Ford Truck Help

[jbaker]

Yes I agree Dennis, and I am going to work with her on better vehicle choices. I am really holding her back right now for her own good.
Thanks for the info and I am always open to everyones IMHOs.

 

[dross]

The best thing about the 351-400 M is they shared the same bell housing with 429-460. So if you find something you want to play with a bigger engine ain't that hard to do.

 

[proessler]

Denny you jogged my memory talkin' about Ford techs shaving time off repairs in the Main IH forum. #2 son could bill out 60+ hours in a 40 hour week...$$ when working at Capital Ford. One job I remember was engine replacement on a Super Duty, where he learned to pull the cab up & off on one hoist, then remove & replace engine in another stall. I don't remember all the details but that procedure saved him time...

$$$

 

[dfrisk]

PAUL - Back when I used to spend time on the PSD site ohhh around '04, '05, early '06 pulling the whole cab was common for LOTS of repairs on S-D's. Some kinda minor repairs at that.

Kinda makes me think FMC should think about a forward tilt hood/fender assembly. Maybe even a removable doghouse inside the cab!

I don't envy today's techs at all. Todays cars & trucks are meant to go down the line and be assembled. Too many accessability problems when it comes time to repair.

There's issues with everything, there's a few things on my old IH Farmall's that are a pain to get a wrench on, and my CC's even. Kinda like Don T., I just buy more wrenches, long and short, socket extensions and u-joints. Plus now days you have to have metric and SAE, Torx.

When I put glow plugs in my PSD yrs ago most people said I had to pull the heater/AC box from under the hood, but I was able to get the right side valve cover out and back in without doing that. Sure saves time if you can!

 

[vthomley]

Just for Art's amusement I thought I'd post a Pic of my Truck from last Saturday, the Transmission is getting rebuilt and should be done tomorrow. Hopefully i'll be driving it again this weekend. The 2005 F-350 diesel was fun to drive, it had no problem pulling it.

 

[aaytay]

Vince-
That's not amusing... Amusing would have been a Chevy pulling that trailer.

 

[jbaker]

Art did you say Chevy pulling?

heres my 94 with 159000 miles bringing home a shed I turned into a chicken coop.

I only had to go about 1000 feet.

Yep I am a redneck

 

[dfrisk]

JEFF - Wish I had pic's of me pulling brush with my truck. But then I have a Ford F250 4X4 PSD... I can move about anything I chain up to. And I got you on miles, I'm at 298,500 and counting. But then the PSD is almost ALL

ART, VINCE - What's amusing is what the price of diesel fuel is.... Most places around here are at $4.15/$4.20 gal.

 

[vthomley]

Funny thing is I drove a Chev K2500 Ext Cab Duramax over to my friend's house to pick up this trailer. When I got there he had it hook to this '05 Ford and he said I could just drive it unless I wanted to unhook and use the Duramax. Well it sure made sense to just leave it hooked to this beast of a Ford!

 

[vthomley]

Belt fell off or broke this morning - meaning the serpentine belt came off from my '97 f-350. I just started driving it a week ago after getting the e4od Trans rebuilt. I jumped out in the rain opened the hood and saw the belt off the pulleys.

I did not closely examine it because it a POURING down rain when it happened. I was real close to home so I drove it back and parked it again...

While being in a hurry to open the hood I could not find the latch. When you pop the hood from inside the truck it opens a bit and then you unlatch it from the front of the truck. I was thinking(or not thinking) it was above the grill when its just inside the grill - it gave me time to get nice and soaked, nice not so warm second shower of the day.

No power steering and no power brakes gave me a workout right after getting soaked...

After work I'll take a closer look at it. Hoping only an idler pulley failed

Did I mention it was pouring down rain when I got out and opened the hood. This second shower today was rather cold...nice way to start my day.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Vince, bummer. I was out in that rain this morning as well and yes it was POURING! Those rain drops were huge.

 

[glippert]

Vince - The same thing happened to me last fall with my '94 F150. And, it was indeed just an idler pulley. Actually, I guess my belt was still good and sitting in place, so it only cost me a pulley. Hope you're as lucky!

 

[rodsmith]

Vince,
Hope it is just idler.I'm not sure how many it has,but couple times it's happened to me i've had a least 1 more with rough bearing on a couple GM products I have.BTW wifes 98 MALIBU now has 279,000 miles.Replaced original starter FRIDAY after it left me sitting at WM.
ROD

 

[aaytay]

Vince-
Any updates on what happened?

I'm betting you let the blinker-fluid get low and ya burned out a muffler-bearing!

 

[vthomley]

Good news - well maybe I need to pay better attention...

There was a brand new Dayco Gold Belt under the rear seat. I remember when I bought the Truck the guy saying it had a new belt, I but what I did not notice was that he must have said a new belt under the rear seat. I did know this belt was there, I just did not inspect it, thinking it was maybe the belt he took off and just threw it under the rear seat for some reason.

Last night I found the belt broke in half, I checked and spun every pulley, alternator, etc. and all was fine, but the belt on it really did not feel like rubber.

I installed the new belt and took Coco my Lab for a ride, she was very happy !!!

 

[vthomley]

OH - I do have low blinker fluid !!!!!!!! I don't have any at home, but I will pick some up today!

Muffler bearings are fine - I had them replaced when I got my transmission rebuilt. There are part of the reason my repair bill was so expensive.

 

[aaytay]

Vince-
Glad to hear it was "just" a broken belt. I guess you are somewhat lucky that it broke so close to home as well.

When I was replacing a water-pump on the Suburban last spring I notice the serp-belt was VERY cracked and missing some MAJOR chunks of the grooved drive-surface. The thought that went through my head was, "Why is this so horrible looking? I know I replaced it just a couple years ago..."

After checking the "little black book" I keep in the glove compartment, I found that it had been almost 6 years in I'd changed that belt!

 

[vthomley]

Art, wow - time to change that belt, while your under the hood make sure you check your blinker-fluid and muffler-bearings too !!!

My belt had no cracking, no missing chunks of the grooved surface - it was just junk, it really had a plastic feel to it, not rubbery like the new one.

 

[aaytay]

Vince-
Muffler-bearings are OK. I upgraded to the lifetime-lubed version. A little more money up front, but well worth the piece of mind when you're cruising down the interstate!

Now if I could just figure out the best upgrade for the tail-light ball-joints I'd be all set!

 

[lhinds]

Those belts will last a lot longer and run a lot quieter if you will clean the pullies with carb cleaner or alcohol before installing the new belt.
My 07 f150 4wd started making a noise ocasionaly like it had picked up a tree limb and draging it on the road. Before you could stop and check it the noise would stop. It was a check valve bad in the vacuum system holding the front hubs out. The vacuum holds the hubs out instead of locking the hubs in. A solenoid puts the 4WD in and removing vacumm lets the hubs lock in. Ended up costing me 200. for a 20. part.