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New to the forum, but been loving 7th gen bullnoses since they came out.

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ebbsrig

New to the forum, but been loving 7th gen bullnoses since they came out.

I was a teenager when the lucky 7th generation of the F series came out. Wanted one then, got a couple now. I have a 1986 F150 300-6 ugly but solid runner breezing through Montana -30* winters and she'll go anyplace I'm brave enough to point her (btw I'm braver than I am smart just so ya know). My current project is a 1983 F250 flatbed diesel. She sports a 7.3 IDI out of a 1990 F350 with salvaged factory turbo. I have the original 6.9 on a stand tricking out for a super pulling rig. My goal is to be able to drive a stake into the ground, hook a chain to it, drive west, and stop the planet! :) I am currently putting a dana 60 front on her and a Sterling 10.25 rear with 4.10 gears. Just scored a major win in the scrap yard game that netted factory tach instrument cluster with harness connection and factory delay wiper system and much needed set of front leaf springs all in at $260. Trying to verify the cluster pinout is how I found this wonderful site. Name is Eric B. Brewer Ebbs for short.

Ebbs

Eric B. Brewer (Ebbs for short)
Great Falls MT
1986 4x4 F150 300-6 AKA Superman -- Solid Honest and true
1983 4x4 F250 7.3 idi AKA The Zombie -- Will take any part from any truck anyway anywhere anyhow

Gary Lewis

Re: New to the forum, but been loving 7th gen bullnoses since they came out.

Administrator

Welcome! Glad you found us!

Boy, the IDI guys are multiplying like rabbits around here. Two today in fact. Must be something in those engines. And the factory turbo is icing on the cake.

You need to start a build thread in the main section so we can follow your journey and learn as we do.

By the way, we have a member's map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map) and I'd be happy to you to it if you'd give me town/city.

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
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

grumpin

Re: New to the forum, but been loving 7th gen bullnoses since they came out.

Welcome!

Dane
1986 F250HD SC XLT Lariat 4x4 460 C6-Sold
1992 Bronco XLT 4x4 351W E4OD
1998 GMC Sierra SLE K1500 350 4L60E
Arizona

Ford F834

Re: New to the forum, but been loving 7th gen bullnoses since they came out.

Administrator

In reply to this post by ebbsrig

Welcome to the group! I don’t know if you found what you needed regarding the tach wiring, but maybe this will help. 83/84 diesels did not have the tach option. The gear pump housing did not have the sensor port and the harness was not pre-wired for it:

I do not know where you are at with the ‘83 6.9 but I wouldn’t sink a bunch of money into that engine because of the obsolete oilers. You can red loc-tite them back in once... at your own risk if you are very careful... but that’s about it. It’s fine if you are just putting something together on the cheap with parts on hand but pre 237016 blocks are not a great to invest in. Not trying to be discouraging, I promise, just here to help. You have a great pair of trucks.

SHORT BED 4-DOOR DIESEL: 1986 F350 4x4 under construction-- 7.3 IDIT ZF5+GVOD

STRAIGHT SIX 4X4: 1981 F150 2wd to 4x4-- 300 I6 close ratio diesel T19, hydroboost brakes, Saginaw steering

BIG F: 1995 F-Superduty under construction— converting to 6.9L IDI diesel ZF5+DNE2

ebbsrig

Re: New to the forum, but been loving 7th gen bullnoses since they came out.

Ford F834

Perfect, exactly what I was looking for. Thanks for jumping in. As far as the 6.9 goes haven't pulled it apart or run numbers yet. Not sure it's the original motor. If it has the weaker casting and bad oilers I'll likely scrap it. My local machine shop has a warehouse full of blocks including several 6.9 and 7.3's While there is no replacement for displacement, I prefer the 6.9 for the thicker cylinder walls. The 7.3 that's in the Zombie now only has 150K on the clock so I got lots of time to get the 6.9 exactly how I want it.

Thanks

Ford F834

Re: New to the forum, but been loving 7th gen bullnoses since they came out.

Administrator

Hi, I’m glad the tach diagram helped. And I’m glad you have some block options. Finding a good one can be tough, for me engine number five was the winner... 🙄

Gary Lewis

Re: New to the forum, but been loving 7th gen bullnoses since they came out.

Administrator

Jonathan - Is that page something we need to include on the web site? If so, what is the best quality copy you have?

And, where should we put it? I think in Electrical/Tachometers, but it could also be in Engines/IDI. Or, put it in electrical and provide a link to it from Engines?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Ford F834

Re: New to the forum, but been loving 7th gen bullnoses since they came out.

Administrator

That’s the best image I have Gary, and unfortunately I don’t know what it’s from. I’m guessing a bricknose or aeronose shop manual perhaps? I think the two locations you named are where folks might look, if it seems reasonable to have it twice. It seems to be the most helpful for 83/84 owners wanting to add a factory tach.

Ford F834

Re: New to the forum, but been loving 7th gen bullnoses since they came out.

Administrator

After taking a closer look, the tach in the diagram is definitely a ‘87-‘91 gauge module. If anyone here has those manuals maybe we could get a better scan or image? Sorry to bomb your introduction thread, this is another post that for whatever reason does not fully display on my phone screen. I couldn’t eve. Get to the edit post button to add this to my last post.

Gary Lewis

Re: New to the forum, but been loving 7th gen bullnoses since they came out.

Administrator

Jonathan - If you can't get to the edit post button try zooming in or out and see if that helps.

As for the other problem, I'm lost as to what is going on. But I'll see what I can figure out.

On the document, I've cropped it, run some optimization on it, and turned it into an OCR'd PDF. Will put it on a web page or two later, but let's see how this looks:

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Ford F834

Re: New to the forum, but been loving 7th gen bullnoses since they came out.

Administrator

The document does look improved Gary. Thanks! I don’t know what to say about the mobile format of this post. I can’t zoom or scroll to get to the edit button or to see all of the text. It was like this before any images were added. I’m starting to wonder if it is a parameter set by the device that created/formatted the first post? 🤷‍♂️