WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[fords4life]

I have a lot of work to do to the floor before the sound deadening goes in. There is some rust on the rockers (way less than brown truck but enough to require repair panels) and a previous owner has spot welded some hand made repair panels over those areas to cover the rusted out sections. They also made their own lips for the door seals, which are very rough cut and also spot welded. I was going to leave all of it the way it is, but it really bothers me so I think I'll pull it all and then prep for the correct patch panels.

Got the motor out this weekend. Re-ran the leak down test and to say she's tried is an understatement. She definitely seals up better when warm, but with a cold motor I had two cylinders with massive intake valve leaks, 5 cylinders at 40-50% leakage, and 1 cylinder at 28% leakage.

Now I have to decide what to do for a motor. The fact that I have to maintain emissions really limits things with the '86 EFI system.

[Gary Lewis]

Got the motor out this weekend. Re-ran the leak down test and to say she's tried is an understatement. She definitely seals up better when warm, but with a cold motor I had two cylinders with massive intake valve leaks, 5 cylinders at 40-50% leakage, and 1 cylinder at 28% leakage.

Now I have to decide what to do for a motor. The fact that I have to maintain emissions really limits things with the '86 EFI system.

Shaun - You do have some work to do to replace those panels. But, I agree it should be done.

fords4life - That engine sure is worn. But with the need to meet emissions your hands are pretty well tied. It would seem that you need to go back with a 302 in order to do that. Unless I'm missing something.

[85lebaront2]

Got the motor out this weekend. Re-ran the leak down test and to say she's tried is an understatement. She definitely seals up better when warm, but with a cold motor I had two cylinders with massive intake valve leaks, 5 cylinders at 40-50% leakage, and 1 cylinder at 28% leakage.

Now I have to decide what to do for a motor. The fact that I have to maintain emissions really limits things with the '86 EFI system.

Ok, I don't know about the laws where you live, but where I am I can go with a newer engine or system but still only have to meet the requirements for my vehicle as built. To be more specific, if you look at my signature, I have a 1986 F350, originally built with a carbureted 460, that was non-catalyst, but used dual air pumps, EGR, a complex evaporative system and a very strange spark advance system.

It is now running a California spec MAF/SEFI system, but even though it is OBD-II compliant, no catalyst, no misfire detector, only two O2 sensors and no air pump as it's sole function was to provide air to the catalytic converter. Because the original emission label says NON-CATALYST in 1/4" high black letters, I still do not need a catalytic converter.

If you can go newer, at a minimum, I would go up to maybe a 1990/1991 system, you can still use your wiring harness with a couple of changes (see the pinouts page) and the EGR system is simpler (only one control valve). Everything else is pretty much the same, so a visual inspection will pass, only obvious real change is the O2 sensor, instead of being in the back of the right exhaust manifold, it moves under the truck to the exhaust pipe behind the Y so it samples both banks and is heated for faster light-off.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Got the motor out this weekend. Re-ran the leak down test and to say she's tried is an understatement. She definitely seals up better when warm, but with a cold motor I had two cylinders with massive intake valve leaks, 5 cylinders at 40-50% leakage, and 1 cylinder at 28% leakage.

Now I have to decide what to do for a motor. The fact that I have to maintain emissions really limits things with the '86 EFI system.

Gantry's are nice! 😎

In the boat with Bill.

Newer or better has never been a problem.

If you live in California and need to pass a visual inspection then I guess you really are stuck putting it back exactly as it was.

[salans7]

Shaun - You do have some work to do to replace those panels. But, I agree it should be done.

Gary and all others reading:

I decided to remove the very poor rust repair from the back of my cab, that was installed by what I figure might be the same guy who cut into Gary's crossmember.

No pics of the "patch" but it was just thin angled sheet that was booger welded to the back of the cab. There was no prep done whatsoever and it's very frustrating considering the fact that this is probably a really easy repair that he couldn't be bothered to do correctly.

