85lebaront2

Ok, I will ask Donnie Medlin on Tuesday. Since his container is going from LA, how about Mark out there in California?

Au contraire! If you remove the kickdown linkage on the C6 it won't downshift until you pull it down with the shift lever. I ran Rusty that way for several years 'cause I was too cheap to invest in the Edelbrock adapter to fit the linkage to the carb. Then I got to liking it and didn't want to change. Well, since my name was invoked I guess I need to add my input. First, I have driven a lot of different vehicles in my life, from little econo-boxes to USMC trucks. Even when I was a lot younger I hated getting stuck in heavy, slow moving traffic with a manual transmission, even the relatively light clutches on the Alfa-Romeo 5 speed column shift or the Omni and Horizon, or even my 1961 Mercedes-Benz 220Sb. In a performance vehicle, such as my 1966 GT350 or my best friend's 2000 Corvette 6 speed, much worse. For control, yes, a manual transmission is great, performance driving, running back roads etc. Crawling around in the sand dunes at Little Creek Amphibious base in a 1960s USMC M37B1 (4 speed with a granny low and only 3 & 4 synchronized) I learned the 1st in high transfer case was the same as 2nd low transfer case and got very adept at double clutching. My first car was a 1964 V8 (not a Sprint) Falcon with a 3 speed column shift, when I started towing my boat I ended up converting it from a 4 speed Borg-Warner T10 to a well modified C4. The first automatic transmission car I owned was a 1963 Oldsmobile Jetfire I added to the Shelby as more of a DD in bad weather because it had an interesting AC system that could be run along with the defroster (they were completely separate units) to help defog windows. First pickup was a 1958 F100, 223 six and 3 speed, even after I put the 312 in it it was still a 3 speed, just now a B-W T85 with OD. The 1977 F150 was a 300 six and C4 (not a strong combination) it ended up with a 390 and C6. Darth came with a carbureted 460 and C6, towed great, but even with the 3.55 rear ran a lot of RPM at 55 with a load behind (2700 rpm). Now EFI 460 and E4OD, same conditions, rpm in 3rd with the converter clutch unlocked, 2700, clutch lock in, 2200. As Gary mentioned, the E4OD is controlled by the PCM, and with the EEC-V Ford, for government mandated update requirements (PCM can be reflashed with software updates eliminating the need for a complete replacement) has the means to update the program without replacing the PCM as was needed on the earlier systems. I (and Gary) have the software and hardware to do this, it takes about 15 mins to do a reflash. I have my torque converter clutch unlock set at 80% throttle or just about where a forced downshift will occur. I let the system work like a manual transmission in that respect, letting the torque of the 460 do the work as the torque converter is the biggest heat source and is the reason for the stock E4ODs bad reputation as far as failures go.

Ok, Gary, so he needs a 1985/86 fender? Will a plain Jane earlier one (no trim holes) work? That way I know what to ask for.

Told my wife the other day that with everything that has come up I haven’t worked on the truck like I wanted. But I have used it, so shouldn’t complain! I installed my "calibrated" oil pressure gauge in Darth, success! 0 psi is on the red line at the left side, 50 psi is centered between R and M in NORMAL, 25 psi is on the N. So I can get an idea without trying to look at the mechanical on the bottom of the dash at night with no light on it.

With all the frame issues you'd almost think the truck had been rolled.

1st week was pretty good, second was so-so, 3rd not so good. This time they changed the location from the front outside to front inside and it feels better. Due to scheduling I don't go back for 2 weeks, apparently the celebration of a man who didn't know where he was going, didn't know where he was and misnamed the people he saw messed up the normal schedule, Friday the 18th was booked solid and since as long as it is not over 14 days, moved it back to October 25th.

In my left knee.

Gary, my favorite junkyard, Pete's might have one, once we get what he needs I can ask Donnie.

I don't know Bill's specific reason, but generally the "benefit" to divorced transfer cases is that they use a 2WD transmission. I put "benefit" in quotes because it really isn't a benefit if you are sourcing a new trans anyway (just get a 4WD trans to start with). But it is a plus if you have a lot into your current 2WD trans and want to keep it. As to the coil spring TTB Dana 50 being worth 3 grand, it sure isn't to me. But for people who want a prerunner-style suspension that can go fast in the desert, coil spring TTB is about the best you can do in a 4WD. And for that type of use compliant bushings are undesirable. People who are pushing those boundaries are very willing to give up some vibration and harshness for the precision and ruggedness of heim joints. The other benefit from my standpoint would be driveshaft length. My current rear shaft is two piece, one is about 3' long, the other is probably about 6' long. There is a center support on the crossmember that carries the bearing. If I were to rebuild my E4OD and add the transfer case and adapter, well, Gary can measure the overall length. You end up with a very short connecting shaft or a rather long rear drive shaft (remember Darth is a crew cab so is 35" longer than a standard cab long bed). My though was like the USMC trucks I used to drive and work on. Other than the M38 and M151, they all had divorced transfer cases. If I were to install a divorced transfer case where the rear shaft area coincided with the existing center support bearing, or maybe a little forward I lose the off center weight on the rear of my transmission, lessening the chance of breaking the adapter, I gain a longer front drive shaft which will tolerate more suspension travel. The only concern would be possibly having to make a modified transmission crossmember to allow the front drive shaft plenty of room. Best option, find a late enough rolled Super Duty 4WD dually and get all the running gear less the powertrain from it, that way I would also have the late 4 wheel disk brakes. These trucks use a Dana 60 live axle with radius arms and coil springs. Gary, just an interesting observation, looking at the front suspension information on Matt's 2002 Excursion, the spring setup looks an awful lot like the kit you installed on BB.

