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I needed a bigger truck to (rarely) tow heavier & longer trailers, and this one was priced right (because the owner couldn't get it to run). It has no substantial body damage or rust, almost no modifications, and is the same body style as my Broncos, so I have parts & experience for it. The engine is slightly different (being >8500GVWR), and it has a 2WD C6 transmission, but still very similar. 124Kmi seems unrealistically low, but I can't find anything that makes me think any of the previous owners did or could have altered it.
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I found receipts from a few owners back for shift cable, wipers, wiper motor, coil, rear brake hardware, distributor, battery, battery cables, & fuel filter.
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The most-recent owner scrubbed the hood with stainless brillo & then hosed it down with primer, so I'm going to sand it & the wiper valance down & spray them with real paint like I did my Bronco. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  .  . 
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This is the worst damage I've found, but I think I can work it back out enough to paint & ignore. The first owner (I'm apparently the 4th) had a 5th-wheel in the bed, so this is probably from turning a trailer with the hitch too far forward.
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There are several bolt holes in the bed from the 5th-wheel rails, but no rust or goose-neck hole. The 7-blade socket was installed low, angled up, so it's full of mud. After cleaning it, I'll move it up to a vertical surface.
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VC label (edited) showing what each code means IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  Trailer ratings for 2WD auto F250 X-cab 5.8L 3.55: GCW 11,500 , GTW 6400, Trailer Frontal Area 60 sq.ft. This implies the truck curb weight is ~5100 lbs, but the local scale says it's ~5300 with only a quarter tank of gas and a hitch receiver. I might swap the rear diff cover to Ford 8C3Z-4033-A or Dorman 697-725. Front sway bar 1"; rear 1.125"
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VECI label on the hood above the master cylinder IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. 
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Vacuum map on the Left valve cover IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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The engine bay was very dusty, but not nearly as grimy as many I've seen, so the low mileage shown on the odometer is plausible.
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Throttle linkage cover (not shown) E9TA9E766AA
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This is after 2 wash/rinse cycles last night, using a LOT of water & some PurplePower mixed with Dawn in a spray bottle. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  Throttle linkage cover (not shown) E9TA9E766AA
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The main problem was a ruptured fuel pressure regulator (FPR). IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  To get at it, I had to remove the throttle air hoses (so I pulled the filter box to wash it out), most of the secondary air control valves, and the coil bracket. The MotorCraft CM4764 FPR is ~$85, so I opted for this ~$25 Standard PR15 because it's a brand I trust. I also pulled the fan & shroud to clean & inspect more of the engine. I still have to repair an exhaust leak on the Right side (due to someone installing gaskets), and I want to change the engine mounts, so I might pull the Left side manifold, too. 
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The failed FPR caused the engine to run very rich, fouling all the spark plugs. Fortunately, it seems to have failed rapidly (as opposed to progressively) so it doesn't seem to have run long enough in this condition do damage the engine. The catalytic converters had already been cut out. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  UPDATE: The ECT had also failed, causing the EEC to think the engine was at -40 degrees, contributing to the rich condition. Fortunately, the engine didn't run well enough long enough for the extra fuel to damage the bearings or rings.
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Ths failed Fuel Pressure Regulator (FPR) was diagnosed simply by pulling its red vacuum line off, then cycling the key to RUN a few times. If liquid gasoline comes out of the FPR, its diaphragms have ruptured, which will either flood the engine (if you're lucky) or slowly make it run so rich that it washes the rings out (if you're NOT). It can also be diagnosed by disconnecting the vacuum line while the engine is idling, but that risks dumping gas onto a running engine, which can start a fire, so DON'T.  .
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While changing the fouled plugs, I pulled the distributor cap to clean & grease it. So I also pulled the (aftermarket) wires to test, organize, re-route, & label them, and the cap (on a replacement distributor).  .  .  .  I had washed the engine a few times already, but I did a few more times after this pic.
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Both window motors have the typical bushing failure, resulting in the motors running without the glass moving. But the door panels are NOT as trashed as most this age.
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The dash is surprisingly un-molested (just the trailer brake controller in the pocket), and the right side mount isn't broken yet. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  .  . 
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The instrument cluster appears to be completely functional.
