Please Welcome hapkidocrochunter
Please Welcome hapkidocrochunter
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: phoenix
thanks
I just purchased my first old ford, a 76 f 250 trailer special. I look forward to meeting others that can help me with advice as far as fixing some of the issues i have with this. I am not mechanicaly inclined
and i worry about getting ripped off at a mechanic. The wife is saying that i already over paid for this truck. I might have though
. We'll see.
Matt
and i worry about getting ripped off at a mechanic. The wife is saying that i already over paid for this truck. I might have though. We'll see.Matt
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: phoenix
Thank you.
I live in the north phoenix area, near PV mall. One of the issues I have with this truck is the brakes. The guy told me that they might just need to be bleed. The brake pedal is very stiff, only depressing two inches or so. The truck does stop, but I have to REALLY anticipate my stops. I looked around online, and from what I read, it might be the vacuum booster, and the master cylinder. Also, something that I didn't notice till the next day after purchasing, was the gas guage isn't working
. Is this an expensive fix?? Also, I asked him which gas tank was the main tank, and which one was the aux, and he said "um, im pretty sure the one closest to the door is the main, and the one towards the back is the aux". Does that sound correct? He said the switch to switch over the tanks works, but Im not so sure...sigh
The guy did say it had a recent tune up,oil change and it only has 23k on a rebuilt engine. I really don't have alot of money left, do these sound lke expensive repairs?
Any advice?
Matt
I live in the north phoenix area, near PV mall. One of the issues I have with this truck is the brakes. The guy told me that they might just need to be bleed. The brake pedal is very stiff, only depressing two inches or so. The truck does stop, but I have to REALLY anticipate my stops. I looked around online, and from what I read, it might be the vacuum booster, and the master cylinder. Also, something that I didn't notice till the next day after purchasing, was the gas guage isn't working
. Is this an expensive fix?? Also, I asked him which gas tank was the main tank, and which one was the aux, and he said "um, im pretty sure the one closest to the door is the main, and the one towards the back is the aux". Does that sound correct? He said the switch to switch over the tanks works, but Im not so sure...sighThe guy did say it had a recent tune up,oil change and it only has 23k on a rebuilt engine. I really don't have alot of money left, do these sound lke expensive repairs?
Any advice?
Matt
Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,955
Likes: 2
From: Wyoming
Welcome Matt...
I love the old 70's PU's! Had a bunch of them myself for a bit!
Check the top side of your Brake Booster.. There is a semi clear/whitish "plug" looking piece that has a hose attached to it, running to the intake manifold of your engine. Anyways, that plastic piece has a tendancy to fail with age, develop leaks, and cause those braking issues. I have even been guilty of using the old bubble gum technique in which you take a piece of chewing gum and stuff it onto the flat side of the plug.
Check your vaccume line as well for brittle/cracking. If it feels spongy or petrified, its time to get it replaced!
That gas gauge.. Ooo.. let me look.. its been a while since I have played with that problem. Thats very common, but if I remember correctly, it wasnt expensive to fix!
I too am up here on the northern end! LOL!
I love the old 70's PU's! Had a bunch of them myself for a bit!
Check the top side of your Brake Booster.. There is a semi clear/whitish "plug" looking piece that has a hose attached to it, running to the intake manifold of your engine. Anyways, that plastic piece has a tendancy to fail with age, develop leaks, and cause those braking issues. I have even been guilty of using the old bubble gum technique in which you take a piece of chewing gum and stuff it onto the flat side of the plug.
Check your vaccume line as well for brittle/cracking. If it feels spongy or petrified, its time to get it replaced!
That gas gauge.. Ooo.. let me look.. its been a while since I have played with that problem. Thats very common, but if I remember correctly, it wasnt expensive to fix!
I too am up here on the northern end! LOL!
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: phoenix
thanks for the advice, I will take a look and see, but I am not mechanically inclined, so i will have to look for a mechanic in the north phoenix area i guess. I heard good things about Feeney's on Bell. Has anyone else heard of them or have some good recommendations for a good honest shop? I apprecialte everyones advice.
Matt
Matt
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,955
Likes: 2
From: Wyoming
I dont know about the mechanics around here, though I really should get clued in on that! I do almost all of my own repairs, overhauls and everything else under the sun, with the exception of Automatic transmissions, and thats what I am going to need to find out as well. So I am curious to see what is recommended!
