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My $300 pickup ruined my weekend!
Big Sky Redneck
Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
I love working on vehicles, as a HOBBY! I hate it when I am forced to do it, then it feels like a job. When I bought this thing it was just another spare vehicle, something to tinker with. Since I gave up trucking and have a semi normal job now it has turned into my daily transportation, out of 4 Ford pickups I have it is the one I drive every day since the other three all need work.
I?ve done a bunch of work to this thing since buying it, had to get it running since it was dead when I bought it. Needed a new distributor, the mechanic shop it was in could not figure that simple problem out which is why I got it so cheap. Then I had to replace the in tank fuel pump for the front tank, then no power windows, easy fix after finding broken wires in the door harness. The biggest issue it had was the suspension, it was shot, hit a pebble and it bounced like a Mexican Low Rider, I replaced the springs and shocks upgrading to 3/4 ton springs now it rides stiff as hell but the 4 wheeler doesn?t even make it squat when loaded.
So, a few weeks ago when adding oil (it has a blown front crank seal and leaks horribly) I noticed the oil cap was milky, uh oh. I added Barrs Leaks to the coolant and it seemed to help. But the last two weeks I haven?t had to add oil and it leaves oil spots everywhere, it even has oil spots on the side of the body now but the oil is always st the full mark. Yeah, this is bad.
So I finally ordered a complete engine gasket set, pulled the ?93 F150 out of the shop (waiting on the transmission to be rebuilt for it) and pulled the ?91 in last night. Today I get to play mechanic and strip that 302 down, hoping to not have to pull it out. I will lift it to get the oil pan off and timing cover off. Hoping the rear main isn?t bad as that will be the only seal not getting replaced unless I am forced to remove the engine.
So my weekend is shot, this thing needs to be done by tomorrow or I will have to drive the ?79 to work and the brakes are giving me fits on that one. My back cannot handle working under the hood so I will be in pain real soon.
So if any of you are in the ?hood swing by, I?ll put ya to work!
I?ve done a bunch of work to this thing since buying it, had to get it running since it was dead when I bought it. Needed a new distributor, the mechanic shop it was in could not figure that simple problem out which is why I got it so cheap. Then I had to replace the in tank fuel pump for the front tank, then no power windows, easy fix after finding broken wires in the door harness. The biggest issue it had was the suspension, it was shot, hit a pebble and it bounced like a Mexican Low Rider, I replaced the springs and shocks upgrading to 3/4 ton springs now it rides stiff as hell but the 4 wheeler doesn?t even make it squat when loaded.
So, a few weeks ago when adding oil (it has a blown front crank seal and leaks horribly) I noticed the oil cap was milky, uh oh. I added Barrs Leaks to the coolant and it seemed to help. But the last two weeks I haven?t had to add oil and it leaves oil spots everywhere, it even has oil spots on the side of the body now but the oil is always st the full mark. Yeah, this is bad.
So I finally ordered a complete engine gasket set, pulled the ?93 F150 out of the shop (waiting on the transmission to be rebuilt for it) and pulled the ?91 in last night. Today I get to play mechanic and strip that 302 down, hoping to not have to pull it out. I will lift it to get the oil pan off and timing cover off. Hoping the rear main isn?t bad as that will be the only seal not getting replaced unless I am forced to remove the engine.
So my weekend is shot, this thing needs to be done by tomorrow or I will have to drive the ?79 to work and the brakes are giving me fits on that one. My back cannot handle working under the hood so I will be in pain real soon.
So if any of you are in the ?hood swing by, I?ll put ya to work!
Comments
Both down and time for a walk or tow truck.
Solution: Get a Toyota Tundra and don't look back.
But remember, If it has tires or Tets on it, it's going to eventually cause a man some problems.
Yes, china has re-cycled lots of them. (and I'm a Ford Fan)
What? Are people to lazy to push them onto the shoulder?
Unless you're a masochist or desire no life other than on a mechanic's creeper, you may as well buy a decent vehicle to start with.
We have one new vehicle, don?t want or need another. Have you seen the absurd prices for new pickups lately? I?m sorry even if I had the cash laying around there is no way in hell I?m paying $50K for another new pickup, I?ll never own another new pickup again, I refuse to pay those rediculous absurd prices for something built as flimsy as they build them today.
I?ll stick with these old pickups and keep tinkering. I guarentee they can do everything a new one can do. Infact the 79 F150 with the 390 and 4speed will go places her new Ram won?t go. I got that Ram jammed up in the mountains and that old junker will walk right past it in mud and snow. She can have her Ram, I?ll keep my old Fords even if they force me to spend a day working on them.
Guess it?s not new anymore but we bought it new in 2015. Only good thing about it is it runs good, fast but the way I run pickups it would not be nice very long. Old pickups when they get scratches or dents it isn?t so bad. I dented the rear bumper on her Ram, she freaked I shrugged.
Even still, have you priced a 5 year old Ford? No way, pickups are not worth that much to me. Her Ram was $28500 when we bought it, it cost more than the Super Duty I bought new in 2006(2005 left over). Makes me friggin ill that a pickup costs that much. I?m a cheapskate, I refuse to pay retail prices so I stick with the clunkers.
My 1979 F150, paid $2500 and maybe spent $1000 on it.
My 1979 F250, paid $1000 for it, the engine cost $350. I?m going to restore it so will have maybe $5000 in parts, labor is free.
The 1991 I?m working on, paid $300 and so far including the engine kit I have spent less than $1000 in parts.
My 1993 F150 paid $800 for it with a bad transmission. Will be spending around $400 for the repairs to it (5 speed), after that will spend around another $200 to get it running.
Still a ton cheaper than a new(er) Ford. I will never again make a car salesmans day.
Like to keep far away from of hassles.
If I lived closer I would gladly jump in and help .
I have always done all my mechanical work ( along with very thing else unless it was under warranty ) I even repair other peoples cars / trucks some times if I feel like it
but when something breaks unexpected it becomes a PITA especially now that I am older :oops:
You mean that overgrown gocart with a bed on it? That thing was a pain in the * and I?m glad it?s gone!
Exactly. I bought my 5 yr old F250 4x4 for 40% of what a new one cost. It had 21k mile on it and was still under factory warranty for 6 months.
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
Not sure I care for the engine but it is indeed possible for $25k, even has the locking rear dif.
https://www.koonsfordfallschurch.com/new/Ford/2019-Ford-F-150-d58304190a0e0ae825211e05aa426dd5.htm
hope the rest of the repairs go well
Swap it in and away you go
That is out of a 1984 car and the HP rating on that in stock form is laughable, the 302 in this pickup is rated about 30HP higher, I?ll stick with it. Plus that other 302 is stripped down, one of these days it gets a new cam, heads and intake.
But the truck engine is going back together, got my $50 heads on. Been busy watching elk on the state land north of the house, hoping they settled down before shooting hours were over but they have been chased pretty hard the last two weeks and that herd is twitchy. So watching them while trying to work on the truck means not a lot got done today 😎😁