My apologies for starting a new thread but I'd like to just put all my "problems" in one place. Planning on taking ol boy to Alabama December 20th but if I still gotta use a gas rag by then to start up then will probably take the 2008 5.4L 3V King Ranch F150. Hoping to take RoadRunner tho..

I'll start at front of truck and work towards back:

1. I need a new negative battery cable. Where's best place to buy a solid cable, correct gauge, that will hold up.
2. Though the truck idles high for a couple mins then drops rpms, I don't think the thermostat is opening as the top side radiator hose doesn't get hot or seem to have pressure.
3. Just replaced radiator cap and radiator is way hotter than used to be after 25 mins of idling.
4. Replaced tach sensor but rpms still not working on dash.
5. Oil and Temp gauges never move but has been like that since I purchased truck. (Fuel gauge now works after tank upgrades)
6. Dash lights very dim, can't read speed or anything at night so have been wearing a headlamp.
7. I believe I have the BorgWarner 4 spd transmission. What's a good service to do that'll help to know overall condition of tyranny before I'm 11 hours from home and find out. Something I probably couldn't fix quickly on roadside.
8. Had radiator fluid leaking from passenger side under dash. Any link or advice on least intrusive way to replace heater coil?
9. I'd like to keep original radio but sound is static and goes from too loud to can't hear with a slight turn of the volumes ****. Is there a way to fix that by possibly taking radio out and apart and maybe there's metal brushes on volume **** not making good contact?
10. It's a DRW duallie, I'd like to replace the passenger side rear fender lights with a set that'll plug into factory connects for fender lights? I'd prefer not to monster wire some in. Also a great suggestion on a license plate light?
11. Trailer wires are weird. Seems someone wired in a 5th wheel trailer light hookup as well as the smaller 4 prong trailer hook up as well. I'm stupid with electrical, to prove it I've got 3 trucks and NONE of the trailer lights work for any truck.
12. I'm looking to put a B0$$ lift on truck and am hoping for some solid suggestions or testimonials. Anywhere from 4"-1'.
I have $100 in bank but $10,000 in available credit so money ain't a thang...as long as You don't tell my ol lady I said that.
I'll respond quickly to anyone with answers, pics or trouble shooting since my cell phone shows replies via email on home screen, unless phone messes up again...long story but I can access email other ways.
Very honored to be here and get this truck up and going again. Also extremely thankful for all and any help

 

The truck sat in a barn from 2000-2018. Kids that bought the truck took it 60mph down a dirt road the first time they got it start and lost control.

Kids mishap on the dirt road, wife wants me replace fender but i appreciate the patina and character too much

Ain't ever washed the truck and never will

Good ol pookie dookie fixes anything haha

 

1. I need a new negative battery cable. Where's best place to buy a solid cable, correct gauge, that will hold up.

I've seen decent threads on here about that.


2. Though the truck idles high for a couple mins then drops rpms, I don't think the thermostat is opening as the top side radiator hose doesn't get hot or seem to have pressure.

Not sure what you are asking? Are you concerned about the high-idle at startup? Try disconnecting the spade connector for your cold timing advance on your IP. Are you worried about the t-stat? Replace it with a motorcraft t-stat, nothing aftermarket. Easy 30-minute job.


3. Just replaced radiator cap and radiator is way hotter than used to be after 25 mins of idling.

How do you know? did you use an infrared thermometer or something?


4. Replaced tach sensor but rpms still not working on dash.

Probably instruments or wiring.


5. Oil and Temp gauges never move but has been like that since I purchased truck. (Fuel gauge now works after tank upgrades)

the stock gauges are notoriously terrible. Buy aftermarket gauges if you want real numbers.


6. Dash lights very dim, can't read speed or anything at night so have been wearing a headlamp.

Replace the bulbs or check your grounds or both.


7. I believe I have the BorgWarner 4 spd transmission. What's a good service to do that'll help to know overall condition of tyranny before I'm 11 hours from home and find out. Something I probably couldn't fix quickly on roadside.

Driving an old truck is like Russian Roulette. All you can do is proper maintenance, regularly check fluids, and invest in high-quality parts. Then the rest is luck. But if you prepare well, you will do better than cobbing crap together. "Luck favors the prepared man." Louis Pasteur.


8. Had radiator fluid leaking from passenger side under dash. Any link or advice on least intrusive way to replace heater coil?

You'd have to ask the truck guys, because I have a van. It shouldn't be that bad of a job, if it's accessible from the engine bay. If it's only accessible from the interior, best of luck to you. If you have an issue, you might want to install a few brass tee valves in the heater core lines to allow you to shut off the coolant flow to the heater core, just in case you get into a massive interior leak. But that will leave you without interior heat in the truck, so that would be a last resort in the winter months.


9. I'd like to keep original radio but sound is static and goes from too loud to can't hear with a slight turn of the volumes ****. Is there a way to fix that by possibly taking radio out and apart and maybe there's metal brushes on volume **** not making good contact?

just buy a new radio. I just got a Sony CD player with all the fixins for $60 on amazon, and the wiring harness adapter for ten bucks on ebay. it's pretty easy.


10. It's a DRW duallie, I'd like to replace the passenger side rear fender lights with a set that'll plug into factory connects for fender lights? I'd prefer not to monster wire some in. Also a great suggestion on a license plate light?

?


11. Trailer wires are weird. Seems someone wired in a 5th wheel trailer light hookup as well as the smaller 4 prong trailer hook up as well. I'm stupid with electrical, to prove it I've got 3 trucks and NONE of the trailer lights work for any truck.

