Older car as a daily driver (F150, traction, spark plug, octane)
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First off the truck is going to only be as reliable as the person who maintains it. Meaning if you neglect it, you can't expect it to live. With that said hopefully it was well cared for all it's life. However letting any vehicle sit for any prolonged period of time is NOT good. Because things like seals and such can dry rot and then blow when you least expect it.
Now since it's been sitting 5-6 years, you're going to want to do the following to get it running again:
1. Change the oil
2. Change the plugs, wires and cap.
3. While you have all the spark plugs out, it would be a good idea to spray some sort of lube inside the cylinders and turn the engine over with a breaker bar on the crankshaft bolt. This will help free up any stuck parts. Just make sure you mark all the spark plug wires to what goes where so you can get it to run again.
4. It would also be a good idea to pull the distributor and prime the engine's oil pump with a priming tool...when an engine sits as long as yours has, all the oil is in the pan and none is on the parts...this will eliminate dry starts. However you need to know what you're doing when you do this. I recommend doing this before you change the cap/rotor and the plug wires.
5. Dump out all the old gas and refill the tank with fresh gas
6. Pull the carburetor and dump all the old gas out of it, and prime with fresh gas
And hopefully things like the transmission input shaft seal aren't dry rotted/leaking and especially things like the brake calipers/cylinders aren't leaking. They're easy to fix but you don't want to lose your brakes either.
I agree with this but would like to add a few things, in addition to changing oil, you should really flush all the fluids, whatever may be left in the radiator should be drained and filled with fresh coolant, bleed your entire brake system (hydraulic systems do not like sitting for multiple years with no use) hopefully nothing has corroded, you might need to invest in a new master cylinder though which isn't very pricey.
Be sure to change the dif fluid, tranny fluid, fuel, oil, plugs, wire, tires (being that the truck was in the elements its safe to say the tires are shot). Take a look at your current brakes and see if they are worn from everyday use when it was driven.
Get the A/C recharged if that is important to you. change the air filter, possibly carb if it is beyond a cleaning, the a/c filter in the cabin (usually behind glove box) if specific vehicle in question has one.
Hopefully it fires right up and is a good little trooper. There is nothing wrong with driving older cars!!! sooner or later you will be one of the few left...and they are light years more simple and spacious to work on
OP, if you do get the truck, be aware that there will be a "teething" period when you first put it back on the road where "stuff" that has dried out or otherwise deteriorated in storage will fail, mostly stuff leaking. Some leaks will come and go. If you are used to Japanese cars, this old Ford truck leaked a little oil, particularly like the rear main seal of the engine, when it was new. It won't be better now. I would not be shocked if the fuel pump failed after a "while" of running the truck - but I woudn't be shocked if the fuel pump works fine for the next 10 years either. But my point is, the teething period will come and go. If you get this truck in good running condition, provided it's size and relative thirst are not going to bother you given the way you plan to use it, it should become a very good reliable ride, simpler than newer rigs and in principle more reliable.Ideally you would "loan" it to a guy like me with a garage and tools, who would get it back on the road and drive it locally until the bugs are worked out.If you have to fire it up and drive it cross-country, depending on from where and to where, you might want to think about shipping it, since it would be a PITA if it broke down in a strange-to-you town. At the same time given a good honest shop, there is not much that *can* go wrong with this truck that would be expensive or hard to fix.
Its hard to beat old fords with a 302.Provided they have not been beat or rusted out.
As has already been said, change all the fluids, hoses, belts , and probably tires.
I personally would rather drive old trucks than most anything. If taken care of properly and driven right you can get about the same mpg as newer compact trucks 15- 20 mpg.
I am a cabinet maker and I need a truck for tools and metrials most of the time.
When I play I need to pull my 19.5 foot ranger bass boat.
I've owned several new trucks over the years the last one I bought was a 2007 tacoma. It did get about 25mpg but it did not do most things I needed it to do.I got rid of it a year and a half after I got it. I could have bought another new truck but instead decided on a well cared for one owner 1998 chevy ext cab 4x4 .It does everything I ask of it just as well as newer way more expensive trucks I've had and for 2 years with less problems than I've had with some of the new ones.
So really the point I am getting at is I really would not worry about how old it is as much as how well it has been taken care of and how well you take care of it in the future.
I agree with most of the posters that this could be a good daily driver. There will be some 'teething' problems since the vehicle has been sitting for so long. Definitely get the fluids changed, drain the fuel, rebuild or replace the carb. Fuel pump is probably toast as well. Carry an extra ignition module since they are a common failure point.
One thing to consider: you say you have little to no knowledge of Auto repair. While this truck is stone age simple compared to modern vehicles, when you do have to take it to a pro for repair, will anyone work on it? Lots of shops will not work on vehicles older than X years due to rust, parts availability, etc. You may want to look into local shops willing to work on such an old beast.
Showing off--My Semi-daily driver (I alternate with my jeep)
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As for a 80 F100, that's the precursor to a Ford Ranger so it won't be huge. As said some stuff will go out and might already be out, but that low of mileage it could easily be a good dd just do an oil change, maybe a brake job, and either syphon the old gas out or put in some gas treatment and expect it to maybe run a little run until you get the old gas out.
well, my 2003 lincoln is undergoing surgery right now. there is no compression in the right half of the engine, they think the timing chain might be busted and the valves bent...
so im kinda in the market for something different. i think it'll cost more to fix my lincoln than it is worth.
i just don't know if this f100 is feasible as a daily driver, not with the time constraints i have.
talked to my dad on the phone.. he is a/b 3 hours away, which is where the truck is. he basically talked me out of it, at least for the time being. he says there's not much rust on it, but of course it needs new tires, new window, new seats in the interior, new battery... among other things that are unseen. it currently does not run. i might have to think a little more practical here.... i think some of y'all are right when you say that this is suitable for a second vehicle.
Last edited by le roi; 11-10-2010 at 08:48 AM..
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