Acquiring literature for my '84 Bronco II.

[RobbieD]

The truth be told, I am acutely aware that I would be doing a great service to the old gal by Durasparking her. I mainly want to get her up and running and driving to assess what else may be more important first, such as issues with suspension, braking, handling, such and so on. Duraspark and upgrading the starter are up there.

Even if I wouldn't need the manual as much after I did all that, there is a possibility I may one day possess another BII. I have a close friend who really wants one badly.

And if the blue book isn't too much work, maybe I'll find a way to scan it and upload, if that's even allowed. I don't see why a rare, out-of-print book that is so useful should be unobtainium for those who need it.

My two cents . . .

If your truck will run, and you can drive it with no issue, with the original EEC-4 system, run it and enjoy it. But, plan for "later".

A big issue, is that in the first place, it was kind of a "Frankenstein" engine management system that Ford chose to go with on the early V6 Rangers, whatever the reasoning was. A "computer-controlled carburetor"? C'mon, man; give me a break. Maybe it was simply the technology level at the time, increasing emission regulations, and budget or time to market. Who knows?

And the biggest issue today, is the lack of parts availability. Especially the '80s vintage sensors and actuators that the system used. The wiring harness. The computer itself. The 2150A carb . . . the list goes on and on.

The feedback carb EEC-4 system barely worked when new. Drivability could be good, or it could suck. After 40-plus years, most surviving EEC-4 trucks trend toward the "sucks" side.

On my '84 Ranger, at first I was determined to keep it completely stock, and keep the EEC-4 functional. It didn't take long before I gave that up and Durasparked it. And never looked back; a Durasparked first-gen 2.8 Ranger or B2 has the soul of a 60s or 70s car/truck. Stone-age simple basics, fun to drive, fun to work on.

So, if it runs, and you can drive, just do it. These are FUN trucks (especially the B2). And in the meantime, keep your eyes open for the now hard-to-find Duraspark parts, because one day, it will come to that.

 

[Hoosierman]

Yes, prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. I have already pretty much affirmed that once I make sure nothing else is in dire need of attention, I am going to convert it to Duraspark. I prefer my rides to be reliable, and taking out Malaise-Era electronics when I can makes sense. Yes availability is a huge issue, but from what I have gathered, thanks to stuff such as CAFE, automakers were in a hurry to meet emissions standards, and so they cobbled together what they could to get things approved, for better or for worse, and I have heard even worse stories coming from GM and Chrysler products of the era.

So the fact that Duraspark SIMPLIFIES engine management is enough to sell me on the idea.