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- Joined
- Oct 30, 2015
- Messages
- 290
- Reaction score
- 26
- Location
- St. Louis, MO
- Vehicle Year
- 1983
- Make / Model
- Ford
- Engine Size
- 2.3L
- Transmission
- Manual
- My credo
- Well, that didn't work. Let's try something else!
I recently picked up an 83 4x4 long bed that's in pretty good shape but has a bad motor. This thread will serve to document my progress as I slowly put her back together.
I had another 83 a few years ago. I really loved that truck, but sadly severe frame rust did it in. Ever since, I've been keeping a loose eye out for another. A little over a month ago, facebook stuck this very blue little 83 in my marketplace feed for a hard to pass up price. The previous owner had bought it as his first truck and pulled the original motor after it lost compression in one of the cylinders. He bought another 2.3 out of a mustang, but lost interest before installing. Unfortunately for me, he left the "good" motor open to the elements and it was full of water when I pulled it out of the bed and put it on my engine stand. It was locked up tight. I found another motor via the wanted section here, and made the long trip from Missouri to Michigan to pick it up. I brought my brother and niece along for the ride. We drove the 4 hours from my brother's place to our hotel with my doors off, and the next morning we got to see one of the Great Lakes in person for the first time. Picking up the motor was a great experience. The PO and his brother were great to talk to and very helpful. They were very happy to have part of his truck being saved from the scrapper, and I was very happy to be able to help keep a piece of it on the road.
The "new" engine is fuel injected from an 85 parts truck. The original was carb'd. I have a 91 parts truck that's complete, but with a knocking 2.3L, so I have all of the fuel injection pieces. Just need to figure out what needs to transfer over. That's the next step.
I had another 83 a few years ago. I really loved that truck, but sadly severe frame rust did it in. Ever since, I've been keeping a loose eye out for another. A little over a month ago, facebook stuck this very blue little 83 in my marketplace feed for a hard to pass up price. The previous owner had bought it as his first truck and pulled the original motor after it lost compression in one of the cylinders. He bought another 2.3 out of a mustang, but lost interest before installing. Unfortunately for me, he left the "good" motor open to the elements and it was full of water when I pulled it out of the bed and put it on my engine stand. It was locked up tight. I found another motor via the wanted section here, and made the long trip from Missouri to Michigan to pick it up. I brought my brother and niece along for the ride. We drove the 4 hours from my brother's place to our hotel with my doors off, and the next morning we got to see one of the Great Lakes in person for the first time. Picking up the motor was a great experience. The PO and his brother were great to talk to and very helpful. They were very happy to have part of his truck being saved from the scrapper, and I was very happy to be able to help keep a piece of it on the road.
The "new" engine is fuel injected from an 85 parts truck. The original was carb'd. I have a 91 parts truck that's complete, but with a knocking 2.3L, so I have all of the fuel injection pieces. Just need to figure out what needs to transfer over. That's the next step.
, staying with the TFI ignition isn't hard either but if the wiring is set for one way...
