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Old Feb 4, 2006 | 04:55 PM
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New truck

Well I found a new ride ...
71 f-250
solid one owner ride with 89k og miles on it.

but here is the one problem...
No brake lights...
Looks like the turn signal is suspect?

Any clues on a good source of parts for this truck?
Anyone got a good used switch?

How to replace the turn signal switch?

Other than that it is a great truck, it is automatic with a 390 and an aftermarket 4 barrel AFB.

Any help ?
 
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Old Feb 4, 2006 | 05:19 PM
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Old Feb 4, 2006 | 09:13 PM
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Before you perform a post mortem on the harness..

Check the ground wires at the tailights. That's where all my problems were solved. I actually installed a new ground spot. What I wound up doing was pulling the rear harness, cutting all the tape off and cleaning up the wires. If I remember correctly the ground heads back toward the front and disapears. So I spliced in a new wire and added a bolt in the back to attach it to. Problem solved... and yes I pulled the column in this proccess.
 
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Old Feb 5, 2006 | 11:09 AM
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Welcome to FTE 71f-250, sounds like a great ride.
As for having no brake lites I always check the switch first which a blck plastic switch is on top of the brake petal. Next is to check the bulbs but if there is signal lites chances are the bulbs are ok. The signal lite switch can be invovled but I would leave that to the last.
A good source of parts is the FTE sponcors is listed at the top of these pages.
 
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Old Feb 6, 2006 | 12:00 PM
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Thanks for the ideas...
Here is what I found..
The brake lights work only when the turn signal switch is in use.
But you still need to hold the arnm all the way up.
The bulbs and switch checked out ok.
I checked a few wiring diagrams and it looks like the brake lights go through the turn signal switch?
 
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Old Feb 6, 2006 | 03:43 PM
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71f-250, if you only have br lites when the turn signal switch is all the way up then I would suspect the sig switch. Yes the the brake lights do go through the turn signal switch circut. It is begining to sound like the sig switch is the problem or the 4 way flasher switch if so equiped. I had the same problem with my 84 Ranger and the 4 way flasher switch was the problem at that time.
Let us know what you find.
 
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 11:45 AM
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Ok-
So I got the brake lights fixed...
It was the turn signal switch like I thought.
so now the brake lights work fine.

So I have been driving the truck as my daily driver now and enjoying it.
With the carter AFB it is touchy to start in the cold , but once it is going alls is fine.

Here are a few more questions I have :

Where should the needle point on the oil pressure gauge, mine seems to stay neer the "L" side

My truck does have a receiver hitch on it, and I want to know how much can I tow with the truck?
[it has a 390 w/4 bbl carter...an auto tranny]
would 5000 lbs be to much?

Thanks-
 

Last edited by 71f-250; Mar 15, 2006 at 11:51 AM.
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 02:50 PM
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Where should the needle point on the oil pressure gauge, mine seems to stay neer the "L" side
It's really hard to tell what pressure you have with that factory gauge. I suggest you install an after-market gauge set (oil, water and batt) and run that oil gauge in addition to your stock gauge. FE engines, after a lot of miles, often maintain very low oil pressure. Many report idling around 10 psi. It's really nothing to be concerned about.

Here's a photo of my gauge sending unit and pressure line (360 FE). You don't need the nipple from the oil filter housing; I used it because the copper oil tube wasn't long enough and I didn't feel like running to Autozone for another. The fittings are 1/4" pipe thread btw.
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Last edited by jor; Mar 15, 2006 at 02:53 PM.
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Old Mar 15, 2006 | 07:58 PM
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The factory gauges aren`t very accurate, put a master oil pressure gauge to find out what there really is there for oil pressure. After market gauges are more accurate, good idea to go with them.
If you are carefull towing 5,000 lbs shouldn`t be a problem, stopping quickly in a panic stop would be more of a concern. Make sure you have good truck brakes and when towing a trailer make sure the trailer brakes are working good.
 
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Old Mar 16, 2006 | 08:23 PM
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Thanks guys...
I will look into the aftermarket gauges.

I just did the rear brakes, and will do the fronts before I tow any real weight.
I am towing to small show cars and the trailer for them, they each weigh about 2100 lbs.
Or has anyone used one of the set-ups that has rails over the bed/cab of the truck?
So that way one rides on the truck and one is pulled behind.
 
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