Simple y connector manifold, gate valve under the carb cable controlled in the cab for switching. Throttle body on the other side which controls woodgas. Lengthening the overall run distance of the intake manifold will effect throttle some as a slight delay in response time on gasoline, build it short as can be to minimize this. Throttle cables will be a separate issue, either twin throttles or a cable interchange under the dash to switch the pedal assembly from one throttle to the other. Air mix…might have to be a tripple connector hmmmm
1 Like
I was thinking more of a flat box shaped plenum, and attaching a gate valve on the top of the Weber instead of under. That way the carb will still have a short shot to the manifold.
I could make the box and then weld in studs for the wood throttle and the weber.
Might be best to make the plenum have a removable top actually. I would need to get a throttle body and make a cardboard dummy to see if I could bolt one down using the holes to snake a wrench in.
I don’t think I’ll have much room for a Y pipe and the intake has an oblong hole. With the two aluminum plates that adapt the Weber and the snorkel hat I had barely enough room for the rubber elbow.
For gasoline I would probably use a lever for a new throttle and use the pedal for woodgas.
I don’t plan on going long distances with this truck considering I’ll be open to the elements now, just for work commuting, errands, and pleasure driving.
I’m hoping once my warranty expires on the Sierra to make a downdraft charcoal unit for it. Sierra has a plastic intake manifold so I don’t want soot built up that I’ll have to burn off.
1 Like
Your sierra is a V8 ls isn’t it?
Sadly no, 4.3l V6. It’s not even the standard 4.3 it’s the Vortec Work Truck style. Has an interesting snorkel design that I’m thinking of putting in my own nipples for adding the woodgas. Sturdy plastic so I could just cut a hole for PVC and JB Weld then Silicone over. Keeping my eye open for a butterfly blade that will fit just right inside the intake pipe.
There is a myriad of aftermarket metal intake manifolds for those engines if you wanted to do a raw wood system
1 Like
I haven’t been able to find one for my 2011 year model. My throttle is electronic instead of by cable as well. Most 4.3 has the throttle body up front but mine is all the way in the back facing upwards.
If you know of a compatible one for a 2011 4.3 WT model then definitely let me know.
1 Like
Just a little planning ahead, but since I’ll be making the bed for the Mazda I’ll have room to mount this toolbox. I’ll have to hard mount it to either the bed or the frame but my intention is to use it as both a toolbox for woodgas needs, and dry storage for wood incase it rains so I’ll always have a little bit of dry fuel. Bed size is already compromised being a 6 foot bed with a gasifier, so it’s really just a Ute. Not a big concern to me it’s more for transportation than for hauling.
Would be nice if I could just find a huge trunk to fit after the gasifier and end at the tail lamps, kinda like what those snazzy fiberglass bed covers do to a normal truck bed.
1 Like
Little bit more working through my concept for the cab of the truck. I’m going to make a permanent skeleton for my roll cage, as well as a headache rack right behind the cab just to be safe. I am going to attempt to make a soft top that will skin over the roll cage, it won’t seal entirely but this is coming from the guy that drove his Kubota tractor 15 miles during Snowmageddon just to hang out with a friend. When it’s cold I’ll wear my pea coat and hope the heater core blows some warm air on my toes and when it rains I’ll just suck it up. I should probably look for a way to waterproof my bench seat and I will definitely be pulling out the carpet and replace with rhino liner spray. Carpet plus rain equals rusted out floor pans!
If I ever get tired of a rag top I may break down and try to make a fiberglass roof. I need to get dad to teach me his Corvette body making secrets.
Anybody with experience on roll bars know what diameter tubing I should get for the headache rack? It would be the one sitting out most proud besides the roll cage itself.
3 Likes
Well if you are planning on running your truck NHRA then inch and a half or inch and three quarter CDS will work. CDS is cold drawn steel. I’d just go with inch and three quarter regular steel tubing. Chrome moly would be best but that’s about 12 bucks a foot.
2 Likes
I’m pretty sure anything would be stronger than this cab was. If I didn’t have that 55 gallon drum I would have been crushed.
Headache rack will be bolted to the frame, roll cage I’ll bolt down to the floor of the cab.
2 Likes
I use DOM tubing for V8 trike frames, and roll cages.
4 Likes
As long as you are rebuilding that truck Cody I have a you-tube site for you
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=Mountain+smoke+garage
It’s my new favorite.
2 Likes
Speaking of automotive channels I really like this guy. Vice Grip Garage.
He’s got a lot of funny turns of phrase i like and have picked up.
Digical for electronics
Automagical for auto transmissions
Select-O-Gear for manuals.
The Select-O-Gear one really rings with me because it seems that just here in western NC we refer to a manual as “Straight Drive” and people rag on me for saying it.
5 Likes
Vice grip, single drive, ziptiesandbiasplias, dd speed shop. All good and crazy canukistanians
5 Likes
Yknow guys, I’ve heard that a smart person knows when to quit a project. Before I sink any money into this truck I think I’m going to retire it to farm use only. Still going to make a raw wood unit for it and it’ll still get used. I can use it for hauling wood and all sorts of good stuff. She still rides and starts up like nothing happened but the body work is just too much.
I still need to repair the barrel from the updraft, I think that’s salvageable. Filter is fine and the PVC is fine.
As for the cab I’ll just glue in some plexiglass for the windshield and backglass and let that be good enough. Rip out the carpet floor so if water does come in it’ll flow out.
5 Likes
Maybe someday I’ll make it into a Dune buggy truckster with no doors or roof and only a little sheet of plexiglass to keep bugs out of my teeth.
5 Likes
If it were me, I’d just make it look like an old flat fender jeep. Cut off all the old sheet metal and build a body out of plywood. You know a lot of old cars had the superstructure of the body made from wood with an sheet steel or aluminum skin stretched over them. Look up the British Morgans. High dollar wood framed cars… Could be fun.
4 Likes
Only issue with that is I want to keep most of the cab. I may just remove the doors and do a full cage. I’ll definitely need a support to mount my seatbelt again because screw a lap belt if I have no roof to catch me
2 Likes
Bought an electric fuel pump. Edelbrock 2-3.5 PSI. Going to cap off the mechanical pump and leave it in place as my back up. Fingers crossed the Edelbrock won’t fail me. Just going to leave it as a simple on/off circuit with a switch.
3 Likes
Got the Edelbrock pump on, I need to take off the mechanical pump and plate it off. I can keep it in the truck as an extreme backup.
I almost wish I had just got a fuel cutoff solenoid instead.
Also got a roll cage kit. I was given Christmas bonus money and decided it would be now or never to get started on that. Only 260 dollars but it comes with the main hoop and A pillar support. I can buy DOM and add two more points to the back myself and turn it into a 6 point.
5 Likes