Hello all..new young buck here. I'll be posting alot. Just picked up a 68 f250. Been sitting 7 years. Did run and drive before parked. I did get the engine to rotate by hand. My other question is its obvious in neutral..I wanted to move to park or any other selection really..but the shifter is stuck. I haven't fired the truck up yet. Also someone removed the ignition. I found it with key on the floor. Any suggestions on how to get the shifter to move? Trans has fluid on dip stick. But again I haven't fired her up yet. Needs new carb and wires fluids changed etc.

 

I would highly suggest that you disconnect the fuel line from the tank and the line from tank to the fuel pump- you DO NOT want that old swill (that use to be gas), getting to the carb. Then I would suggest that you remove each spark plug and spray a couple of large spoon-fulls of Marvel Mystrey oil into the cylinders. Then get the engine turning over by hand. This will free up any stuck piston rings. Then install a good battery and turn the engine over with the starter. Of course, don't hold the key too long. Then install the plugs (or new ones -better yet). There should be a fuel filter on the bottom portion of the fuel pump. Remove the small canister, throw away the filter, clean out the container, install a new filter (FUEL PUMP FILTER:C4AZ9365B (FG1A MOTORCRAFT) Napa part # 3271 for around 5.00. The pro-select version is even cheaper. Fram part # cg20). Then since you have to drain that old gas from the in-cab tank anyway, I would get a container or two to catch the old gas and disconnect the metal line from Underneath the driver's side near the rear corner of the cab. Blow out the metal line, then hook it back to the fuel pump. Get some fuel line stick it onto the metal line and the other end into a small gas can. I would wait to try starting the truck until the tank was empty, and I had any spills cleaned up. But that's up to you. Then pour a couple of spoonsfull of gas into the carb. If you have a manual choke, close it. Then try starting it. Don't over rev it!!!!! Remember that is old oil in there too.

 

Sorry, I forgot about the gear lever. Check under the truck and see it you can free up the lever.

 

Yes I'm well aware don't use the gas that's there lol. More like varnish now. But I appreciate the info and will be redoing complete fuel system before I try to run it. I also have already lubed up the cylinder walls and will make full rotation on engine by hand in a few days. My problem is the shifter. I see you said look underneath. I'm not sure what I'm looking for. Is it obvious what the shifter link looks like? I haven't been under the truck yet. Just pulled her from the forest and seeing what all I need haha.

 

Unhook the arm on the bottom of the column that goes to transmission. Try to move the transmission arm up/down. Does it move? Then it is likely the column is busted up inside. If the transmission arm doesn't move, then something is stuck inside the transmission.

Picture from the internet: (ignore the writing)

 

I'll check it out when I get to her in a few days. Hopefully it's just rusted stuck and nothing to major. I know everything was pretty stiff. Carb is frozen. Fan blade wouldn't spin at first. But thank you for the info I'll definitely get under and check it out.

 

If anything I'll just soak everything in pb blaster and hope for the best.
​​​​​​​another topic I don't have the key for the fuel caps and I can't get them off. Can I get a key cut from ford or do I need to use a locksmith?

 

Also what type of fan clutch do I need? Thermal one or non thermal?

 

Likely not a factory gas cap. You can unscrew the clamp on the inside of the cab and slip the tube out of the truck and work on it safely away from gas. Most likely have to just cut it off. Or take one to locksmith and hope both are keyed alike?

Clutch fan? Hmmm, never had a F250, so can't say much for clutch style.

 

Maybe it doesn't have a clutch fan...I know my 94 f350 did. But that's a 94 haha. The engine is the 390 with automatic transmission..

 

I don't think Ford installed them on the trucks back then. I think the clutch fans came in the 80's. But one will fit. Do you have the fan shroud on the radiator? If so, measure the opening, that will be the size of blades you need. Then have the parts guys match the fan up to a clutch. Or better maybe Jeffffafa or Number Dummy (on here) can find the info.

 

No shroud.. just a old rusty fan and radiator. Anyone ever have overheating issues without a shroud? I won't install a fan clutch. Just confused on how it operates unless the fan runs constantly with this old truck. While I'm changing the water pump I should inspect the timing gear. I'm assuming it's all in "time" but who knows. Timing isn't my thing. But I'd like to learn

 

"Old" vehicles all had constant running fans. They only changed in the 80's to help with fuel economy.

There was likely a shroud on it when new, but like anything else the plastic gets brittle and breaks and falls apart. Depending on what you do and where you are is if it holds temp or overheats. It will always be better with a shroud if you can find something to work.

Removing the water pump gets you access to the timing cover. If the truck is original, near 100K miles, then I would likely put a new timing set in it. Only a few more bolts and not really that much work. Just a generic timing set is like $20 and will work just fine. No need for a fancy roller chain. The original has nylon teeth on the cam gear and very likely failing and will leave you stranded one day as it finally jumps time. The new one will be all steel. The nylon was there to control engine noise. Guess my stuff is all loud enough that I never could hear the difference while it was running. Some engineer surely put a microphone on it and determine nylon was quieter. Too bad nylon fails with age. The sets usually come with instructions that are pretty simple to follow. Just roll the engine over til the two dots line up together, slip the old chain off, slip the new one on and your done.

Now with that all said, does the engine even run? I would surely make sure it does before putting a bunch of money into it. Even without a water pump, I would get it started and make sure it runs without any noises.

 

Was told it ran when parked but that's what they all say. My thing is I don't want to run it with a rusted old water pump. I don't want anything getting blocked

 

I found the timing gear set rather cheap. And water pump. I believe I need a gear puller to remove the crank pulley. I'll also be replacing that. But I'm having trouble finding the correct fuel pump eecentric if I spelled that right. 68 390. Any suggestions?