late 80's f150's

[PaleBlue90]

whats everyones thoughts on them? what should i look for problem wise? im considering one aswell as another RBV

 

[mc_muench]

hey me too, im lookin at a 85

from what im researching, if you get a dual tank they got some problems with no gas getting to the engine, but no one can figure out why...its a mystery

 

[chillmiller]

dont get an 87-89 dual tank ... ford sliped up on that one

 

[Shran]

They are OK, although I'd rather have an 80-86 truck. They have the good manual transmissions and I like the body design and interior a lot more.

Things to look at:

- frame around the steering box - known to crack
- radius arm bushings
- floor pan roughly under where your left foot would be at (rust)
- door sills (rust)
- door hinges will sag

I would also try to avoid 85 and 86 trucks with EFI 302s. While they are really cool it is hard to get the right parts for them. I have an 86 and I've had to get parts for 85, 86, 87, and 88 for certain things. Alternator and ball joints come to mind.

 

[Viva*the*Ranger]

PaleBlue90 what's that running dude on your avatar symbolize? Not to thread jack, just curious. I've noticed the people who sport that symbol rock the sh!t out of it.

 

[wrecking-crew]

i think its a band......if i remember correctly insane clown posse(?)

 

[PaleBlue90]

i think its a band......if i remember correctly insane clown posse(?)

PaleBlue90 what's that running dude on your avatar symbolize? Not to thread jack, just curious. I've noticed the people who sport that symbol rock the sh!t out of it.

Wrecking crew nailed it lol

 

[PaleBlue90]

They are OK, although I'd rather have an 80-86 truck. They have the good manual transmissions and I like the body design and interior a lot more.

Things to look at:

- frame around the steering box - known to crack
- radius arm bushings
- floor pan roughly under where your left foot would be at (rust)
- door sills (rust)
- door hinges will sag

I would also try to avoid 85 and 86 trucks with EFI 302s. While they are really cool it is hard to get the right parts for them. I have an 86 and I've had to get parts for 85, 86, 87, and 88 for certain things. Alternator and ball joints come to mind.

so id probley be better off looking at another ranger?

 

[Shran]

Depends what you need...I've had five 80-86 trucks and loved all of them except one (had the cracked frame.) The others have all been excellent quality and very easy to work on.

My '88 Ranger is for sale - come up and drive it back

 

[AllanD]

dont get an 87-89 dual tank ... ford sliped up on that one

The EFI '87-90 Dual tank trucks use a low pressure pump in the tank and a high pressure pump on the frame rail.

the tanks are manually switched by powering the desired in tank pump.

The selector valve is entirely passive (NO electrical connections)
It is diaphram actuated by the pressure from an intank pump pushing the diaphram and a detented valve either up or down.

This most important thing this valve does is to select
which RETURN path is open...

But it also opens the low pressure feed from the tank

To make a long story short, when the diaphram ruptures the
valve won't move, so no fuel delivery from the non-selected tank.

In choosing a truck choosing the ENGINE is most important.
I'd avoid a 5.0 like I'd avoid snorkling in a septic tank

The 5.8 is a pig.

The EFI 4.9s are everything you want a truck engine to be.
But most 4.9 trucks were factory equipped with 3.08 gears.

as a driver rather than as a "toy" an '87-96 F-150 with a 4.9 and a 5sp (The "R2" Mazda is entirely adequate unless some asshole wore the shift forks out by constantly riding around thinking the shift knob is a handrest), 3.55 gears and 31" tires is pretty close to the ideal light work truck.

I'll do 95% of everything most people will ever ask of it.
99% if you swap in a V8 Radiator

Somewhere in a family fleet is a '94 F-150 with ~350k miles on it
It's on it's third clutch, but the trans and engine are original.
The only major mechanical failure was it finally spit it's
timing set a couple months ago.

Yes, it too was built with 3.08's, but we regeared it with 3.55's
and made it a MUCH happier truck.

THE issue on F-series trucks isn't the mazda trans but being factory built with the wrong axle gears.

AD

 

[chillmiller]

thus makeing it more complicated than it should be!!!!!!!lol and its not just a band btw its the record company " psychopathic records " with bands like icp twiztid blaze abk and the super group "dark lotus"

icp formally called inner city posse started in 1996 in Detroit * goes off sounding like wikapedia ( had listind to icp and the like since 98

 

[AllanD]

The 1991-96 F-150's use a different system.

They use an intank cannister mounted high pressure fuel pump.

there is a pressure driven shuttle valve that opens the return path
and (theoretically) controls return fuel to the "active" tank

In practice the outflow check valve in the pump itself tends to leak
thus the high pressure fuel from the active tank flows into the inactive tank.

The "fix" was an additional inline check valve added to the outside of the tank unit.

Tank selection is still accomplished entirely by selecting which tank unit to power.

Multi tank fuel systems are ALWAYS going to be complicated on EFI engines,
as there is no way to avoid the primary issue, control of the fuel RETURN.

Unless you simply eliminate fuel return. (as Ford did around 1999 or 2000)
with a "Returnless" fuel system.

But you are simply trading one set of complications for another.

AD

 

[wrecking-crew]

thus makeing it more complicated than it should be!!!!!!!lol and its not just a band btw its the record company " psychopathic records " with bands like icp twiztid blaze abk and the super group "dark lotus"

icp formally called inner city posse started in 1996 in Detroit * goes off sounding like wikapedia ( had listind to icp and the like since 98

oh......ok. i just remembered a tshirt with that axe guy and then i seen something on tv about it.......

 

[Shran]

I'd avoid a 5.0 like I'd avoid snorkling in a septic tank

I agree with everything you said except this. Keeping what I said about finding parts in mind, every 5.0 I've had has been great. Currently I have a 5.0 in front of a T18, and 3.50 gears. It is by far my favorite setup, has a ton of power and nothing but reliable. It has towed whatever I've thrown at it and is actually fast and fun to drive. I'm even getting 16 in town and around 20 on the highway.

 

[Viva*the*Ranger]

That's cool. Good to know. thanks. I love ICP's dating game song, cracks me up every time. Again sorry for the thread jack.