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The dash pad is also in good condition - I expect that stain on top to wash off. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  UPDATE: Turns out, it's not a stain. It's some kind of burn, or chemical removal of the coloring. When I washed it a few times, even more color came off. But the dye I sprayed on seems to have adhered well. 
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The seat upholstery is also in surprsingly-good condition - it almost doesn't even need to be washed, but I'm still going to strip the interior & wash EVERYTHING.
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No surprise that the headliner is sagging, but it's still very clean. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  .  . 
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I pulled the w/s trim & wiper valance to clean under them, and to paint the valance when I paint the hood (which is also coming off later).
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The tires are dangerously old - I'm glad I didn't drive the truck home. DOT says 6-year-old tires are risky, and 8-year-olds are dangerous. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. 
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After changing the plugs & routing the wires, I set the timing and then marked the distributor base with a chisel aligned with the lip of the casting beside the hold-down clamp.
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While swapping to a Saginaw pump, I added an oil pressure extension so I can mount a sender later.
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The Saginaw swap didn't cause the belt length to change significantly, so I've ordered a new Dayco PolyRib 5061025. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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With the new plugs, and correct timing, I was able to drive the front end onto ramps and check the undercarriage. The first thing I noticed was this broken Right pivot mount (E2TK3KC90GAL) for the Left beam. Fortunately, I have some spares, and this one (F4TZ3B178A, F4TA3K090AA) from a '96 Bronco is interchangeable. 
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The pan gasket seems to be leaking - there's nothing wet above it, and the gasket is coming out of the gap in a few places. I'll try tightening the bolts first since I really don't want to pull the engine. But I have to change the mounts & remove the exhaust manifolds (to get rid of their leaking gaskets), anyway, so it might not be such a bad thing.
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The white paint on the harmonic balancer makes the timing mark easier to find & see.
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The engine mounts are broken, and the trans mount is soaked in ATF, so I'll replace all 3 with my fabricated polyurethane mounts. I've also ordered a National 7300S tailshaft seal. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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I'm not happy with the wiring for the trailer connector in the bed, and the 6-pin wiring under the bumper is craptasmic, so I might redo it completely. A new MotorCraft FG-872 is on the way. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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The interior wasn't as filthy as many that I've seen, worked on, or owned; but I still like to start fresh. I'm also going to try to find some headliner material close to this color. I've repaired both window motors, and reinforced the driver's handle. The passenger cable is sticking, so I may replace that door latch.
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I hosed all of this out last night, and it's dry this afternoon. I beat the carpet with a flexible fiberglass rod before & after washing it to get most of the sand & dust out of it.
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This is how I detail a vehicle. Since the steering column needs repair, I pulled it to swap for the (better) one from my totalled '94 CV, and just kept going. I'll do some minor improvements & wiring mods while I have all this access.
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Note that the foam gasket (red pointer) for the side window registers has migrated out-of-place over the years, and now mostly blocks that duct (orange pointer). I'll try to peel it off and put it back where it goes (green pointer).
Also - the driver's door wiring harness (which passes across the firewall just under the windshield) wasn't installed right, so it has been pinched in the defrost register gasket (yellow pointer). I straightened it out.
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After soaking for a couple of days, most of the coffee came out of the seat belts.
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It's hard to believe that's the same dash pad with only 1 coat of dye. But I put a few more layers on anyway. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. What really surprised me was that the dye was still usable after this long. I had it mixed locally about 8 years ago, and it's been sitting in a can in my garage since.  .  . 
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I used a landscape timber to raise the cab and change the mounts to black Energy poly 4.4107G. As with Bronco kits, the #2 lower mount is not made correctly, so I cut them. Oddly, it took more effort to align this cab to the frame than any of the Broncos I've done. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. UPDATE: I found out why, later. The right frame rail is bent near the front bumper.
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With the bed off, I cleaned the rear chassis & fuel tanks. The front one doesn't work... IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. 
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It took several cycles of washing & rinsing to get the tops of the tanks clean enough to open the front one. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. Gasahol has degraded the filler tube inside the neck to the point that it's cracking & splitting, but it hasn't collapsed yet. I'm amputating it anyway. I assumed that leaking vapor valve grommet would have allowed a gallon of water into the tank. But there wasn't enough to detect in a sediment jar. And even though the gas was sour-smelling, it didn't appear to have degraded enough to matter, so I'm burning it in the '95 F150 now. I'll change its fuel filter as soon as that gas is burned out. I've already trimmed off the degraded end of the inner filler neck (lower Right panel).  UPDATE: The '95 F150 now needs the head rebuilt because I forgot how sensitive the 4.9L is to fuel problems. Some valves stuck, and are probably now bent because I didn't put any Lead-substitute or other additives into the old gas. It probably wouldn't have hurt any other engine - I've burned old gas in my CV's 4.6L engine before. UPDATE: With a reman head, the '95 F150 is back to running perfectly.
