about to make the switch from lurker to poster in this section in the very near future (spend all my time in the expy section now, own a 05 EB). first off, the faq section is TOP NOTCH!! very impressed by the detail put into building the page. it answered a few of my questions, but i need further advice. here goes...

the truck i found and really want is a 93 EB with the 302. would prefer the 351, but this truck has a few key options that are a must have like manual hubs, leather and rear spare rack. local owner, rather low miles and rather new BFG's. it also has a warn trans4mer brush guard minus the winch. so far so good, but wait...theres more!

-oil pan gasket is leaking. owner states that it's not leaving stains on his driveway but he can smell it on the exhaust from time to time

-driver side armrest is broken. it is still attached to the seat but is in the "down" position.

so here's my plea for advice from the old brass of this section. keep in mind, this will be a secondary vehicle so i can fix items here and there. concerning the oil pan gasket, did any of you guys pay someone to change it out and how much did it cost? and as for the armrest, have any of you guys fixed it yourself? are the parts readily available? could an upholstery shop fab a new mount?

a link to the truck for anyone who's interested...
93 Ford Bronco Eddie Bauer

thanks in advance guys! hope to join the ranks of the addicted soon...

 

IF it's really the oil pan gasket that's doing the leaking and IF it's really as little as the seller claims then I wouldn't bother with it. It is a big job to get that gasket replaced because a cross-member passes underneath it. In fact, a strong oil might even clean it up enough to reseal.

 

The armrest part is confusing as to if itself is broken or the cable that holds the position of the armrest is broken. I think the FAQ addresses the armrest problem.

Oil Seepage is pretty common on these motors due to the type of gaskets used and isnt a worry unless you are planning to make it into a show truck. Usually the effort and/or cost required to change it usually outweighs the annoyance of a dirty motor.

 

I repaired the passengers arm rest.

The drivers side has a cable in it, that the passengers side doesn't have.

It can be a hassle to get to the fasteners to disassemble it, but it can be done.

The pivot mount is made of some variation of aluminum, which makes it difficult to weld.
I had mine welded in a shop with a heliarc.
Then I had to redrill and tap the bolt holes because they deformed from the heat.

 

the armrest in question is the drivers side, so it sounds like the cable might be broken? i know it seems petty but i have to have the functioning armrest. i may keep looking for another truck.

 

I'm not sure that I would let a broken cable or pivot deter me from purchasing a Bronco that I otherwise liked.

Check Ebay or a local wrecking yard. The pieces in question can be replaced in 30-60 minutes or so.

 

yes you have a good point. i keep going back to this blue one. i called today and he still has it.