If you have the nuts off of it, why not just hit it with some penetrating oil and then a large hammer? The jack is putting slow, steady pressure, a few quick hits should loosen it up, or is it in a hard to get place?

 

BFH. Simple as that...

 

BFH and a sharp chisel.

 

The bolt is finally out! I bought a new jigsaw blade and bent it before it was even 1/4 way into the bolt. So I looked around and found a good metal blade for my cordless recip saw. I got about 3/4 through the bolt and it knocked a ton of scale and dirt loose before the battery died. So I tried jacking up the rear by that bolt again and after whaling on the head of the bolt for 5 minutes with a sledge it popped out! So I got new bolts and installed the sending unit and pump with the tank still out. I plugged it in and my gauge works again! It showed empty which was correct so I added 4 gallons of gas and it went to just below 1/4 tank. So it's reading correctly and all that's left is to hook up the lines. So tomorrow's test drive day!

 

I am not use to this format and am a new member but I do have a limited bit of advice for you Travis ( is that what you like to go by? ) so here goes! The keys for the door locks can be made by any decent locksmith. The turm sugnal is the result of someone holding the turn signal on forcibly while turning and can only be fixed by replacing the mechanism which requires pulling the wheel. If you are going to replace the whole column that should fix the signal switch unless it likewise is also broke ( the doner column ). I futher might sugest several reengine choices. One a 429 will get you some better milage while having pleanty of go power and is an easy swap from where you are starting. Next the early commins is a good choice if diesel is what you want to go to. It fits well within the engine bay but you might want to consider moving the turbo a little forward to clear the heater box and allow for a heat shield or modify the heater box to allow for the aproximatly one-inch-minus interferance you will encounter between the body of the turbo and the box side. Also the weight is greater, how much I am not sure but you could use after market "ballon" bags inside of your coil front springs. Last you could risk the attempt at swapping in the 3.5 twin turbo ecoboost system. It has 365 horses and gets aproximatly 20+ mpg. I have been looking for a kit to put the 3.5 into my 88 metropolitan ( think four door bronco 1988 ) but have had no luck finding a wiring kit to make it work. The cummins diesel from a early 90s (brace yourselves) Dodge was a conversion that has been around for a while and looks very straight forward but has several serious issues to be considered. One is the weight requiring suspension changes. Then there is the drivetrain but I believe they make kits for this. and last there is the cost. Both the 3.5 and the diesel conversions while require some custom work and if you can not find a cheap cummins in great shape then a rebuild could cost thousands just for the engine rebuild. 3.5 ecoboost being fairly new and laking a ready kit to handle the engine control will also be pricey if a complete donor and a wiring kit cannot be located. What are your long term goals for the truck? both the 429/460 and the cummins diesel have lots of off the shelf power/performance options you can add later if you decide to build the truck into a monstor mover. Love to hear what you come up with, looks like a fun project, dts

 

Thanks for that info. I knew you could get them made up for the cylinders however sometimes the cost out weighs just replacing them. These trucks not so much anymore I found out it is like $60 for them now and I remember when I got them for my 88 F150 they were $30.
Yes I do not mind being called Travis or Trav that is part of the reason I sign my name at the end of every post. The rest of your post I think is more directed towards Tye.
Trav

 

I noticed you replied with a quote from the first page. On the top right corner there are numbers. These are pages of the thread from oldest to current. If you read through the pages I already replaced the column and it looks far different from the pink wagon it was when I bought it.

Long term goals

Dually conversion
Skirted hauler flatbed
92-97 front clip swap
P pump cummins
5 speed on the floor
Tuxedo black paint

I've considered other gasser options but if I'm doing an engine swap there's no way I'd go to a smaller gas engine. Right now I'm just gonna run the 460 until it blows up or I get the money together for the cummins. When I get the cummins swap done it'll be relatively stock but as usual I can't leave it alone so it'll def be modded soon after


So I just finished re installing the tank with its new pump, filter, and sending unit. Fired it up and it runs great! After nearly a year I have a working gas gauge! Will post a video if there's any interest

 

So yet again I was bit in the face. I let it run about 20 minutes and it had no problems. Adding a little ATF which fixed my trans noise. So I go to take a test drive. I get to the end of the driveway and noticed a wet trail behind me. Main fuel feed had come off at the clamp. I managed to set the clamp on again without dropping the tank. Tightened the clamp and it was good. So I get to the end of the driveway and there's no trail of gas. I get out and find it leaking again but this time at the pump, not the clamp. I can't quite see where it's coming from but it's def at the top of the tank so tomorrows project is to buy some long fuel lines so I can run it with the tank on the ground and trace the leak

 

Pleased to report a positive update!

So when I started to replace the in tank pump I ran the tank very low on purpose so it wouldn't weigh very much when I took it out. So I have had a leak issue and I finally found it and it turned out to be a loose fitting. Tightened the clamp down and all is good. So I wasn't able to go to the station because it was so low on gas. So I improvised with my moms car and a ratchet straps. People were taking pictures and honking the whole time through town. I had a guy honking at me literally just pulling out of my driveway. And yes that's a piece of plastic and a zip tie on there to keep it from splashing. Do what you gotta do



So I got to run it in the driveway and it runs like a champ. At this point it was almost 9 pm and pouring rain so a test drive is tomorrow! As long as my fuel problem is over with like I think it is I'm going to start working on the loose steering with a new pitman arm, rag joint, steering box, tie rod ends, and hopefully fix the A/C. If anybody has any ideas or suggestions for this truck I'm all ears! Look forward to replies

 

This is my 1000th post!

