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My $300 pickup ruined my weekend!

Big Sky Redneck
I love working on vehicles, as a HOBBY! I hate it when I am forced to do it, then it feels like a job. When I bought this thing it was just another spare vehicle, something to tinker with. Since I gave up trucking and have a semi normal job now it has turned into my daily transportation, out of 4 Ford pickups I have it is the one I drive every day since the other three all need work.

I?ve done a bunch of work to this thing since buying it, had to get it running since it was dead when I bought it. Needed a new distributor, the mechanic shop it was in could not figure that simple problem out which is why I got it so cheap. Then I had to replace the in tank fuel pump for the front tank, then no power windows, easy fix after finding broken wires in the door harness. The biggest issue it had was the suspension, it was shot, hit a pebble and it bounced like a Mexican Low Rider, I replaced the springs and shocks upgrading to 3/4 ton springs now it rides stiff as hell but the 4 wheeler doesn?t even make it squat when loaded.

So, a few weeks ago when adding oil (it has a blown front crank seal and leaks horribly) I noticed the oil cap was milky, uh oh. I added Barrs Leaks to the coolant and it seemed to help. But the last two weeks I haven?t had to add oil and it leaves oil spots everywhere, it even has oil spots on the side of the body now but the oil is always st the full mark. Yeah, this is bad.

So I finally ordered a complete engine gasket set, pulled the ?93 F150 out of the shop (waiting on the transmission to be rebuilt for it) and pulled the ?91 in last night. Today I get to play mechanic and strip that 302 down, hoping to not have to pull it out. I will lift it to get the oil pan off and timing cover off. Hoping the rear main isn?t bad as that will be the only seal not getting replaced unless I am forced to remove the engine.

So my weekend is shot, this thing needs to be done by tomorrow or I will have to drive the ?79 to work and the brakes are giving me fits on that one. My back cannot handle working under the hood so I will be in pain real soon.

So if any of you are in the ?hood swing by, I?ll put ya to work!

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Comments

35 comments

Date Votes
  • Okie743
    It's even more sad when going after parts for your daily driver Ford truck and the Ford truck you are driving breaks down. How do I know this. It's from experience.

    Both down and time for a walk or tow truck.

    Solution: Get a Toyota Tundra and don't look back.

    But remember, If it has tires or Tets on it, it's going to eventually cause a man some problems. ;)
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  • Butchdog2
    You do know that most every Ford made is still on the road somewhere?
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  • BobJudy
    I feel your pain. Bringing a vehicle back to life can give one a great feeling of accomplishment. On the other hand sometimes it is better to know when to sell/trade off vehicles and get something with fewer problems. I now look on it as life is to short to spend my time and pain being forced to do that kind of work. Doing it for fun is one thing but being forced to do it is another. Whether it is a vehicle to get to work or as we get older a dependable vehicle for emergencies, I won't be without one I can count on at a moments notice. Just my 2 cents worth of opinion and probably not even worth that. Bob
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  • Okie743
    Edspdog1 wrote:
    You do know that most every Ford made is still on the road somewhere?

    Yes, china has re-cycled lots of them. (and I'm a Ford Fan)
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  • BobJudy
    Edspdog1 wrote:
    You do know that most every Ford made is still on the road somewhere?

    What? Are people to lazy to push them onto the shoulder? :lol: Bob
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  • He Dog
    The closest I come to mechanics is walking around the dealership property while the Tundra is in the shop. Never a banged thumb, never a stripped thread, once they did put in the wrong lightbulb.
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  • Rocky Raab
    It is a curious fact that a vehicle costs about the same whether making payments or making repairs. You'll spend as much every month keeping some junker running as you would have paid making payments on a fairly new one.

    Unless you're a masochist or desire no life other than on a mechanic's creeper, you may as well buy a decent vehicle to start with.
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  • Big Sky Redneck
    Rocky Raab wrote:
    It is a curious fact that a vehicle costs about the same whether making payments or making repairs. You'll spend as much every month keeping some junker running as you would have paid making payments on a fairly new one.

    Unless you're a masochist or desire no life other than on a mechanic's creeper, you may as well buy a decent vehicle to start with.

