traded a broke down 94 2500 chevy for a broke down 84 bronco.it needs a few repairs.rear window,carb issues,interior work.but the engine runs well,little rust,and I love old fords.


my radiator froze,and im sure my water pump is toast.the freeze plugs look fine with no leaks.is there a chance the water pump could be fine?does the "wiggle the fan" trick apply here?the belt broke from not being able to spin the pump.and im hoping internals are fine.


im just trying to get this truck up to running spec.im gonna get a Haynes manual and do repairs as I can.should I also go with motorcraft parts?thanks for any help.

 

Hello, and welcome!
You'll love the 300.

With your year, you possibly have a clutch fan. Which, if it is loose when you wobble it, it may also be the fan clutch. Either way, a new water pump isn't an overly difficult process. More of just a hassle than anything else.

As for Motorcraft parts, it depends on what you're wanting to replace. That particular year engine (if it's still, or mostly still, stock) uses the feedback carburetor setup. It's a computer controlled ignition/carburetor setup that they used from '84 - '86. Since it was used for such a short time, parts can be very difficult to find, and can be expensive. Ford doesn't make a lot of them anymore.

A very common upgrade is to revert the system back to the venerable DuraSpark II ignition system, and swap out the carburetor for a non-feedback carburetor. It's very plug and play and can take just an hour or two. There are a few writeups on here if you search for DuraSpark II swap.

Have fun with your Bronco!

For engine specific questions, check out the 300 forum.

Ford Inline Six, 200, 250, 4.9L / 300 - Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums

 

thank you.i ordered my Haynes book yesterday.the carb is a mess.nothing plugged into it other then fuel line.all the hoses coming off it are plugged with bolts.i might be better of just finding a diff. carb.i will look around the 300 I6 section.

 

Sounds like you have the computer controlled feedback carburetor with a previous owner who thought they knew better than the Ford engineers...

Unless it's not working, you really want to ditch that completely. Get a new NON feedback carburetor and pull a DuraSpark II ignition from a 76-83 truck with a 300, including the wiring harness. It's all plug and play. You'll need the distributor, coil, wiring harness, and the ignition module off the driver's side fender. If you do a search, you should find some swap guides.

Just be sure you have any junk yard parts tested at a parts store.

While you have all that apart, pull the intake/exhaust manifold off and have it planed back to flat and install with a fresh gasket. They like to warp after the years and you'll have a nice vacuum leak.

Put it all back together with fresh vacuum lines.

You'll notice a HUGE improvement after that.