New Member - Jack Bartlett, Portland, OR

Hey there!

I'm Jack, and I found you all while trying to make an '83 F-150 driveable and reliable. It's great to be here. There appears to be a wealth of resources available on this site - and good community - and I plan to dive in! I am almost totally new to the world of vehicle repair.

I bought my 4x4, automatic, 6-cylinder truck on a farm in Clatskanie, OR as a project for the OG Gambler 500. I got it for just $500! I traveled out there with a mechanic who very kindly went with me to assess the vehicle. It didn't run at all, but it turned over. The farmer let us leave it there for a week while we got a list of parts together. We got back a week later, installed this and that, and it ran well enough to drive back to Portland.

I now have a Chilton manual, and I'm working my way through one page at a time fixing things as I go along, or at least doing my best to understand each particular system.

General parts replaced -
- a lot of rubber. Fuel lines (it only has the front tank), transmission pressure gauge and hose, power steering lines.
- Brakes, e-brake, cables, and axle seals fully redone by a pro. Front lockouts broke during this job, and I had them replaced with new Warn lockouts.
- Various broken comfort items replaced like window parts, door and hood latch parts, and mirrors.
- Dash components.
- Fuel pump.
- All electrics except the distributor and the tube attached to the engine. I don't know what that is.
- Tailgate.
- Fluids and filters, including diff. fluids.

I also have a list of known problems. I wonder if you gents would help me prioritize them! I'm working on them one at a time, but it would be good to work on the most important ones first:

- Cylinder 5 is leaking at the spark plug. I can see it bubbling while the motor is running.
- I have three vacuum lines that lead nowhere and are plugged by screws. I want to route these properly, but my vacuum map has flaked off the front of the engine compartment. I have seen a selection of these maps on this forum. I just need to find out which is the correct one, find a "key" to the map, and get going.
- My 1-barrel carb is leaking fuel from its seals. I want to rebuild it instead of replacing it for the sake of gaining more knowledge. How do I determine which carburetor I have?
- My gas line plugs every so often and it kills the motor. I have replaced the rubber gas lines from the tank to the pump. I did not replace the metal lines. Is it possible that the fuel tank is filled with gunk? Can I drop the tank and clean it out? I have to carry around a gas can and a spare fuel line so I can get gas to the motor again.
- More than once while starting the vehicle with the air cleaner off, a jet of fire has shot out of the top of the carb. What's going on with that? Timing, I assume.
- During the brake job, the mechanic found a broken bolt and wrote the following: "Remove third member cover to replace axle seals. Locking bolt was broken. Will need rebuild." He said the locking bolt was still doing its job and that it wasn't dangerous or damaging to drive.
- My coolant lines are visibly cracking. There is also copper-colored gunk in the radiator when I look in at the cap. I have not changed the coolant since I bought the truck.
- My engine compartment is filthy. What's the best way to clean an engine compartment?
- According to the DOT code, my tires were made in 2004. They're not cracking, but... that seems like a long time to run tires.
- The exhaust does not seem to be mounted at the engine. The truck is as loud as the second coming when you step on the gas.
- The shoes/boots that hold grease for the steering components are cracked and do not hold grease. Can I replace these?
- There's a squeaking coming from somewhere.

Upgrade wish list:

- A second gas tank!
- Lockers.
- New suspension that will improve the ride quality. Mine is absolutely terrible.

All in all, I am absolutely delighted with my purchase. True to the Gambler spirit, we get volunteers together and pick up street trash in Portland metro. Jolene has hauled many loads of trash that previously clogged the streets of Portland, and she hauled one bed load that weighed 2900 lbs! We have a storied history together, she and I. I sold her once, bought her back, and will never sell her again.

Thanks,

Jack Bartlett

Welcome, quite a list of things done. There should be a tag on the carburetor with the information on it. As far as the front steering, tie rod ends, bushings, etc are replaceable. But after it’s done make sure you get it aligned.
There are many on here with way more knowledge than I, and enjoy sharing that knowledge. We also enjoy rejoicing with you the accomplishments.
By the way how about a picture or two.
David

Jack - Welcome to the forum!  You've come to the right place as we do have a lot of documentation and a lot of friendly, knowledgeable people.

