Just bought a '78 w150 Power Wagon - looking for advice and tip

• Get service manuals! (any suggestions?)
• Drop and wash out the tank (it's original plastic!)
• clean fuel lines (blow out with air?), add new fuel filter(s)
• Oil change / radiator flush / check all radiator hoses
• disassemble and clean carb
• check and adjust valves?
• ignition upgrade? (rotor, coils, plugs, wires) and check timing
• Lube all grease points (including the hidden front wheel bearing zirk I've learned about)
• check brake lines / change brake fluid / shoes / pads
• change transmission fluid? gear oil?

southbounder said:

Hi folks,

I'm new to Mopar and I just picked up a cherry old Power Wagon that's been in a barn for a number of years. I'd appreciate any advice as I get started on getting it ready to be a reliable driver; I've never had a truck that sat up for so long and I'm an amateur wrencher, so any/all suggestions are appreciated, whether general or specific to these trucks.
Here's the summary:

1978 w150 Power Wagon "Southbounder" edition. It's a 318 with a 3-spd auto, NP 203 full-time transfer case, and I'm not sure about the gearing.

It's a GA truck from 1978 with 100k on the odometer and everything is surprisingly clean. The owner cranked it up easily, idled, and drove in all gears with an auxiliary fuel can feeding it since the tank is surely full of gas varnish. All the electricals seem to be working including all lights, but there are a couple of jumper wires in the fuse box that will need to be sorted.

My draft to-do list so far:

• Get service manuals! (any suggestions?)
• Drop and wash out the tank (it's original plastic!)
• clean fuel lines (blow out with air?), add new fuel filter(s)
• Oil change / radiator flush / check all radiator hoses
• disassemble and clean carb
• check and adjust valves?
• ignition upgrade? (rotor, coils, plugs, wires) and check timing
• Lube all grease points (including the hidden front wheel bearing zirk I've learned about)
• check brake lines / change brake fluid / shoes / pads
• change transmission fluid? gear oil?

Here are some pictures:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-faIta9e_-EUFpNd2NYbDBvMkE/edit?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-faIta9e_-EY21MVUpQREVicHc/edit?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-faIta9e_-EYzZxMGREWlliUm8/edit?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-faIta9e_-EejRqMmtadTYzcWs/edit?usp=sharing

Thanks for any and all help!
Cheers,
Jake

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dodge dude94 said:

Wow. Great looking old rig!

First off I would take a guess and say that new tires are probably in order for starters. Secondly, if it cranked and fired up easily, I wouldn't worry about the carb just yet, I'd be focusing on fluids.
You might want to source a new fuel pickup/float just in case the original is *****. I'd replace any filters, like you said, and rubber lines then clean them. I'm not versed on how to clean them, but I'm sure Google can help with that.

I'd change the oil with some cheap 10W30 and filter for starters just to make sure good stuff is in there.

I'd not bother with the valves yet until you did a ignition tune up and set the timing properly, if not advanced it...these old Dodges are notorious for having ******** factory timing specs.
Yes, I would definitely service the transmission including tightening the bands and I'd dump both diffs.

You have got a good truck to start with and you've already got your plan in front of you so I wish you the best of luck and will encourage you to stick around and start a build thread for all of it. Even the mundane stuff like old oil...it's good to see progress no matter how small ti is.

BTW, Welcome to RF!

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southbounder said:

Thanks for the feedback!

I'll start a build thread after I get underway this weekend. Any other suggestions as I get started?

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