Better late than never

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

escortwgn

New member
Joined
Apr 4, 2006
Messages
114
Reaction score
2
Location
Shaw AFB, Sumter, SC
Hello all I've gotten some great help from here. From that help I doubt I'd be able to say this. The bronco is back in the states where it belongs! I picked up the old bronc about 3 years ago in England where it had been for 14 years and through 7 owners, of which were either American or English. But I had a hard time getting it to where it is now.

First picked it up i could only do 20 mph. Back fired and took the muffler with it. Timing was all backwards, firing on only 2 plugs at the right time, vacuum leaks all over, oil, water, & brake leaks, couldn't gas it to hard with out the risk of back firing, couldn't turn off with out the same effect, could barley go in to gear with out it stalling.....Water pump was my first part to fix but in the middle of winter of England it didn't work. I had it towed to a local garage to rear that due to many broken bolts. They replaced the water pump, tapped new bolts, new ignition module, and tried to fix a oil leak. They suggested that the timing chain be replaced. OH but wait they didn't find the spark plug problem. Got the timing sequence corrected, installed a newer carb and new alternator and power reg.

A few weeks later my boss helped with the replacement of the timing chain and a the same time notice that the timing chain cover was creaked on the water side and filled in with like JB Weld. Wasn't like that before. Put the new chain on and broke a bolt in the block. I got the new cover took 6 hours to do, trying to recover the broken bolt. Got that working, timing was a little sloppy but doable. Not but 25-30 minutes later I had 3 puddles under the engine: water, brake, and oil. The water was the pump not sealed all the way, brakes well couldn't be helped, but the oil was leaking a bit more than usual. A steady stream of oil was coming form the rear main. It had been leaking the whole time but a drop a week. But almost half of the engines blood was on the ground. Put more in, pressure went up but quickly dropped.

I was deploying to Iraq for 4 months in about a month and a half. I found a much better garage that did work on American cars and trucks. They took it and began the work. The crankshaft bearings were gone, in which took the rear main out and the oil pump. Replaced: Crankshaft, oil pump, all seals, distributor, power steering pump, rear sway bar, starter 2-3 times, chain to gear drive, radiator, thermostat and housing. Repaired: valves, heads, exhaust system, electric fan mounting, carb, vacuum leaks. Removed: all emission systems, ignition module.The starter was giving them so much trouble due to the fly wheel had 2 bad spots and the starter was moving all over the place and cranking the housing. There was no fly cover to hold the starter in place. The starter, fly wheel and cover, tranny needed to be worked on here in the states. It was shipped to Florida this past summer when I returned from England to my new base in South Carolina.It was shipped as a none runner.

I had those issues taken care of then another problem came out. Drive shaft was going out. That same day from picking it up from the repair shop the starter died. It wasn't until 4 months later it was able to be worked on. I drove down to Fl from SC to get the work finished. It worked new starter and shaft. All Loaded up to make the journey north to SC and.......dead. The carb goes out. Went to Advance Auto grab a new one and the problem was gone. After a 10 hour drive it wasn't but 2 weeks that work began again.

Over heating, loss of electricity, stalling. T-stat went bad it was locked shut, electric choke was never connected, and just this past weekend the alternator fried. Fixed all that and now it's time for a new engine. The rear main is still leaking, I'm loosing about a quart every 2 weeks but it's also burning. Leaking water from just about everywhere. And the cam has about 45k left before that goes. The windsor's been rebuilt once before I got it, it needs it again there is a pit in the one of the cylinder walls.

I'm going to try and see if i can't try to salvage that old engine, but I fear that when the crank went it made the rear main opening a little bigger. Sorry that this turned in to a long-short story but I had been away from the computer for a while and I thought I should do this and finally do an intro.

New engine

PICT0430.JPG After I bought it PICT0431.JPG State of the engine PICT0909.JPG Before shipping PICT0911.JPG Engine after repairs

 

Jersey

New member
Joined
Jan 22, 2008
Messages
110
Reaction score
1
Hello all I've gotten some great help from here. From that help I doubt I'd be able to say this. The bronco is back in the states where it belongs! I picked up the old bronc about 3 years ago in England where it had been for 14 years and through 7 owners, of which were either American or English. But I had a hard time getting it to where it is now.
First picked it up i could only do 20 mph. Back fired and took the muffler with it. Timing was all backwards, firing on only 2 plugs at the right time, vacuum leaks all over, oil, water, & brake leaks, couldn't gas it to hard with out the risk of back firing, couldn't turn off with out the same effect, could barley go in to gear with out it stalling.....Water pump was my first part to fix but in the middle of winter of England it didn't work. I had it towed to a local garage to rear that due to many broken bolts. They replaced the water pump, tapped new bolts, new ignition module, and tried to fix a oil leak. They suggested that the timing chain be replaced. OH but wait they didn't find the spark plug problem. Got the timing sequence corrected, installed a newer carb and new alternator and power reg.

