Have plenty of experience with gasoline engines (even performance turbo & fab stuff), but this is my first experience with working on a diesel... so any tips/advice is welcome (i'm still working my way through the extensive faq/newbie threads, very impressed with the wealth of knowledge on the forums 
)
1985 F350
6.9
2wd
dana 70 dually
5 speed trans (zf5?)
Dump bed
So I just dove into fixing an inherited dump truck from the family farm and decided to do a project thread, mainly because i've read countless build threads over the years, and thought it would be fun to document my own for once. Would love to eventually go to a turbo setup, and actually have a lead on a cheap (i think?) complete 7.3 idi turbo engine if it is needed. Mainly just want a reliable towing / work rig for occasional use, and the dump bed could come in handy at times as well (hoping the PTO wont require too much work).
I was actually the last person to drive the vehicle in ~1998... I was 14yo at the time, and any adults that were around then have since passed... As best I can remember, It was a very hard start with lots of cranking, once started, ran poorly and died often. Next day, lots of cranking no fire, batts died, truck got parked along the back fence and never moved in the ~18 years since.
Fast forward to 2016 Vehicle looked a lot worse than it actually is/was, some surface rust but overall very solid. Hood only had primer on it, which explains the rust there (but i think that is the popular look now?). Interior (blue vinyl bench) is in great shape. Havent looked into the wiring (which is a serious concern due to rats that had made their way into the cab over the years). The truck was buried up to the axle/lower a-arms and required a backhoe to get it drug out/unearthed. Today i was finally able to get the rear brakes un-seized (in an rather unconventional way), so truck is now rolling without rear shoes. The front disc surprisingly work perfectly and will suffice for towing to the shop building and troubleshooting. Tomorrow i plan to buy/borrow batteries. change fluids, and potentially try to fire the engine..? any tips/advice would be helpful, although i've already learned/learning plenty from the faq.
--I would love some help identifying the trans. i know the 4 spd was swapped out in favor of a 5 speed at ~1995ish. From what I can remember the trans has a very low granny gear... Is it likely to be a zf5? was this a common swap? what should i look for while trying to identify the trans? i'll snap some pics tomorrow if need be.
the rear brakes were hell, wheel cylinder was stuck on and the adjuster was froze up and impossible to move through the adjustment hole. Took drastic measures once i found the new replacement drums for ~25$ a piece.
more pics to come.
)1985 F350
6.9
2wd
dana 70 dually
5 speed trans (zf5?)
Dump bed
So I just dove into fixing an inherited dump truck from the family farm and decided to do a project thread, mainly because i've read countless build threads over the years, and thought it would be fun to document my own for once. Would love to eventually go to a turbo setup, and actually have a lead on a cheap (i think?) complete 7.3 idi turbo engine if it is needed. Mainly just want a reliable towing / work rig for occasional use, and the dump bed could come in handy at times as well (hoping the PTO wont require too much work).
I was actually the last person to drive the vehicle in ~1998... I was 14yo at the time, and any adults that were around then have since passed... As best I can remember, It was a very hard start with lots of cranking, once started, ran poorly and died often. Next day, lots of cranking no fire, batts died, truck got parked along the back fence and never moved in the ~18 years since.
Fast forward to 2016 Vehicle looked a lot worse than it actually is/was, some surface rust but overall very solid. Hood only had primer on it, which explains the rust there (but i think that is the popular look now?). Interior (blue vinyl bench) is in great shape. Havent looked into the wiring (which is a serious concern due to rats that had made their way into the cab over the years). The truck was buried up to the axle/lower a-arms and required a backhoe to get it drug out/unearthed. Today i was finally able to get the rear brakes un-seized (in an rather unconventional way), so truck is now rolling without rear shoes. The front disc surprisingly work perfectly and will suffice for towing to the shop building and troubleshooting. Tomorrow i plan to buy/borrow batteries. change fluids, and potentially try to fire the engine..? any tips/advice would be helpful, although i've already learned/learning plenty from the faq.
--I would love some help identifying the trans. i know the 4 spd was swapped out in favor of a 5 speed at ~1995ish. From what I can remember the trans has a very low granny gear... Is it likely to be a zf5? was this a common swap? what should i look for while trying to identify the trans? i'll snap some pics tomorrow if need be.
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the rear brakes were hell, wheel cylinder was stuck on and the adjuster was froze up and impossible to move through the adjustment hole. Took drastic measures once i found the new replacement drums for ~25$ a piece.
more pics to come.
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