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My kid's work truck


XXitanium

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First world problems.

I'm kicking around options.

The truck is no beauty queen. It's white-ish with a shitty blue interior. It has heavy duty suspension added into it. It drives a lot like my old mustang and it's way more fun than my old F250.
....the reason I'm posting here is, I have other thoughts revolving around the situation. The oil pan leaks. I've been told that replacing the oil pan gasket pretty much requires pulling the engine in this model year.

THE MAIN Problem, I've got a leaky manifold gasket.

Option 1 - quick and dirty. The non-dealer related service center I go to, quoted $380 to replace it and "re-route" the ignition wires.

That's that and family finances could handle that for a spare vehicle for any of the kids (or me) to drive when one of the other vehicles is in the shop.

Option 2 - Not what I'd really like to do.. I got ballpark quotes from a rebuild place and the service center I mentioned earlier.

$2,000 - rebuild 1989 302CID

$600 - pull and stuff the 302 back into the truck.

Option 3 - Find a different engine and stuff it in there. http://greenbay.craigslist.org/pts/5277780190.html This one looks like fun.

There are a whole bunch of other options like do the intake myself, buy a different vehicle (Audi, VW TDI, or some such), junk the F150 and get no.2 son a $500 beater, etc., but I like this old beater Ford.

I just thought you bunch-o-motorheads might have some thoughts or opinions.

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My theory on beater pickups is to keep it running well enough to do what it is supposed to do: haul shit from here to there, every once in a while.

I resent having to pay for insurance for a vehicle that doesn't get driven 50 miles a month. I put ethanol-free in mine because it takes so long to use a tank.

Does it pass inspection? And do the guys at NAPA say the engine really, really needs to be pulled, or do they know a guy? The oil pan and manifold could be done together. Or is that what Option 1 is referring to? Not a bad price for both, I'd go for it.

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The red truck lunched the engine while I was out of work for a few weeks last month. Couldn't spend the money to swap an engine - had one lined up for $200.00 - water over the dam.

Black truck - son no. 2 is driving.

White truck is the one I'm thinking about. VERY mild sentimental value....

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post-1680-0-18456400-1448123319_thumb.jp


My theory on beater pickups is to keep it running well enough to do what it is supposed to do: haul shit from here to there, every once in a while.

I resent having to pay for insurance for a vehicle that doesn't get driven 50 miles a month. I put ethanol-free in mine because it takes so long to use a tank.

Does it pass inspection? And do the guys at NAPA say the engine really, really needs to be pulled, or do they know a guy? The oil pan and manifold could be done together. Or is that what Option 1 is referring to? Not a bad price for both, I'd go for it.

Yeah, but it's dripping oil on my driveway and I don't live out in the country.

...and "I know a guy" but he's booked up for the moment. I wish I had a heated garage. Maybe I insulate tomorrow or next weekend...

I like the hot rod motor for $450 myself.

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Buy a Chevy.


Honestly, this is the kind of thing I'd tackle myself, but I have a lift and a heated shop so of course I would say that. Also, it would be a chance for you and the kid to bond and shed some blood, sweat, tears, and test both your vocabulary and ability to tie curse words together to get your point across. Snatch the engine and do all external gaskets (intake, valve cover, rear main, oil pan, and if necessary timing cover and water pump) that way it's all done. Get Fel-pro, don't cheap out. It also allows you to check a bunch of other stuff as well. If you go this route, BUT A FRONT PUMP SEAL FOR THE TRANSMISSION. If you have the engine and trans apart, it is literally slide the torque converter off, pull old seal, replace. The LAST thing you want to do is go through all that work and the pump seal had been leaking as well. I would do a trans pan gasket and tailshaft seal too, that way you know ALL the engine and trans seals are good.

As easy as it sounds to buy that engine on craigslist, you could be diving off into someone else's problems. And don't think it's just going to go in and plug and play, there's going to be differences. If what you got runs fine but just leaks, fix the leaks and let sleeping dogs lie. That truck is not worth dumping 2 grand on an engine rebuild.

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As easy as it sounds to buy that engine on craigslist, you could be diving off into someone else's problems. And don't think it's just going to go in and plug and play, there's going to be differences. If what you got runs fine but just leaks, fix the leaks and let sleeping dogs lie.

This.^ Save up for it and pay someone to fix the leaks. IMHO.

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Gt40P heads aren't hot rod, it's a 5.0 out of an Explorer most likely, the heads are anyway. They're not high performance but more fuel efficient than non P heads. Mating them to non a non P manifold or header will likely pose a problem for that efficiency. GT40 non-P Heads are high performance-ish, but either way you won't realize much gains without the right intake, and/or exhaust, and tuning. Assuming it's a late 80's to mid 90's ish truck (OBD1 EEC 4 or 5 system) just stick to stock if you don't wanna have other stuff to mess with. If you wanna turn it up a notch and don't mind getting it tuned there are many options. A 'stock replacement' upgrade option is a stock 5.8 and computer.