Speaking of this truck of yours.. Any pics? LOL!
Speaking of this truck of yours.. Any pics? LOL!
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Junior User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: phoenix
no pics yet lol. I looked back on craigstlist to see if the guy still had the ad up, but it was taken off. Its white, with a baby blue top. Has a 5thwheel hitch, and tailgate. Dude said his step dad used to haul horses with it. Has trailer and 5th wheel brakes. Haven't checked if those still work tho
Called the dmv today to see what steps i have to do to get it registered and all that. This is the first used truck i ever bought from a private seller. I guess the first step is emissions..oh, i can see the fun now. I remember being a kid and sitting down there while my old man would run his 78 sliverado camperspecial thru there. He usually left all pissed off and had to go to a mechanics.
Is it better to go to a mechanic and tell them to make it emissions ready, as is kind of a vague thing to ask.Or would it be better to go, and lets say fail (hope that doesn't happen) and then bring the paper to him, so he knows what to fix?
I see this adding up real fast with labor
Matt
Called the dmv today to see what steps i have to do to get it registered and all that. This is the first used truck i ever bought from a private seller. I guess the first step is emissions..oh, i can see the fun now
. I remember being a kid and sitting down there while my old man would run his 78 sliverado camperspecial thru there. He usually left all pissed off and had to go to a mechanics. Is it better to go to a mechanic and tell them to make it emissions ready, as is kind of a vague thing to ask.Or would it be better to go, and lets say fail (hope that doesn't happen) and then bring the paper to him, so he knows what to fix?I see this adding up real fast with labor
Matt
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,250
Likes: 7,676
From: Chino Valley, Arizona
welcome to the Arizona chapter. as for a mechanic down there I have no idea! for transmissions I have a builder who actually cares about the finished product and the quality of his work. he builds them one at a time and does them right!
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: phoenix
thanks.
its been a couple of days since ive posted last, I guess *** wasn't messing around when they said pay me.
Still waiting for some more funds before bringing it to a mechanic. Does anyone have a ball park time frame for how long it would take to install a new brake booster and master cylinder? Trying to get an idea of the labor that its going to take. thanks again.
matt
its been a couple of days since ive posted last, I guess *** wasn't messing around when they said pay me
. Still waiting for some more funds before bringing it to a mechanic. Does anyone have a ball park time frame for how long it would take to install a new brake booster and master cylinder? Trying to get an idea of the labor that its going to take. thanks again.
matt
Junior User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 80
Likes: 0
From: phoenix
right on
thanks for the estimate.
I found this U Fix It place on Bell Road. Its like 20 hr to use their facility, and all their lifts and tools. It would be great if I knew how to do that, as there are techs there to assist you if you need it, but I don't want to mess with brake lines and having to bleed them quite yet. So, you are able to have them fix it too, but its 75 an hr for labor. Online, the parts would run me 109 plus tax. I have that, but the labor is going to kill me. I should have paid attention as a kid when my neighbor was always wrenching on his pickups, instead of chasing snakes.
Maybe the mechanic will have a rattlesnake he needs removed from his house, and we can tradehaha. 
Do mechanics let you watch them do the work, so I can learn a little too?
The truck starts, but starts to die if im not giving it constant gas now. I called my "honest" seller up and he said it needs to be "primed".
Can someone explain what that means, and how to do it?
Thanks again.
Matt
I found this U Fix It place on Bell Road. Its like 20 hr to use their facility, and all their lifts and tools. It would be great if I knew how to do that, as there are techs there to assist you if you need it, but I don't want to mess with brake lines and having to bleed them quite yet. So, you are able to have them fix it too, but its 75 an hr for labor. Online, the parts would run me 109 plus tax. I have that, but the labor is going to kill me. I should have paid attention as a kid when my neighbor was always wrenching on his pickups, instead of chasing snakes.
Maybe the mechanic will have a rattlesnake he needs removed from his house, and we can trade
haha. Do mechanics let you watch them do the work, so I can learn a little too?
The truck starts, but starts to die if im not giving it constant gas now. I called my "honest" seller up and he said it needs to be "primed".
Can someone explain what that means, and how to do it?
Thanks again.
Matt