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Quick-Disconnect Bails are commonly damaged because they're usually jammed by dirt & sand, preventing them from being released; even by the correct tools. Blasting them with water or brake cleaner sometimes removes enough debris to allow them to separate. But I could tell when I pulled these off the fuel filter that it was too easy, so I checked them carefully and found that neither was catching. So I removed, straightened, and re-installed them. It would have been easier to just throw some new bails in, but I like to know what CAN be repaired, so I know what I'll be able to fix when I don't have replacement parts. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  .  .  .  .  . 
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The spare doesn't appear to have been touched in the past 18 years, so some effort was necessary just to unscrew the holder.  I've always hated this hold-down, so I'm going to redesign it to make it easier to use. 
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The truck had never rolled easily, and when I tried to winch it, I realized that the rear brakes were over-tight. So I pulled them to clean/inspect, and sandblasted/painted the drums. Both wheel cylinders were leaking, rusted, and seized; and one cable wouldn't move. I washed everything before disassembly, which made the process easier (to see AND handle) and cleaner. Most of the hardware got sandblasted & clearcoated, except the colored springs.
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The new plugs got a thick layer of soot just from what was in the combustion chambers while I ran the engine for less than an hour to make sure it was OK. So I had to blast them clean.
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While I was running the engine, an oil leak became apparent, running down the plate behind the pan - either from the pan gasket ( Mahle OS32492 is the OEM for F4TZ-6710-A) or the rear main (Victor or Mahle JV1636). So I ordered both and I'll pull the engine to install them & remove the (rusted, leaking) exhaust manifold gaskets. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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Since the engine is coming out, I pulled the radiator and flushed it back & forth a few times to remove most of the rust sediment. Then I could see how rusty the battery tray was, so I pulled that & sandblasted it. While it was out, I pulled the Right headlight to dump the water out & re-seal it. That made pulling the body mounts for the core support easier, so I swapped them to black Energy polyurethane (4.4107G) and filled the shells with anti-seize. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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While the engine was out of the way, I sandblasted & painted the battery tray, and galvanized its support.
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I polished the crank flange, oiled it, and drove in the new Mahle JV1636 rear main seal. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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The pan gasket is a cheap silicone replacement with undersized grommets that allowed the pan to pinch through in several places. And it must have been installed with the engine in-chassis because one of the grommets was in the pan. Also, the lower half of the bellhousing shim plate's foam ring was gone, indicating someone "cleaned" it off. I like to use Copper Coat as a gasket adhesive, and I always change the drain plug to a brass valve ( Fumoto F106 for '92-up 5.0L & 5.8L). IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. Go to the NEXT few pics...
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This engine's timing chain slack is about 3 degrees with about 124K miles, so not enough to worry about. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. To check slack, remove the distributor cap & rotor, turn the engine forward until the pointer is at exactly 0 degrees (TDC), install a long pointer wire on the distributor shaft, then turn the engine backward VERY slowly just until the wire barely begins to move. Then read the chain's slack in degrees from the timing scale. My opinion is that ~2~5 degrees slack is OK. 5.0L/5.8L Timing Pointer F1TZ6023A/E3AZ6023A, Jegs 55550309See also:  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 
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With new pan gasket ( Mahle OS32492) & RMS ( Mahle JV1636), the oil pan, shim plate, and flexplate went back on pre-painted. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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I also pulled the valve covers (their gaskets are the Mahle VS50203 reusable type) and harmonic balancer for cleaning & pre-painting. After re-installing them, I painted the block, avoiding the lower intake, timing cover, thermostat cover, & water pump to remind me that they've never been off. As always, the timing marks are clearly painted. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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IDK how long they'll last since they're thermal labels, but I re-printed the plenum & throttle body stickers. I looked through about 4,000 fonts and couldn't find an exact match for the plenum text, but this is close enough.