But therein lies my question. What do you guys think the best course of action is for fixing this? I'm leaning towards a patch panel from another cab, and welding that in place of what is corroded. Any other options? The section of the cab that the rear cab bolts go through is slightly corroded as well where it meets the back wall, so I will need to patch that as well although the main issue with that section is serious pitting and not giant gaping holes like the rear wall.

For now I've wire wheeled the entire area and laid some paint to slow down the rust.

[Gary Lewis]

Shaun - You do have some work to do to replace those panels. But, I agree it should be done.

Gary and all others reading:

I decided to remove the very poor rust repair from the back of my cab, that was installed by what I figure might be the same guy who cut into Gary's crossmember.

No pics of the "patch" but it was just thin angled sheet that was booger welded to the back of the cab. There was no prep done whatsoever and it's very frustrating considering the fact that this is probably a really easy repair that he couldn't be bothered to do correctly.

But therein lies my question. What do you guys think the best course of action is for fixing this? I'm leaning towards a patch panel from another cab, and welding that in place of what is corroded. Any other options? The section of the cab that the rear cab bolts go through is slightly corroded as well where it meets the back wall, so I will need to patch that as well although the main issue with that section is serious pitting and not giant gaping holes like the rear wall.

For now I've wire wheeled the entire area and laid some paint to slow down the rust.

Man oh man, sure does get around!

Yes, you need a patch panel. Jim put me onto Tabco years ago and my paint/body man said those were the best panels he's worked with. But I just looked their site over and didn't see the panel you are talking about. Maybe I missed it? I'd call them.

If not, do like I did and cut a piece out of a truck at the salvage.

[salans7]

Man oh man, sure does get around!

Yes, you need a patch panel. Jim put me onto Tabco years ago and my paint/body man said those were the best panels he's worked with. But I just looked their site over and didn't see the panel you are talking about. Maybe I missed it? I'd call them.

If not, do like I did and cut a piece out of a truck at the salvage.

I didn't see one either. I'll probably try and see if somebody has a crushed cab on Marketplace and see if they'll let me cut out the panel I need. If not, I'll hit up the junkyard.

[fords4life]

I didn't see one either. I'll probably try and see if somebody has a crushed cab on Marketplace and see if they'll let me cut out the panel I need. If not, I'll hit up the junkyard.

I can definitely go newer, but don't have the funds/time to do a conversion to a newer style computer and keep the gauges functional. I will definitely look at the 90/91 setup. My thought was a reman long block from a 96/97 Explorer so I get the GT40 heads and bolt on all the 86 stuff for now. When I'm ready, it'll be easy to convert to a better EFI system and have the air flow available on the heads for more power.

 

[FuzzFace2]

I didn't see one either. I'll probably try and see if somebody has a crushed cab on Marketplace and see if they'll let me cut out the panel I need. If not, I'll hit up the junkyard.

Don't know where you are at but if close to Raleigh NC I have that part of the cab sitting in the yard that that part is good on.

In fact till I got a tail gate for my flare side I was looking to use that full back wall to make a gate from.

Even the rear cab floor cross member is good if you need that too.

The cab was a roll over so roof is toast and I cut the firewall for the AC. Rockers have some rust as do the cab corners where I did not feel worth it to use on my project.

Only part I want to keep is the VIN tag in the front window & the part with the sticker on it on the door post.

As for your rockers and areas that need patches don't cut it out till you have the patch panel in hand as you may cut off more than the patch covers.

Dave ----

[1986F150Six]

Shaun - You do have some work to do to replace those panels. But, I agree it should be done.

Gary and all others reading:

But therein lies my question. What do you guys think the best course of action is for fixing this? I'm leaning towards a patch panel from another cab, and welding that in place of what is corroded. Any other options? The section of the cab that the rear cab bolts go through is slightly corroded as well where it meets the back wall, so I will need to patch that as well although the main issue with that section is serious pitting and not giant gaping holes like the rear wall.

For now I've wire wheeled the entire area and laid some paint to slow down the rust.

Is this the part?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-1980-89-FORD-TRUCK-REAR-CAB-PANEL-F100-350/223125760396?epid=20021457856&hash=item33f354e98c:g:cTYAAOSwJRxbSmze