nitroguy
Full Access Member
Hey all! Perhaps you've seen me lurking around, but this site is phenomenal. It has quickly become my number one visited site, which is both entertaining as well as enabling.
Here is my truck as it sits today:
For those that don't know, the story started a few months ago when I went to the Seattle area to pick up a Brand New, showroom condition, 0 mile 1984 Ford F-350 Flatbed. At least, it started that way 34 years ago. By the time I got there, it was a $900 rusted out truck that doesn't start (no starter), doesn't stop (leaking brake m/c that drips a quart every 15 minutes), and needs a new flatbed floor. But it was bound to be mine.
It started with an attempt to drive it home to Montana from Seattle, but to those of you that remember, it didn't end well (https://www.oilburners.net/threads/bought-one-now-to-drive-it-600-miles.83516/)
Life has gotten simply crazy in the intervening months (I have 4 kids. Need I say more?!) but on Labor day weekend I was able to make a round trip to go and pick up the truck using my buddy's truck and trailer. Drove over and back the same day, 1,100 miles in 23 hours.
It was a long trek made longer when I pulled just a biiit too far forward loading the truck at 1am before locking in the ramp. D'Oh!
Huge shoutout to The_Josh_Bear for being willing to meet me outside Seattle to help diagnose this beast. Unfortunately my timing didn't allow the meetup (left later than I wanted, had to be back earlier than I planned), but I sure appreciate the friendliness of this community. You guys are awesome!
So, from there, I got the truck home, where he sits now. My son, who thinks sitting in the front seat is aaaahhhhmazing, named the truck: Fred. But not just Fred, it's Fred the Flatbed. But it's also Red. So... we now have Red Fred the Rusty ol Flatbed. We'll call it Fred for short.
With that dramatic retrieval, I now am the proud owner of ... a project. We live on 10 acres in the woods which means at this point I essentially have a diesel powered wheelbarrow to lug my wood around. There are a few pretty major issues I'd like to address, and I'll keep the progress updated here as i discover the roots. I feel some may be connected, but I'd love to hear your guys' thoughts.
Major Known Issues List:
1. Doesn't start. Well, that's not fair. It does, but it takes a shot of ether to start up. I've never been able to start it without ether, regardless of outdoor temps. Glow Plugs are completely dead (from what I can tell) with no light that comes on in the dash. I assume that means I need a new controller and some good beru plugs. Where is the recommended vendor for these?
2. Dies. I touched on it in my previous thread, but two times now it has died driving up a hill at 50mph, and then again at 60mph on the freeway. Both after it was fully warmed up, after about 3/4 of a mile at speed, and it sputtered and died. The mechanic who had it (previous goal was to drive it home, so it started at the mechanic) put in new return lines, a new fuel pump, and bypassed the Fuel/Water separator (I believe? Can someone confirm this from the pictures below?) and he said neither fix addressed it. I think the next thing to look at will be the Tank Selector Switch. Is there a tutorial here that shows the best method to get to these?
3. Tank(s?) leak. When I filled up the truck for the drive home I got it full, but as it was loaded on the tow truck it was leaking pretty badly. I assume there's a hole in the tank, but could it be something else down there? A bad gasket perhaps? Has anyone had that happen?
Minor Known Issues:
4. Seriously need some new bed-wood. It's completely rotten out. Bonus though - it will make working on the tank super easy.
5. Pops out of third gear on deceleration. I assume it's a worn tranny component, but it's not a huge deal at this point.
6. The seat is destroyed, I need to get a new one.
7. Fuel Selector Switch (see above). I was told by PO that rear tank didn't work at all. I'd like to address this.
8. Pound out the significant dents by the doors
There we go. Before I can really start to dive into it I've gotta get the doors on my shop I'm building before the snow flies. Then I'll have a place to work on it when it gets coooooold here in just a month or so (-20F last year). I'd love to hear your input of where go begin when it comes to diagnosing.
Here is my truck as it sits today:
You must be registered for see images attach
For those that don't know, the story started a few months ago when I went to the Seattle area to pick up a Brand New, showroom condition, 0 mile 1984 Ford F-350 Flatbed. At least, it started that way 34 years ago. By the time I got there, it was a $900 rusted out truck that doesn't start (no starter), doesn't stop (leaking brake m/c that drips a quart every 15 minutes), and needs a new flatbed floor. But it was bound to be mine.
It started with an attempt to drive it home to Montana from Seattle, but to those of you that remember, it didn't end well (https://www.oilburners.net/threads/bought-one-now-to-drive-it-600-miles.83516/)
Life has gotten simply crazy in the intervening months (I have 4 kids. Need I say more?!) but on Labor day weekend I was able to make a round trip to go and pick up the truck using my buddy's truck and trailer. Drove over and back the same day, 1,100 miles in 23 hours.
You must be registered for see images attach
It was a long trek made longer when I pulled just a biiit too far forward loading the truck at 1am before locking in the ramp. D'Oh!
You must be registered for see images attach
Huge shoutout to The_Josh_Bear for being willing to meet me outside Seattle to help diagnose this beast. Unfortunately my timing didn't allow the meetup (left later than I wanted, had to be back earlier than I planned), but I sure appreciate the friendliness of this community. You guys are awesome!
So, from there, I got the truck home, where he sits now. My son, who thinks sitting in the front seat is aaaahhhhmazing, named the truck: Fred. But not just Fred, it's Fred the Flatbed. But it's also Red. So... we now have Red Fred the Rusty ol Flatbed. We'll call it Fred for short.
With that dramatic retrieval, I now am the proud owner of ... a project. We live on 10 acres in the woods which means at this point I essentially have a diesel powered wheelbarrow to lug my wood around. There are a few pretty major issues I'd like to address, and I'll keep the progress updated here as i discover the roots. I feel some may be connected, but I'd love to hear your guys' thoughts.
Major Known Issues List:
1. Doesn't start. Well, that's not fair. It does, but it takes a shot of ether to start up. I've never been able to start it without ether, regardless of outdoor temps. Glow Plugs are completely dead (from what I can tell) with no light that comes on in the dash. I assume that means I need a new controller and some good beru plugs. Where is the recommended vendor for these?
2. Dies. I touched on it in my previous thread, but two times now it has died driving up a hill at 50mph, and then again at 60mph on the freeway. Both after it was fully warmed up, after about 3/4 of a mile at speed, and it sputtered and died. The mechanic who had it (previous goal was to drive it home, so it started at the mechanic) put in new return lines, a new fuel pump, and bypassed the Fuel/Water separator (I believe? Can someone confirm this from the pictures below?) and he said neither fix addressed it. I think the next thing to look at will be the Tank Selector Switch. Is there a tutorial here that shows the best method to get to these?
3. Tank(s?) leak. When I filled up the truck for the drive home I got it full, but as it was loaded on the tow truck it was leaking pretty badly. I assume there's a hole in the tank, but could it be something else down there? A bad gasket perhaps? Has anyone had that happen?
Minor Known Issues:
4. Seriously need some new bed-wood. It's completely rotten out. Bonus though - it will make working on the tank super easy.
5. Pops out of third gear on deceleration. I assume it's a worn tranny component, but it's not a huge deal at this point.
6. The seat is destroyed, I need to get a new one.
7. Fuel Selector Switch (see above). I was told by PO that rear tank didn't work at all. I'd like to address this.
8. Pound out the significant dents by the doors
There we go. Before I can really start to dive into it I've gotta get the doors on my shop I'm building before the snow flies. Then I'll have a place to work on it when it gets coooooold here in just a month or so (-20F last year). I'd love to hear your input of where go begin when it comes to diagnosing.
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
