full size bronco

[1986bronco2]

im looking into possibly buying a older model fullsize bronco and for the price its a steal but the engine has 3 bent pushrods. the engine is a 351 windsor according to the ad. so my question is how hard is it to replace the bent push rods and how much work and time am i looking at to do this. and what about cost wise? if i have to put alot of work into this i might just consider something that requires less to make it driveable but if the process is fairly simple and cheap then i'll go ahead and buy it and fix it so that i can work on my beloved b2 over the summer. so any advice or tips that you can give would be greatly appreciated. thanks

 

[93 4x4]

im looking into possibly buying a older model fullsize bronco and for the price its a steal but the engine has 3 bent pushrods. the engine is a 351 windsor according to the ad. so my question is how hard is it to replace the bent push rods and how much work and time am i looking at to do this. and what about cost wise? if i have to put alot of work into this i might just consider something that requires less to make it driveable but if the process is fairly simple and cheap then i'll go ahead and buy it and fix it so that i can work on my beloved b2 over the summer. so any advice or tips that you can give would be greatly appreciated. thanks

It's just a matter of taking the valve cover and rockers off and pulling out the bent push rods and sliding the new one in if the push rods aren't bent that bad if they are you might have to remove the head. and if I'm not mistaken readjust the rockers

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

With its elevated age dad's 400 in his F-350 is getting a habit of doing that. Enough oil goes by the main bearings when it gets warm under a good load that the top end starves and starts dragging more than normal. The hollow pushrods can't take the extra load get bent up. You can put new in and go again, it isn't the fix though.

That one may be completely different though...

Unless it is something really exotic the rockers rely on the hydraulic lifters to adjust them.

 

[Snoranger]

I would plan for the worst: Stuck valves, have to pull the heads.

And

Hope for the best: Just bent pushrods, pull valve covers and replace them.

 

[Mac]

Yep, easy to replace them but - what caused them to get bent, three of them at that? I doubt it's going to be an easy fit. Could be timing chain or many other things as suggested above. Sounds like a good deal but ---
Dave

 

[1986bronco2]

i agree with everyone here. all of you have made some extremely valid points. according to the ad the person that owns this bronco claims that it ran great and was going to sell it for $2500 and when he went to start it one day it ran pretty rough and so he pulled the intake off of the motor and discovered the bent pushrods. my first thought would have been fouled plugs or old loose and/or busted wires. which makes me think that this may have been a pre-existing condition for this vehicle. but i can't say for sure. like i mentioned earlier im just looking for a decent vehicle to get back and forth to work in so that i cant fix my b2 on my off days. i've always liked and wanted a fullsize bronco and i thought it would be pretty awesome to have a big bronco and have its little brother side by side and they would practically be "brothers" as they are both an 86. but the more i read about the possible causes for this problem the more i start to wonder if its just going to be another project that will sit around for months on end until i can get the funds saved to fix it. i dont kno it this would be of any help or not but but this it all of the info that is posted on the ad copied and pasted here.

1986 Ford Bronco with 351 Windsor and 160,000 miles. The body is in good shape with little rust for an 86' but the motor needs work. The transmition is an automatic and shifts clean. The tires are a "like new" set of 33 mud terrains that would cost over $700 new mounted and balanced. I recently installed a Lock Right locker in the rear axel that works great on and off the road. I have never had issues with the truck and was ready to list it for $2500 but the last time I started it, it ran ruough. I pulled the intake and it has three bent push rods. I have too many projects and just don't have time to mess with it. The rims, tires, locker, axels, intake and Edelbrock 4 barrel carb are worth well over a $1,000 and you can scrap the truck for a couple hundred or probably just add new lifters and push rods for a couple hundred and have it on the road for less than a grand, total. I have a trailer and can deliver it (for gas money) if you can't.

 

[Mac]

Okay, what's he want for it now and where is it located? Sure someone might be interested and got the time to make it right.
Dave

 

[Andy D]

Yep, easy to replace them but - what caused them to get bent, three of them at that? I doubt it's going to be an easy fit. Could be timing chain or many other things as suggested above. Sounds like a good deal but ---
Dave

It is a 25 yr old Ford, what could possibly need fixing?

 

[1986bronco2]

the guy that has the bronco wants 750 for it as it sits now. he's located in virginig somewhere but i dont remember the name of the city

 

[Snoranger]

He had time to pull the intake, but couldnt put in new pushrods????????????????

 

[1986bronco2]

He had time to pull the intake, but couldnt put in new pushrods????????????????

yeah makes no sense to me either.accordint to his ad he has "too many projects" and doesnt have the time to mess with it. so i couldnt even tell you if he put the thing back together before posting his ad or not.