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Before dropping it back in, I sandblasted & painted the exhaust manifolds, and had them planed (including the new Left one, which wasn't flat). I extracted a broken bolt, and replaced 3 more (388469-S) with new at ~$10ea. Then I installed them with high-temperature red silicone. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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I replaced both engine mounts & the trans mount with my own fabricated polyurethane ones. Before tightening them down, I used a long prybar through the wheelwells against the exhaust manifolds to level the engine. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. 
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The front tank was nasty, but not very rusty, so I pressure-washed it a few times. The FDM, pump, & sender were not salvageable. I took a chance on a new Carter FDM & chinese sender.
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After replacing the front pump & sender, the bed went back on.
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This fuel rail's crossover tubing is more-brittle than any I've encountered before. Apparently I broke it when I removed the rail during the engine reseal. When the fuel pressure came up, it sprayed out of both ends, so I replaced it. I used a heat gun to form the new tubing similar to the original (though not as smooth in the tight bends). 
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While the wiper valance is off, I added a screen to the fresh-air intake to keep rodents & leaves out.
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I soldered a new clamp onto the positive battery cable. 
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This cheap replacement negative cable lacked a frame ground tab, so I made one from a short piece of Copper tube and soldered it on. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. See also:
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I managed to peel the headliner off the backer nearly intact, which only means less scrubbing the foam off the backer before gluing new material on. .
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The new headliner material (~$22/yd at a fabric supply in 2019) went on pretty easily, but I might not have stretched it enough. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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The carpet & rear seat are back in.
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Per this TSB, I removed the plastic tab from the dash and attached the revised metal one. But I also added the 4th rivet from the back. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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Before re-installing the dash, I extended the power socket circuit for later devices, and added some long wires to the marker light & radio (key-switched) circuits. They're going out a floor grommet & into the bed for LEDs & 12V or USB charging in a bed tool box. I also swapped to the later pull-pull temperature cable.
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I converted the glove box bulb to this LED strip.
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This hose ruptured because I forgot to remove the line clamp before spinning the engine over, but it was coming off no matter what because it's just cheap vacuum hose - not rated for ATF anyway. I also added a 5/16" inline magnetic filter, as Ford recommends. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  . 
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It put up a good fight, but eventually, I got it running smoothly. The ECT was bad, causing a rich mixture. And I forgot to plug in the TPS for a while, so the EEC went into FMEM & kept the IAC wide-open causing a high idle. And the EVP circuit is open inside the EEC, so while I'm changing its 3 electrolytic capacitors, I'll look for the break in that trace. I hope that will also reduce the cranking time - right now, it's close to 5 seconds before the engine fires up.
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UPDATE: Turns out there was no break in the EVP trace, despite some mud & corrosion inside the EEC. It was just a loose pin in the connector.
Throttle linkage cover (not shown) E9TA9E766AA
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While disconnecting the exhaust, I noticed that BOTH of the downstream check valves had been installed wrong (not that they're doing anything since the cat was deleted), so I'll move the U-clamps to where they should be (yellow pointers).
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Because the U-nut for the spare's J-bolt swivels & twists on the angled part of the crossmember, making it difficult to unscrew, I folded this tab up to keep the U-nut on the flat area.
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I've always hated the factory spare hold-down bolt, because it sticks up from the tray, and is only held by a thin speed-nut, which usually bends or rusts, allowing the bolt to fall out. So I bought some threaded rod, and welded it to a hook; and I welded a short square tube across the tray. This should be MUCH easier to slide the spare over, and then clamp down. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  .
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Removing the limit strap from the driver's chair increases the rear access. The passenger chair doesn't have one.
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The ground pin was loose on the tank plate, so I peened it over to tighten it down. The plastic insulator for the 3 other pins melts at a VERY low temperature, so soldering them risks ruining the plate, if you get the plastic too hot, and either of the middle pins (gauge or pump power) short to the plate.
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The wheel mounting surfaces (including on the wheels themselves) need to be cleaned every time a wheel is removed.
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As usual, the door weatherbelts needed to be replaced, and screwed to the door panels because the plastic where the clips grab bends & breaks. To slow the aging process, apply silicone spray lube to the rubber & flocking. To restore worn flocking temporarily, apply dry Teflon spray. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. Bronco tailgate weatherbelts, tailgate runs, & camper run also need to be replaced.