A few weeks later my boss helped with the replacement of the timing chain and a the same time notice that the timing chain cover was creaked on the water side and filled in with like JB Weld. Wasn't like that before. Put the new chain on and broke a bolt in the block. I got the new cover took 6 hours to do, trying to recover the broken bolt. Got that working, timing was a little sloppy but doable. Not but 25-30 minutes later I had 3 puddles under the engine: water, brake, and oil. The water was the pump not sealed all the way, brakes well couldn't be helped, but the oil was leaking a bit more than usual. A steady stream of oil was coming form the rear main. It had been leaking the whole time but a drop a week. But almost half of the engines blood was on the ground. Put more in, pressure went up but quickly dropped.

I was deploying to Iraq for 4 months in about a month and a half. I found a much better garage that did work on American cars and trucks. They took it and began the work. The crankshaft bearings were gone, in which took the rear main out and the oil pump. Replaced: Crankshaft, oil pump, all seals, distributor, power steering pump, rear sway bar, starter 2-3 times, chain to gear drive, radiator, thermostat and housing. Repaired: valves, heads, exhaust system, electric fan mounting, carb, vacuum leaks. Removed: all emission systems, ignition module.The starter was giving them so much trouble due to the fly wheel had 2 bad spots and the starter was moving all over the place and cranking the housing. There was no fly cover to hold the starter in place. The starter, fly wheel and cover, tranny needed to be worked on here in the states. It was shipped to Florida this past summer when I returned from England to my new base in South Carolina.It was shipped as a none runner.

I had those issues taken care of then another problem came out. Drive shaft was going out. That same day from picking it up from the repair shop the starter died. It wasn't until 4 months later it was able to be worked on. I drove down to Fl from SC to get the work finished. It worked new starter and shaft. All Loaded up to make the journey north to SC and.......dead. The carb goes out. Went to Advance Auto grab a new one and the problem was gone. After a 10 hour drive it wasn't but 2 weeks that work began again.

Over heating, loss of electricity, stalling. T-stat went bad it was locked shut, electric choke was never connected, and just this past weekend the alternator fried. Fixed all that and now it's time for a new engine. The rear main is still leaking, I'm loosing about a quart every 2 weeks but it's also burning. Leaking water from just about everywhere. And the cam has about 45k left before that goes. The windsor's been rebuilt once before I got it, it needs it again there is a pit in the one of the cylinder walls.

I'm going to try and see if i can't try to salvage that old engine, but I fear that when the crank went it made the rear main opening a little bigger. Sorry that this turned in to a long-short story but I had been away from the computer for a while and I thought I should do this and finally do an intro.

New engine

View attachment 5968 After I bought it View attachment 5969 State of the engine View attachment 5970 Before shipping View attachment 5971 Engine after repairs
Sounds like you and that bronco have had a **** of a ride. Good luck with it in the future and hop it all works out in the end

 
OP
OP
escortwgn

escortwgn

New member
Joined
Apr 4, 2006
Messages
114
Reaction score
2
Location
Shaw AFB, Sumter, SC
a bronco is an untrained/wild horse! but in 3 years i never thought that i could actually be driving it full time. i'll be getting some more pics on here when the engine is due to be dropped. thanks for the luck, i'll need it!

 
Last edited by a moderator:

Seabronc

New member
Joined
May 22, 2004
Messages
7,315
Reaction score
35
Location
North of NYC
Well, looks like you have been having great fun :) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> , most people would have given it up for dead. Cheers on your tenacious personality and welcome to the Zone.

Good luck,

:) /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />

 

crazyhorse85

Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2006
Messages
224
Reaction score
2
Location
clarksville,tenn
SOUNDS LIKES A WILD RIDE,MY 85 WAS IN BAD SHAPE WHEN I FRIST BOUGHT IT...HAD BEEN SITTING IN THE LAST OWNERS YARD FOR A YEAR,HE FINALLY DECIDED TO SALE IT SO I ASKED ABOUT IT I'VE ALWAYS LOVED THE 80-85 BODYS..HE SAID YAEH IT'S GOT A BIG CAM AND A BLOWN HEADGASKET...IT SMOKED LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN...GOT IT HOME AND MY SON HELPED ME DO THE ONCE OVER,COMPRESSION CHK.SHOWED NO COMPRESSION ON #6,35LBS ON #7 AND #8...FIGURED COULD BE THE GASKET SO WE DROPPED A LITTLE OIL DOWN EACH ONE AND TRIED AGAIN..SAME READINGS...WELL AFTER TEAR DOWN TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT #6 PISTON HAD A HOLE BURNED THROUGH OT THE SIZE OF A HALF DOLLAR...7 AND 8 HAD THE EDGES MELTED OFF... BUT STILL RAN BARELY BUT RAN...6 MOS AND A COMPLET REBUILD LATER RUNS GREAT COULDN'T BE HAPPIER..351W .040 OVER 9.5:1 COMPRESSION MILD CAM...GLAD TO SEE THERE STILL PEOPLE OUT WILLING TO TAKE TIME TO TAME THESE WILDHORSES AND KEEP THEM AROUND....KEEP ON RIDING BROTHER....AND WELCOME!!!!!