These are usually wired by PO's that don't know S*** and they always leave the connectors and wires unprotected from the elements. Inevitably, they corrode or lose insulation, causing shorts and issues rendering the whole thing useless. Do what I do: Assume the PO was an idiot and rewire the whole thing. And put some wire loom on it so that it lasts a lot longer than the first time they installed it.


12. I'm looking to put a B0$$ lift on truck and am hoping for some solid suggestions or testimonials. Anywhere from 4"-1'.
I have $100 in bank but $10,000 in available credit so money ain't a thang...as long as You don't tell my ol lady I said that.

Worry about the lift once you get the major things done first. No sense in having an overly expensively tall truck that has a crappy tranny.

 

I can answer question # 10.

You can get generic license plate lights at the auto parts store in the HELP section. They're similar to these:


You can also get tail light replacement lenses at the auto parts store. They may be OBS style lenses but they will fit on a Bullnose. Fender marker lights might be a salvage yard only item.

 

Yes genscript yes..
3. I know because I had continual problems concerning radiator and have fiddled with it at least 30 times directly after truck had been driven. Has never been near as hot as yesterday after 25 mins of idling. The old radiator cap would leak so now I reckon it's hot because is keeping pressure.
5. Do You have a link for some aftermarket gauges that are worth a damn. I'd like to run a pillar 4 gauge setup but can't find what I'm looking for.
9. I DONT WANT A NEW RADIO. I APPRECIATE THE OLD RADIOS NOSTALGIA.
10. Most fender lights need to be hardwired in but there are plugs for the fender lights I'd prefer to have factory lights.
11. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO REWIRE THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WHEN IM ELECTRICALLY STOOPID?
12. I'm putting on a lift and oversize mud tires come rain, sleet, snow or high water!!! (In which lift and oversize mts help in all four of those circumstances) haha

 

You can do your own gauge pod or you can modify an aftermarket gauge pod. I've been searching for a particular thread for awhile with no luck, but here's another one with some good info on DIY gauge pods:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...with-pics.html

FWIW, I suggest AutoMeter gauges. I haven't bought gauges for my truck yet but I have an AutoMeter tach in my Oldsmobile that I bought 20 years ago that I've had in 3 different vehicles. I priced an AutoMeter pyrometer, boost gauge and trans temp gauge and they're actually cheaper individually through Jegs than ordering a 3 gauge kit of Isspro or Glowshift gauges. Plus, AutoMeter is a name that's been around for years.

 

Awesome stuff Olds64! Thanks. Here's some pics of the fender lights on the drivers side that I'm looking for.
I'm generally good at finding online stuff but 6.9L is tough for me to find some things.
I search threads as well here but takes a while to isolate the exact and best thread needed for each fix.

The rear passenger fender lights are both missing (yellow&red) so heres the rear driver fender lights I'd like to find matches to.

The trailer light wire PO mess or maybe not a mess idk

Forgot to mention in 1st post that emergency brake does not work. I use a piece of split firewood as a wheel chock haha

 

Didn't upload emergency brake picture so here it is.


Not sure what is supposed to go here. From all I've read and collected might be a cruise control plug?

Also how do I determine which rear end I have?

 

heater core is stupid simple.
open hood. remove hoses from core and stick in the hood hinge to keep coolant from leaking out.
open passenger door.
open glove box, and remove the 3 or 4 screws holding the door to the dash.
remove glove box tray. look through the glove box hole at firewall and you will see a panel with i think 6 screws. remove the screws, and the panel. remove heater core.
wile the core is removed, reach inside the plenum as far as you can and clean all the crap out that has fallen down there over the past 32 years.
install in reverse. should take no mere than 1/2 hour unless the plenum is really full of crap.

 

That's quite a mess of wires to go through. Especially if you don't have a wiring diagram. If you don't want to pick up a Ford manual online then at least get a Chilton's /Haynes manual. The only thing I can suggest is to remove the trailer plug and associated wiring. Then you could hopefully match wires color to color to get your lights working properly.

For the e-brake douch those cables really well with PB Blaster. Then it's just a matter of eliminating the slack in the cables so thr e-brake activates when you depress the pedal.

I don't know if that connector on your differential is associated with the cruise or if it's for the speedo. Does your speedo work? I thought it was later in the Bricknosr trucks that they had the speedo mounted there?

You can id the gearing your truck has with the sticker in the doorjamb. There's a code for each set of gears they used. I know my truck has 3.55:1, I think 4.10:1 was an option as well.

 

Speedo does work but odd that after replacing tach sensor rpms still doesn't work...rpms did work when bought truck then one day I felt a loss of power and rpm gauge started jumping. Now with new tach sensor rpm gauge doesn't budge.

 

your 86 has a speedometer that is cable operated, with a cable driven off the tailshaft of the trans.
the connector on the rear axle tells me that the rear was most likely swapped in from a newer truck that had a VSS tone ring in the differential.

 

If your differential was swapped I'm sure theres a code or tag on it that would let you id it. Check it out and post it. I'm sure somebody can decode it.

 

We're getting 90%+ chance of rain every hour today.
Stupid $1,000 phone has been saying moisture in charging port and won't charge once daily so pics will be tomorrow. Thanks for helping my millennial azz "Make my 6.9L great again".

 

Damn it's tough to find a reasonably priced lift for this truck!! $1,550 cheapest for an all inclusive lift!! I think I'm starting to understand why that "lifted 4x4 van" is priced so wildly. Probably cost the poor guy at least $7,000 for lift, manual lockers, transfer case and rims w/tires.