You didn't state a year for the truck nor what's leaking on the intake. If it's just leaking coolant hit it with some Bar's Leaks, the old brown stuff would be my choice for it. It seems to be vanishing so if it's no longer available go to a chevy dealer for their brown tablets, or maybe a Jaguar dealer if they still sell it for their early V-12s---same stuff different packaging. If it's leaking oil just keep the level on the stick, don't need to be 'full'. You can try some stop leak additive and I would suggest blue devil. If it's leaking air (vacuum) stop driving it or risk needing an engine.

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Thanks for the info. The intake manifold is leaking air. If I understand it correctly , that's making it loose vacuum and confusing the computer.

I was also told the new plug wires I put in aren't routed correctly and are causing a miising condition and part of the "backing".

I drove it 40 miles to go visit my mother today. Less than 1/8th tank (2 gallons) 1way. It ran great and held the road nicely the whole way.

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Buy a Chevy.

Nothing personal, but I break out in hives at just the thought.

http://wausau.craigslist.org/pts/5320359680.html

282CID

If you go this route, BUT A FRONT PUMP SEAL FOR THE TRANSMISSION. If you have the engine and trans apart, it is literally slide the torque converter off, pull old seal, replace. The LAST thing you want to do is go through all that work and the pump seal had been leaking as well. I would do a trans pan gasket and tailshaft seal too, that way you know ALL the engine and trans seals are good.

As easy as it sounds to buy that engine on craigslist, you could be diving off into someone else's problems. And don't think it's just going to go in and plug and play, there's going to be differences. If what you got runs fine but just leaks, fix the leaks and let sleeping dogs lie. That truck is not worth dumping 2 grand on an engine rebuild.

All good ideas - I'll check Rockautocom for prices.

..and I know it's not worth it. I have friends who are single and city dwellers that don't even own cars. Other people make their kids buy their own. I've been told I do things the hard way on occasion.

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I wrote the book on doing things the hard way. But I'm single with no kids, so I tend to do everything by myself. It's cheaper (labor costs FAR more than parts) and I'm learning something that could help my friends save money. And sometimes you don't really have an option. The tile in my bathrooms is only 36 square feet each, but nobody will even show up at your house for less than $200, and I can't tear out both bathrooms at the same time, so that price doubles to $400 (two visits.) JUST FOR THE LABOR!! I can buy all the materials INCLUDING a tile saw for less than $200. Youtube and Google are free.

I will hire a plumber though. I'm not taking a chance on flooding my house over saving a few bucks.

I wired my entire 30X30 shop including my lift thanks to Youtube, Google, and the good ole folks here at the org. I didn't even get an estimate on that because I like my blood pressure to stay in the "not about to croak" range.

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Buy a Chevy.

Nothing personal, but I break out in hives at just the thought.

http://wausau.craigslist.org/pts/5320359680.html

282CID

If you go this route, BUT A FRONT PUMP SEAL FOR THE TRANSMISSION. If you have the engine and trans apart, it is literally slide the torque converter off, pull old seal, replace. The LAST thing you want to do is go through all that work and the pump seal had been leaking as well. I would do a trans pan gasket and tailshaft seal too, that way you know ALL the engine and trans seals are good.

As easy as it sounds to buy that engine on craigslist, you could be diving off into someone else's problems. And don't think it's just going to go in and plug and play, there's going to be differences. If what you got runs fine but just leaks, fix the leaks and let sleeping dogs lie. That truck is not worth dumping 2 grand on an engine rebuild.

All good ideas - I'll check Rockautocom for prices.

..and I know it's not worth it. I have friends who are single and city dwellers that don't even own cars. Other people make their kids buy their own. I've been told I do things the hard way on occasion.

Many people do not fully understand, let alone embrace your road towards Zen. I am arrogant enough to think I do.

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Thanks for the info. The intake manifold is leaking air. If I understand it correctly , that's making it loose vacuum and confusing the computer.

I was also told the new plug wires I put in aren't routed correctly and are causing a miising condition and part of the "backing".

I drove it 40 miles to go visit my mother today. Less than 1/8th tank (2 gallons) 1way. It ran great and held the road nicely the whole way.

Check the torque on the intake bolts, might get lucky.

"backing" Do you mean backfiring? The routing shouldn't matter much, but in some cases the wires can pass power to each other and cause issues, only heard of it being a problem on small block chevys with #5 & #7 touching each other.

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Maybe.

The laziness is part of it.

Winter and a semi-drained bank account is another.

I worked 95 hours the last pay period too.

Working on it would probably be therapeutic. I need a heated space I can abandonit it for a couple weekends. Parts would be cheap.

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