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So today's goal was to get this thing clean, finally. I've been putting it off for quite some time for one reason or another, but now I finally got the job more or less done. It took me at least four hours between bouts of rain to manage to scrub it down as well as I have in the final pictures here. I know some of them are out of order, but my camera took the pictures but left me with nothing to show for some spots I intended to highlight.
Tomorrow I'll be going back to clean the bed out, finally and to finish washing up the truck. Might even get so far as to get my brakes bled and go on another little adventure to test her out. First things first though, I've got to attack the under hood area, get all those leaves out and all that mess off the intake manifold. That thing is a fire just waiting to happen, and I know it.
Also for everyone that couldn't watch the video earlier, it has now been fixed and the link should be working.
About half-way through the passenger side wash. So much filth came off this side. There is still dirt embedded in the paint here, but I kind of dig the patina going on with the primer coat showing through the green. It's growing on me, for sure. It took me at least thirty minutes to get this far in the wash, I literally SCRUBBED as hard as I could to start making a dent in the filth on the hood. Worst part of the hood rot, other side is still more or less solid but this cancer here has me concerned. Forgot to start taking pictures while washing the drivers side. Here it's about 95% done. Had to get a nice side shot. Truck looks so good from a distance. I need it to look this good up close.
That truck sure brings back some memories. Growing up we had a truck identical to it. We always called it the green godzilla. The hood on my 77 F150 and 68 F100 are both rotting in the same spot. I think the only thing you can do is live with it or buy a new hood. They're not terribly expensive, and not terribly cheap. Wonder about the quality too.
So today I paid attention to the interior and started getting it cleaned up. Was just as tough a job as the outside, but I did get it all done. Pictures don't really do it much justice, but it makes a world of difference. Next I've got to clean the cab out, and maybe pull the seat and pressure wash the carpets. I also need to get an eye on the floor pans, I don't see any rot from underneath the truck but I want to be double damn sure before I go much further.
I also drove it around a bit more, and realized that I'm having an overheating issue. Coolant seems to be circulating just fine while it is idling, and when the thermostat does open up. All i know is it takes it about ten minutes of idling before it's at the high end of the gauge and I have to shut it down. I'd say that's heating up waaaaay too quickly if you ask me. Not sure if it's a water pump issue (Not seeing any leaking from the weep hole.) Or it's an airflow issue, and I've got a radiator that's partially clogged up.
I did take the hose to the radiator with a high pressure nozzle, and I can flow water through it by spraying the core. Either way it's a bit mysterious to me, and I gotta work that out.
Now on to the elephant in the room, the rust this thing has. I know it's common for these trucks to develop cancer like this but this just has me aggravated. Especially the pics of the bed, and the one of the back of the cab near the rear window. I'll let those speak for themselves. Looks like I'll be doing a bit of body work, eventually.
My beautifully cracked steering wheel, right before I started cleaning the cab this morning. Same for the drivers side, yuck. The center of the dash, and how filthy it was before I got to work. Drivers side all clean! After I'd gotten the middle cleaned, looks a whole lot better. Before I'd cleaned the passenger side of the dash. Drivers door and panel before cleaning Some of the worst rust here, stupid tool box. Not much in the way of rust here, but still needs doing. Caused by some cheap bed rails. A bit of light rust caused by some craptastic bed rails Worst of the bed rust here, stupid tool box Same story here, mostly due to cheap bed rails. This, I'm NOT happy about.
Your radiator is clogged. I went through the same stuff with my 68 F100 when I got it after sitting for 15 years. I ran it and flushed and ran it flushed couldn’t ever get it clear. In town was generally ok, but it couldn’t handle long highway runs with the little 240 churning. Took it to the shop and they rodded it out and said it was one of the worst he had seen in 40 years of business. Couldn’t believe it never overheated.
One other thing to check on the over heating....
Make sure you don't have a blown head gasket. If there is a "CUT" in the gasket that allows your engine pump heat straight into the water jacket, then you will over heat in a matter of minutes.
IF this is happening.... there will be bubbles visible in the radiator.
