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Papaw's BII


Small update, as I drove to work today, the odometer rolled over to 70,000 miles (I'm fairly certain those are original), regardless, I've put right at 10,000 miles on this rig since I picked it up in 2019.

Not too bad, my mileage has slowed down a lot since my commute went from 30 miles one way to 3, lol, but I still drive the Bronco almost every day and for sure every week.

Couple of small things I've straightened out in the past few months, I finally, I mean finally got the timing set and holding. I did not realize how long the bolt had been backing out and loosening on me on the hold down. I bought a stubby ratcheting wrench from harbor freight and was able to slip it under the exhaust cross over tube and really put some solid torque on it.

I also added the solenoid to the throttle to hold it open when I put the AC on, it seems to be working well, it won't push the throttle open, but will hold it and it retracts when I cut off the AC, so no more dieseling problems like last summer.

Thermostat and radiator are doing well. Really just been enjoying driving it.

I will need a tie rod at some point soon, and have shocks to install on the shelf, but otherwise just putting good gas in it and driving it.
 
Thanks for the update. Driving a B2 just puts a smile on your face.

You've done a great job with this truck.
 
Another year, another update. Bronco has almost 75,000 miles on it now and has been very reliable. My commute has changed to about 15 miles round trip per day which I think is about perfect for getting everything up to temp and going good.

I did have to recharge the AC yesterday, but it is cooling well. Might have a small leak, but noticed the high pressure cap has gone missing. I'll replace it and keep an eye on it, it still worked, just needed more of a charge. First I've put in it in 2 years.

I'm looking to source a NOS fan clutch, I don't believe the aftermarket one I put on is working well. I think that could help improve some of my cooling conditions for radiator and AC.

Anyhow, have more odds and ends to replace, but just go jump in it and go.
 
Still driving the bronco, had to park it for a couple of weeks when it got cold a few weeks back.

Wouldn't idle, didn't have time to fool with it.

Distributor had worked loose, so I figured ignition. Looked at the cap and rotor button and had some carbon build up on it. Figured I start by replacing them.

Ordered parts, and a little troubleshooting more found I had a big vacuum leak. A vacuum plug had rotted off on a manifold port below the carb by the distributor. Replaced it, got everything tightened up, locked down the distributor again, tuned with a vacuum gauge, and she has been running like a new one for about $15 worth of parts. Hard to beat that in today's world.

Need to do an oil change soon and a few other small odds and ends, but bronco is running and driving.
 
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I had the distributor work loose on my 2.8. I had been driving mine for about 5 years. Waiting for it to blow-up, it never did. Wide open to the floor in 4th everyday climbing over a mountain to work. Changed the valve seals and it did not burn a drop of oil after that.

Then one day I was horsing around climbing the mountain going home from work, and I threw it in 3rd gear around a large sweeping turn, and gave her all she had. I had done this before but this time for some reason the throttle stuck. I pushed in the clutch to shift to 4th and the rpms shot way up. I kind of froze for a second and the engine started miss-firing. I quickly let out on the clutch but it was too late, I could tell I was not going to make it home.

Once I got it to the side of the road I got out and messed with the throttle and it released. I then tried to start it, but I could tell the way it was cranking something was not right. I thought I blew it up. In the next few days I took a compression check of the engine. A bunch of the cylinders were at 90psi, a couple at 100. Not great but nothing really bad either.

But I had a 2.9 with new cylinder heads waiting in the wings, so I started pulling the 2.8 out. I went to get one of the bellhousing bolts loose, and was having trouble getting to it. That is when I noticed the distributor was swung all the way around to the pass side and the vacuum advance was jambed into the firewall. I could not get it to move until I loosened the hold down clamp. I bet if I would have swung that thing around and set the timing she would have run again. But I had already taken a bunch of stuff loose already and was committed to putting the 2.9 in place.
 
I had the distributor work loose on my 2.8. I had been driving mine for about 5 years. Waiting for it to blow-up, it never did. Wide open to the floor in 4th everyday climbing over a mountain to work. Changed the valve seals and it did not burn a drop of oil after that.

Then one day I was horsing around climbing the mountain going home from work, and I threw it in 3rd gear around a large sweeping turn, and gave her all she had. I had done this before but this time for some reason the throttle stuck. I pushed in the clutch to shift to 4th and the rpms shot way up. I kind of froze for a second and the engine started miss-firing. I quickly let out on the clutch but it was too late, I could tell I was not going to make it home.

Once I got it to the side of the road I got out and messed with the throttle and it released. I then tried to start it, but I could tell the way it was cranking something was not right. I thought I blew it up. In the next few days I took a compression check of the engine. A bunch of the cylinders were at 90psi, a couple at 100. Not great but nothing really bad either.

But I had a 2.9 with new cylinder heads waiting in the wings, so I started pulling the 2.8 out. I went to get one of the bellhousing bolts loose, and was having trouble getting to it. That is when I noticed the distributor was swung all the way around to the pass side and the vacuum advance was jambed into the firewall. I could not get it to move until I loosened the hold down clamp. I bet if I would have swung that thing around and set the timing she would have run again. But I had already taken a bunch of stuff loose already and was committed to putting the 2.9 in place.

The distributor hold down bolt is such a major pain to get to on the 2.8. It's in the back under the manifold crossover, you throw a duraspark distributor on with bigger diameter it makes it even worse.

I finally got an awesome flashlight from work and was able to get a ratcheting box end wrench on it. Had to lay all the way on top of the engine. Worse part is you don't want to bump it while making the adjustments because you can't get to it while it's running. At least I can't 😂.

I think I've got it tight, but if it loosens up, I'll to back after it again when I have too. I did bump initial timing up to 14 degrees this time. Bronco seemed to like it there and made more vacuum.

As slow and low on power as the 2.8 is, it's hard to kill. Mine runs very well, doesn't smoke or have blow by, and will start at times when it shouldn't. I wouldn't mind more power, but I'm not going to look for an engine swap or rebuild any time soon. I almost would rebuild it just to say I kept while most others scrap it. Not the cheapest option, but would keep my B2 basically original.
 
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The 2.8 seems to be pretty tough, but a little low on power like you said. If I took the BII out of overdrive and held it to the floor in 4th. it would just barely maintain speed going up the mountain. But now with the 2.9, I can leave it in overdrive and maintain speed going up the mountain. But if that little snafu with the 2.8 didn't happen, I would probably still be using it.

I never liked the thermostat being down low like it is on the 2.8. No matter what method I used, I always had a steamy coolant puking episode when refilling it after some work was done.
 
The 2.8 seems to be pretty tough, but a little low on power like you said. If I took the BII out of overdrive and held it to the floor in 4th. it would just barely maintain speed going up the mountain. But now with the 2.9, I can leave it in overdrive and maintain speed going up the mountain. But if that little snafu with the 2.8 didn't happen, I would probably still be using it.

I never liked the thermostat being down low like it is on the 2.8. No matter what method I used, I always had a steamy coolant puking episode when refilling it after some work was done.

Yes the early lower thermostat is in a terrible location too, the Germans wants to screw with the Americans I guess lol
 

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