Mylesofsmyles' Shop Truck...'85 2.3L Short Bed

[Mylesofsmyles]

It's a Volvo lover's dream!

Having developed a love affair for the Volvo Redblock engine, from owning and working on so many RWD Volvo's, I found myself very intrigued by the Ford Lima OHC engines, which is so similar.

It was difficult to maintain focus, with so many cool looking 4x4, 2.9L trucks for sale, but they were all so far from what I want. I want a low little shop truck. My first truck was a '75 Chevy LUV, but I want something better.

I found myself the perfect truck!

It's a '85 Short Bed, with 2.3L EFI engine. I really thought it was going to be a carburated truck, but was pleasantly surprised when I found this! Only bummer is it's an automatic, but that'll change in due time.

First priority is to make it run...I believe it has a snapped timing belt...and get it SMOGged and registered. Sell that camper shell, get four good tires on it, Herculiner paint the bed and install my diamond plate tool box.

Not bad for $300

This truck began life as a Department of Agriculture Official Use Vehicle, for the State of California. Pretty cool!

It's my favorite color for these old trucks, baby blue!

I copied the original Craigslist pictures, for y'all too.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Looks like a good start.

Richard

 

[wizkid00104]

Beefy rear bumper you got there!

 

[Mylesofsmyles]

Beefy rear bumper you got there!

lol, I know. Gotta ditch that and find a semi-decent original. Maybe I can get a few bucks for this one on CL, to a local Ranger dude

 

[wizkid00104]

If you weren't in California, I'd buy it off you

Put it for sale on here, someone will want it. I just sold my brushguard to a guy in Seattle (I live in Pittsburgh). Shipping was almost double the price I sold the guard for, but he wanted it and couldn't find any locally.

 

[jhammel85]

Looks like a solid start for a project

 

[Mylesofsmyles]

Gave her some time today. I was so excited to get out of work, and start riddling with my new truck, and try to make it start.

I believed it was a timing belt, though the previous owner thought it was a starter. I called the local Auto Parts Store, and ordered up a new Gates timing belt, to be prepared.

Got home, with a charged battery and jumper cables. I could get the solenoid to click, but starter would not spin. I spun the crank pulley manually, to verify the motor was not siezed. It spins and feels like compression!

Fan off, accessory belt off, and timing cover off. Timing belt looks old, but fine. I still need to confirm timing and locate timing marks. Pulled starter and replaced it with a fresh re-manufactured unit...

Starter works Now!!! Sounds like compression!

I've left timing belt be, for now, as I want to get it started first.

No spark from coil...where do I start?

I found what looks to be a little distributor conditioner, it was loose in the engine bay...does it go here?

Also, while replacing starter, I found an orange wire that's in the same conduit as the starter ground wire...there was also a crimp ring terminal, with no wire on the starter bell-housing stud...do I just ground this wire?

 

[adsm08]

The second picture, there is a little bolt on the right hand side of the coil. The loop on the RF condenser in your hand goes over that bolt. For the record, those things got redesigned a few times. If you ever feel the need to replace it go find a 5.4L F-150 at the junk yard. Same part, looks a bit different, but nice and easy to get at.


That last pic, I'm not sure what wire that is. Almost looks like the fuel pump plug. Anyway, it is very rare for a Ford ground wire to not have any black on it. I would not ground an orange wire.

 

[Mylesofsmyles]

The second picture, there is a little bolt on the right hand side of the coil. The loop on the RF condenser in your hand goes over that bolt. For the record, those things got redesigned a few times. If you ever feel the need to replace it go find a 5.4L F-150 at the junk yard. Same part, looks a bit different, but nice and easy to get at.


That last pic, I'm not sure what wire that is. Almost looks like the fuel pump plug. Anyway, it is very rare for a Ford ground wire to not have any black on it. I would not ground an orange wire.

Yep, found a diagram about the RF condenser...so I can take care of that, no problem.

I'm very curious about that orange wire...I know it's hard to tell, but whatever is left of the wire, on the other side of connector, is BLACK.

 

[adsm08]

That style plug was used on a few different sensors in the 80s. Mostly temp sensors, coolant and intake air. It was used a few other places too though. Where can it reach?

I'm afraid I am not nearly as familiar with the 2.3 engine bay as I am the 2.9.

 

[Mylesofsmyles]

That style plug was used on a few different sensors in the 80s. Mostly temp sensors, coolant and intake air. It was used a few other places too though. Where can it reach?

I'm afraid I am not nearly as familiar with the 2.3 engine bay as I am the 2.9.

I found it dangling under the exhaust manifold, when I went to take the worn starter out.

It'd reach there, or to the O2 sensor...but the O2 sensor was already connected.

I found it bizarre that this one wire was where I found it, and so close to the crip ring terminal I found...that didn't have a wire in it.

 

[Mylesofsmyles]

I've got that RF Condenser mounted right now!
Confirmed 12v at coil, with ignition in RUN.

Still no start...

Going to troubleshoot distributor with this...

http://easyautodiagnostics.com/ford_ignition_module/distributor_mounted_module_2.php#2

 

[adsm08]

I would start by just seeing if you have spark before going nuts on testing the ignition system. You might be missing fuel.

 

[Mylesofsmyles]

No spark from coil. I checked that first. Smells like gas after cranking

Pulled coil wire from dizzy...put screw driver in there, and put it near intake manifold, to arc to...

Nothing.

Maybe I'll pull a spark plug and test there, too.

 

[adsm08]

Ok. I would suspect the ignition module first. You can see if it is working by sticking a test light between B+ and the coil green. It should flash while the engine is cranked.