We also have a map (Bullnose Forum/Member's Map in the menu).  Would you like to be on it?

As for the list, David is right, that is a loooong list.  And along the way you'll find other things that will add to it.  But giving a priority to each item is hard because we don't know how bad each is nor your capabilities.  But here's how I'd start:

Spark Plugs: Since you have a leak at #5 I'd replace all of the plugs.  And while you have #5 out inspect the threads.  Hopefully the plug just isn't tight, but check the threads closely.

Exhaust: As shown in the diagram below, the 300 six is one of the few Ford truck engines that uses a "biscuit" gasket - shown as 9450.  So I'm guessing that yours is cracked, split, or missing.  This should be an easy fix, but frequently the bolts that hold the flange to the exhaust manifold are rusted and if you aren't careful you'll twist them off.  So you'll want to soak them in something like PB Blaster for several days before you try.  Spray them and let it sit.  Spray again a day or two later and let it sit.  After a few days see if they'll come out.

Gas Tank: I think the cause for the plugging of the gas line is junk in the tank.  And cleaning a tank is very hard - I tried and failed.  So instead replace the tank.  They aren't expensive.  However, you said you want a 2nd tank.  I wouldn't add a 2nd tank as the way to merge the output of the two is a pain.  Instead I'd buy either the standard 33 gallon Bronco tank or the larger 38 gallon one and put it where the rear tank would have been in your truck.  BUT, if your truck didn't come with two tanks then you don't have the 2nd filler door, and that is a problem.  So you need to think about and discuss this on here more.

Tires: Those tires are waaaay past the time when they should have been replaced.  Ten years is a long time for a tire, and you are pushing 20 years.  That's a safety problem if you get out on the highway and get up to speed.

Cooling System: If the "lines" you mentioned are the hoses then I think it is time to replace the heater and radiator hoses, flush the system, and add new coolant.

Steering: If just the boots are cracked and the tie rods et al are solid then the boots can be replaced.  But the effort to do that is significant and I'd replace the components themselves.  And the bushings on the ends of the radius arms are surely bad and they have to be replaced.

This NMSH folder isn't the best place to discuss things like this as not all members watch here.  So you should probably start a new thread in the main section or in Projects to track your progress and ask questions.

Thanks for the reply, Gary and David!

I'll move this post to the projects section. And yes, Gary. It's a thrill every time I fix something. I'm glad I can share the joy! Thanks for the tip on the tires. I've seen some good ones on Craigslist nearby; one of the perks of living in the city.

Here's a picture of Jolene. I planned to add pictures of the carb and engine, but they post upside down. I'll figure it out and put it in the Projects section.

And please, Gary, do put me on the map.

You are now on the map.  And you figured out the pics, maybe by reading the page at Bullnose Forum/Forum FAQ's.  

Nice truck.  It sure is fun to fix things on these trucks, and there are usually plenty of things to keep us happy.

Welcome!

welcome. sorry about a short reply but I was struck by your description of number 5 "bubbling" while it runs. what color is bubbling????  I ask this because the only experience with bubbling was from a cracked cylinder head and that causes concern. I hope that is not the case and that its just some accumulated oil getting hot or something like that, but I will read on and coach as best as I'm able. even if it does turn out to be a big repair, you found a great truck to have, to learn on, and enjoy once you have worked out the bugs. seriously there is nothing like being able to do stuff yourself if you have the interest. and that price for a 4wd is good even if it needs a new engine. well done.

wasteland_jack wrote

I planned to add pictures of the carb and engine, but they post upside down.

Hi,
This is a known bug and this is the work-around I found:
1- You have to edit the picture, rotate it (no matter what direction), save it.
2- Re-edit it to rotate in the good orientation and re-save it.
It will now post correctly.