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The RV mirror button was gone, so I'm gluing on one for an autodimming compass mirror. I forgot to add its wiring when I had the dash out, so it's going to take a little more effort to splice it in now. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  .  The top of the button should be 4.5-6" below the center of the outside trim.
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Screen keeps rodents, bugs, & debris out of the air filter housing. The grill is also screened, and the HVAC air intake. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. See also:  . 
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This armrest's original pot-metal plate was broken, but I made a steel repair plate that simply bolts on.
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
These chairs came from a '96 EB Bronco.
The dome bulbs & most others have been swapped to LED.
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The rear bumper was too rough-looking even for me, so I found this mangled one in my junkpile & straightened it. Then I added some old halogen driving lights to the trailer reverse circuit, and welded a shielded mount for the 7-blade connector to the receiver cross-bar. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  It came off this truck.  Most of the other lights are LED, including headlights, parking lights, backup lamps, dome/courtesy lamps, hood lamp, instrument cluster backlighting, and brake lights (which require this mod). 
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The ride was pretty harsh on my first test drive, so I spread the leaves & greased them. It made a big difference. Another option would be graphite paint. 
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As soon as the TPMS arrived, I got 5 new Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT235/85R16s installed (load range E, same as the '97; and the same model as my '83 Bronco). IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  . 
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This is the smallest TPMS display available from CAREUD (the only brand I've found that works reliably), but it only displays pressure OR temperature, and temperature only in Celsius. So I may switch to the larger display that I have in my other trucks. It's powered by the same instrument circuit (R/Y) that I used for the RV mirror. I'll probably also use that splice for the in-dash key-switched USB power supply for the dash cam. 
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The painter wasn't satisfied with how I had sanded the hood, so he started grinding & sanding it more. Eventually, I got the tools away from him, and spent ~90 minutes finishing it the way he wanted. Then I took it home & sprayed the primer he gave me, but I ran out & had to go over it with Rustoleum Primer-Sealer 249321. The paint hasn't arrived yet... IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  . . After all this work, it's obvious that I should have just replaced the hood. '92-96 & '97 >8500GVWR Hood F2TZ16612A (aftermarket FO1230121)
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The painter wouldn't let me spray it by myself, so he came to my shop for a few hours to supervise & laugh at me. But eventually, we got the wiper valance & hood covered with about a half quart, and then moved them into the shop to dry. I set some space heaters under them on low, since the temperature is going below 50F tonight. . .
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When the paint cured enough to handle it, I replaced the seal under the wiper valance, and installed it with a decent used hood seal. It's centered between the fenders (which aren't necessarily aligned) and set flush with their tops, but its rear edge was NOT screwed down until after the w/s trim was installed. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.  . 
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I installed the hood alone by placing pads on the fenders & wiper valance, and carefully setting the hood between the fenders. Then I propped it up and loosely attached the hinges & supports. Adjusting it required carefully lowering it several times to get the gaps right, adjusting the hinges' heights on the firewall, setting the latch position to match the hood's, and then setting the bump stops at the front corners to hold the hood flush with the fenders. The latch, hinges, & support springs needed some flowable grease.  The hood color looks MUCH darker from this angle, but that's partly because it's reflecting the dark brown shop in front. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. . .
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I still haven't decided if I'll spray the upper body to match the new paint on the hood & wiper valance, or leave it in its current patina. But the truck is driveable again, and it'll scoot. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. I haven't towed with it yet, though...  . 
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The front brake hoses were too badly rusted & degraded (braiding exposed) to risk driving, when new ones are only ~$20ea. The Copper flat washers are under $1ea. Before beginning, I inserted the 2 old (worn-down) pads between the new ones to keep the pistons from hyperextending when I pumped the pedal up. After tightening the fittings on the new hoses, I compressed the pistons fully to reverse-bleed the lines. So I barely lost any brake fluid during the swap.
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
See the NEXT 5 pics...
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While waiting for the Motorcraft BRR211 hub-rotors to arrive, I changed the axle pivot bushings to Energy 4.3121G. With the suspension at full droop, the pivot bolts don't align, so I'll drive them through after the wheels are back on the ground. That's why those nuts aren't installed yet. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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Once the 17-year-old tire noise was eliminated, a bearing roar became apparent. The lack of grease in the hubs made it inevitable, even without the water that caused those rust spots while the truck sat. The Left upper ball joint was also sloppy, so I knocked it out. Getting all the Ford/MotorCraft parts delivered took a couple of weeks, but it didn't cost substantially more than crap parts would have cost locally.