    We have one new vehicle, don?t want or need another. Have you seen the absurd prices for new pickups lately? I?m sorry even if I had the cash laying around there is no way in hell I?m paying $50K for another new pickup, I?ll never own another new pickup again, I refuse to pay those rediculous absurd prices for something built as flimsy as they build them today.

    I?ll stick with these old pickups and keep tinkering. I guarentee they can do everything a new one can do. Infact the 79 F150 with the 390 and 4speed will go places her new Ram won?t go. I got that Ram jammed up in the mountains and that old junker will walk right past it in mud and snow. She can have her Ram, I?ll keep my old Fords even if they force me to spend a day working on them.
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  • austin20
    Rocky Raab wrote:
    It is a curious fact that a vehicle costs about the same whether making payments or making repairs. You'll spend as much every month keeping some junker running as you would have paid making payments on a fairly new one.

    Unless you're a masochist or desire no life other than on a mechanic's creeper, you may as well buy a decent vehicle to start with.

    We have one new vehicle, don?t want or need another. Have you seen the absurd prices for new pickups lately? I?m sorry even if I had the cash laying around there is no way in hell I?m paying $50K for another new pickup, I?ll never own another new pickup again, I refuse to pay those rediculous absurd prices for something built as flimsy as they build them today.

    I?ll stick with these old pickups and keep tinkering. I guarentee they can do everything a new one can do. Infact the 79 F150 with the 390 and 4speed will go places her new Ram won?t go. I got that Ram jammed up in the mountains and that old junker will walk right past it in mud and snow. She can have her Ram, I?ll keep my old Fords even if they force me to spend a day working on them.

    What year is your Ram?
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  • Rocky Raab
    Please note that I said "fairly new" and not "new."
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  • Big Sky Redneck
    austin20 wrote:
    Rocky Raab wrote:
    It is a curious fact that a vehicle costs about the same whether making payments or making repairs. You'll spend as much every month keeping some junker running as you would have paid making payments on a fairly new one.

    Unless you're a masochist or desire no life other than on a mechanic's creeper, you may as well buy a decent vehicle to start with.

    We have one new vehicle, don?t want or need another. Have you seen the absurd prices for new pickups lately? I?m sorry even if I had the cash laying around there is no way in hell I?m paying $50K for another new pickup, I?ll never own another new pickup again, I refuse to pay those rediculous absurd prices for something built as flimsy as they build them today.

    I?ll stick with these old pickups and keep tinkering. I guarentee they can do everything a new one can do. Infact the 79 F150 with the 390 and 4speed will go places her new Ram won?t go. I got that Ram jammed up in the mountains and that old junker will walk right past it in mud and snow. She can have her Ram, I?ll keep my old Fords even if they force me to spend a day working on them.

    What year is your Ram?


    Guess it?s not new anymore but we bought it new in 2015. Only good thing about it is it runs good, fast but the way I run pickups it would not be nice very long. Old pickups when they get scratches or dents it isn?t so bad. I dented the rear bumper on her Ram, she freaked I shrugged.
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  • Big Sky Redneck
    Rocky Raab wrote:
    Please note that I said "fairly new" and not "new."

    Even still, have you priced a 5 year old Ford? No way, pickups are not worth that much to me. Her Ram was $28500 when we bought it, it cost more than the Super Duty I bought new in 2006(2005 left over). Makes me friggin ill that a pickup costs that much. I?m a cheapskate, I refuse to pay retail prices so I stick with the clunkers.

    My 1979 F150, paid $2500 and maybe spent $1000 on it.

    My 1979 F250, paid $1000 for it, the engine cost $350. I?m going to restore it so will have maybe $5000 in parts, labor is free.

    The 1991 I?m working on, paid $300 and so far including the engine kit I have spent less than $1000 in parts.

    My 1993 F150 paid $800 for it with a bad transmission. Will be spending around $400 for the repairs to it (5 speed), after that will spend around another $200 to get it running.

