'83 F-150 irritating issues.

Hi all. I'm new poster but long time stalker. This forum is a great resource for bullnose lovers like me.

So I've been given (free.99 😁) a 1983 f-150 XLT sclb 2x4 351w C6 that has sat for twenty years. Has 111,000 miles. I got it fired right up on a boat tank. Drained oil and added Rotella 15w-40. Rebuilt 2bbl carb and changed fuel filters twice. Put new valve cover gaskets and replaced 5 exhaust manifold studs that were missing or loose. Bought a new fuel sending unit and new brass float and sock. Has only midship 19 gal tank.  Installed a new oil pressure sending unit. Replaced cap, rotor, plug wires and plugs. New LT235-75-15 all terrain tires. New door window channel rubber and door window seals from LMC. Repacked front wheel bearings and installed new brake pads. Replaced leaking rear wheel brake cylinder and put on new brake shoes. Removed all smog equipment and egr blocked off and welded cross over tube blocks closed. (No smog test where I live)
The truck is very reliable and road worthy now.

PO had a resitor in line on the red wire to the coil. Anyone know maybe why they did?

Truck is hard to start after a run to town next time you try to start it. Any ideas as to why?

I've had to change oil twice in under 150 miles because it gets black black after only a short time running on new oil.  No sludge was found under valve covers. Is the pan maybe sludged up? PO was a farm hand in Nebraska.

The truck sat all those years with a broken out driver's window and rear window. So power windows stop working occasionally then start working again after time. Does anyone sell aftermarket widow switches because LMC want $100 for the drivers side.

Truck didn't come with a factory tach.  I got one from salvage yard and the printed circuit thingy. I put them into my instrument cluster and the tach doesn't work.  I have four guages not idiot lights. Should be plug and go right? What wires should be going to coil? I have green and red. I found two wires near the coil cut off. Green/yellow and a black. Is there anyone who repaints the guage numbers and needles. I tried I suck.

Sorry for the long read. Thanks for your time.

Welcome!
Gary is going to ask you to post in the NMSH to make sure you have seen and understand the bylaws.

The green/yellow is your tach wire.
There's no reason to add a ballast resistor. There should be a resistor wire in the harness behind the dash during 'run', that is bypassed in 'start'.

Is the truck slow to crank when hot?
Maybe it's just your starter is worn???

Welcome!  Glad you joined.  

But as Jim pointed out, we need to know if you've read the guidelines.  They are posted in the New Members Start Here folder, which is why we ask people to post there as we are hoping they'll read them.  In addition, we are a community and we want to get to know people - hence the request for an introduction.

It seems like you've done a lot on the truck.    I think Jim had good ideas on most of your questions.  Hopefully that will solve the problems.

Ok so removed the resistor. No the truck cranks fast but acts like it isn't getting spark.

I'd begin with investigating the 'creative' wiring done by the previous owners.
Do you have a spark tester or inductive timing light?

Not wanting to catch after being parked could be as simple as a pickup or module that is failing from heat soak.

I understand the challenge of having tools and time to root through the ignition system, but all the test procedures are there in the EVTM.

I would start by looking for good strong spark when this happens.

If that turns out to be good dont over look today's gas as the issue.
It is a known fact motor is hot stop in to a store and come out a bit later and the motor has a hard time starting, cranks normal and has good spark.

The carb gets what is called heat soaked.
The carb sitting in the center of a hot motor (v8) gets heated and boils the gas in the carb.
Being the gas vapors are heavier than air goes to the floor of the intake flooding the motor.
A sign of this is when it dose start it runs ruff till it clears out.

The fix it to keep the carb a cool as you can.
Some use a plastic spacer if they can or thick gaskets.
On v8's blocking off the intake cross overs that heat the intake but if you live where it gets cold and you drive the truck when cold you can had other issues.

On a 300 six motor make sure the flapper valve between the intake & exh manifold works and is not stuck pointing hot exh gases to the intake.
 
Sometimes the brand of gas can be a cause so can try a different brand to see if that helps.
But you need to keep the carb as cool as you can when the motor is not running, yea not so easy LOL
Dave ----