Need your advice - '87 Bronco
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Need your advice - '87 Bronco
Hey Bronco Enthusiast, I need your help. I'm considering purchasing a 1987 full-size Bronco, 4x4, 5.0 ltr., for my newly turned 16 year-old son from a neighbor. It's only on it's second owner. Body is amazingly straight, clean condition, transfer case & 4x4 work fine, it runs good, but needs an exhaust manifold, a/c doesn't work, and it needs front end suspension work. It has had smog & odometer issues in the past. I've been told to "stay away from it because of emission issues on this model year" and I've been told "don't worry about it." What's your thoughts?
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Senior User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 196
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From: Maryland
From what I have read if you are in California, you are better off finding one that has already passed or can pass the emissions/smog testing. I'm sure the CA guys/gals will chime in on this though.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,542
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From: Louisiana
Welcome to the site, and as far as smog, I can't really help much on that, but
How much is the asking price?. and needing a new manifold isn't a problem, b/c you could get some nice headers for it for about the same price as a exhaust manifold and get more power and mileage. A/c isn't a big deal, windows go down... What part of california?
Front suspension work isn't a bad thing either, b/c since there is a existing problem, it'd be a great time to install a lift or at least a 1.5-2" leveling kit up front.
All these problems would cause the cost to go down a good bit, and would be good things to upgrade anyway. After putting headers, some new catalitic converters would be a good idea and mufflers and that should pretty much solve the emissions problem.
How much is the asking price?. and needing a new manifold isn't a problem, b/c you could get some nice headers for it for about the same price as a exhaust manifold and get more power and mileage. A/c isn't a big deal, windows go down... What part of california?
Front suspension work isn't a bad thing either, b/c since there is a existing problem, it'd be a great time to install a lift or at least a 1.5-2" leveling kit up front.
All these problems would cause the cost to go down a good bit, and would be good things to upgrade anyway. After putting headers, some new catalitic converters would be a good idea and mufflers and that should pretty much solve the emissions problem.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 254
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From: Colorado
This may be way off the mark, but:
I worked with a '87 5.0 a few years back and it was failing emissions as well. Did all the usaual stuff to fix it, but in the end it was a problem with one of the cylinders having broken rings due to a bad PCV exhaust routing issue. The #8 cylinder ends up with serious blow-by, resulting in lots of unbrunt gas in the exhaust. This is one of the more popular threads about the issue:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...threadid=15232
Tore down the engine and replaced the rings. Passed emissions with flying colors afterwards. Would the seller let you do a compression test on the engine? If #8 is dead, it's going to be some work. Is the exhaust manifold cracked? That's another sign of the #8 problem.
The particular 87 I worked on was one of the funky 87/88 transition ones, and I never could find a vacuum diagram that matched what I had under the hood.
I worked with a '87 5.0 a few years back and it was failing emissions as well. Did all the usaual stuff to fix it, but in the end it was a problem with one of the cylinders having broken rings due to a bad PCV exhaust routing issue. The #8 cylinder ends up with serious blow-by, resulting in lots of unbrunt gas in the exhaust. This is one of the more popular threads about the issue:
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...threadid=15232
Tore down the engine and replaced the rings. Passed emissions with flying colors afterwards. Would the seller let you do a compression test on the engine? If #8 is dead, it's going to be some work. Is the exhaust manifold cracked? That's another sign of the #8 problem.
The particular 87 I worked on was one of the funky 87/88 transition ones, and I never could find a vacuum diagram that matched what I had under the hood.
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