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1983 F350 Restoration

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83bullnose

1983 F350 Restoration

To start off I got this by trading a car I paid 500 bucks for and fixed most of the issues. The truck had to be towed to my house due to it wasn't running when I traded for it. I wanted something that had a decent towing capacity and after some research found that this truck could tow 12500 Lbs. Previous owner wanted 4000 for the truck needless to say he was cool with trading. I previously posted about the starter relay, and the starter sticking asking for help with the wiring, thank you to those that helped me with those issues. I am currently about to install my pmgr starter hopefully it is a good one, got it from rock auto for 79 including shipping no core required, we will see how long it lasts or if it is a good starter. Here are a couple of pictures of my truck as well as the new starter, I will say one thing about the starter, I like how it came with a lead already attached with a butt connector and heat shrink ie the smaller wire to pull in the starter relay.

1983 F350 white 4dr 2wd
351w automatic

Gary Lewis

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

Administrator

That looks like a very stout truck!

And I'll bet the PMGR starter does the trick. When are you going to install it?

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

ArdWrknTrk

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

Administrator

In reply to this post by 83bullnose

What did you trade away?
Steps are nice, especially if you have kids to tote in the family cab.

You might want to connect that fresh air duct to the air cleaner snorkel.

IIRC the documentation that came with mine said 40A to pull in the solenoid. (Gary has that paper archived somewhere on the site)

The PMGR is a good solution to heat soaked starters or constant fender relay failures.

$79 is a good price delivered!

Did the box it came in give any clue to who manufactured it?
J&N perhaps??

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.

83bullnose

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

I am going to install it tomorrow was putting on new battery terminals, and looking at how the starter cable was ran down to the starter, as well as measuring my wire length I would need to cut, but I got a late start on it. Got tired of fighting off the mosquitoes here.

1983 F350 white 4dr 2wd
351w automatic

Gary Lewis

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

Administrator

In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk

Jim - The info on your starter is at Documentation/Engines/Starters and then the DB Electrical PMGR Test Results tab. It looks like the pull-in current was 44 amps, with an acceptable range of 30 to 55. And the hold-in current was 13.6 amps with an acceptable range of 8 to 17.5.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

83bullnose

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk

Traded a 2007 Mazda cx7, don't recommend anyone ever own one due to engineers having a good laugh when they made that car and put the engine together. And yes, I am going to connect it, previous owner put a 4brl carb on it and the air cleaner doesn't sit on the carb right as well as I need to put the filter in it .As for the starter it is a pure energy. I do have a question about some wiring by the distributor not sure what they would hook up to as I didn't see anything missing wires around where they would reach.

those loose connections come from this plug and module

there are also these 2 wires not sure yet where they come from will try to trace them back tomorrow.

1983 F350 white 4dr 2wd
351w automatic

ArdWrknTrk

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

Administrator

Orange, purple, black is the distributor connector.
And the black of that connector is the only ground for the entire DSII ignition system (just inside the distributor grommet)
Green is the ground connection for the coil (through the module.,... to that black wire)
Red is typically coil power (12V in start, 7V in run) but with a DSII module you should have a horseshoe connector at the coil.
I think '83 is too early to have had the square coil option harness that was used with EEC-IV ignition, but I may be wrong.
If it is, then those 'extra' wires should be in a connector and taped up into the loom (not used for your application)

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.

ArdWrknTrk

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Sorry Gary.

I looked at the PMGR conversion page, and didn't think to drill down through engines/starters/DB test results tab.

So, there you know. A quick inrush to 44A and then 13A to carry the starter while cranking.
12Ga should be okay for that.

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.

83bullnose

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk

I will look tomorrow at what color those 2 wires by the distributor are, I will also pull up the wiring that gary told me about if I remember correctly it was the ETVM. I will let you know what I find out.

1983 F350 white 4dr 2wd
351w automatic

ArdWrknTrk

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

Administrator

We don't have an '83 EVTM posted on the site, but things didn't change much from '82- '85 (when efi became an option for the 302)
'85 EVTM here...

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.