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
See the NEXT page...
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While the Left spindle was off, I washed & sandblasted it, and then painted it with engine black and graphite (on the caliper slide surfaces). The splash shields got sandblasted & galvanized.
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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Tracking down this caliper was VERY difficult - apparently, BRC2RM isn't a very common one. So just in case the other side ever goes out, I also ordered a BRC1RM. Both were painted with gloss ceramic engine black, and EZSlide graphite paint on the sliding surfaces, and where they touch the pads.
See the PREVious 5 pics...
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 20200521_180307.jpg | Hits: 445 | Size: 88.07 KB | Posted on: 5/25/20 | Link to this image
To make the autodimming compass RV mirror work, it needs ground, switched power, and reverse-light power. I chose to splice the instrument circuit (R/Y) because I consider this to be an instrument. Ford puts it on the Run-option circuit (W/Pu). The only place the reverse light circuit (Bk/Pk) comes into the cab in this old truck is forward of the e-brake pedal where it simply loops from the frame harness (C205) to the engine bay harness (C202), so I spliced it there (including another tap for a backup camera trigger). The 3 wires are screwed to the A-pillar & w/s lip.
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
The dash cam is mostly hidden from the driver's view by the RV mirror. But it's placed so its lens is in the wiper area so it will work in the rain. It's powered by a USB adapter in the dash beside the radio - the same one that powers the BT adapter for the factory radio.
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When the front sensor (with my finger blocking it) is darker than the rear sensor (as when a vehicle approaches with its high beams on), the mirror dims. But if the reverse circuit is hot (when the reverse lights are on), dimming is disabled for better visibility while backing.
The dash cam is mostly hidden from the driver's view by the RV mirror. But it's placed so its lens is in the wiper area so it will work in the rain.
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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While the dash was out, I added wiring for a bed toolbox & bed LEDs; and for the floor console running under the carpet. I may add a switch later to select constant power or keyed power for this USB socket. It's green like the rest of the dash backlighting.
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
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These 3 of my 6 trucks have these DOT-legal projector headlights; so do the 4th & 5th. The 6th is under construction, including these headlights. 
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I chose not to replace the front main while the engine was out because I couldn't tell that it was leaking (due to all the other leaks), and because I knew it wouldn't be hard to change later. So after finding that it WAS leaking, I changed it. I broke the fan clutch bolts, removed the belt, removed the bolts and set the fan on top of the WP pulley (just high enough to clear the balancer), removed the pulley bolts, the balancer bolt's washer, and then used a puller to remove the balancer from the crankshaft. The original seal has a lip that can be bent out & then pulled to extract the seal from the timing cover bore. I put a thin ring of Hylomar on the new front main seal, and then drove it in with a 1-3/4" socket. After reinstalling everything, I hosed the engine off a few times, and then held it at high rev for a few minutes to check for leaks. It's dry, but I'll keep checking it each time I rinse it again over the next few months. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. See also: 
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After driving the new tires & upper BJ a few hundred miles to make sure there were no other obvious problems, I had the alignment checked. It's so close that it's not worth paying for an alignment right now. I'll probably just change the tie rod end boots to polyurethane. 
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The leather was only getting worse, so I found these covers (DashDesigns Tweed Brown K060060TBN) for ~$124 plus $12sh & tax that are more-similar to the original upholstery IRL than they look in this pic. They're fitted better than I expected, but to get the bottom sections really tight, it was necessary to unbolt the chairs. UPDATE: Approaching 3 years later, they're still tight, comfortable, clean, and fitted; without any adjustments.
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 20201218_152324.jpg | Hits: 431 | Size: 92.98 KB | Posted on: 12/19/20 | Link to this image
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The door mirrors that were on the truck when I bought it were cheap aftermarkets, that had been re-drilled to move the heads on the arms. But they drifted even below legal speeds, and required constant re-aiming. So I bought some new ones, knowing that they'd have similar problems, but hoping for an improvement. It was very slight - they'd hold at low speed, but drift at highway speeds. Later, I swapped again: 
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The transmission is still shifting smoothly, so to protect it, I added this ~11x11" stacked-plate cooler. See also:
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In preparation for converting to the '94-96 HFC134a refrigerant system (from a blue donor '94 F150), I swapped the hood latch support, and transferred the condenser baffles (which are tucked outward so as not to interfere with the grill screen). GO TO THE NEXT PIC... See also:  .
