Working on the Furd
#1
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Working on the Furd
Well, picked up the winter beater/work truck yesterday. I jumped in and started off, Oh, low on gas, no big deal. I run to the station to fill up. Hmm, 2 tanks. I'll fill the front one. So I put $20 in. And off I go to the DMV to register it. I get out, I smell gas. Look under the truck and I see gas dripping on the ground and a small puddle starting. Dang, tank has a leak. So I drive back home and siphon out the tank and dump it in the rear tank. I flip the switch, looks good. I then need to drive out to Plymouth, about 20 miles or so to give a body work estimate. I make it almost there and I turn off the highway. The truck sputters and dies. Oh oh. Not good. I look it over, try to restart a few times. No good, now I have a dead battery. I call my wife. She'* not happy. I call the guy I'm coming to see and tell him I'm not going to make it. A little later, he shows up to help. By this point I have done some road side diagnostics.
I was able to remove the fuel filter without tools, now there'* a great idea. I flipped on the fuel pump, no gas comes out. WTF. So I crawl under there again and put my hand on the tank. I can feel the fuel pump running in the front tank. I then slide back, the rear fuel pump is not running. So all my gas is in the rear tank, and that pump is not running. Nice. I get a can of gas, put some in the front tank and off I go.
Get home, still dripping. Darn it. So today I figure I better fix it. Pulled it in the shop and up on the ramps.
DSC02575.jpg
I then siphoned all the gas out of the rear tank.
DSC02576.jpg
I undid the tank strap.
DSC02577.jpg
I then added fuel to the front tank until I saw this wet spot starting.
DSC02578.jpg
Siphoned out the gas and cleaned up the area a bit.
DSC02579.jpg
I don't know, did I really need to put it up on ramps?
DSC02581.jpg
Picked up some quicksteel, it'* a epoxy putty, worked really well.
DSC02583.jpg
So I get everything back together, all the time thinking, that was a very small hole for all that gas to leak from. But it was the only wet spot. I also filled the tank again and found no leaks. So I cleaned up the shop and was very happy with myself. Until I drove the truck off the ramps. I moved the ramps out of my way and pulled back in. I could smell gas. Looked under and there'* a puddle and a fairly steady stream of gas running down. So I quick start siphoning the gas again and then drop the strap and pull the tank down. This leak aint getting away this time. Found it.
DSC02584.jpg
Looks like the tank had rubbed up on the frame and rubbed a nice 1 inch gash.
Cleaned it up, patched it, put some rubber padding in there and bolted it all back up. Filled the tank to 3/4 and no leaks. Right now I'm thinking about just buying a new tank, autozone has them for $120. I figure it'* a few hours, no big deal.
I was able to remove the fuel filter without tools, now there'* a great idea. I flipped on the fuel pump, no gas comes out. WTF. So I crawl under there again and put my hand on the tank. I can feel the fuel pump running in the front tank. I then slide back, the rear fuel pump is not running. So all my gas is in the rear tank, and that pump is not running. Nice. I get a can of gas, put some in the front tank and off I go.
Get home, still dripping. Darn it. So today I figure I better fix it. Pulled it in the shop and up on the ramps.
DSC02575.jpg
I then siphoned all the gas out of the rear tank.
DSC02576.jpg
I undid the tank strap.
DSC02577.jpg
I then added fuel to the front tank until I saw this wet spot starting.
DSC02578.jpg
Siphoned out the gas and cleaned up the area a bit.
DSC02579.jpg
I don't know, did I really need to put it up on ramps?
DSC02581.jpg
Picked up some quicksteel, it'* a epoxy putty, worked really well.
DSC02583.jpg
So I get everything back together, all the time thinking, that was a very small hole for all that gas to leak from. But it was the only wet spot. I also filled the tank again and found no leaks. So I cleaned up the shop and was very happy with myself. Until I drove the truck off the ramps. I moved the ramps out of my way and pulled back in. I could smell gas. Looked under and there'* a puddle and a fairly steady stream of gas running down. So I quick start siphoning the gas again and then drop the strap and pull the tank down. This leak aint getting away this time. Found it.
DSC02584.jpg
Looks like the tank had rubbed up on the frame and rubbed a nice 1 inch gash.
Cleaned it up, patched it, put some rubber padding in there and bolted it all back up. Filled the tank to 3/4 and no leaks. Right now I'm thinking about just buying a new tank, autozone has them for $120. I figure it'* a few hours, no big deal.
#4
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#5
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I don't believe I've even seen a F150 that old without rust around the rear tires. Most are far worse. Besides, I'm more interested in a sold engine and drive train. I do need to fix something on the front suspension that I didn't notice. There'* a brace behind the front suspension that mounts to the frame. The bracket on the frame is broken and the brace is held in place by a chain. I don't like that. All I need is that bracket and then I remove 1 bolt, and cut out 4 rivets and I bolt in the new one. I just need to figure out the name of it and find one. Might need to visit the salvage yard.