I got one yesterday from a friend. Its a 96 eclb f250 4x4 5spd with kp60 and 202k miles. It has been sitting for a few years. My friend bought it from another friends dad It was a creampuff when he had it. It was white with a Cannonball Bale bed then. My other friend ran it into a fence or some drunk thing so my friend bought it but without the balebed. He put a regular bed on it another fender and door and spray painted it flat black. He did the axle swap once the ttb wore out. He drove it about 50k miles for a few years. Now he works out of town and lives in a rv so this thing has sat for a few years. Occasionally his brothers would come out and start it just to let it run.
I put new batteries in and jumpered the glow plug wires since the glow plugs relay was gone. It fired up after about 15-20 seconds of cranking and idled smooth without smoke after a few seconds.
How cold was it out?
A quarter mile from the house I hit about 45 and was witness to the worst death wobble I have ever encountered. I pulled over to make sure all the wheels were still on. I drove about 30 the rest of the way home. It will get a full rebuild on the front end. Tie rod ends, kingpins if needed, spring bushings and steering box and shaft if needed too.
I just did a redhead box on mine, I bought a flaming faggot shaft, but returned it after it being seized and realizing that I'm not trusting my family's life in the hands of some tiny set screws. Lots of people having issues with them getting loose with time and eating up the splines on the steering box. Redhead recommends not using them.
My factory shaft had no play in the joints, but a lot in the shitty slip design. I took 2 1/4" grade 0 or whatever the shittiest bolts are. Drilled through the slip section in 2 spots and tightened them down made a huge difference.
My next step is to upgrade the tie rod and drag link. There are kits, but I'm going to try using 05+ SD tie rod and drag link,
TrailTamer did this on his dodge with ford outters. I'm not sure it will clear leafs though.
It has a cel that comes on after driving a little ways then goes off then comes on again and goes off. My friend said it was a few years since he messed with it that it could be a cam sensor.
I tried the hvac- nothing no fan nothing. I tried the cruise control and nothing. These are 2 things I demand must work.
Hvac are vaccum controlled, the pump is under the ac, and the lines are super simple. I'd check all that. You'd probably know if you had no vaccum though as the brakes would be rock hard.
After I get the front end rebuilt and figure out the hvac I am going to go over it and change all the fluids and filters. What other maintenance should I do at 200k miles? Should I change the injectors or if it runs smooth without smoke are they fine for a while? What about waterpump? Is that something to change if it isnt giving any problems yet?
Glow plugs, valve cover harnesses and injector o rings would be good preventative, but also if the glow plugs are working fine, and there are no other issues in that area, it can wait.
My water pump had just started leaking at 340k...
Research your sca level and how to check it. I missed that years ago and it's what finally did in the 7.3.
Hydroboost was one of the best things I've done to mine, it's almost bolt on with F-superduty parts.
After this I will start on cleaning the interior up, and getting the hvac and cruise working. I have a 97 f150 I will pull the seats out if it since the drivers seat on this is wasted.
I have a Circle d flatbed on my Dodge I might put on. Not sure I haven’t decided yet. The only rust this truck has is a small spit right behind the back pass tire.
I think I will just try to get this thing reliable and then I will start on my Dodge build.
Dont Ever Buy A Dodge - 93 D250 12valve Once the Dodge is usable I will do bodywork on this thing. Growing up my dad had a 97 F350 Powerstroke 4x4 5 speed with a day cab and Hydrabed. I learned to drive in that truck and have lots of good memories riding in it feeding cattle and going on vacations. He bought it new and it was Saddle color with tan interior with Alcoas he would only put on during the summer for vacation the only time it would get washed too. The rest if the year it had steelies on 235-85r16 mud tires and was covered in red mud. I miss that truck and this will remind me of it. At the same time they also had a 96 f250 460 auto exlb that was Also tan interior and Saddle paint color with 2 tone white strip. So I am very fond of these obs with that color combo.
Funny about the alchoas. Mine still have them, and I've been dealing with small brakes and not being able to go to 35s for ever because I like them a lot. I did find some 18s that look really close I might jump to if I end up swapping to F450 brakes.
