Project! Introducing Smokey Pete, the 1989 F250.

[nitroguy]

Hey all! I figured I'd start documenting the progress of my new truck, now that there actually is some progress. But first, a bit of backstory (but I'll go quick).

I USED to own a 2001 Dodge Ram that I picked up for a song, with just 24k original miles on it. Drove it for a couple years, but had to baby it to keep its value. That wasn't going to fly much longer once we moved onto property. So, I sold it (for twice what I paid for it! Score). With the proceeds, I bought a "beater" flatbed and a nice car for in town.

You must be registered for see images attach

Bought an Audi (all wheel drive is a necessity, we live in the woods of Northwest Montana). Had a ton of fun for a year, but I had a revelation. You see, that "beater" is a 1984 F350 flatbed with this 6.9 diesel engine in the front of it. And it HOOKED me. I would look at the two vehicles side by side, and I'd take the ridiculous $900 farm truck over my fancy-pants Audi.

You must be registered for see images attach

So I sold that one, and decided to get me another IDI. Because they're just too dang fun. There's something intoxicating about the rattle, the smell, the torque, the visceral feeling of actually driving and not just sitting in a modern couch that transports you.

And in the meantime, I took to fixing up my flatbed (known as Red Fred the Rusty Old Flatbed, but everyone in town just calls him Red Fred for short). And just because he's a farm truck, doesn't mean I can't treat him to some cleaner wax.

You must be registered for see images attach

Not bad for $900 (and SOO much more in parts after that, but let's not think about that right now).

Which brings us to the present. I need a vehicle to get me back and forth to work, and I'm just not a car guy (tried that) and these idi's are too much fun. So when a deal popped up in Seattle, I drove over and picked it up. Introducing, Smokey Pete!

You must be registered for see images attach

I got him home, and now the fun begins. First step: unload.

You must be registered for see images attach

I'll continue this thread with more photos (why must there be a 5 photo limit?!). But so far, I'm very impressed. The truck is pretty much rust free, has a Banks turbo, zf-5 manual, and seems to be fairly straight.

 

[nitroguy]

Now that he's unloaded, it's time to tear into it.

Got him rolled into the shop.

You must be registered for see images attach

Engine looks to be in great shape. The heads are brand new, the turbo was freshly rebuilt, but the bottom end "has a hole in cylinder 4" which I assume to mean it cavitated. So I'm swapping out the bottom end with a fresh one I have in the back of my shop to get it running again. He also previously dropped in a brand new rebuilt zf5, a new clutch, new radiator, batteries, and a whole host of new parts!

You must be registered for see images attach

Took off the front grill, headlights, and got to the Core Support. Here's that new radiator. It's got a plastic top on it - any idea what brand it might be? Am I in for a replacement soon because the PO cheaped out and bought junk? I'm not super concerned, as being in MT I'm more worried about cold starts than hot days, but obviously a radiator needs to work.

You must be registered for see images attach

It's pretty rusty crusty down here in the corners, which is a bummer. Maybe someday I'll fix it, but not now.

You must be registered for see images attach

Got the engine disconnected from everything, all fuel lines, electrical connectors, hoses, etc. It's almost ready to get pulled.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[nitroguy]

I'll start off with a quick question -

I'm one bolt away from getting the engine free, it's the Top Passenger side 3/4" head bolt that holds the trans to the engine. But there's a turbo pipe in the way. Anyone know a quick tip of how to get at that bolt???

 

[nitroguy]

Well, I got the turbo off the housing, which let me get access to the up pipe, which let me FINALLY get to the top bolt on the trans. Out came the engine. (note to self, remove the starter first next time. That thing hung up and gave quite the fit!)

You must be registered for see images attach

Next up was bath time. It's about to get cold here, so I pushed him out of the shop for a wash before the freeze. Now if I get ambitious I can wax it in the shop.

You must be registered for see images attach

Now to begin the engine tear down. Plan is to swap heads onto a spare bottom end I have, along with the turbo related bits, and add studs while I'm there.

