bringing back from the dead.

[vern0n]

I just bought a 1990 F 350 with a 7.3 and 5 speed trans. This truck has been parked since 2004. Besides new batteries, what should I do to get the engine in running condition? Do I need to replace fuel filter? Drain the fuel tank? Oil the muffler bearings? Thanks for all advice!

 

[icanfixall]

Why was the truck sitting for so long is the bigger question. If it had coolant that was kept up that will be fine. The fuel... I would drain it and run it in something else. Yes, change the fuel filter but refill it with atf fluid. Then run it for around 2 minutes and stop. Yet it sit like that over nite. The atf will clean out any gummed up injectors or injection pump internals. Remove the air filter and see if some rat has made a nest in there. Sometimes they make nests in the heater fan area. Be careful here. Running the fan can cause a brush fire in the duct work if a rat made a nest in there. Welcome to the forum where you can get any questions answered long before you can spend any money on your new to you rig.

 

[towcat]

remove the feul caps and take a sniff at the condition of the diesel and see if there is any rust in the necks. change out the feul filter and load it up with a diesel lube(like Howe's diesel treat) or ATF. nothing terribly expensive. put in fresh batteries and see if it will start up. I will bar over a motor just to make sure it's not locked up before doing anything though.

 

[vern0n]

Truck was parked because the clutch went out, (dual mass flywheel). The engine does turn over. I paid $500 for the truck and figured I'd make sure it will run before I tear into the clutch. By sitting so long, is there a chance of water being in the fuel tank? It's very humid down here most of the year.

 

[SparkandFire]

There could be water in the tank if it's humid. They build up condensation over time from the temperature cycles (from day to night)

At night time the fuel in the tank shrinks as it cools, thus drawing in air from the outside. Once the humid air is inside the tank, it condenses on the tank walls and precipitates out into the fuel. Next day, when the air warms, it pushes the air out, then at night that process repeats. The company I work for now sells big diesel fuel systems for emergency power generation, so we deal with water in fuel all day long.

Definately run Howes or some fuel conditioner, and drain the fuel filter/water separator often. Once you get all the old fuel ran through, then change the fuel filter and you should be good to go!

More food for thought, any time I get a used (new to me) vehicle I change all the fluids and grease the wheel bearings. I am religious about the wheel bearings because I bought a Ranger once that was seriously neglected and had the wheel bearings melt down on me and leave me stranded.

 

[typ4]

More food for thought, any time I get a used (new to me) vehicle I change all the fluids and grease the wheel bearings. I am religious about the wheel bearings because I bought a Ranger once that was seriously neglected and had the wheel bearings melt down on me and leave me stranded.

I second that also with past roadside axle missing experience.