1979 f150 all started back in high school

[Chayse]

Hello there I'm a new member and wanted to start a thread on the build up of my 1979 f150 that I picked up in high school. To start out this truck has a soposed rebuilt 351m it's 4x4 and is a short box. I got this truck when I was 16 after I traded a Toyota that me and my dad built for it. At the time I was excited as I couldn't wait to see what would become of this truck. After a few months I grew board with it (seems I do this with a lot of my cars and truck ) and had put it aside to work on a new project. I let it sit for about 4 years with the occasional start it up to move it and just before I had let it sit I put a new carb on it that leaked fuel every where. After a few attempts of trying to sell it and a few stupid low offers that I wouldn't let my truck go for I decided to start working on it again. Which leads me to where I am now. This truck is now running how ever not so well. What I have done to it since I started working on it again is new battery, alternator , voltage regulator, power steering cooler, and I've played with the timing and carb. Here is what I know I need to go buy a timing light and get it done right as I have been just eyeballing it it needs new spark plugs wires cap and rotor and defnatly an oil change. as for the actual motor it's self I question that it has been rebuilt because it looks like they just painted it and they did a shitty job doing that it also was 180 degrees out of timing when I got the truck originally. Where I am now I want to get this thing running like it should any suggestions as to what I should do with this questionable motor?

 

[smokey]

I'd run a compression test. That will tell you how healthy the engine is. Then go from there.

 

[Chayse]

Will do hopefully it's in good shape but if not I guess I'll put some kinda diesel in it or maybe a 460 depending on what I can find

Also here's a picture of the truck it's got some rust in the bed and that's about it

 

[fatherdoug]

Looks like it has potential. A timing light would be a good investment.

 

[cbaker65]

Definitly a new cap & rotor ,also ,if your carb has an eccelerator pump ,it
could be dried up.

Glad to see you into this project!....

 

[Chayse]

Definitly a new cap & rotor ,also ,if your carb has an eccelerator pump ,it
could be dried up.

i forgot to say that I have fixed that leak haha it was the accelerator pump which was leaking


Today being that I work at an auto parts store I'm going to get my self a few new tools and some parts like timing light Vac gauge and compression gauge along with plugs cap and rotor wires and oil filter and oil. Can't wait to lay in the snow to change the oil.

 

[CowboyBilly9Mile]

........Where I am now I want to get this thing running like it should any suggestions as to what I should do with this questionable motor?

I'd run a compression test. That will tell you how healthy the engine is. Then go from there.

Add to what Randy just said, checking oil pressure against spec by using a mechanical pressure gauge. Bearing health and oil pump performance (lack of) are reasons to be left on the side of the road. And X2 on determine engine health first. Assuming it makes the grade and when you do start evaluating and throwing parts at it/replacing them, and if the budget is maybe lean, replace parts that affect reliability first (hoses, belts, maybe battery cables, and a fuel pump) before things that are wants but won't leave you stranded (plugs, wires). If you have rubber hose downstream from the fuel pump (ie, pressurized), make dead certain it's in good shape and won't abrade, come lose, melt on something, etc. Or better yet, make it all steel, like the factory did when new, and for very good reason.

 

[Chayse]

The reason behind me wanting plugs and wires along with all of the other tune up items I've listed is due to the plugs never being changed in the 4 years I had the truck and the wires are starting to fall apart but yea I totally agree with you on fixing things that could leave me stranded the only thing is I only take this truck around the block for now because no tabs or insurance and I want it to be completed before I say insure it and start driving it around.

Something I'm 100% positive needs worked on would be the power steering system the pump is fine and no leaky lines any more but the box could use some work I've been able to get my hands on a rebuilt box here at work and I'll get it for about 1/2 off

 

[Chayse]

So I've ran my self into a problem. My timing mark is one single milled out section about 1/4 inch in width what am I missing also maybe my actual marks are painted over as it has a nice thick coating of blue over it any suggestions

 

[Chayse]

This is the mark I was talking about and it's the only one I could find on the pully

 

[CowboyBilly9Mile]

I don't know your specific vehicle but over the years I have seen some 100% stock, as-built, and unmolested vehicles with just one timing mark showing, and that one mark is not necessarily nor automatically to be assumed as 0* but rather, it's the OEM mark for what the OEM timing spec is (ie, might be 0*, might be +12*, it could be anything). The manufacturer *probably* did this so as to eliminate confusion and make it easy for the guy servicing it to get it right. Thoughts and suggestion, try to get your hands on a service manual for your vehicle and see if this is the case. I'd want to know if the parts that create that timing mark you have now (balancer, etc) are OEM for that engine. If not, I'd bet there are solutions for it, just as there were for SBC's long ago where people swapped timing chain covers and balancers, and ended up with no or invalid timing marks. And even if they are correct, down the road you might be interested in altering the base timing and knowing what you set it at, and again, based on what I just noted, there might be a simple, cheap part you can add to do this.


