Got a Bronco again after 15 years! but need help please.

[yehaadon]

Ok I found a 1989 Bronco II on craigslist. guy wanted 1000 for it, I thought it looked really good so I called. Guy said it was his girlfriends and she had bought it from a guy not too long ago and it ran great. I made plans to drive the 125 miles to look at it. The guy contacted me and said the transmission was slipping and that he didnt want to fix it so how about 500 dollars. I was all over it! well I started it , and it fired right up after three weeks sitting in the freezing cold in MI. I let it warm up for ten minutes and tried out the tranny. here is where things get crazy. the guy says rev it up a couple times to about 1500 rpms and she will go and then when you get to speed she will be fine, lol. I only had to get it home about 125 miles so what the heck! I got about 5 miles down the road and kept losing power, just like free reving. I looked down and realized the transfer case was in 4 wheel hi, so I stopped shifted it into two wheel, and I heard all kids of chatter, like you put a car in park while it was still moving !. now Im like crap !! well I try 4 wheel high and low and whala! power again. So I drove home 125 mile in 4 wheel high at 60 . any I havent had time to get under it cause I just got home, and its like 10 pm. any Ideas ? I am a not really up to speed on these transfer case but Im thinking it wont be long ! lol

 

[70roadrunner]

sounds like maybe the linkage is out of adjustment. that is what i would look at first. also, try to put it in 2 wheel and have someone watch the rear driveshaft, it is possible the problem is in the rear end

 

[yehaadon]

Yeah , that sounds very logical. wonder which is an easier fix ? might as well put a locker in there If rear needs fixing ! Or maybe a exploder rear end. I am full of questions now ! lifts, rims, axle swaps , 302 swap and the list goes on! lol. thanks for the pointer. Ill be back.

 

[yehaadon]

For some reason truck doesnt want to start. guy said it didnt want to start in the cold, but when it warms up it will start right up. go figure. well as soon as I get it started I will check the rear end.

 

[wildbill23c]

When you were driving it home in 4WD did you have the hubs locked in or were they still in free? If they were locked in and got you home then you have an issue with the rear end, or the output shaft side of the transfer case. In normal operation the transfer case should be in 2WD mode and the hubs in the free position, sounds like you have a rear end problem or something in the rear output side of the transfer case is bad. Could very well be the linkage is not adjusted properly and when you shifted to 2WD you were actually in Neutral. I've seen it quite a bit, people will screw around with stuff they don't understand and pretty soon its so far out of adjustment you have to basically start over from scratch, as I'm finding out with my 84 Bronco 2.

Still $500 for an 89 Bronco 2 in descent body shape, and engine shape is a pretty good deal.

 

[yehaadon]

ok I pulled off the hose to the intake , held the pedal to the floor and she started up ! now I checked the drive shaft in the rear. the drive shaft is spinning all the way to the joint right before the rear end freely. so Im guessing the joint is bad. the guy has been driving around in four wheel high. another note the tranny is not working right. goes through gears ok when it hits O.D. it slips. Thanks guys for the tip on the drive shaft. gotta figure that out too now. motor ran great though. think Ill tune it up , change oil and flush coolant and new thermostat just in case though!

pics to come..