78 or 79 f250 camper special. unsure of the engine, probably 351 or bigger.

this truck has not moved since about 2003 and last started in 2004. I found the keys for it and want to try my luck under the hood to get it going.

when it was running it ran evenly and smooth, no smoke from a bottle feed.

I will post pictures of the truck later (no engine pics at the moment)

What do I need to do to a truck that has sat this long with no attention. I don't plan on driving it yet and when I do it will only be on the farm driveway.

I thought I would bring new points condenser rotor cap plugs and wires for starters. a can of carb clean and starting fluid, engine oil, ATF/acetone for the cylinders if the engine is stuck and a bottle of gas for the carb.

I will pop a group 65 in it and jumper cables

I have never installed points on a vehicle but I have done it on several tractors before

help and suggestions please

 

Check fluids and give it a whirl... May surprise you.

 

you are thinking it may not need any attention in the ignition department? if anything maybe file the points but who knows.

too bad its an automatic or I would be dragging it behind my john deere A


I will add that the truck is in 6ft weeds outside. lots of field mice use it as an apartment complex

 

'78 or '79 would have been Duraspark. No points... but inspect wiring carefully.

To get it going, first step is to see if it turns. Pull the plugs, shot of oil in each hole and use a breaker bar on the crank nut to turn it over. If it was dry or reasonably so, may well be fine in that department. If it turns, try to spin it with the starter.

Next step is check fluid levels. If the oil looks reasonable, leave it alone. If nasty, change it.

Then rig a temporary fuel supply and give it a start.

The carb is likely gummed up and it may not run well but it may run and you can see what you have. If you do get it running, a oil and filter change afterwards and re-start is probably a good idea.

To make it a driver, the fuel tank will almost certainly need cleaned minimum or replaced. Steel fuel lines cleaned and all rubber fuel lines replaced minimum also + Carb rebuild or rebuilt carb.

Beyond that, see what you have and go from there!

 

Where has it been sitting for years with oil in a pan? If inside, I’d leave that oil in. Oil don't "just go stale", it should last as long sitting in an oil pan of a closed up engine as it does in a can.

I would at least disable the ignition and pull the plugs, and spin her over some with the starter avoiding long spells, just like 5 secs at a time. Do not just pull plugs and leave wires hanging, either ground the spark plug end or the wires or better yet, unplug the ignition module itself. No plugs will let her spin faster and watch the mechanical oil gage.

I’d simply start with a full radiator with the proper thermostat in place for a 351M/400 if that's what it is and cap off and keep an eye on it as she warms. No different than when you change coolant every other year or three ... or 5 as the case may be.

Run it off a gas can on the inner fenderwell because the tank is probably junk fuel by now. Watch the carb top for signs of a stuck float though if setting a long time. By the time you spin the motor over without plugs priming the oil pump the carb float bowl will be full .... but there won't be any intake vacuum with plugs out. Just watch the top of the carb vent tube. If gas comes out, gonna have to "unstick" a float or inlet needle.

C-6 and it's new and dry, I'm putting at least 8 qts in to start ... before I even prime my engine's oil system with the no plugs routine above ... unless it causes it to come out the dip stick tube which I doubt (total capacity for my C-6 in a '77 F-150 4X4 with 351m/400 is 27 pints or 13.5 quarts). That'll help raise levels in the trans and make sure nothing runs drier than necessary.

Then after the priming session, check engine oil level, look for oil filter gasket leak, check and add some trans fluid so it shows on the stick again.

Then reinstall plugs, hook up wires and ignition module and if gas ain't sprayed out the carb vents yet ....start her up with a fast idle and as she run and warms up, while watching temp and radiator level and oil pressure and belts and carb vents and watching for leaks and checking oil filter gasket .... I’d be checking and adding more trans fluid as needed running her through the gears after 10 quarts.
As you try to make is a daily driver watch for a lot of seals to start leaking and after a little bit of driving ck the valve cover and oil pan hardware torque. Do not over torque the valve covers and bend the lip.

 

so this dura spark distributor has nothing inside I should mess with on initial crank over/ start?

I am going to assume the engine is original due to when grandpa bought it, the truck was in very nice condition but after sitting it has rust holes and mice everywhere.

should I buy the points stuff for an older model engine if it is indeed different but the truck is either a 78 or 79 with the square headlights?



I hope the starter and wiring is good enough.

to get it to run off a gas can, do I just plumb a 3/8 rubber gas line from the carb to the can or do I need stuff like a primer bulb and fuel filter? 91 gasoline OK?

I gotta cut the weeds down to get to it and all the way arround. should be interesting.

I will bring a few buckets of water too if a mouse nest or wiring catches on fire

any one have a pic of the carb or quick fuel can hookup and the dura spark distributor and old distributor?

 

The temporary fuel supply is usually a 3/8" rubber line to the fuel pump inlet. The fuel pump will (or should) suck it in OK without priming and send it on up to the carb.

 

any special tools to adjust the carb? the truck is an hour away from me hence some of the questions.

I can't wait until this weekend!

 

External carb adjustments are basically idle throttle stop and idle mixture. A screwdriver will do it.

 

DuraSpark Electronic Ignition introduced in 1974, but not all vehicles had it until 1976.

1977: Ford changed the V8 dizzy cap, has male ends and a plastic adapter below that the cap clips onto.

12A112 is the stator aka magnetic pickup coil that took the place of the points and condenser.

 

bought plugs and wires, cap and rotor, coil and an oil filter. I already have probably 20 gallons of 5w30 at home so I am just going to drain and pour anyways. if the other valve cover has a breather I can dump some in that way too I think.


I have my oil can ready with ATF. 1/0 jumper cables should do the trick from my dual group 65 F350


also bringing my solenoid starter button.

should be fun

 

I completely understand the want to wake the long dormant beast, but even though it's an auto, you can just drop it in N and pull it to a better place to work on it

 

news flash, I cut the weeds down to get to it. all is good there.

tried turning it over with a breaker bar and was unsuccessful. pulled the plugs out and squirted atf inside. while i was waiting I found the right key for the ignition and found that it is a 78 f250 xlt 400 6.6L

I got it to turn over with a ratchet.

then I put a battery in and turned it over. gotta pull up on the shifter lever to get it to send power to the starter.

thats all the further I got today

 

I got excited just reading this. Keep us posted. Personally, I like my nuetral saftey switch set where you have to push it up. Safer in my mind

 

I'd make sure to avoid the fuel pump pushing any more of that old gas into the carb by turning over the engine. When you turn the engine over you are pumping that old cruddy gas right into the carb. The suggestion made earlier, using a bipass to a can of fresh gas to the fuel pump might be a good idea, but I think I would try to purge out as much of that old gas as possible. Maybe even remove the fuel line from the fuel pump to the carb and drain'/flush with fresh fuel. Also, I'd replace the old fuel filter. I think that the old fuel is going to be your biggest challenge to overcome. Does the gas that is in it now have a varnish smell to it? I'd imagine so... That would be bad gas and will cause you lots of headaches, until you get fresh gas to the carb. You may need to rebuild the carb too, if it is gummed up with that varnished gas.