Ford FSM >> Chilton >>>>>> Haynes

 

[fatherdoug]

Can you post a picture? That would help define what you have.

 

[cbaker65]

When me & my dad rebuilt are 78 1 ton ,we didn't have a timing light ,however ,we had set are timing at just were the starter wouldn't drag
when starting the engine ,so we had just advanced the dist. as soon as the
starter started easy.
When we did put it on a light ,it was only a couple deg. off.

 

[Chayse]

When me & my dad rebuilt are 78 1 ton ,we didn't have a timing light ,however ,we had set are timing at just were the starter wouldn't drag
when starting the engine ,so we had just advanced the dist. as soon as the
starter started easy.
When we did put it on a light ,it was only a couple deg. off.

That's what I have done for now. Seems to be okay for the time being but I now have a vacume leak to take care of before I start tuning it again. Also the truck has a 351m with a 2150 motorcraft carb auto c6 trans no Ac just about as basic as it gets of that helps. I do have a repair book for my truck it's at my dads so I will have a look at it this weekend or week sometime and figure it out. Also any one hear of timing using vacume pulled from the intake I think I read some where that it could be done.

 

[cbaker65]

That's what I have done for now. Seems to be okay for the time being but I now have a vacume leak to take care of before I start tuning it again. Also the truck has a 351m with a 2150 motorcraft carb auto c6 trans no Ac just about as basic as it gets of that helps. I do have a repair book for my truck it's at my dads so I will have a look at it this weekend or week sometime and figure it out. Also any one hear of timing using vacume pulled from the intake I think I read some where that it could be done.

One spot you might want to check for vac. leak ,is the brake booster
grommet ,they tend to get weather crack an leak.

I just rubbed a little RTV on the piece that slides into the grommet
on mine!...

 

[CowboyBilly9Mile]

* FWIW, back in the day I'd always advance timing until I heard a knock, then back it off until there was maybe at most, an occasional and very slight knock. The timing light then told me where it was at.

* The correct vacuum to be applied to the vacuum advance on the distributor is ported vacuum (this because, using the proper ported vacuum results in a vacuum that is numerically decreasing when the throttle is opened and thus, advances the timing; using manifold vacuum would do the exact opposite). Whomever posted on the internet something about running the vacuum advance hose from the distributor to a tap on the intake seems to prefer vacuum retardation when they step on it, not vacuum advance, because.....that's what they now have. Someone done it very wrong.

 

[Chayse]

I probably should clarify that my vacume advance is hooked up as it should be but I mean adjusting the base timing using a vacume gauge also I picked up my repair book and will be working on the truck tomorrow hopefully I get my vacume leak solved and then I could re set the carb since it is probably a bit lean and go take my truck for a quick Christmas drive

 

[cbaker65]

I probably should clarify that my vacume advance is hooked up as it should be but I mean adjusting the base timing using a vacume gauge also I picked up my repair book and will be working on the truck tomorrow hopefully I get my vacume leak solved and then I could re set the carb since it is probably a bit lean and go take my truck for a quick Christmas drive

You also might check the vacc. line that goes down to the trans. as
well ,sometimes they get weathered an cracked an start leaking!...

I'm quite sure you will figure these things out once you start digging into
it!....

 

[Chayse]

Good news for today so far I've fixed all vacume leaks got it timed which I found that mark to be where factory timing was or at least it seems to run the best set where the mark is. Also it idles nice and smooth and starts right up. I do however need to play with my choke adjustment and have finally found where my power steering fix has leaked again so I will be fixing that this week but it runs great so I can start to move one fixing other items with the goal of painting it this spring.

One thing is going to set me back for awhile and that would be my f250 losing 4wheel drive. Transfer case engages and everything but I know this fall my hubs were starting to go so I guess now that they no longer work why not fix them. Should have done that when it was warm out

 

[CowboyBilly9Mile]

Over the years, two people I know have lost cars in fiery infernos caused old power steering hoses leaking and spraying fluid onto the exhaust manifold. They didn't believe that a hose with a large amount of pressure in it could break due to old age, cracking, rot and fatigre, despite my warning. Something to think about. Same with any pressurized rubber fuel line (which surely wasn't OEM); food for thought.

Edit: add to the list, the rubber brake lines.