Just something to watch for....
MAN... that clean up on the inside sure shows nice results...
I'm not seeing any bubbles in the radiator, while watching the coolant circulate. I do get an odd bearing sounding squeak once in a while from the engine, most likely the water pump. I've got another two days at work before I'm free again to go inspect the truck, and figure out what the issue might be. I did call a radiator shop on Friday for a quote on rodding out and cleaning my radiator up. $150 if I need the service, which I probably will.
That's still far cheaper than buying a new radiator from a parts house. However, if I do decide to go with a new one, I'm ordering a solid aluminum one from Champion. It's a good bit more expensive but I'd rather trust solid metal over metal/plastic combination.
I've also got some cab rust to highlight in some upcoming pics, I'm going to need input on. Some of it is pretty rough, but I think with the right advice I can probably tackle it and have at least an okay-ish result. (Mainly, I don't put much faith in my welding skill...)
I was in the same boat. Had an all metal and and wanted to keep with it, $85 to get it worked. Couple cans of paint and it’s new again. The good news about rust is it’s all fixable, it’s just how bad you want to fix it. I learned fast that we hobbyists worry so much about projects involving welding when in reality it’s only about 10% of the job. Prep and panel fitment are the brunt of the work. The welding is the simple part.
I was in the same boat. Had an all metal and and wanted to keep with it, $85 to get it worked. Couple cans of paint and it’s new again. The good news about rust is it’s all fixable, it’s just how bad you want to fix it. I learned fast that we hobbyists worry so much about projects involving welding when in reality it’s only about 10% of the job. Prep and panel fitment are the brunt of the work. The welding is the simple part.
I think I might be having an issue that isn't radiator related. I have had the truck running and observed the radiator when doing so and I'm not seeing a leak while in operation. I've also watched it after shut down (after the engine is up to temperature) and I'm not seeing any leaking from there either.
However, I have noted that every time I go to where the truck is, the radiator is low. It usually takes about a half-gallon or so to top it back off. I also note that I'm hearing gurgling noises after shutdown that I don't seem to recall on any of my previous older Fords. I'm beginning to wonder if I don't have a cracked block/head or a freeze plug that is shot. I'm not noticing any puddles of water under the truck after it runs, and I see nothing out the exhaust or in the oil indicative of a bad head gasket.
Transmission fluid looks clean and red, so I don't think the coolant (water at this point) is going in the trans either. I'm kind of stumped on wtf is going on here. The only thing I can say I notice that is the passenger valve cover/head area always had smoke coming from it which I assume was a valve cover gasket leak, which I've since repaired.
Any ideas fellas? I still plan on getting the rad to the shop for a well deserved cleaning but I'm a bit stumped as to how I'm losing coolant like this with no obvious signs of "exit."
So with my radiator, everytime I shut the truck off, the coolant was so hot it will boil over. That's the bubbling you are hearing. When the truck if off, water pump is not moving it, so it sits and soaks up heat. No expansion tank, it just vents the coolant to the outside. I believe when you get your radiator fixed, you're going to no longer experience issues.
I think I would put the truck somewhere on the concrete where you can see ANYTHING that leaks.
Then I would just crank it and let it run. It should heat up and push water out of WHEREVER it is leaking.
I agree on getting the radiator boiled out. Then that is eliminated.
ALSO..... make sure your thermostat isn't stuck closed.
I think I would put the truck somewhere on the concrete where you can see ANYTHING that leaks.
Then I would just crank it and let it run. It should heat up and push water out of WHEREVER it is leaking.
I agree on getting the radiator boiled out. Then that is eliminated.
ALSO..... make sure your thermostat isn't stuck closed.
Just a couple more suggestions......
Thing is, I've had the truck parked on concrete. And the thought should have occurred to me earlier that I haven't seen anything leaking on the ground. Therefore my earlier assumption doesn't really hold water. And you guys are right, I'm just worrying myself uselessly trying to solve a problem I already know the answer to.
The radiator needs to be cleaned out, and I need to stop looking for problems in other areas that aren't it.
