JBNeal

I'm envious of your manifold setup, but your steering parts look to be transposed...what's the contraption in the dash radio location?

Kawasaki put nylon timing gears in 2cyl engines in the 90s, that didn't work out too good for many John Deere lawnmower and gator owners when the gears let go and the engine got destroyed...on paper, many things seem like a good idea, but then reality just laughs and laughs and laughs... I mentioned zinc plating as I have seen this on many OEM parts that see severe service and is used in lieu of stainless steel for cost savings. From my research and first-hand knowledge on cooling systems, coolant becomes acidic as it ages...this is why OEMs specify a service interval on coolant, to ensure cooling passages are not damaged over time. I believe it's cheaper in the long run to service the cooling system regularly than it is to try to use more expensive mfg materials, with the WDT being a prime example...brass WDT would be my 1st choice, otherwise zinc plate (cheap) a steel WDT or copper plate better than a raw steel WDT, but definitely change coolant as recommended by the manufacturer

replacing decades-old Cleveland-type U-joints at the rear axle is another ?

I ran into an issue when painting rust-treated castings in that small amounts of debris would deposit in the pores...this debris would look like tiny little flakes of crud, very hard to see if not looking for it, that if painted over, would behave like painting over dirt...the eventual solution that had the best results was to lightly brush the casting surface in a circular pattern with a stiff nylon brush (like a fingernail scrubber) then vigorously rub the castings in a circular pattern with an old tube sock turned inside out. The inside of the sock had more surface area than the outside, and this helped in dislodging the debris...then clean the casting with car wash soap and water, towel drying asap. This helped to produce a finish without blemishes or flaws

That is the water pump internal bypass; it needs to be free flowing

zinc plating could work...

I have used TSC paints in the past, most recently named Magik, on odd'n'end projects because I only wanted the paint as a base material protectant from the elements. I would get good adhesion and coats have been durable, but every color I used faded within 2 years getting blasted in the TX sun...red turned pink, black turned grey, yellow turned pale...I could clean and topcoat after a few years, but that too would fade...so when I do larger projects, I have used more established brands for durability and color consistency. Rustoleum primer and colors have been quite durable, with a set of wheels I refurbished back in '99 still semi-gloss black and those have been outside for the duration. The Farmall 1206 I fixed up in '04 spent most of its subsequent working years outside and the CaseIH brand paint I used ($30/gallon) did not start to fade until over 11 years later. I've had ppl grind on what they perceive as my excessive attention to detail (code for taking too long to get things done) but that detail is where the Devil stays...surface preparation on old and new work is key to a good topcoat so that the primer coat not only adheres to the base material but provides a protective layer between base material and topcoat. Skipping steps or cutting corners can result in flawed topcoats and ultimately spending more time fixing flaws than if preparation was done thoroughly to begin with...paint manufacturers have good product instructions that when followed closely have resulted in good coatings that are durable for years

additional information - Column Shifter Adjustments

additional information - Column Shifter Adjustments

Maybe the tach signal wire is picking up some EM interference from the coil...this might be remedied with some sort of twisted pair wire...

If your wiring harness is original, I suspect its insulation has failed and a circuit is grounding...

My memory is a little fuzzy but I believe the seal is similar material as the battery washer felt, its ID is undersized to the valleys of the driveshaft grooves so that the grooves wear the teeth pattern into the washer...the cap is a simple flanged retaining ring with 4 ears that are bent over the lip on the yoke. I had one of those on the '49 1-ton and vaguely recall soaking that seal for weeks in parts cleaner before it became flexible again, dried it out between shop towels and 30# weight for a few days, then soaking it in engine oil before re-installing...the seal you can fabricate; the cap ya might could rig up something or might be a classified ad item

If that truck has been parked awhile, check to see if the distributor advance plate is not stuck...I experienced a frozen plate on my first Dodge resurrection where the weights would not move, so the engine idled fine but I couldn't accelerate on the road...this stuck plate caused damage to the vacuum advance by tearing the rotting diaphragm...I would eventually send that distributor to Burton L. Norton for their rebuild service as they had access to good replacements parts and a Sun Machine to check and adjust everything to specs...cost a hefty sack of pennies back in "99, but I haven't needed to do anything other than annual lubrication and check adjustments since... grey beard had some good info on distributors...

Ya might want to verify if those armrests do not interfere with your seat cushion... '53 Spring Special original arm rest '51 flatbed original door panel revealing arm rest mounting holes

I found an interesting problem requesting assistance in solving that led me to do some research, as I have two future projects that involve column shift transmissions and I wanted to know more about what other members have experienced. Using the features of the search function, I was able to find several results that listed URLs that pointed to the server that is no longer used. When this forum transitioned to the new server, I vaguely recall mention of a way to search for the new post address when an old post address was located in a dead link by using the post# or thread# in the URL, but I haven't been able to locate that information either. This is the post in question: http://p15-d24.com/topic/23256-shifting-problem/?do=findComment&comment=230625 I can see thread 22957 being referenced in the link, but after several hours of searches, I was not able to find this specific post being referenced. Is there a way to locate a post being referenced using an inactive forum URL that has been given a new forum URL?