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R134a Swap IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. The A/C system had already been converted to R134a before I bought it, but it was empty. When I charged it, it leaked out in a few weeks. So I collected some used factory R134a parts (hood latch bracket, grill air deflectors, parallel-flow condenser, hard Aluminum liquid line, blower/evaporator box) and bought the best new parts available (Ford/MC YCC193/5U2Z19V703A compressor, YF37187/F5TZ19D850D manifold hose assembly (UAC copy HA10291C), YG346/F5UZ19D990AB red orifice tube, CarQuest T33091 accumulator/drier) and some refrigerant (2.5 cans/38oz of InterDynamics HFC134a, a few ounces of PAG46, and some UV dye) to upgrade it to the '94-97 system.  In the first pic (top left), the fresh-air tubes have been removed from the throttle body & air filter box, the belt & compressor are off the engine, and the condenser has been lifted out from in front of the radiator (which is still connected by its hoses & lines, simply tilted back) without losing ANY fluids. The second (top center) shows the entire refrigerant system (including blower/evaporator housing) has been removed from the truck; the third (bottom left) shows the refrigerant system intact (with whatever pressure it had still in it). The far right shows all the used & new R134a parts installed, including new evaporator cover insulation (foil-faced bubble-wrap).  .  .  Immediately after installing & charging the system, I made a ~1400-mile round trip from Memphis to Gainesville for a week, and it worked perfectly, even on the lowest fan speed (where it was still uncomfortably cold sometimes).  Throttle linkage cover (not shown) E9TA9E766AA Low-pressure (clutch cycling) switch MC YH552/Ford F3AZ19E561ALiquid line Ford F6TZ19837AA cheap copy
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2-position Towing Mirrors IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. The previous mirrors couldn't handle highway speeds.  These used mirrors have patina like the truck, and even though they're pieced-together, they're more-stable than the new bubble-backs I've been using. They also reach out enough (in this position) to see around a wide trailer, but still fit through my shop doors. 
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Bel RX65 Radar Detector
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
I transfer this among all my trucks, so they each have a mount screwed to the steel upper w/s trim, and they each have a connector hard-wired to the instrument circuit (R/Y) so it comes on when the key is in RUN.
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All-on Brights
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
I soldered some wires to the MFS connector and added a switch to keep the low beams on with high beams (now that the bulbs are in separate reflectors).
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Just before making a quick trip from Memphis to Gainesville, FL, I noticed a small coolant leak, but I didn't have time to pinpoint the source before leaving. It was slightly low when I arrived in FL, but still not bad enough to worry with. On the way back, I popped the hood during a fillup and spotted the leak immediately. Since it was on top & so easy to get at, I changed it in the parts store parking lot in a few minutes and got lunch. I barely even needed to wash my hands afterward. IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. Dayco was the OEM for coolant hoses on these trucks, so I consider this to be the best replacement (or a close 2nd, at worst). Soon after, another pinhole appeared in the heater return hose right beside this one, but it was no more difficult to change.  I flushed the coolant & cleaned out the reservoir while changing the 2nd hose. 
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 CoolantReservoirSediment.jpg | Hits: 195 | Size: 69.7 KB | Posted on: 4/8/22 | Link to this image
Coolant Reservoir Sediment
IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it.
It only takes a minute with a bent toilet brush & a garden hose to clean it inside & out. A tiny bit of soap doesn't hurt, either. Just disconnect the hose from the radiator neck nipple and let it hang as straight down as it can, into the wheelwell beside the frame.
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TPS IF THE IMAGE IS TOO SMALL, click it. During the trip to FL, the idle got progressively higher, until each time I turned the engine off. That strongly suggested that the EEC was storing a higher ratch value during the drive, which was eventually confirmed by a CEL with a DTC for the TPS being out-of-range. When I got home, I tested it and found it to be VERY intermittent, so I ordered a new one (which is still made by CTS), tested it (it passed), and installed it.  . 
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Initial Repairs
