89 F250 Centurion Dually Conversion

[JROHRER]

Hello everyone,
I have a 1989 Ford F250 xcab 4x4 7.3 C6 auto that is a Centurion conversion where they change the rear end to duallies.
1. Anyone know anything about these?

2. Just had injectors and pump rebuilt along with new fuel pump. Now I have a "check engine" light on. Any clues?

3. Does anyone know how to add a cut off switch for the glow plugs? The reason that I ask is I'm contantly working on the electrics and I hate to leave the ignition on with the glow plugs lit for too long. I'd like to add a switch that would cut power to the glow plugs.

4. Last year I replaces nearly everything in the front end (ball joints, calipers, bearings, ujoints, bushings, steering rods, etc) but I still have quite a bit of play in the steering wheel. I also had the front end aligned not to long ago. Could anyone point me in a good direction to look?

5. Has there ever been a tech article which shows the switch from auto to 5 speed trans?

Thanks in advance for any answers you can provide!! Sorry about the long list of questions, but I've been storing them up for a while.

Jon

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Jon, here's what I know:

2. there's no real "check engine" light on these trucks, what you see is the idiot light that your engine is overheating. Whether it's really overheating or not is another story, I'd actually blame it on the harness of the sensors - there are two temperature sensors in these trucks, one is near the IP on the driver side of it, and the other is again in the driver side head only near the manifold. Check the wires to these two sensors, it could be that one of them is either disconnected, or it's rubbed through and grounds on the A/C brackets.

3. your '89 has the solid-state controller, you can disconnect the key-on power for its relay and run that to a switch in the cab, then from the switch back to the relay - disengage the switch, the relay (and the controller) will not get any power. Here's a picture to help you out:

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See that red wire? When you look at your truck you're gonna see two red wires attached to that stud, one is just like the one shown and goes down to the controller, and the other is coming from the harness behind the engine - pull the harness wire off and extend that one to the switch in the cab.

4. Steering gear boxes go bad with mileage. Also, where the steering shaft meets the steering gear box there's this thing called a rag joint, those also wear out. Also, following the steering shaft up from the rag joint, you'll see a slip joint, the steering shaft is designed like that so the one half slides in the other in case of a heavy head-on collision (as opposed to pushing the steering wheel in your upper body), the slip joint sometimes loses its slides inside and develops slop. Following the shaft up from the slip joint there's a small U-joint, those sometimes go bad as well. Finally, if you have tilt wheel, there's one more joint in the steering column, this time inside the cab, that is known to go bad.

 

[JROHRER]

Thanks a lot M.L.S.C.!!!!!
As soon as my truck gets back from the transmission shop I'm going to work on these things.
Jon

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Hey, no problem. On your other questions:

1. Centurion Conversions is a company located in White Pigeon in MI, they are most famous for their 4-door Broncos (F250 and F350 crew cab trucks with Bronco rears), but they also sup-up regular trucks as well (real woodgrain interiors, captain chairs, and such), and they make those sweet half-van-half-truck beasts for hauling 5th wheel trailers. IIRC the fullsize Starcraft conversion vans are theirs as well.

5. I think I saw something like a ZF5 tech article not too long agao, but I just did a search and I could not find it. If you do a serach for "manual swap" and "transmission swap" it will bring some useful threads though:

http://www.oilburners.net/forums/search.php?searchid=286961
http://www.oilburners.net/forums/search.php?searchid=286966

 

[Darrin Tosh]

Hey Jon, Welcome to the site! MLSC Covered everything very well, I just wanted to add another thing: On your steering there is an adjustment on the steering box that will help eliminate play. It takes a screwdriver and a wrench. Can't remember which way to turn the screwdriver but you will get a feel for it. that is the quickest easiest way to eliminate some play if that is the problem.

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Darrin, the screw you're talking about adjust the gear mesh load. The jam nut for it takes a 5/8" wrench, the screw itself takes a BIG screwdriver. However, one needs to be very careful with that screw, as if overtightened it will make the steering sticky and will prevent it from self-straightening after exiting a corner. There's a special adjustment procedure for it that involves removing the steering wheel from the column and the drag-links from the pitman arm... I personally wouldn't mess with it unless I've confirmed all the steering shaft joints (rag, slip, and all the U's) are tight and solid.