Not today, but yesterday I grabbed my spare instrument cluster pieces to see if I can get an oil pressure gauge that will read some semblance of pressure (1992-96/7 clusters use the "gauge" as an oil pressure indicator) There is a resistor on the printed circuit that when the switch on the engine closes, makes the "gauge" read roughly 1/2 scale. Jumpering this resistor and installing an older oil pressure sender converts it to a gauge. The problem comes if the pointer sits beyond the 0 position (red line) when the key is on, engine off, then it may not really do anything. What I did was take the loose gauges and connect the ignition and ground which is the initial condition before starting the engine. I then carefully removed the pointer and reinstalled it on the red 0 line. Grounding the signal post gives full scale to the high end red line. I will have to swap this one into my cluster possibly tomorrow as I have to go to Rejuvinix in Virginia Beach today for the 4th of 5 scheduled injections.

The stock front end is not going to sit any lower with a newer system.

Now, if something like that for a live axle, I might (if I completely lost all vestiges of common sense) think about doing a 4WD conversion on Darth, probably with a divorced transfer case like the military trucks used.

Two items, look at the computer spreadsheet, some 300s had an MCU but prior to 1984 they did not use a feedback carburetor. The air pump can be kept, but you will need a diverter valve to keep from backfiring in the exhaust. Many older vehicles used air pumps without computers, the diverter valve usually just dumped the air back to the air filter housing or just dumped to atmosphere. The Ford style catalytic converters are now the norm, the gravel bed that everyone else used might not melt or break, but it had horrific back pressure even new, and required the strata be changed periodically.

Short answer NO, the F150 in 1986 had ball joints, yours should be king pins just like mine is. Problems with lowering these trucks, the twin I-beam system changes camber and to a lesser degree caster as the suspension works, lowering it by shortening the coil springs and possibly shaving the stop blocks will put your front wheels in a negative camber (you'll look like the ricers in their honduhs that have been "stanced"). Unfortunately in order to adjust camber on these trucks, requires bending the axles. There were very few shops that had the equipment and knowledge when these trucks were new, probably very few of them are still around and in business. The F350 axles are pretty damn hefty due to the weight potential. If you go to the newer axles, be sure you get F250 HD or F350 ones, and you will need the matching spindles and probably front brakes too. These heavier pickups from Ford sit higher than brands C, D and G, in fact mine is about the same height as a 4WD Chevy.

You see the folded cherry picker behind it? I will use that to load it on his trailer. He has a Nortrac tractor with a front end loader he has welded hooks onto so he can lift large or heavy or both objects.

Here it sits ready to be picked up:

That was the idea, post something that will hopefully help.

Gary, John Gleason (friend I did the 10.25" disc brake conversion for) has a 1995, same engine. He has had a couple of issues with his, one that blew his mind was oil low, apparently the oil level can get low enough that the HPOP (High Pressure Oil Pump) gets air into it and the hydraulically operated injectors don't open fully if at all. Another common issue on these is the crank position sensor with no signal, the PCM has no reference so it won't trigger the injectors. A further item, the wiring for the injector solenoids and glow plugs runs through the valve cover gaskets and they are known to burn the connectors due to the high current for the glow plugs. I would start by taking a good look at the connectors on the outside of the valve cover gaskets and make sure they aren't melted or burned. These engines are a "drive by wire" system, no throttle cable of any kind, accelerator pedal operates a resistance box that tells the PCM how far the pedal is depressed. If you look at the wiring you will also see the IDM (Injector driver module) it is an aluminum box underhood just behind the PDC on the left inner fender.

Ok, I just looked at a couple of the sections, the 351/400 portion seems to have migrated very well, the 385 pages, nothing really there to look at.

Not my truck, John Gleason is so well organised if it gets under his truck by the end of the year I'll be amazed. He has a new bed to put on too. I recommended he remove the old bed first, then do the axle while it's easier.

Looks good! Proof that properly maintained these trucks will even pass California's draconian regulations. Damn glad we don't have that here!

Ok, finally received the replacement yoke/companion flange yesterday afternoon via UPS, got the pinion preload set and intalled the differential and it's preload shim packs. I rechecked the gear pattern to make sure nothing had shifted and installed the rear cover, owner had sand blasted the outside and primed it (he's had it since labor day). Then it was let's see if we can make the hydraulics fit. End result, shorten the two hard lines, mount the brackets for the hard line to hose connections to the rear of the spring pads so the U-bolts will clear. Cover and center of brake lines: Right end brake line: Left end brake line: Screws holding the brackets are old spare U-joint strap screws.

Gary, the 1987-91 bumper is nowhere near as substantial as the 1980-86 one, it mounts to the sides of the frame horns and has a set of brackets that the actual bumper bolts to. The one from "Big Ugly" the parts donor was bent when the PO bumped into the back of his Corvair convertible.

First, roller cam truck engines didn't come out until 1994 if I remember correctly. I went through this a few years ago on a 2005 Escape, after all was said and done, the Ford remanufactured engine ended up being the best deal due to the 3 yr 36,000 mile warranty that could be taken care of at any Ford Dealer.

You mean the one that plays chicken with the steering box?