My family owns a 1996 F350 4X4 2 door cab and chassis finished in Oxford white. It has the 460 and a ZF5 manual. It is an XLT truck in okayish condition. It has sat for about 15 or more years are there any suggestions outside of the usual change belts fluids hoses etc. etc.?

 

Why did it sit for 15 yrs? Was something wrong with it or just not using it? New battery, drop fuel tank and flush entire system. I would pull the computer and give the capacitors a look over.

 

Need more details, sitting outside not running for 15 yrs? Or in a garage? Rust belt, or Texas truck?

Is it running now? Last time known running? Any relevant history.

Brakes would be my first concern; master cyl / lines / hoses/ calipers / booster and hose / cables / rear and drums / etc etc. The whole system. Calipers can corrode internally and not allow the pistons to retract properly, old dried hard hoses can break, hard lines can rust internally, etc. Brake fluid absorbs moisture, even if not in a rust prone area.

Tires, rubber hoses, and components. Old fuel in the tanks, fuel tanks them selves for internal rust. Imo, If the tank is rusty, replace it, I’ve tried cleaning them in the past, and it doesn’t work.

All filters and fluids. Plugs, cap, rotor, wires, etc. Clean battery cables and grounds.

PCM potentially has corrosion issues or capacitors leaking. Worth googling that issue, it may be fine, it may not be.

Rodents, if sitting for 15 yrs, did they get at any of the wiring? Sitting outside? Water intrusion and corrosion unseen under floor mats, or linings. Watch for bees / wasps nests.


Post up some pictures, along with any relevant details, people will have more specifics to chime in with.

Good luck with the project.

 

Replace the tank, pump assy, injectors too as they will be seized. My 4.9 was parked for about 16 years out in west Texas...been there with all that.

More you fix, then more you will find busted. Unless you have $3000 now to pour into it, skip it

 

It is a New Mexico truck and it was parked as the original company driver retired and there was no need for the truck it does not run as of the moment and I do not know if anything was wrong with it as it was parked right about the time I was born.

edit it has been sitting outside no mice damage or any visible water damage

 

I'd get as much of the old fuel out of it as possible put some fresh batteries on it and see what happens. You'll most likely end up spending some money to get it going again but you never know until you try. It'll definitely need new tires, battery, brakes, oil change, and fuel filters.

 

New gas tanks are cheap
So is a reman computer to use while you put capacitors in yours
One of the best trucks made IMO
Buy Ford parts for it if you can find them
Do a 30K service, which is all the fluids and all the filters, lube all the hinges and weatherstrips and tune it up, replace the trans fluid, front and rear diffs

 

If sitting that long, I’d also want to pull the plugs and start soaking the cyls with oil (or mmo) for a few days before turning it over by hand first, plugs out. Make sure nothing in the valve train is seized up, you don’t want to bend push rods, valve stems using the starter.

 

Thank all of you for the advice I am going to see how this plays out and or whether or not I get the truck.

 

Thank you all again for the advice but sadly due to other obligations I cannot work o. The truck as of this time but I will see you around on other threads. Thanks again.

 

Welp hopefully I get to get this truck this weekend I still need to talk to my dad about it as to see if I can get it back out does anybody have any pointers on how I could persuade him into saying yes?

 

Seven tires will set you back an easy $1500, keep that in mind too. Make a list of parts you will 100% need and do you even have all the tools needed to undertake this project?

This sort of revival will take a pile of cash and time.

 

Just tell your dad you love him and would like his truck

 

Another $1500 per month in fuel haha. Them 460 trucks are thirsty as SRW. DRW even worse. Likely will never see 10 mpg from that one.
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It's a money maker truck for a working man. A young kid would needs a LOT of dads money to fix it and keep putting fuel in it. You'd have to have a well off father to even consider it, but usually well off folks are well off because they don't make unwise choices with their money, so. As mentioned, the whole truck would need to be gone through, ALL systems. This would take months and likely thousands. Vehicles loath sitting. The worst thing you can let happen to them. Then when you get it road worthy, it's not just something you want to drive around like a car, getting 7-8 mpg realistically on average.
There's a good reason why pops hasn't handed it down. He probably doesn't want you to struggle so hard nor have him struggle with you. It would cost your dad several thousand to help you fix and operate it. Really, it would be far cheaper for him to just buy you a running car.......... and if he does just that one day, appreciate it greatly and thank him for his wisdom.


You ever watch Roadworthy rescues on TV or vice grip garage on youtube with Derek Bieri? (If not, what's wrong with you?!)
He pulls old clunkers out of the woods, storage, treelines, barns etc. Fixes them enough to drive them home. Well realistically, while this makes for fun entertainment, if you were to try and continue to keep any of those old ones that had been sitting for over a decade on the road, what you'd find would be, everything would just continue to break down and need replacing. You'd never have anything reliable.
While good and fun to watch, it's not realistic (and more often than not, not safe either, this is why some states have saftey inspections to avoid this). Old cars need to be fully restored. Otherwise, they're always going to be unreliable junkers.

 

I'd love to see some photos of his beast. I suggest buying a toyota prius, and drive the f350 when you need to haul mulch or tow a boat. Its not a daily driver.