I figure I'll document what I'm doing over time here and then link all the various threads for an overall project thread nexus later down the road.

The plan currently is:

• Ignition - cylinder & rod

• Wiper operation

• Re-key front doors

• Find/fix leak in the power steering

• Get the A/C operational

• Bed liner spray in bed & touch ups everywhere else

• Install 2nd fuel tank

 

Add 3G alternator upgrade. Best mod you will ever do. The factory 2G is a poor design with very little output at idle and the connectors have been known to start many fires over the years.

Plenty of threads on this forum, just do a search.

 

So I headed to the "local" junkyard to have a look at what they had. They claimed to have multiple F-350's from 1984 through mid 90's as she rattled them off on the phone.

This yard is 30 miles from my house. I called before to make sure they had some opportunities for me to look.

In the yard? Nope. What few I did find were really picked over. Not a single truck still had the tailgate on it. Not a single one had the right wiper motor. Not a single one had manual transmission (not a surprise by probability)

I did find ONE truck that was very, very close to mine. Seemed to be the right year, crew cab, same colors exterior & interior too. But most of the engine compartment was yanked out, the dash taken half apart including the entire steering assembly, two of the doors removed or thrashed, and beyond.

The GOOD news is it seemed to have the same rear gas tank as mine. That might be worth the effort to pick myself but it wasn't high on my list of priorities.

 

Personally, I wouldn't bother with a junk yard gas tank when a new one is only about $100 or so. I just ordered one for my F-250...38 gallon rear tank. I've been running with the front tank only for years, since the prior owner removed the rear tank.

 

The junk yards around here punch a hole in the gas tank when the vehicles come in to make sure there isn't any fluid in them. A new tank is fairly cheap.

I agree with doing the 3G alternator swap. I did it to my 89 F250, best bang for the buck modification. Headlights are nearly twice as bright as they were before, and running my headlights, offroad lights, and heater at the same time isn't draining my battery faster than my alt can charge it anymore.

 

I am thinking I should look more closely at the alternator upgrade.

The headlights are pretty dim on the truck. And the battery has been having a hard time starting the truck. I wonder if the alternator is on its way out.

The day we went to the junk yard I noticed we lost blinker lights on the dash - not sure about the exterior signal lights. The hazards worked on the dash so it could be a short.

Gonna have to figure that one out.

 

Turns out the battery is having issues. Multimeter says 12.26v on the < 2 year old battery from previous owner.

I looked at the alternator I have. It's a Palladium 7735-2 remanufactured one.


Remanufactured alternator

How do I tell if that's a 3G or not?