1985 f350 dually cab and chassis

So a little bit about myself… I live in Rexburg, Idaho. I am finishing my Mechanical engineering degree and currently manage a shop refurbishing farm equipment here locally. I am very greatful the those of you who have contributed to this forum. it has helped me a lot over the last month of trying to resurrect my pickup. About the truck…
My father bought this truck new in 1985 from Sanderson Ford in Glendale, AZ. He used it at his business with a refrigerated box on it for a few years making deliveries around town. In 1988-ish he pulled the refer box and installed a home-made 12’ flatbed that is still installed on it today. He used the flatbed to haul a qty 6 -4’x4’ wood bins full of potatoes weighing 2000 lbs each from the farm to the processing plant. Needless to say, he “might” have been a little overloaded but the truck could handle it, just a little slower than one may have liked.  These are my earliest memories of this truck. My older brother drove this truck to and from school and work. In 1994 my Dad bought some farm ground in south phoenix and we used this truck to haul sprinkler pipe, pull trailers and anything else that needed done around the farm. This truck is where I learned to shift a manual transmission at 10 years old. In 2000 my Dad sold his ground (because russet potatoes don’t like Arizona heat) and he parked the truck in the back corner of his lot. It sat there, neglected, until 2004 when My dad threatened to “get rid of that old truck that is no good to anyone, it doesn’t even run” so I set out to save it.

I was fresh out of high school with three years of auto class under my belt. I put a new battery, fuel tank selector valve, a rebuilt carb, plugs, wires, fuel sending units in both tanks and a new camshaft. And she lived once again! Then my dad sent it up to his sorting shed in southern Utah where it essentially sat for 14 years only being started occasionally to move it out of the way. And run into town every once in a while.
Last month my dad called me and told me that he had sold his sorting shed and needed to “get that one-ton out of there.” He said it didn’t make any sense to bring it back to phoenix because it won’t pass emissions anymore. He asked what I would do with it if he gave it to me and I told him that “I WILL FIX IT AND DRIVE IT!” and with that, he signed the tittle over to me. It still ran but I wasn’t going to chance a 500 mile trip with it so I borrowed my buddies Duramax and a gooseneck and went on  a mission south to get the one ton. Now it is sitting in front of my house safe and sound. I’ve been slowly fixing a few things here and there. New battery, Oil change, tune-up and New turn signal switch. I got it road worthy and registered and now I drive it to work once a week to keep it moving. Being primarily an Arizona truck it has minimal rust except the stuff on top of the cab. It is a little ruff but I think this truck is worth saving. my wife has even agreed to go on trips with me in it pulling an rv trailer once i fix the air conditioning!



One issue that I’m having is that it hard starts when cold. I’m talking crank for 8-10 seconds then it fires up. After it runs for a minute it will start right back up after shutting down. Any suggestions? I’d love any input, even the “no brainer” suggestions. I grew up with fuel injection and don’t really know carbs too well

Wow!  That is undoubtedly the longest, and arguably the best, intro I've seen.  Welcome!  

I really love the "my grandfather" or "my dad" bought it new stories.  That makes the truck so special.  And yours is really special with that bed on it.  I assumed that the home-made flatbed was wooden, but I was wrong.  That thing looks like it was very well done and it is "serious".  

What's the blue thing under the bed?  Storage?  Fuel tank?

Anyway, let's talk about your plans for the truck, the starting issue, etc.  The best thing to do is to start a new thread about the plans, needs, etc in the main section of the forum.  That's because here in the New Members section you may not get as much help as you would out there, and that has to do with "subscriptions".  You can read about them in the thread called, oddly enough, Subscriptions, but the gist is that unless people actively subscribe to a folder or a thread they may not see any posts in it.

Having said that, let's talk a bit about the starting issue.  I'd bet the choke isn't coming on correctly.  And assuming that you still have the original Holley 4180C carb on it, then the instructions for adjusting that carb are in the book I scanned in yesterday: Fuel Systems/1985-1986 Fuel System Adjustments.

But the test is to pull the air cleaner when the engine is cold, open the throttle a bit to allow the fast-idle cam to slip under the adjustment screw, and the choke plate should close almost completely.  If it does then try to start it while watching the choke - it shouldn't pull off until the engine is running, at which point the vacuum-operated choke pull-down should open the choke slightly.

Oh, and you do set the choke each time you start the engine cold by opening the throttle a bit - right?

Great job on your dad for goading you into saving that truck! Sounds like that was not too tough to do.

I am amazed at the condition of the interior, particularly the dash pad and considering that this truck has had some years in the Arizona sun.

So, they grow potatoes in Idaho, do they? Who'd of thunk it!

Welcome to the Garagemahal!

Yes, welcome!

Great story!

Gary, thanks for the reply, the blue things under the flatbed are toolboxes.  
I appreciate the advice on setting the choke. My Dad had always told me to pump it once and it will start right up. I had no idea that setting the choke was even a thing. Granted, I was born the same year this truck was manufactured so I am not too familiar with carburetors or the idiosyncrasies associated with them. So I really appreciate the advice on that.
I did as you suggested and removed the air filter and checked to see if the choke was working as described and it was. It still hard started tho… after a closer look I noticed fuel seeping out of the back tank/bowl? 

Ignoring the obvious fire danger, I wonder if my hard starting is the fuel leaking out of the carburetor overnight and having to refill the bowl before it is able to start. I will study the fuel systems book and try to glean some information. Maybe I will get to learn how to rebuild a carb!  If I can’t figure it out I will start a new thread in the main section of the forum.  

Notenoughtrucks, Yep, my dad is pretty good at goading me. I do have strange attachment to this truck tho, it was made in april 1985, I was born June 1985. that alone is reason enough to think that it is the coolest truck every, just sayin.

so regarding the condition of the dash, I cheated a little... my brother was working as a ford certified technician in the early to mid 90's and found a new old stock dash cover for it in his parts department. So he got it for a song and installed it for my dad. So my OEM dash pad is 9 years newer than any other 1985 truck. for the last 14 years it has sat in a building protected from the sun so that also helps a lot.

The back one is the secondary bowl, so it being dry shouldn't make it hard to start as it doesn't contribute to the start or idle air/fuel mix.  (I'm pretty sure that's the case on the 4180C, but there are Holley's that have idle circuits in the secondaries.)  However, it is very possible the front is leaking as well.  Or, that the power valve or accelerator pump is blown, either of which will leak gas out of the primary bowl and into the intake manifold.  If they leak fast enough it'll make it hard to start hot as it'll be rich, but the gas usually evaporates in time that it isn't rich in the morning, so you have to fill the bowls up again in order to start it.  (These are the reasons I'm not a Holley fan.)

You might check that the four bowl screws are snug, but don't crank down on them as the center casting is prone to warping if you tighten them too much.  I'm pretty sure you are going to have to learn how to rebuild a carb.  We can help you with that.