Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and rusty70f100
Well-Known Member
Back in high school, I drove a 1986 Bronco 2 that I inherited. It had a ticking 2.9L. I drove that from 120,000 miles to 164,000 miles. It would still run, but the oil light was on and the engine sounded like it was full of rocks. When I tore the motor apart, the thrust bearing (believe it or not) had eaten into the crankshaft, and the counterweights were hitting the block! Anyway, despite the troubles that thing had, it was my first vehicle and I was always looking for another one. I recently found one.
I bought a Bronco 2 from the junkyard last year for $500. It was one a lady had that drove it out from Virginia. As such, it had little rust. What it did have I fixed. It had 138,000 miles on it when I bought it. The junkyard guy threw in "all the parts to fix it, except the transmission." I couldn't pass that up.
It is a silver 1987 Bronco 2, 2wd, 2.9L, with AC and not much else. Manual windows, no cruise, manual transmission.
Here's the problems it had, that I fixed:
1. Near-death FM145. Under my ownership, it went exactly 5 miles before the transmission siezed up. It would make this loud ratcheting sound whenever the clutch pedal was out. I test drove it. Once I hit 5th gear, there were some nasty metallic grinding noises. I promptly put it back into neutral, and stopped. Upon trying to move again, I found the transmission siezed in every gear. Neutral still allowed it to roll, so we towed it home. Over the next month I swapped in a used 4wd M5OD.
2. Fender / grille. The previous driver hit a deer. Parts were free from the junkyard.
3. Tires. They were near death, replaced with P235/75R15's.
4. Shocks. Replaced.
5. EGR valve. Not only was the valve clogged up, the passage in the intake was too. I had to get a bit creative to clean that thing out. It ran better, and got better mileage, after I did though.
6. TPS. Checked bad and replaced. Ran smoother afterward.
7. Radiator. Leaked when cold. Replaced.
8. Seat. Back broke. Disassembled and had it welded / reinforced.
9. Radio. LED on stock one too dim to read. Replaced with Sony CDX-GT540UI. Much better now.
10. New plugs / wires / cap / rotor. All normal service items.
11. AC. Previous owner had converted it to 134a, but some had leaked out the year it sat at the junkyard. Topped it up, adjusted the low pressure cutoff switch, and now it blows 34 degree air, no matter what the outside temperature.
12. Blower motor. Rattled. Replaced.
I'm also running Redline synthetic oil in the motor 0w30 winter, 5w30 in the summer. The motor runs like a top, with no ticking whatsoever. It might take a few cranks to start if it's hot. If it's cold, it starts before the motor has made one revolution. In town, I get 20-23mpg out of it, depending on how I drive it, and if the AC is on. On the highway going 55-60mph, it will get 25-26mpg. All time best is 26.2mpg.
I kind of like this thing now. My plans are to pull the 4.0L / A4LD and someday replace the 2.9L that's in the Bronco2. I'd also like to convert it to 4wd, but none of the local junkyards have the right combination of parts to make that happen.
Oh, and the "rusty70f100" refers to a 1970 F100 that I've also got.
Sorry for the book, but now you know why I'm here.
I bought a Bronco 2 from the junkyard last year for $500. It was one a lady had that drove it out from Virginia. As such, it had little rust. What it did have I fixed. It had 138,000 miles on it when I bought it. The junkyard guy threw in "all the parts to fix it, except the transmission." I couldn't pass that up.
It is a silver 1987 Bronco 2, 2wd, 2.9L, with AC and not much else. Manual windows, no cruise, manual transmission.
Here's the problems it had, that I fixed:
1. Near-death FM145. Under my ownership, it went exactly 5 miles before the transmission siezed up. It would make this loud ratcheting sound whenever the clutch pedal was out. I test drove it. Once I hit 5th gear, there were some nasty metallic grinding noises. I promptly put it back into neutral, and stopped. Upon trying to move again, I found the transmission siezed in every gear. Neutral still allowed it to roll, so we towed it home. Over the next month I swapped in a used 4wd M5OD.
2. Fender / grille. The previous driver hit a deer. Parts were free from the junkyard.
3. Tires. They were near death, replaced with P235/75R15's.
4. Shocks. Replaced.
5. EGR valve. Not only was the valve clogged up, the passage in the intake was too. I had to get a bit creative to clean that thing out. It ran better, and got better mileage, after I did though.
6. TPS. Checked bad and replaced. Ran smoother afterward.
7. Radiator. Leaked when cold. Replaced.
8. Seat. Back broke. Disassembled and had it welded / reinforced.
9. Radio. LED on stock one too dim to read. Replaced with Sony CDX-GT540UI. Much better now.
10. New plugs / wires / cap / rotor. All normal service items.
11. AC. Previous owner had converted it to 134a, but some had leaked out the year it sat at the junkyard. Topped it up, adjusted the low pressure cutoff switch, and now it blows 34 degree air, no matter what the outside temperature.
12. Blower motor. Rattled. Replaced.
I'm also running Redline synthetic oil in the motor 0w30 winter, 5w30 in the summer. The motor runs like a top, with no ticking whatsoever. It might take a few cranks to start if it's hot. If it's cold, it starts before the motor has made one revolution. In town, I get 20-23mpg out of it, depending on how I drive it, and if the AC is on. On the highway going 55-60mph, it will get 25-26mpg. All time best is 26.2mpg.
I kind of like this thing now. My plans are to pull the 4.0L / A4LD and someday replace the 2.9L that's in the Bronco2. I'd also like to convert it to 4wd, but none of the local junkyards have the right combination of parts to make that happen.
Oh, and the "rusty70f100" refers to a 1970 F100 that I've also got.
Sorry for the book, but now you know why I'm here.
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