So for those of you wandering wtf happened. After my last post I took it for a test drive. Ran and drove great but after about 30 minutes on my way home it started stumbling and sputtering and it eventually died. I pulled off into a parking lot where it died and I couldn't get it to start. I look out my window and find that I'm in the parking lot of a **** shop GREAT

So I called a friend to tow me home.



It was the maiden voyage with the new pump, filter, and sending unit. I had a working gas gauge for the first time which was great. So I drove it to town and it was running great. Temp was reading it was running cool and I had a working gas gauge for the first time so all was good. I filled up the tank and drove about 40 miles trouble free. I was riding down the highway and suddenly it started surging and sputtering like it was out if gas. So I pulled over and it smoothed out. It was idling smooth without a problem but I shut it down just in case. After a couple minutes I tried to start it again and it fired right up first crank so I let it run for a few minutes at idle and it was running great. I checked and found no leaks, sound, or smoke so I slam the hood and it won't latch. So a ratchet strap and it was fixed. I pulled back onto the road and once I got about to quarter throttle it surged and then it backfired twice. I let off the throttle and it smoothed out again. I let it idle for a bit again and it was fine. If I kept it under 20 with light throttle it was purring along like it was new. I had to get home so I drove in the shoulder for about 15 miles going 10-20 mph. Suddenly it started to choke and sputter so I let off the throttle and let it idle. It was running great at idle so I let it idle for a few more minutes and it was fine. So I was going about 10 mph down the road when it started to surge cough and sputter even at idle regardless if I gave it gas or not and then it died. So I gave up, shut it down, and called a friend to tow me the 3 miles home. I get it home and not 5 minutes after I unhooked the tow strap I tried to start it to show him and it fired up no problem! So after a few minutes idling he took it for a spin. He opened up the throttle and it didn't backfire or sputter at all. I thought it was great until he called me a couple minutes later to tell me to come get him and described the same symptoms barely 2 miles down the road. I tried to start it and it idled fine so I just idled down the road about half a mile and it died. I tried to restart it and it died when I put it in gear. Started it again and it died immediately. So I got towed home I put a mechanical fuel pressure gauge on it and it was bouncing and spiking. Not to mention engine was running like crap. No knocks, smoke, or sounds, but it was running rough and it backfired once. It's not worth blowing it up, so I shut it down. It's now parked in the pasture

So I'm reconsidering now. I have decided that I'm going to get a nicer, newer truck. I have about 9 grand to spend so I've been hunting like crazy and found a 2000 F350 ECDRW 4x4 6 speed that I love. Clutch and injectors replaced about 15k miles ago. So I'm going to look at it this weekend. I think he'll take 7500 so I'm going to take a look at it and report back.

Now...... What about the Red Baron?

I've decided I'm going to try to fix it and just get it running. I either have a bad fuel pump or condensation in the fuel system. So after it gets running I'm gonna stick it on craigslist and see what happens. I may be moving next summer to a place with a shop so if it doesn't sell or get a good trade I'm going to build my ultimate tow rig. Cummins, 5 speed, 4x4, dually, pearl black, and grey interior this gives me a project while I'm at school getting ASE certified this year and I'll still have the 2000 as my driver.

If anyone here is interested in buying it vm me and we'll talk

 

That sucks man, good luck with the new truck if you get it, and hopefully you get The Red Baron back up and running.

 

Check the tfi/control module on the dizzy I know we had a 90 ford van had similar problems replaced that and that fixed it.


On our 89 F250 we also had similar problems and it ended up being the PIP in the distributor (easier to replace the entire dizzy) and that fixed that.
Trav

 

I'm new over here, but I've been keeping track of this build for a while, sad to hear its not going well.
Update though! Recognized your rig over on cumminsforum. Whats up with the new truck?

 

Thanks. Well at least for now I can't finish it because I'm going to start school to get certified as an automotive tech and auto body tech along with welding classes tomorrow evening and I don't have time to worry about whether a 12 mile trip to town is possible. I'm going to get a car hauler soon and get back to selling classic cars and trucks. I have 3 possible directions to go with the Red Baron. 1 is to just get it running, stick it on craigslist, and get a small chunk of startup money which I'd rather not do even though the money would be nice. 2 is to make it a toy like fix it and make it into a mud Bogger/trail truck and just have fun with it. 3 is to keep it, have a proffesional shop I know of get it running and driving with a cummins at the cost of 2 grand if I supply a motor and tranny. Then get it proffesionally painted a high gloss black, convert it to dually, and put a skirted flatbed on it to make it the ultimate hauler rig and daily drive my black cummins.

Option 3 is a lot more fun and I'd rather that but whether it's possible in my position is in question. I'd really love to but I don't have high hope of it happening so I dunno what I'll do

 

My thought is, you've come way too far with the Red Baron to give up on her now! I know you've got the Dodge now and whatever, so you don't need the Baron as a DD. So, keep it and use it for something. Bring her back! Either option two or three, which ever you feel you can do, but don't just drop her on CL. That would be a truly inglorious end for a truck that has come so far!

Just my 2¢.