Gary Lewis

I wouldn't be in a big rush to pull the front of the engine off. I know the timing chains can get really...REALLY sloppy, but your issues only showed up after you were messing with the timing and firing order. There was another guy on here struggling with an ill running 351 for 2 months and he finally found out the darn thing had a 302 cam in it: http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/Ferdinand-85-Bronco-351W-XLT-Phoenix-rebuild-project-tp14538p20678.html Get the engine back to where it was before you made the changes, and then go from there. The guys are right - don't pull the front apart until you figure out what is going on. As Cory said, it may have a cam that requires a different firing order. One way to find out the firing order is to mark the harmonic balancer every 90 degrees from the TDC mark. Then turn the engine to the first mark after TDC, pull the valve covers, and see which cylinder has both valves closed. Work through two revolutions and you should have the correct firing order.

So they didn't put anything back, just removed the R12? If that's the case then you almost for sure need to get with an A/C company and have them pull a vacuum and fill it with R134a. Most, if not all, of these trucks are now running R134a, without problems. You really don't have much choice.

Hey Gary, I wonder if the 1980-83 is referencing the F100 models? By the way, I was looking at the front section of the frame on a 1980 F100 recently and the C-channel looked like it was lighter and narrower to me. Did they have a lighter frame or was it just my eyes playing tricks on me? Steve - I took it out to the ladies who frequently do scanning for me. They have a large scanner, but even it can't take that size of sheet. Unfortunately the owner wasn't there yesterday, but is to call today and I think she can cut the sheet one time and then feed the two parts through separately and I can put them back together via my app. Cory - There were several frame sizes, as shown below, which is from the 1982 Dealer Facts Book and Page 11 of the Axles, Frames, & Suspensions tab. So perhaps it is that the part I have is too tall for the other frames.

The truck came with Freon/R12. But since you can no longer buy that surely it has been converted to R134a. Does it have a fitting like the ones below, or any of those shown here: https://nostalgicac.com/fittings-hose-kits/r12-r134a-adapter-charging-port-fittings.html? Those are conversion fittings and that would indicate it has R134a.

Yes, Explorer was a package that was offered once a year and was on top of whatever level of trim the truck would have had. So Big Blue is an XLT Lariat Explorer as in '85 there was a trim level of XLT Lariat.

It does look nice. I wonder how brittle it is?

Those parts look great! It is going to be fun installing those. Always good to go back with new parts. On the snapped bolt, did it snap where you can get to it with vise grips? Even better is to weld a nut to the to - if you have a welder. And a media blaster is great! Wish you lived closer.

The only hood ornaments I've seen have been on Explorers, and only a few of those. Big Blue is an Explorer and by '85 they'd stopped using hood ornaments on them.

Actually, the pic you included was of an earlier hood emblem. Note the "D3AZ", which indicates that emblem was first used in 1973. And, the "A" indicates it was intended for use on a car, not a truck. So, that particular emblem isn't the one that would have been available for the Bullnose trucks. But, I cannot tell you what the differences are.

I hate to burst your bubble, but that hood ornament has nothing to do with Lariats. It was an available part that could be put on any truck, including the little Broncos and Rangers, as shown here:

Man! Has it really been 5 days since I posted here? Oh well....Anyway John, the paint and body man, came down today to look at the situation with the floor of the cab. He doesn't want to start banging on it, and doesn't want to weld. But, he did recommend that I get a piece out of another cab and we graft it in. If it is just like this one we should be able to overlap them, use the structural adhesive as well as pop rivets, and make it every bit as strong. Plus, with undercoating on the bottom and Dynamat on the top, plus carpet, no one is going to see it.Below is a pic of the underside. The yellow oval shows where the tab was hitting - before it was exorcised. The red oval shows where the center bolt boss will hit after the mounts are tightened down unless something is done. And the green lines show where I think I'll trim a donor's floor.But, I'm now wishing I hadn't gotten rid of Huck. As a '90 would his floor have the raised spot extended? Or, would there be other differences that would make it difficult to fit it in?Anyway, anyone have a cab to cut up? John said he's headed to the salvage soon and will be on the look out for one. And Brandon/Bruno2 was just here and said many of the yards no longer allow cutoff wheels, so I need to check that out.

Got the frame repair kit in yesterday. And while I'd hoped there would be instructions that I could easily copy and put on the page with the existing instructions, that doesn't appear to be the case. As shown below, these instructions are on one GIGANTIC piece of paper, roughly 45" x 54". (The floor tile are 18" square.) And in the corner, right above the title block, it says..... So, it can't be used for 1980 - 83 anything? And, it can't be used for 1984 and later regular cab pickups? Nor pickups with leaf springs? I can see that maybe the kit hits the spring perches on leaf-spring vehicles. But, is the front of an '80 - 83 different than an '84+? And is the front of a regular cab different than anything else? I'll take the thing out later and see how it might have gone on Dad's truck, but with the RedHead box there that may be difficult to ascertain. And, I'll certainly try it on Big Blue when the time comes, but.....

Jarek - I'll bet that your system leaked some of the "freon" over the winter and the pressure is below the cutoff of the Clutch Cycling Pressure Switch, shown circled below. You can find the schematics here: Electrical/EVTM's/1986 EVTM/AC & Heater. And note that in the upper left corner of Page 143 there's a description of how that switch works. But it isn't unusual at all for these systems to leak a bit over the winter and the pressure be below the cutoff point of the switch. However, add some refrigerant and it'll probably work.

Heat and penetrating oil, multiple times. Heat the bolts and then quench them with penetrating oil. Let it sit for a few hours and go again. Glad you found the wire. It can be hidden when not in use. But, it is plenty big enough to provide power for the ignition.

Yes. And initially it was called a Malfunction Indicator Light, and it did come about in '88. Prior to that there was an Emissions light, and it functioned as explained here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/89-22-08-emissions-maintenance-warning-module.html

Good to know. Thanks.

If the timing chain has jumped you'll get symptoms like this. And just because you set the ignition to 10 BTDC doesn't mean the valve timing is correct. If the chain jumps then the valve timing will be way off. To check the valve timing is a real pain. It involves a degree wheel on the crank, knowing the cam specs, using a dial indicator, etc. Much easier to pull the damper, water pump, and timing cover and change it. But, you can check to see if it is worn by pulling the distributor cap and watching the rotor while you roll the engine forward and backward with a socket on the crank bolt. Just take the slack out of the chain and see how much rotation there is before the rotor starts to move. Basically there shouldn't be much at all. Another approach is to pull the fuel pump and reach in to check the slack in the chain. I think the factory specs are something like a max of 3/8", but I can check the shop manual tomorrow.

You really, REALLY have a lot of work in that. And I know it must seem like it is unending. But you are going to look back and realize it was all worth it. Man, it is looking good!

Jim - First, when you say "left" or "right" do you mean the driver's side and passenger's side? Or do are you speaking as if you are standing in front of the truck looking towards the rear? And, have you looked at the documentation here? http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/motorcraft-2150.html

I'll check the shop manual tomorrow to see if it says which way they should point.

Not for our trucks: 80/ E100/350 EOTZ 5K483-E

For $350 it doesn't include the biggest part?

Ok. Might the fronts be swapped side-for-side?

Pricey! But that's the right one for '83-86, and it is easy to change that one to fit an '80-82, as described here: http://www.garysgaragemahal.com/beds-tailgates-and-components.html

I think you have it nailed.