A little help needed!!
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New User
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: South Carolina
A little help needed!!
Hey Guys,
I have a 61 F100 Stepside and I have a couple of questions. First: How do I determine what engine I have? It has a V8, but I don't know if it's the original motor or not. Is there a way to look on the motor to find out what it is? Second question: I am getting a major vibration when driving the truck. It gets more pronounced the faster it goes. Could it be u-joints? If not, where do I start to look? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
I have a 61 F100 Stepside and I have a couple of questions. First: How do I determine what engine I have? It has a V8, but I don't know if it's the original motor or not. Is there a way to look on the motor to find out what it is? Second question: I am getting a major vibration when driving the truck. It gets more pronounced the faster it goes. Could it be u-joints? If not, where do I start to look? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,813
Likes: 6
From: Connecticut
POst your serial number, that way you'll know what's supposed to be in the truck. THose all came with 292 Y block engines if equipped with a V8. THey have the crossover exhaust pipe across the from of the engine, plugs below exhaust manifolds, valve covers held on by 2 nuts in the center of the cover, valley pan under intake, rear mounted distributor. If it's a front mounted distributor, it's a later transplant.
Barry
Barry
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 79
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From: Texas
Your vibration could be in a number of different locations. Have the wheels balanced, the ujoints could be worn and providing some vibration, get under the truck and see if it moves a little. It might be the driveshaft out of balance. etc etc etc.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 289
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From: Raleigh, NC
Vibrations should first be identified as driveline/drivetrain or not.
1. Can you make the vibrations occur at higher engine RPM while sitting still in neutral? If so, you can eliminate wheel, differential, transmission and driveshaft sources.
2. Do the vibrations come as a linear progression or do they fade in and out? Part of this question also is to ask if the tires are new and correctly balanced. At steady speeds you can experience vibration that comes and goes as the slight differences in tire diameter make the vibration from more than one tire coincide and become additive. Corners and curves can bring tires into a coincidence of resonance.
3. Is the vibration only when under acceleration or does it reduce or quit when you let your foot off of the gas? If so it could be driveline (driveshaft, u-joints) related.
I have had tires and wheel bearings so bad the wheel would yank out of your hand unless you slowed down to a speed below 40MPH. Most vibration will be found in wheels and tires.
Steve
1. Can you make the vibrations occur at higher engine RPM while sitting still in neutral? If so, you can eliminate wheel, differential, transmission and driveshaft sources.
2. Do the vibrations come as a linear progression or do they fade in and out? Part of this question also is to ask if the tires are new and correctly balanced. At steady speeds you can experience vibration that comes and goes as the slight differences in tire diameter make the vibration from more than one tire coincide and become additive. Corners and curves can bring tires into a coincidence of resonance.
3. Is the vibration only when under acceleration or does it reduce or quit when you let your foot off of the gas? If so it could be driveline (driveshaft, u-joints) related.
I have had tires and wheel bearings so bad the wheel would yank out of your hand unless you slowed down to a speed below 40MPH. Most vibration will be found in wheels and tires.
Steve
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Turlock CA
Another question that comes to mind is : Can you feel it in the steering wheel or in the truck itself? That would tell you if it were in the front end or the drive train.
jd
jd
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From: South Carolina
Okay, for the vibration, it does not do it when parked, when reved or idled. It vibrates in unison all while driving and yes through the steering wheel as well as a feeling from the back of the truck. It doesn't do like a wheel out of balance, but that would be something that will be checked non the less. This is why I was wondering about u joints, as I have never had one fail, so I don't know what that is supposed to feel like. Thanks again to all for your help and suggestions!
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Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Turlock CA
The U joints are not that hard to check if they are bad enough to feel. Set your park brake and block the tires on a flet surface. Put the truck in neutral with engine off and crawl under the truck and twist the driveline back and forth. you will get a little play in the rearend but you shouldn't get any slack or movement in the U joints. The driveline should move a equal amount from front to back. Also while you are under there besure to check the carrier bearing by pushing up on the driveline close to the carrier bearing, if it moves up and than falls back down it would need replacing.
I have never been under a short box so I couldn't tell you if the short box has a carrier bearing. Help me out here gentlemen does the short box have a carrier bearing?
I would also check out the front steering tie rod ends.
jd
I have never been under a short box so I couldn't tell you if the short box has a carrier bearing. Help me out here gentlemen does the short box have a carrier bearing?
I would also check out the front steering tie rod ends.
jd
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2000
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From: Sun River St. George
Sometimes tires that have sat for a while will take on a flat spot. This is especially true of old tires. Try driving ten or more miles to see if that reduces the vibration. Have the tires balanced. This will show bent wheels, worn tires and if you have a delaminating condition. After that check the drive shaft for true, worn joints and out of balance (sometimes you can see where the weight was before it flew off). Engine and transmission mounts are where I'd look next. Post back! oh yea, on a Ford its a "Flair Side".
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From: South Carolina
The tires are definately NOT flatspotted! They are brand new. The rims are only a few months old as well, so unless they came in difective, then I don't think it's them either. I have been driving it, about 50 miles every weekend. Would bad springs cause this? I noticed that my right rear leaf spring is coming undone. The top spring has shifted out of the pack. Still working on it! And I will make a note that I have a Flair Side! Thanks for the correction!!
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2000
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From: Sun River St. George
I'd get after the springs. The differental may have shifted and this is forcing the drive shaft to operate at an offset angle. The spring shackles are usually shot on these old trucks as well. I'd contact www.eatonsprings.com for all the parts you need.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,813
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From: Connecticut
If you have leaves coming out, I'd fix that ASAP. Not cool to drop pieces all over the road when that spring splits apart. Like William says, that axle is out of wack and is putting stress on the drive shaft.
Barry
Barry
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Littleton, CO
Originally Posted by drvr8
Thanks for all the info. As for the VIN, here it is:
F10GN320498.
Thanks again,
Joel
F10GN320498.
Thanks again,
Joel
G= Engine code, could be a C for 292 - Double check
N = Assembly plant Norfolk
320498 = Serial number 1962 built in August
--Mike