably mid-week until the driveline shows up. Once it gets here I will get it installed and we can pull the truck out and give it a test drive. Fingers crossed everything works.

I only know of it because somebody suggested it to me when faced with same problem.  

I was just crimping two of the loopbacks one after the other, one to set the length and loop, then another with the end just halfway crimped into a second connector to hide that end.    Heat shrink instead made it more streamlined in addition to saving a dime a cable when doing one for every car coming on the lot (parts cars).

I guess "Heat shrink" is only associated with copper wire for most of us, so those pretty obvious solutions don't pop to top of head, kind of like the youtube "120 life hacks in 5 minutes" video tips where using something in a  totally obvious but unintuitive way makes a light bulb go on.

Ha. Fair enough.  Thanks for passing that one on to me!

Today I got the rear driveline installed and pulled the truck out under its own power. WHOO!!!

I let the motor warm up and set the timing at 12deg advanced. I then tuned the carb for max vacuum at idle. After that I went to shut the hood and it wouldn't shut. I thought I had left a tool in the way but it turns out the trans cooler I mounted was hitting the hood when it closed. So I had to make 2 new brackets to drop it a few inches lower.

After that, I decided to take her for a spin. I drove up and down the block with no issues so I ran it down the main street for a bit. I may just be getting used to this setup but it seems like a little doggy. It seems to accelerate okay if you are into the throttle just a little but if you press into it, it really seems to be doggy. In park, it revs up with zero issues.

The trans also shifts into second and third very quickly. One person mentioned adjusting the vacuum modulator a few turns and trying it.

Is it like turbo lag doggy or carb accelerator pump not squirting enough go juice (or too much?).  You don't have any onboard diagnostics running, sticking to distributor and carb?  Exhaust O₂/fuel/etc sensors temporarily added could help you dial in the carb pretty quick without risking valves from running too lean.

Something like Air Fuel sensor to get it right?

It's hard to describe. You hit the throttle and it almost feels like there is a blockage in the exhaust and it can't breathe. It's odd. I know very little about carbs so this is a learning experience for me.

There are not really any electronics. I do have a lokar kick-down cable hooked up to the transmission. The cable was adjusted per the instructions.

:) Thank you

Well I had a little setback the other day. I went to go for another test drive and and the carb started spewing fuel all over the ground. I took it off and two things were wrong. First, there was some leftover debris next to one of the needles. I must have missed a piece of the gasket material when I cleaned it out and it might have been blocking the needle. My bad there. Second, I noticed one of the floats was full of fuel. That could have also been the culprit.

So I went to the local speed shop and got some more gaskets and a new float. I got everything reinstalled today and went for a drive. It seems to run a lot better. I only went for a few miles but it started right up and ran fine.

I did notice the speedometer isn't reading. I checked the cable and it is installed correctly behind the dash and on the side of the transmission. I moved it back to the transfer case attachment to see if it can work on that one. I did notice two leaks I will have to address. The first is coming from the speedometer attachment on the side of the th400. I did replace the large O ring that goes around it but for some reason it's leaking again. It also leaks from the output shaft seal on the NP205.

Do you have the right speedo cable and gear on it for correct read?   Usually they're a work or not with obvious problem but I don't know if you changed out that as well.  Digital dash seems attractive options at times if going for EFI and a resto-upgrade.

Not sure, is the cable different between a th400 and a 4 speed manual?

Lots of options some are just length but different ends, might just be the gear?

Ok, so yesterday my stepdad came in and we figured out what was going on with the transmission speedo.

The nylon drive gear is missing on the end of the output shaft. I forgot to install it when we had the transmission apart. Whoops, lesson learned! The good news is we can use the speedometer attachment point on the transfer case I just need to buy a slightly longer cable.

We also worked on the transmission hump. I built a plate to weld up the shifter hole and we modified the 4wd hole. I need to find a different boot and bracket for it but that should be easy.
I am also looking at carpet or rubber liner since I have everything out. I need to help dampen the noise and keep the temps down in the summer. Which one should I go with?

I had the steering column apart again searching for the intermittent horn issue. I tested the horn, it works. The button works, Wires all have continuity so it leads me to the relay. Turns out it was burned out. I replaced it and the horn is working. I also found a copper button that transfers the ground from the column to the wheel that had a weak spring so I replaced that.