ArdWrknTrk

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

Administrator

In reply to this post by 83bullnose

They put that lead there because the early PMGR starters had a spade connector at the starter that would get really corroded and then the vehicles (cars too) would not crank.

The solution was to cut off the now green and corroded connector and attach an eyelet directly to the solenoid trigger stud.
That pigtail allows you to cut back the rotten end of the wire far enough to find clean copper inside the jacket.

Not that you need to. Because you are running a new wire from the large "out" stud of the fender mounted relay.

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.

Gary Lewis

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

Administrator

In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk

No problem, Jim. Even I had a hard time finding it. We really need someone to put some organization to this site!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

BigBrother-84

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

In reply to this post by 83bullnose

Nice BIG truck! Crew ones take just a little more time to restore and a little more space to turn a corner.

Looks clean, not rusty, I am wondering where it comes from or if this is original paint.

I am surprised about the washer/coolant tank position, first time I see this right angle bracket.
Probably some friends on the Forum will tell this is common and usual, but first time for me.

Jeff / 1984 F350 Crew Cab 4x4/5.8L w351 4V/ T18/ D50 4.10 front/ 8' bed.
Restored 2019-2022.
Nicknamed «Big Brother 1984», due to its soooo-looong shape & nod to George Orwell's 1984 famous novel.

Gary Lewis

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

Administrator

I think that's the position of the reservoir when you have the auxiliary battery option, or two batteries for the diesel. But I'd have to go back and look at Big Blue's pictures to confirm that.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

BigBrother-84

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

Gary Lewis wrote

I think that's the position of the reservoir when you have the auxiliary battery option, or two batteries for the diesel.

Again, you're absolutely right Gary!

Found this:

Jeff / 1984 F350 Crew Cab 4x4/5.8L w351 4V/ T18/ D50 4.10 front/ 8' bed.
Restored 2019-2022.
Nicknamed «Big Brother 1984», due to its soooo-looong shape & nod to George Orwell's 1984 famous novel.

83bullnose

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

In reply to this post by ArdWrknTrk

Sorry I was referring to the ETVM for the 85. Got the starter installed pretty quickly, which was good because as soon as I finished it started to down pour on me. I put my new air filter in when the rain let up. I got her to start up after a bit of cranking, she definitely has a fuel problem doesn't like idling and when I give it a bit a gas it bogs down and dies. I am going to pull the 4bl carb off and check the adjustments and maybe put the 2bl back on and see how she runs, considering I have no idea what the previous owner has done to the truck when he installed the carb. Speaking of the wires by the distributor one is white with a pink or red stripe (2 stripes opposite sides of the wire) the other is dark purple.

1983 F350 white 4dr 2wd
351w automatic

83bullnose

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

just went out and looked at the carb and it is a 2bl not sure why I thought it was 4, guess my brain was playing tricks on me. looks like he bought some off brand of carb didn't see any markings on it. I will pull it off later and look it over. I did notice one difference between it and the motor craft carb he took off it was the choke the new one looked a bit like it had an electric choke and the old one is the mechanical choke.

1983 F350 white 4dr 2wd
351w automatic

ArdWrknTrk

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

Administrator

Cable choke certainly isn't stock Motorcraft, so maybe the PO was just looking to go back to fully functional?
I do think the 351 used a relay to power the choke heater, but maybe that was only the H.O.? I'll have to look into that.

The accelerator pump facing forward is a dead giveaway of a 2V carb.
Perhaps it's adjustment is the reason for the truck falling on its face?

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.

83bullnose

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

I was attempting to remove the carb before I had to go to the store and also got called out by my boss for an afterhours call out. I will take some pictures tomorrow of the carb as well as going to continue to remove the carb and set all the settings according to a YouTube video I found unless anyone has some steps to adjustments prior to install

1983 F350 white 4dr 2wd
351w automatic

ArdWrknTrk

Re: 1983 F350 Restoration

Administrator

I'm going to assume it's a 2150 clone?

Mike's carburetor parts has some excellent stuff on YouTube as well as their website.
Settings are typically available in the instructions accompanying rebuild kits.

Hope you're getting paid well for whatever it is you do.
On-call 24/7 for emergency work should be compensated to make it worth the disruption to your schedule.

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.