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The 84 got some company

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jstone4646

The 84 got some company

This post was updated on .

My son and I picked up an 85 xlt extended cab long bed last night, decently loaded too. Captains chairs, dual tanks, electric seats and windows. She's a much more complete truck than my 84 project. Plan for her is to get her running and flip it for a profit which I will end up putting into the 84. 83,000 miles, 351, and she is all there. Everything outside and in, and in really decent shape minus paint and some trim on the outside. Gave a whopping $300 for her.

Her story so far is, the battery was dead, and all we had was a half dead jump box with us. She turns over, but will not fire. Previous owner replaced the ignition coil, starter relay, plugs, wires, distributor, and dist. cap. The dist. top is not bolted down so it twists from side to side....timing will need to be set on that end, but the PO assures me they got top dead center when they dropped in the dist and just had not gotten around to adjusting the top. When she attempts to fire she just spits out the top of the carb, but again we had a nearly dead jump box and only got maybe 5 minutes worth of attempted cranks out of her....for the price we paid I was more than willing to take the leap, if anything I can re-sell or part out (keeping what odds and ends my 84 needs, and still be well off with profit.

Project "Red" (not really named yet): '84 F150 4x2, Holley 4bbl 351 w/302 cam shaft and side exit pipes. Still learning what else is there but in progress of putting her back together and on the road.

Frank Wyatt

Re: The 84 got some company

If it's spitting out the carb while turning it over sounds like to me it's 180* out of time. They may have put the distributor in while the piston was at TDC but it is at TDC twice during each cylinders four strokes. You also need to verify that the dist. was timed to the no. 1 cyl. for a Ford and not the Chevy small block. I have seen that done on numerous occasions.

1981 F 150 Custom 300 ci with a fully rebuilt 1968 240 head Carter YFA T-18 3.25 9" rear 2WD
dual gas tanks
1990 Lincoln Town Car 5.0 AOD
Home town Mc Kenzie, TN

Gary Lewis

Re: The 84 got some company

Administrator

You got a STEAL! Congrat's!

And, I agree with White Knight - the dizzy may be 180 degrees out. (Actually 360 degrees.)

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

jstone4646

Re: The 84 got some company

That should be easy enough to tell, I assume the crank balancer on these 351s had factory timing marks yes? So it should go something like this???

1. turn the engine over (either by tapping it over with the key or quickly shorting the starter relay, or manually turning the crank) until the indicator (assuming the crank has marks) reaches 10 BTDC
2. ensure the distributor rotor is lined up with cylinder 1 (based on the firing order that is roughly the 1 oclock position of the dist. cap).
3. reattach the cap, crank her up, assuming she fires....hit the timing light and ever so slightly adjust the cap until the 10BTDC mark is exact (again assuming these 351s have marks on the crank)

Now what is all this stuff I am reading about Ford SPOUTs? Spark Output, do these trucks have this jumper, and should it pulled out while setting timing?

Thanks again guys.

Oh and....about the mileage....previous owner claimed it had 77k when he got it, then he put another 6k on it which made it 83k. Sure enough the dash says 83k (83 and change) and I was a bit skeptical about that being the actual mileage without a 1 or even a 2 in front of it....but sure enough the VA title says he bought it in 2014 and it was an actual odometer reading of 77k.

Gary Lewis

Re: The 84 got some company

Administrator

Yes, that process should work.

But if this truck has an original Holley 4bbl then it will have DS-II ignition as that is the 351HO engine. So, no SPOUT. Just a very simple ignition system with no computer.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

jstone4646

Re: The 84 got some company

So is that then the tell-tale sign of the 351 vs 351HO, a DS-II and no SPOUT, where the standard 351 would have no DS-II and a SPOUT? I have been trying to figure that one out as well.

If that is the case, then both of mine are 351HO motors and for unknown reasons that makes me happy...who doesnt like an extra 60 ponies.