    Still a ton cheaper than a new(er) Ford. I will never again make a car salesmans day.
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  • Butchdog2
    New trucks are way over prices, friend pulled in with a 2020, 2500 Denali, sticker 81,000.00 . sucker born every minute.
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  • droptop
    Now have two older cars and keep them both running. Hate to think I'd have something to do, unlikely because I'm retired, and my only car wouldn't start, run, drive. Taxi, Lyft, bus (ug) walk,, not if it can be helped. Up side, if needing to live in my car, I'd have a "duplex" and that is bound to impress other car dwellers. :D
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqtYeUwuKFw

    Like to keep far away from of hassles.
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  • Big Sky Redneck
    Man, this puppy also had blown intake end tabs, what a friggin mess! Almost don?t want to put it back together without sending everything off to be tanked! But then that means new bearings, rings, cam & lifters, nope, redoing this for $100 and calling it a day!

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  • TRAP55
    4 dead Fords? Told ya you should have kept the Chevy, it was running. :mrgreen:
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  • Ditch-Runner
    right there with you . best of luck on getting it all done


    If I lived closer I would gladly jump in and help .
    I have always done all my mechanical work ( along with very thing else unless it was under warranty ) I even repair other peoples cars / trucks some times if I feel like it ;)
    but when something breaks unexpected it becomes a PITA especially now that I am older :oops:
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  • Big Sky Redneck
    TRAP55 wrote:
    4 dead Fords? Told ya you should have kept the Chevy, it was running. :mrgreen:

    You mean that overgrown gocart with a bed on it? That thing was a pain in the ass and I?m glad it?s gone!
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  • select-fire
    I?m sorry even if I had the cash laying around there is no way in hell I?m paying $50K for a new truck...


    Exactly. I bought my 5 yr old F250 4x4 for 40% of what a new one cost. It had 21k mile on it and was still under factory warranty for 6 months.
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  • austin20
    droptop wrote:
    Now have two older cars and keep them both running. Hate to think I'd have something to do, unlikely because I'm retired, and my only car wouldn't start, run, drive. Taxi, Lyft, bus (ug) walk,, not if it can be helped. Up side, if needing to live in my car, I'd have a "duplex" and that is bound to impress other car dwellers. :D
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqtYeUwuKFw

    Like to keep far away from of hassles.

    HUBBA HUBBA 8-)
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  • Junkballer
    I'm with BSR on this one, I admit I have newer (that I can't work on), purchased right.....but I love older trucks, love making them more dependable after others gave up on them and I always get my moneys worth out of them either by reselling them or working the snot out of them. I was raised up being taught it's better to impress your Banker with your account balance than impressing your friends with what's parked in the driveway ;)
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  • buddyb
    I have never had good luck with Fords.My son bought a 1995 F-150 short bed with a 300 six cylinder and 4 speed straight drive trans.What could go wrong with a simple vehicle?It was a nice looking truck.It was black and I buffed it to a mirror shine.Within a month it left him on the side of the road 3 times.Several sensors died,then the fuel pump,then the distributor,the AC compressor,needed a new battery.Lucky for him he kept his Toyota Tacoma when he bought the Ford.I can say one thing good about Ford pick ups,if they are nice and clean and running good at the right time,they will sell pretty quick.I have a 10 year old Tundra that I have never had a problem with and a 1999 Nissan Frontier with 478,000 miles that I drive everyday.I did have to replace the transmission in the Nissan at 400,000 miles.
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  • drobs
    Was reading over on AR15.com, fella there posted that it's possible to get a new F150 4x4 single cab for under $30k.

    Not sure I care for the engine but it is indeed possible for $25k, even has the locking rear dif.

    https://www.koonsfordfallschurch.com/new/Ford/2019-Ford-F-150-d58304190a0e0ae825211e05aa426dd5.htm
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  • montanajoe
    • Community moderator
    Back together????
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  • Ditch-Runner
    I hope it all went well and your back rolling in the morning
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  • Big Sky Redneck
    Nope, got a cracked head. Should have a set of heads this week. Pulled Ol Grey (79 with the 390) and re-bled the brakes, guess I?m rattlin the valley this week
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  • montanajoe
    • Community moderator
    Well crap,,,
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  • Idahobound
    Damn
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  • montanajoe
    • Community moderator
    Idahobound wrote:
    Damn
    Right???? I was gonna catch a ride with Lonnie to North 7th.
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  • Idahobound
    He has stopped by to see me more than you. Even a guy from Idaho has stopped in to say hi.
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