Possibly getting back into these...!

[voodoochylde]

Howdy all.

After selling my B2 a few years ago, I've felt empty and dead. Mostly because I was forced to sell in order to purchase a minivan.

Well, now half the kids are gone and I don't need 7 seats AND I've gotten clearance from the missus to banish the Windstar and buy whatever I want.

I've found an 86 or 87 with a 5 speed manual transmission, transfer case, and hubs. The paint is a bit oxidized (ok, quite badly so) but the body is straight as an arrow and has less rust than any of these I've seen.

Here's the rub. The PO had the transmission rebuilt and, within a very short period of time, locked her away in an enclosed garage.

And that's where the poor thing has been for 14 years. I want it. So dang bad I can taste it. But I am a bit worried about it having sat unused so long. Can you guys offer up some things to check on the old girl?

 

[adsm08]

Just do it.

It will need brakes, and probably tires. Some gaskets might leak, particularly the oil pan and valve covers (but how many 2.9s don't leak there?) Unless rodents got in that will probably be the worst of it.

 

[Slammin Sam]

Beware, during my 8 month search for my current 89 B2, I found that most that had been parked for a long time, were usually parked because they had a bad head gasket or cracked head.

 

[voodoochylde]

Oil and coolant both look and smell good. Owner is an older gentleman. He says he put it away with the intention of saving it for his last son to have as a first car.

We tried to get it started today. I haven't bought it yet. It's having fuel delivery issues. Either both fuel pumps are dead or the fuel pump relay is dead as neither pump was spinning. Additionally, the blinkers don't blink and the heater blower won't come on.

I did finally read the door sticker. It's an 86. 2.9 (duh) with 3.73 l/s rear and a TK5 transmission. Any thoughts on the TK5?

 

[bronco2fan]

Any standard transmission is bound to be less trouble than an automatic that's been sitting for a while. But regardless if you can't get her started you really can't tell. My 85 has the 4 speed and it's never given me problems. If it's in good shape talk him down to half he's asking just because of the no start condition . If you really want it and can't find one any better it's up to you.

Sent from my Alcatel9007T using Tapatalk

 

[voodoochylde]

I bought it. Got it home. Battery is dead. Not a huge deal.

I'll get pics in a bit. For right now, I'm cleaning it up a bit.

Question - when it had power yesterday, the heater blower and the turn signals both refused to work. Would this be due to the floppy multifunction switch or is it more likely a fusible link? I haven't put a meter to it yet.

Yay!

 

[bronco2fan]

Simply stuff first. Fuses, bulbs, relays. Battery for sure. Do the flashers work? All lights work? Fan switch has fuses and relays too. Hope that helps.

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[voodoochylde]

Just a quick update. The flasher itself was bad. After replacing it, the turn signals all work fine. The heater blower motor is seized up. I haven't pulled it to try to free it.

My current project is replacing all brake lines. The master cylinder was leaking badly and, while trying to remove the hard lines, I broke one. As they all look nasty, I'd feel much better if everything was gone through.

Haven't had much time to work with trying to get ourselves and others who were hit much worse picked up from the floods.

Anyone know of an easy way to access the passenger front hard-to-flex brake line connection? Pull the wheel well liner?

 

[bronco2fan]

Did you ever get your oil dipstick problem fixed? I just take them off from inside the engine compartment. But mines the 84 with the 2.8 don't know if that makes a difference but shouldn't. Plus mines lifted so it's easy to get to.

Hope you guys are doing ok. Saw all that on the news, bad situation. I have family in Wheeling and Rand so I know the feeling.

 

[voodoochylde]

Thanks for your concern. We're fine, unlike thousands of others. We're up high enough that water should never reach us unless it's in the form of some apocalyptic tsunami. I'm somewhere around 100 feet above the nearest stream. We did get some roof damage from wind and wind-blown rain and the lower part of my basement had almost 2 feet of water in it from run-off.

I haven't found a dipstick yet. The homebrew fix from the last owner doesn't seem to be leaking but I also haven't run the engine for an hour total. I did treat her to an oil change with a quart of oil replaced by Marvel Mystery Oil and that calmed down the cold start lifter tick considerably.

Unfortunately, I can't drive it as it's got no brakes until I run new lines.

 

[bronco2fan]

Well glad to hear you're in a decent location. That much water in that short of time is crazy. We had the same here, but like you, I'm in a pretty good area.

Seized brake lines suck. PB Blaster and line wrench is all I know to free them. Good luck. Blower motor, I just shot WD-40 in mine and it cleared right up.

 

[voodoochylde]

Had the kids to myself today. They're not real good about staying close so I couldn't work under the truck. I got the rear brake line to the master cylinder yesterday.

Also, wd40 is all the blower motor required. It's only go 3 speeds - slow, not quite as slow, and high. Next to highest is gone. Heater box was plum full of leaves.

I did get all but the roof cleaned, polished and waxed today. It's not great work but it looks significantly better than it did.

 

[bronco2fan]

Pics guy, pics lol. Yes, I only work on mine as time allows too. Patience and good tools required for BII owners lol.

 

[trail B2]

the heater f

That kind of condition on the heater fan is usually the heater fan resistor.I don't think there very expensive.

 

[wildbill23c]

The TK5 seemed ok, at least the one in my 84 B2 was ok, 5th gear whined but seemed to be a common problem, a transmission rebuild would fix that but then unless you do it yourself it'll cost you more than the vehicle is worth.

The heater fan needs to be replaced, not sure where the resisters are in the setup, but I'd replace them as well.