Not to nitpick but how come them arm rests are so low and centered horizontally on the panel...typically armrests are located towards the rear of the cab, centered vertically...

I dunk an old tube sock in mineral spirits and rub a fist-sized area at a time

Ya might want to spring for the 1000# version, I have a 230 on a 1000# stand now and even it wobbles a bit when moving around...the lighter weight engine stands might be too unstable to use safely...though be warned that sometimes the quality of these assemblies isn't always the best

Them driveshaft serrated cups look like the expensive Cleveland type U-joint that requires locking tabs on the lock strap bolt heads...the yoke U-joint looks like the less expensive spring clip type, my guess that yoke came with the transmission and slipped right onto the original axle...here's further u-joint discussion

ZTR mowers are ok but I'm not a fan...JD, Hustler, Scag, Dixon, et al run upwards of 10dB louder than a conventional mower as conventionals have their mufflers further away from the operator's seat while ZTRs have a muffler within arm's reach behind your head...conventional mowers have a smoother ride as almost all of their weight is between the axles; ZTRs teeter over the rear wheels as those tiny front wheels bounce away...conventional mowers can hold a straight line traversing a slope, whereas ZTRs have to be feathered to try to hold a line on a slope, basically it's a controlled slide...ZTRs can make a tight circle, but the tires chew up the ground in the process as they twist the turf+dirt while pivoting, if ya can keep the tires from spinning... I bought a '92 JD 425 back in 2001 that had caught fire due to neglected maintenance, was gonna fix it up to flip it, but after giving it a shakedown workout, I decided to keep it...water-cooled Kawasaki 20hp, all-wheel steering, hydrostatic transmission + power steering, 54inch deck with hydraulic lift, floats over lumpy ground, pulls steep hills, effortless steering, turned a 6 hour job with the worn '86 Cub Cadet into a 3 hr job...I use that machine to tractor stuff around, drag off brush, etc...if ya have more than 2 acres, ya gotta get into heavy duty estate machines with retail support, not the cheapos from HomeDepot that will leave ya disappointed especially when it's time for maintenance...I am now mowing not only my place but 4 retired neighbors' acreage as they tried the cheap stuff for years but found it was cheaper just to pay me to knock it out in half the time with my old green machine

Chasing down oil leaks on flatheads can try your patience...as these engines age, they can really mark their territory while still running smoothly. I'm guessing that you bought someone else's restoration, so your approach depends on your use. If you are gonna flip this, then repairs can get costly...old seals can wear small grooves in polished surfaces so as that new seals weep a little...this can be repaired in some instances with Speedi-sleeves or may require some machining...gaskets may not have been installed properly or sealed adequately during assembly, so that could require disassembly for repair...drain plugs could not be sealing properly either...lots of candidates for leaks here...then there's that draft tube...

grey beard did a write-up on his reflooring experience that has some good insights

another deficiency of the B-3s...that trim piece I've seen on parts trucks and survivors full of dirt, sand and rust ranging from pinholes to rot...they designed a gap in there, but it clogs up quick from roostertails flung on unimproved roads

I squeezed in some flathead time back in June in between tree trimmings, utilizing info I gleaned here, a few sticks of HomeDepot not-so-great discounted pressure-treated lumber, and a mess of leftover thread-cutting 2-1/2" deck screws, and made a few engine stands...this helped to tidy up the place with the spare engines I have out and to get ready to pull the engines that need attention. I had a spare oil pan in my stash and used it for spacing for the four stands I built...the first one took maybe an hour to get done, the other 3 got knocked out in less than an hour. The Harbor Freight furniture dolly is still cheaper than buying 4 individual casters, though they are not bullet-proof (found that out moving some heavy furniture for a lady friend into an upstairs apartment when the casters pooped out their greasy ball bearings onto a new carpet...OOPS). Total cost for each stand was less than $20; most of that was the dolly. The cut list for this stand is simple: 2x4: 29" (2) 18" (2) 7" (12) 1x4: 10" (4) I made two of the engine stands with longer runners so I could move those with the forklift if needed...the extra length is for some cross beams I can add for stable movement with the forks and allow me to put the whole stand + engine in the back of a truck for transport to and from the machine shop

As the heater assembly was a post-production option, Mopar suggested the control assembly be installed to the left of the steering column with mounting holes located on the dash flange...however, I have seen more than one example online and in person that the heater controls could be located in a variety of locations...on B-1s, I have seen several examples where the full controls were located directly below the ignition key; I have also seen heater and fan controls (without defrost or fresh air ctrls) mounted in the blank dash area above the steering column on B-1s and B-3s; and on a few B-3s, I have seen full controls mounted in the blank dash area above the ignition key so that there were 8 knobs stacked neatly in 2 rows (my favorite looking configuration)...as long as the controls work, are accessible and ya don't bang your knees on them, then that's good enough for me and I don't think Mopar will void the heater warranty... As for the heater in question, is the fan not working? Bypassing the switch to energize the motor can determine if the switch or the motor is at fault