onetonjohn
Full Access Member
Hi All,
I just joined the forum, although I've been lurking reading about these trucks for some time. I understand now that it's a sickness, and I think I have it. It started with a 1986 Brown F350 4wd automatic that we could use for hauling stuff occasionally. It moved our 3 bedroom house and garage one load at a time (filled bed and utility trailer) up the hill to Grass valley and I was hooked. These trucks are great, albeit slooow. From what I've read, towing with a manual is better. Besides I've always had a manual and I like them better, sooo I picked up another 1986 F350 4wd manual. My wife can't drive it, so need to keep the auto. And so it begins. The manual needs a some work. Glow plugs were all bad, with several broken off. Fuel filter was clogged so it would die whey you snap the throttle. Hoses to the heater core are plugged (not sure why). Water separator was bypassed. Lots of little stuff. There is rust in the floor of the cab by the door. I'm hoping I can cut it out and weld in a new piece, but this is new territory for me (sounds easy enough -lol). I'd like to do 5 speed swap for freeway cruising, but first I need to get it running good fixing and upgrading the little things. I'd be interested in hearing anything I should check or take care of. The plan is to do a medium cost functional restore to get this thing mechanically sound and protected from rust so it will last for years to come (I can't afford a new truck, but I can't afford to drive an unreliable truck either). I hope to post pictures of my progress and questions I have along the way, but for now I just wanted to introduce myself to the forum.
I just joined the forum, although I've been lurking reading about these trucks for some time. I understand now that it's a sickness, and I think I have it. It started with a 1986 Brown F350 4wd automatic that we could use for hauling stuff occasionally. It moved our 3 bedroom house and garage one load at a time (filled bed and utility trailer) up the hill to Grass valley and I was hooked. These trucks are great, albeit slooow. From what I've read, towing with a manual is better. Besides I've always had a manual and I like them better, sooo I picked up another 1986 F350 4wd manual. My wife can't drive it, so need to keep the auto. And so it begins. The manual needs a some work. Glow plugs were all bad, with several broken off. Fuel filter was clogged so it would die whey you snap the throttle. Hoses to the heater core are plugged (not sure why). Water separator was bypassed. Lots of little stuff. There is rust in the floor of the cab by the door. I'm hoping I can cut it out and weld in a new piece, but this is new territory for me (sounds easy enough -lol). I'd like to do 5 speed swap for freeway cruising, but first I need to get it running good fixing and upgrading the little things. I'd be interested in hearing anything I should check or take care of. The plan is to do a medium cost functional restore to get this thing mechanically sound and protected from rust so it will last for years to come (I can't afford a new truck, but I can't afford to drive an unreliable truck either). I hope to post pictures of my progress and questions I have along the way, but for now I just wanted to introduce myself to the forum.