Yesterday I did a quick look around of my 89 250 (5.0) I bought on Saturday. She needs some work, but I took some pics wanting to know what you guys think is going on here/what is that, ha.


This is next to the battery, one of the wires here is not connected to anything.


Underneath the old air filter, all black and nasty/damp.


Connection not connected to anything.


This hose is broken in half (also you can see the two wires from the first image).


Old vs new air filter.


First spark plug I pulled out, not sure which cylinder, but when facing the engine bay from the front it was the first plug on the right side. All of the other plugs just had normal wear.

 

Looks like your typical beat-up, uncared for truck where the owner only did what he had to do to keep it running, never mind doing it the right way.

The wiring insulation being pulled back... guarantee there's corrosion further up the wires. Can be fixed easily enough, or swap in a nice harness from the junkyard.

Air filter box looks like it was just driven thru some water a bit too fast... somebody tidal-waved some puddles lol.

That plug worries me, is that oily/wet on the electrode end? I'd pull all of them and inspect.

How does she run? Probably got a nice miss with that plug fouled up like it is.

What doesn't work on it?

If the rest of it's in decent shape, I'd fix it up and drive it.

 

Yeah, it was a farm truck for a while, who knows where before that. I'll be visiting a junkyard sometime, never been, but I've always wanted to go.

That's what I figured with the air box, there were wood chips in it too.

Yes, it is oily/wet on those connections. Heck, the whole underside of the truck is oily/wet. Taking it to the shop today to see what's going on with it.

On startup the rpms will hover around 1500, then go down to 700 for a second, then back up to 1500 for a second, then idle back down at 700. When driving on the highway it did jerk several times, but other than that she ran fine. Crazy loud in the interior.

As far as I know right now, something in the steering column is jacked up, I have to put the key in, turn it all the way to the on position, then use a pair of pliers which is used to push the rod(?) to start the engine. The blinker lever doesn't stay, I have to hold it, the parking brake doesn't work, have to push the brake pedal to the floor to stop it (probably needs pads), and it blows a small amount of white smoke out of the exhaust.

 

Sounds like that truck has been beat to death, hopefully you didnt pay too much for it.

 

Nope, only paid 1200 for it. I'm only using it when it snows and for when I need a truck of course.

 

From what your telling me, that truck sounds like it's worth at most $500. I mean you still got it cheap but still.

 

True, but most trucks around here I could find for less than $1000 didn't run...

 

I guess you found yourself a decent deal then provided the rest of it is solid.

 

That's what I find out today, hoping for the best.

 

All that crap in the air box looks to be oil. Either the PCV valve is clogged, or there is a lot of blow-by in that engine.

 

White smoke out the exhaust sounds like a blown head gasket, could be why the first plug is so wet.. Check the oil for antifreeze and antifreeze for oil. If you can't tell, then sometimes if you hold a clear glass jar up to the tail pipe, start the engine and have someone hold the rpm's around 1000 for a minute or 2 it'll drop condensate into the jar and when enough has collected, if there is a green tint to it, it's probably a blown gasket.

 

Oh goodie.

 

Don't fret, that engine's easy to work on!

Remember that coolant flows thru the timing chain cover too. If you find water in the oil, and not much oil in the water, it could just be a leaking timing cover gasket.

 

Changed the oil yesterday, was dark and seemed kinda thick. Don't think it had water in it.