You must be registered for see images attach

Before I go, does the back cylinder (bottom of the photo) look horrible? It's not the best engine in the world, so unless it's DEAD, I'll just run it. Thoughts from the hive mind?

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I USED to own a 2001 Dodge Ram

I'm sorry!

So, I sold it

Good move!

And it HOOKED me. I would look at the two vehicles side by side, and I'd take the ridiculous $900 farm truck over my fancy-pants Audi.

Perfectly understandable.

There's something intoxicating about the rattle, the smell, the torque, the visceral feeling of actually driving and not just sitting in a modern couch that transports you.

I feel the same way.

Well, I got the turbo off the housing, which let me get access to the up pipe, which let me FINALLY get to the top bolt on the trans. Out came the engine.

Well you found out the secret.

Before I go, does the back cylinder (bottom of the photo) look horrible?

I'd say that it doesn't look great, but it's hard to tell exactly what the piston looks like on top. I'd say to just run it for now. One thing that you may do is, if there's any high spots on top of the piston, to turn the engine over so that piston is at TDC and then take a file and gently, lightly file off the high spots so that you know that it will miss the head and valves.
At first glance, I didn't like the wheels on there, but the more I look at it, the better I actually like them. They look pretty good. Overall, I'd say that you got a good buy unless you gave $10,000 for it. Depending on what type of hole is in cyl 4, you probably have an engine to start building so that you'll have a good on to swap back into Pete some day.

 

[frankenwrench]

Looks pretty rough man. But I've been fooled before looking at a piston or cylinder before, especially looking at it still dirty. I'd clean it up and il second what @IDIBRONCO said

 

[nitroguy]

Thanks guys. Yeah, I realized it's not the best block to deal with, it seems pretty grungy and sludgy on the inside. Seems runable, just not as pristine looking as I hoped. I guess that's what I get for a running engine and 4sp trans for $500. But, in the end,it seems like a runner. So I'm going to bolt it up and run it, see what happens.

I studded it, put on new head gaskets, and the new heads that were on Pete when I bought him. I didn't do the coolant mod, as I said above, high temps aren't really a thing up here. That, and I didn't know enough about how to do it. Maybe next time. Torqued the heads to 125ftlb, reassembled, and painted it up. Today I'll dress it, and maybe even start to reinstall, we'll see. I was up till 2 working last night, so it might be slow going today.

New heads

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

Studs going in

You must be registered for see images attach

Painted manifolds with VHT and other bits with Engine Paint.

You must be registered for see images attach

Painted up the engine after three bottles of degreaser. Still a greasy mess, but here's hoping at least some of the paint sticks.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[nitroguy]

At first glance, I didn't like the wheels on there, but the more I look at it, the better I actually like them. They look pretty good. Overall, I'd say that you got a good buy unless you gave $10,000 for it. Depending on what type of hole is in cyl 4, you probably have an engine to start building so that you'll have a good on to swap back into Pete some day.

Yeah, I didn't either. I can't decide if it's the wheels or tires. I'll probably start by swapping shoes with Fred, who just got new aluminum wheels and some BFG KO2s. I've got options moving forward.

With the hole, I'm not sure what to look for. There's coolant everywhere, and I don't see any obvious holes. Since I'm down this far, is there an easy way to check? I don't see how a pressure test wouldn't work, all the passages are wide open.

 

[nitroguy]

Looks pretty rough man. But I've been fooled before looking at a piston or cylinder before, especially looking at it still dirty. I'd clean it up and il second what @IDIBRONCO said

Here's hoping. It scraped off fairly easily, and I know the engine sat for a bit. I'm gambling some water got in there and corroded the top of the piston. I don't see anything else funky. It's a gamble for sure. If I win this one, I'll head straight to Vegas.

 

[nitroguy]

Ha! Going through photos and realized my wife took one while I wasn't looking.

Here's what we think we look like, all nice and calm-like.

You must be registered for see images attach

Here's what we actually look like, all crazy and monkey-like.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Yeah, I didn't either. I can't decide if it's the wheels or tires. I'll probably start by swapping shoes with Fred, who just got new aluminum wheels and some BFG KO2s. I've got options moving forward.