Gary Lewis

Re: The 84 got some company

Administrator

Sorta. The HO has DS-II, and you can tell that two ways: The ignition box has a blue grommet where the wires come out, and the distributor has a vacuum advance unit.

The '84 Electronic Engine Control (EEC) system has a Self-Test Indicator. But I don't see a SPOUT in the EVTM. Perhaps that came in subsequent years. Anyway, the distributor on this engine won't have the vacuum canister that the DS-II system has since the computer makes all the decisions on ignition timing.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

jstone4646

Re: The 84 got some company

oh ok, good info thanks!

Gary Lewis

Re: The 84 got some company

Administrator

I like your sig.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

jstone4646

Re: The 84 got some company

You mentioned it a few times, I figured now that I had time I should get it plugged in there!

Gary Lewis

Re: The 84 got some company

Administrator

You'd be surprised how it helps old guys - like me.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Rembrant

Re: The 84 got some company

In reply to this post by jstone4646

Well done! I like that even though they didn't paint the front fender they still installed the emblem!

1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

jstone4646

Re: The 84 got some company

She is alive! Timing was 180 out (or somewhere in between no telling). I pulled plug number 1 put my thumb over the hole, shorted the starter relay quickly a few times, and waited for it to kick my thumb off, looked at the timing mark and she was at about 13-14 BTDC according to the crank (it took a few rotations to get that close), looked at the rotor and she was no where near cylinder 1s firing point. Pulled the dist, lined it all back up on the way in (by the way that dist adjustment bolt on a 351 is a real PITA to get to, but yall probably already know that!). Hooked everything back up and vroom vroom. Thanks for the advice!

Frank Wyatt

Re: The 84 got some company

Glad you got it.

1981 F 150 Custom 300 ci with a fully rebuilt 1968 240 head Carter YFA T-18 3.25 9" rear 2WD
dual gas tanks
1990 Lincoln Town Car 5.0 AOD
Home town Mc Kenzie, TN

Gary Lewis

Re: The 84 got some company

Administrator

In reply to this post by jstone4646

Yippee!

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

FuzzFace2

Re: The 84 got some company

on getting it running.

As for that bolt for the dist. they make dist. wrenches 1/2" & 9/16"
I have had mine since the late 70's when you had to adjust timing as part of the tune up.
Dave ----

Dave G.
81 F100 flare side 300 six / AA OD / NP435 / 2.75 gear
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1980-Ford-F100?page=1
81 F100 style side 300 six/SROD parts truck -RIP
http://cars.grantskingdom1.com/index.php/1981-Ford-F100

jstone4646

Re: The 84 got some company

Then I know what I'm buying now, thanks.

Vic Roma

Re: The 84 got some company

In reply to this post by jstone4646

Did the Captains Chairs come with manual and/or power adjustability?

1984 Bronco 351 Holley Sniper EFI, 3 Speed Ford Auto.
1986 Bronco 302 EFI, AOD, Eddie Bauer, with 3G alternator.

jstone4646

Re: The 84 got some company

No they are not electric....I was just listening to the guy talk when we bought it. They are manual seats, verified that today, only power is windows/locks.

Vic Roma

Re: The 84 got some company

Thanks for the follow up. I was developing “need them” pangs...

On Mar 30, 2019, at 6:34 PM, jstone4646 [via Bullnose Enthusiasts] <[hidden email]> wrote:

No they are not electric....I was just listening to the guy talk. They are manual seats, verified that today.
Project "Red" (not really named yet): '84 F150 4x2, Holley 4bbl 351, auto, basic truck, roller windows, no A/C. Not much else known yet, she runs and drives but still in pieces.
"Cowboy Cadillac": '85 F150 XLT extended cab 4x4, basically all the options available in 85 including power options. Dual tanks, 4bbl 351.

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NAML

1984 Bronco 351 Holley Sniper EFI, 3 Speed Ford Auto.
1986 Bronco 302 EFI, AOD, Eddie Bauer, with 3G alternator.