 

johnnyreb

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Messages
2,419
Reaction score
1,068
Location
West Virginia
Hello all I've gotten some great help from here. From that help I doubt I'd be able to say this. The bronco is back in the states where it belongs! I picked up the old bronc about 3 years ago in England where it had been for 14 years and through 7 owners, of which were either American or English. But I had a hard time getting it to where it is now.

First picked it up i could only do 20 mph. Back fired and took the muffler with it. Timing was all backwards, firing on only 2 plugs at the right time, vacuum leaks all over, oil, water, & brake leaks, couldn't gas it to hard with out the risk of back firing, couldn't turn off with out the same effect, could barley go in to gear with out it stalling.....Water pump was my first part to fix but in the middle of winter of England it didn't work. I had it towed to a local garage to rear that due to many broken bolts. They replaced the water pump, tapped new bolts, new ignition module, and tried to fix a oil leak. They suggested that the timing chain be replaced. OH but wait they didn't find the spark plug problem. Got the timing sequence corrected, installed a newer carb and new alternator and power reg.

A few weeks later my boss helped with the replacement of the timing chain and a the same time notice that the timing chain cover was creaked on the water side and filled in with like JB Weld. Wasn't like that before. Put the new chain on and broke a bolt in the block. I got the new cover took 6 hours to do, trying to recover the broken bolt. Got that working, timing was a little sloppy but doable. Not but 25-30 minutes later I had 3 puddles under the engine: water, brake, and oil. The water was the pump not sealed all the way, brakes well couldn't be helped, but the oil was leaking a bit more than usual. A steady stream of oil was coming form the rear main. It had been leaking the whole time but a drop a week. But almost half of the engines blood was on the ground. Put more in, pressure went up but quickly dropped.

I was deploying to Iraq for 4 months in about a month and a half. I found a much better garage that did work on American cars and trucks. They took it and began the work. The crankshaft bearings were gone, in which took the rear main out and the oil pump. Replaced: Crankshaft, oil pump, all seals, distributor, power steering pump, rear sway bar, starter 2-3 times, chain to gear drive, radiator, thermostat and housing. Repaired: valves, heads, exhaust system, electric fan mounting, carb, vacuum leaks. Removed: all emission systems, ignition module.The starter was giving them so much trouble due to the fly wheel had 2 bad spots and the starter was moving all over the place and cranking the housing. There was no fly cover to hold the starter in place. The starter, fly wheel and cover, ****** needed to be worked on here in the states. It was shipped to Florida this past summer when I returned from England to my new base in South Carolina.It was shipped as a none runner.

I had those issues taken care of then another problem came out. Drive shaft was going out. That same day from picking it up from the repair shop the starter died. It wasn't until 4 months later it was able to be worked on. I drove down to Fl from SC to get the work finished. It worked new starter and shaft. All Loaded up to make the journey north to SC and.......dead. The carb goes out. Went to Advance Auto grab a new one and the problem was gone. After a 10 hour drive it wasn't but 2 weeks that work began again.

Over heating, loss of electricity, stalling. T-stat went bad it was locked shut, electric choke was never connected, and just this past weekend the alternator fried. Fixed all that and now it's time for a new engine. The rear main is still leaking, I'm loosing about a quart every 2 weeks but it's also burning. Leaking water from just about everywhere. And the cam has about 45k left before that goes. The windsor's been rebuilt once before I got it, it needs it again there is a pit in the one of the cylinder walls.

I'm going to try and see if i can't try to salvage that old engine, but I fear that when the crank went it made the rear main opening a little bigger. Sorry that this turned in to a long-short story but I had been away from the computer for a while and I thought I should do this and finally do an intro.

New engine

View attachment 5968 After I bought it View attachment 5969 State of the engine View attachment 5970 Before shipping View attachment 5971 Engine after repairs
Sounds like the luck I have. I read where the 90 models had alot of problems .When they were new. Also alot of the NEW PARTS you buy now days are junk. AIRTEX makes junk fuel pumps. Thank you for serving our country and welcome back home brother.
 

johnnyreb

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 23, 2021
Messages
2,419
Reaction score
1,068
Location
West Virginia
U makin a NEW truck buddy!
Nuttin will B 31 y/o soon.
Good on ya mate !
I believe so Chad. Just got it taking gas good and was ready to roll--after putting a new fuel pump on it--again. The carb started leaking again. Tried changing the base of it today,but no luck. I,m just gonna get a new one--(second one again). It will be the 3 rd one.
 

chrlsful

Active member
Joined
Oct 13, 2009
Messages
426
Reaction score
214
Location
S. Amherst, MA 01002-1827
9/9 boughta 35 y/o fox waggy. Sun (17th) finally p/u. 12K$ Aluma-Tilt 26 ft trailer fora 2, 5$ junk. 4 hr run, 15 min load/unload). O'Boy, let the prts search begin...(and body wrk, and interior, and...and...and).

Sorry Justin (& Others, it wuz a 7 yr search). Now back 2 ur regularly scheduled program~
 

Members online

No members online now.

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
22,509
Messages
135,878
Members
25,108
Latest member
Utahstroke
Top