Hey guys!

Just posted in the intro thread!

So here's my thread on my truck and my quest to bring some life back into it!

I love the way old things are built, they simply don't make 'em like they used to, and the only reason I know this, being only 23, is that those old things that were built back then, are still around haha

I love old cars, they had style back then! Built to last, designed to be repaired as painlessly as possible!


It's a beautiful 1965 F20 custom cab, hardly any rust (there's some haha), and the odometer reads 34,000 miles.



upon driving it around for a few days after buying it, I quickly realized that it's more like 250,000 miles, thanks previous owner, for lying about that....

it's got a 352 FE in it, you can see its condition from the pictures.


Basically, when I got the thing, I didn't know anything practical about engines.

I've been reading and reading, but nothing compares to hands-on learning.

It's been running, clunking at times, and rollin' smooth at other times but I felt that I've been doing a decent job, until a few days ago.



but first, lemme go into what I've done to my baby.

1. changed the oil and oil filter out, got a purple oil filter on, and I filled it up with 10w-40 (not sure what old engines take, but it seemed to like it)
'cept, it leaks oil, a good amount of it, about a quart a week, and I drive it maybe 3 hours a week.

any suggestions?

2. replaced the sparkplugs, they were pretty old, with double platinum tips, and gapped em at .035 (got that number from a chiltons book)
previous owner had his plugs gapped at .045...

3. replaced the distributor cap!

4. reset the timing. in the chiltons book I've got, it said that the engine should be advanced about 6 degrees, and idle at roughly 475 rpm.

so I advanced the timing, while fiddling with the idle screw, till it was close to those parameters.

this was about 4 or 5 days before the truck quit on me.

this is where this thread really begins by the way, I'm gonna track everything I do to this truck, hopefully with you geniuses advising me along the way!

The story

Woke up one morning with my girlfriend, and drove her to work, since her car got towed (I warned her!) and everything went fine.
quickly realized that I'm gonna have to install some form of de-fogging nonsense if I'm gonna drive this truck in any crazy weather.

got home just fine, made breakfast, took a dump, the usual.

went to go run some errands.

got into the truck, tried to start it (it's a little tricky, gotta wiggle the gearchanger a bit on the steering column, while pushing the choke in slowly, occasionally pumping the gas pedal when necessary)
tried to start it again, and a third time.

around the fourth time, it started making this terrifying sound, a CLANKCCCRRRRRCLANKCLAKNCRRKKKK sorta sound.

so, I stopped trying to start it.

checked the oil, it was fine, right up to the fill line.
so that means that the engine hasn't seized right, its something else?
a starter problem?

or do I need to figure out how to replace the pistons/camshaft/the full rebuild?

I'm new to engines, sorta (brief experience), but I'm a fast learner, and I hope you guys can help!

cheers to old trucks!

Also, my bad about the long initial post

 

OK!

So, upon writing this, I wanted to check it all out again.

The engine turns over, not a starter issue.
And by turn over, I mean something's moving in there haha
certainly doesn't fire up.

It makes a clanking and clunking sound though,
for as long as I turn the key.

what would make it do this so suddenly?
It was driving fine earlier that morning (well, as well as it usually runs)
maybe, since it has trouble starting, and since it has new sparkplugs and such,
either I re-timed it wrong (but it ran smoother after I did that), or maybe somethings up with the fuel system?

also, I can turn the engine over myself, grabbed the fan and rotated it without too much effort counter clockwise, everything moved with it.

any ideas?

 

Post all the drivetrain info, someone hear should have answers. As far the noise are you sure it's coming from the motor? Maybe tranny(flywheel/flex plate)?

 

Will do, where would I find the drivetrain info?

Don't have an owners manual for it :-(

It might just be a trans issue, I know that the steering columns in need of replacement since I can turn the wheel about 1/8th of the way without effort while parked, and the shifter is ****y (I need it in just the right position within the "park" range for the truck to start, except the labeling on the shifter isn't there anymore....I'm very very careful about going from reverse to drive in this thing hahaha)

But I don't know if the looseness of the steering column would have an adverse effect on the transmission, would it?

 

Post all the info on the drivers side door warranty plate. There's a lot of guys on this site that can decode it for you. It'll tell you everything your truck came with from the dealer, as long as the door was never replaced.

 

Got it!

Warranty - F25DR637143
W.B. - 129
Color - JM
Model - F250
Body - E81
Trans - G
Axle - 24
Max weight - 7500
Cert Net HP - 172
RPM - 4,000
DSO - 71

 

Timing chain and gears is what I would check. Sounds like with this mileage they
have let go on ya.

Check yer timing with a timing light or pop the cap and see where #1 is pointing
when at TDC.

 

how would i go about checking the timing chain?

 

Take the cap off the dizzy and rock the engine back and forth by hand. Watch the rotor cap while doing this. It should move almost as soon and with the crank.
Any hesitation is the amount of play in the chain.

Bring #1 up to TDC and see if the rotor cap points to #1 position on the dizzy cap.

There are more ways but this is easy and can be done with out a timing light.

 

You may want to start another thread titled something like "warranty tag help" so the proper gentlemen will see it right away

 

Sorry 'bout your engine woes. Here's your warranty plate decode: F25 = F250 2 wheel drive truck. D = 352 cubic inch, 2 bbl FE V8 engine. R = built in San Jose, California. 637143 = built in January, 1965. 129 = your wheelbase in inches. Exterior color JM = two tone with J = Rangoon Red and M = Wimbledon White. Model F250 = 7500 pound GVW ¾ ton truck. E81 = Red Crush Vinyl with red woven plastic interior upholstery in a Custom Cab. G = cruise-o-matic automatic transmission. 24 = Ford 9 inch non-limited slip differential with 4.10 gears. GVW 7500 = your gross vehicle weight rating. 172 @ 4000 = your engine's NET horsepower rating and the rpm where achieved. DSO 71 = ordered from the Los Angeles District Sales Office. The truck was not special ordered. Good luck with getting it back up and running. It's a nice looking truck.

 

checked the timing chain by turning the fan counter clockwise with the distributor cap off, everything turned together.

however, harder to turn the fan?

how would I go about checking the timing on an engine that wont start? haha
silly question?

how would I go about diagnosing it as a start/bendix problem?

thanks for all the help guys, new at this haha