Hello from the Great White North!
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Hello from the Great White North!
 
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I have a 1986 F150 302EFI manual, long box std cab. It has been in our family since new. Was the first vehicle I drove, first time I drove it I was around 12. Could barely press the clutch! It only has 50000km (31000 miles) on it. It was my grandfathers before my parents took it over after he died in 1994. And since then it really only was used to plow our driveway, which is around 1km long. My grandfather used and abused his truck, got it stuck a lot and ditched it a few times while plowing Broke the frame ahead of the front suspension (he should have gotten an f250). Not to say my dad or I have never gotten stuck
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We have never really had any issues with it over the years, had to park it last winter as oil was shooting out from the valve covers and splashing onto the red hot exhaust manifold. And I really didn't want it to catch fire...So this past summer, I have been off on disability from work, so I decided to take it upon my self to try my hand at wrenching on it. I have way more experience with computers than vehicles, but I figured I can't learn anything without trying. So I have replaced the gaskets on the valve covers and the plenum gasket on the upper intake manifold (why is it in two sections?) Also found a couple of broken and gnawed on wires, one going one of the fuel injectors and the other who knows. The break pedal was too mushy, so I decided to bleed the brakes and I ended up having to change the wheel cylinders on the rear. I managed to break the bleeder screw off flush with the old wheel cylinder, so it turned out to be cheaper (and easier to find) to replace the wheel cylinders than to get new bleeder screws. Was also a good thing that I did, cause I found the adjusting cable on one of the rear brakes was broken. After this I had to bleed the master cylinder, as the forward fluid reservoir was bone dry, hence the mushy brakes. I also had to replace the steering coupler (rag joint). And after all that it still runs, yay me... Next will be replacing the front and rear suspension, probably a small lift to help with clearance for the plow mount under the front end. The plow and attachment frame must weight a thousand lbs, it is quite robust. The front coils have the factory air bags in them, but only one holds any air and the other is jammed right up near the top of the coil with the air inlet busted off. Also I will have to do some frame repair on one of the cross braces under the truck bed, it is all rusted out where it attaches to the frame. And whatever else comes up! For how frustrating and infuriating it is to work on an old vehicle (so much rust), it is also a lot of fun. Kinda wish I had started sooner wrenching on vehicles, instead of waiting till my forties...
1986 F-150 4x4 302efi standard cab 4 spd manual trans , has seen some things and looks like it too
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Re: Hello from the Great White North!
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Well, welcome!
 We love the family heirloom/hand-me-down trucks here.  I wish I still had my great uncle's car I learned to drive! Sounds about right for a plow truck, especially with the thinner frames of a 150 model. Another of our Canadian members (Cory, from NS) is offering a master class is crossmember replacement right now!  .
I've just replaced my rusty brake lines and am looking at doing away with my lower steering shaft rag joint. Gary (the founder of this forum) has kindly offered me a steering box spline clamp to experiment with. If you intend to keep plowing and salting with this truck consider covering those bleeders in grease so they stay corrosion free in the future. You sound like you're really learning a lot about these trucks.  I hope it's enjoyable. At the very least you're keeping busy through the lockdown.
Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake. Too much other stuff to mention. |
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In reply to this post by Windbane
As the others have said, welcome!
 And, I'll echo the "where are you located"? But I ask because we have a map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu) and we can add you if you'd like. Nothing exact as we don't want people showing up on our doorsteps. That's a cool story. Have you seen that we have a "virtual show" going on? Read up on it at Documentation/Truck Shows/2020 Truck Show. You should enter. Computers? I retired from IT, so have seen a few of them myself. But I enjoy wrenching. Welcome!
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile
Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
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Welcome!
Rob
Eddy Myrtle '84 F150 300-6, Offenhauser C series intake, Edelbrock 1404(500cfm manual choke), EFI exhaust manifold, HEI dizzy, custom Painless harness, NP 435, NP 208, D44, 8.8"/3.08, 1.5" leveling coils, 265/75/16 tires. Toyopet (Daily driver) '86 Toyota Pickup |
Re: Hello from the Great White North!
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Welcome aboard!
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This post was updated on .
In reply to this post by Gary Lewis
I'm located in north eastern Ontario...and thanks for all of the welcomes
1986 F-150 4x4 302efi standard cab 4 spd manual trans , has seen some things and looks like it too
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Re: Hello from the Great White North!
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... I thought we had salt bad here in New England!
Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake. Too much other stuff to mention. |
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Check again.
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile
Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
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