With the hole, I'm not sure what to look for. There's coolant everywhere, and I don't see any obvious holes. Since I'm down this far, is there an easy way to check? I don't see how a pressure test wouldn't work, all the passages are wide open.

I'm not as picky on the looks of the tires. I figure two things there. 1) they will be changed more often than the wheels. 2) put a little mud on the tires and you won't be able to tell how they look anyway.
I didn't get quite specific enough on the type of hole. Sorry. If it's from cavitation, then at the worst, you can have that cylinder sleeved and still use the block. If a rod went through it, then you now have a boat anchor. Both are holes. If it was a rod, it would probably be obvious.

 

[1mouse3]

There's something intoxicating about the rattle, the smell, the torque, the visceral feeling of actually driving and not just sitting in a modern couch that transports you.

The couch I have at the moment is one that is starped to a bucking bronco similar to what could be found at the five and dime thats feed red bull

Painted up the engine after three bottles of degreaser. Still a greasy mess, but here's hoping at least some of the paint sticks.

Better hopeing that paint the paint sticks is better than wishing that you did. This way, it is only minor tutch ups need.

 

[nitroguy]

Progress!! Probably the second most excited day, behind only the day he fires up. - I got the engine installed!

You must be registered for see images attach

Lots of wiggling, banging, wrenching, and pushing, we got it in! Woohoo!!!!

I had a good buddy come over and we got the engine in within a couple hours. A few more hours later and the turbo was in. It's a first gen (non wastegate) Banks unit that was a booooger to get in. I'm not sure how it went together last time, but we had to cut the exhaust back by the muffler to get the right angle to bolt the downpipe to the turbo. Got a 3in patch from O'Reilly today, that'll get on tomorrow. While I was there, I got some straight pipe to cut out the muffler. Turbos quiet it down a bit from NA, right?

Then went back out after my buddy went home and ended up working until 130 last night getting all the hoses and wires cleaned up.

You must be registered for see images attach

Ordered a 3.5in intake tube and cone filter for the front to eliminate the giant cast banks box from the top. My plan is to rivnut on the cdr to the bottom side of the aluminum intake tube, unless y'all say that's a horrible idea for some reason.


Quick question - is there any way to shorten the cruise control throttle cable? I'd like to take 4in off it, it's all wildly up in the air. Drives my OCD nuts. It's the wire that goes up and around the brake booster into the unit under the hood hinge. I'm guessing from the Folgers Can vacuum plenum (I guess that's what it would be? Not shown here) that it's not exactly "factory".

You must be registered for see images attach

And another question. I've got an (unworking) oil temperature gauge in the cab, and a brown wire that runs down and sits on the cross member under the drain plug. But it's not connected to anything. Do you think that female spade connector used to go to a oil temp gauge in the pan? Would that be useful to source a new sender and wire it up? Or replace it with a temp gauge?

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Turbos quiet it down a bit from NA, right?

Yes they do.

Quick question - is there any way to shorten the cruise control throttle cable? I'd like to take 4in off it, it's all wildly up in the air. Drives my OCD nuts.

These are very long. Yours also is not routed correctly. I'm fairly sure that they all are routed generally the same way, but since it's raining, I'm not going out to look at my truck so this is a WAG at best. I think that cable runs underneath the master cylinder, around the back of the driver's side valve cover, around the back of the intake (underneath the turbo in your case), and then along the passenger's side of the intake along with the throttle cable.

And another question. I've got an (unworking) oil temperature gauge in the cab, and a brown wire that runs down and sits on the cross member under the drain plug. But it's not connected to anything. Do you think that female spade connector used to go to a oil temp gauge in the pan? Would that be useful to source a new sender and wire it up? Or replace it with a temp gauge?

On this, your guess is probably as good as ours. Can you follow the brown wire back to see where it comes from?

 

[nitroguy]

Update soon. But first,


Any idea what this is?? It's on the harness up by the temp sensor plug, and it wasn't connected when I pulled the harness.

You must be registered for see images attach