1969 Ford F250

[DerekTheGreat]

Well I know with LoPo & HiPo 302's the TB has to come off at least, yet it looks like you might be able to snake the rocker cover off but not like I've tried. I wasn't sure about the trucks, I know they have a different manifold entirely.

Well, not to me. Do I like how fast our 350 powered regular cab shortbox Chevy is compared to our 300 straight six light duty 250? You betcha, but I still like our bummy Ford too. Ford doesn't burn oil Although the oil burning verdict is still out on the engine that just went in the Chevy.

[His Royal Ghostliness]

Trucks have the intake hanging over the passenger-side valve cover just like Panthers do, yes there is more space but there is also the PCV in the way with some other shit that I can't be bothered to go look up now. Fuck it, pull the intake, if the VC gaskets need replacing chances are some other shit under there can stand to be looked at too, of peace of mind if not anything else.

Your 300 will burn oil too, just give it some time

[gadget73]

all the Ford V8's I've ever known burn oil. .

neither of mine do. I can't have vehicles that burn or leak oil since I basically never check it.

[DerekTheGreat]

neither of mine do. I can't have vehicles that burn or leak oil since I basically never check it.

Oh let me drive 'em at 80+ on the interstate for a week, I'm sure they'll be low by the end of the first or second tank of gas. I think it does have something to do with RPM & manifold vacuum. My Town Car has been using oil but it's like 1/16 of what it was and I don't know why. I haven't had to add any oil in 1000 miles. Level on the stick has slowly gone down but not enough to get to where I need to add although with it's next fill up I'm sure I'll have to. The Mark VII has about a similar rate of oil consumption. However, we run that 300 in our F250 at 75+ mph and no oil burn, it could care less. That's got more mileage on it then both cars. 190k I think. VII is at ~154k, my Townie @ 113k. Truck is leaking a tad from drain plug, other cars, especially my Townie, don't leave a mess at all, not that I can see anyway.

[86VickyLX]

Oh let me drive 'em at 80+ on the interstate for a week, I'm sure they'll be low by the end of the first or second tank of gas. I think it does have something to do with RPM & manifold vacuum. My Town Car has been using oil but it's like 1/16 of what it was and I don't know why. I haven't had to add any oil in 1000 miles. Level on the stick has slowly gone down but not enough to get to where I need to add although with it's next fill up I'm sure I'll have to. The Mark VII has about a similar rate of oil consumption. However, we run that 300 in our F250 at 75+ mph and no oil burn, it could care less. That's got more mileage on it then both cars. 190k I think. VII is at ~154k, my Townie @ 113k. Truck is leaking a tad from drain plug, other cars, especially my Townie, don't leave a mess at all, not that I can see anyway.

302s burn oil only after they've been overheated greatly. Only reason mine burns oil is because cylinder 5's valve seal on intake side is fucked, fouls the plug after 8 months. And I beat the shit out of this thing on the daily, doesn't lose enough oil to register on the dipstick.

[turbo2256b]

Why do you wanna frame-swap it, to gain the more modern forward-mounted steering box setup?

Were those years front or rear steer depending on 2wd or 4wd like the next body style in 73

[His Royal Ghostliness]

Were those years front or rear steer depending on 2wd or 4wd like the next body style in 73

Yup, pretty sure that's how it went. 2wd got rear steer, 4x4 got the front box. Nice thing about those older 2wd setups tho is the I-beams are of equal length, and quite long - meaning camber doesn't change much as the suspension cycles (as compared to say a '99-up Superduty where the beams are so short you can watch the camber change while truck is going down the road). Replace the radius arms with something longer and you got yourself a nice long-travel suspension that is stupid strong, works stupid good, and doesn't kill tires in the process. People can bitch about the twin-I-beam suspension, but there is really nothing else out there that can absorb big bumps at high speed as good as it does.

[DerekTheGreat]

302s burn oil only after they've been overheated greatly. Only reason mine burns oil is because cylinder 5's valve seal on intake side is fucked, fouls the plug after 8 months. And I beat the shit out of this thing on the daily, doesn't lose enough oil to register on the dipstick.

You guys haven't seen mine. No one has overheated my Townie and I doubt they did with Ashley's old '89 but no idea. What oil do you run and what viscosity? Maybe that's what's going on. I run Valvoline SynPower 10w-30 in our 302's.

[86VickyLX]

You guys haven't seen mine. No one has overheated my Townie and I doubt they did with Ashley's old '89 but no idea. What oil do you run and what viscosity? Maybe that's what's going on. I run Valvoline SynPower 10w-30 in our 302's.

I run whatever synthetic. 5w30 or 10w30. Mobil 1 or Pennzoil. I'd run 5w30 all year long but the roller rockers get noisy.

[gadget73]

Yup, pretty sure that's how it went. 2wd got rear steer, 4x4 got the front box. Nice thing about those older 2wd setups tho is the I-beams are of equal length, and quite long - meaning camber doesn't change much as the suspension cycles (as compared to say a '99-up Superduty where the beams are so short you can watch the camber change while truck is going down the road). Replace the radius arms with something longer and you got yourself a nice long-travel suspension that is stupid strong, works stupid good, and doesn't kill tires in the process. People can bitch about the twin-I-beam suspension, but there is really nothing else out there that can absorb big bumps at high speed as good as it does.

I always liked the old twin I, but later variants, especially on the Econoline vans seem to have a lot of noticeable swing. Not sure if they shortened the arms on those or what but the older pickups didn't seem to do that near so much. You'd see it if you jack it up but under normal circumstances it wasn't enough to bother about. When I was a kid we had a '66 F150 that had the big Twin I Beam logo badge on the hood. They do get very loose and shitty when the parts get worn though.

[His Royal Ghostliness]

I always liked the old twin I, but later variants, especially on the Econoline vans seem to have a lot of noticeable swing. Not sure if they shortened the arms on those or what but the older pickups didn't seem to do that near so much. You'd see it if you jack it up but under normal circumstances it wasn't enough to bother about. When I was a kid we had a '66 F150 that had the big Twin I Beam logo badge on the hood. They do get very loose and shitty when the parts get worn though.

Econolines, Superduties, hell even the '80s trucks all have the unequal and shorter I-beams. To the Superduty's credit, however, they did away with that stupid cup-bushing at the end of the radius arm - the arm itself is much longer, and there's a normal bushing with a normal bolt running thru it, basically the same type of pivot that's used on the I-beams where they bolt to the frame.

And going back to re-axling an older truck with more modern parts, currently on Phily CL there is a pair of cheap Superduty axles with low-100k mileage. Front is likely a D50 actually (which in those model years is your regular D60 monobeam housing with just smaller gears, fuck if I know what Ford were thinking with that setup) and leaf-sprung, but my own monstrosity is a great example that a even leaf-sprung front can be made to ride wicked good without much trouble. Rear is 10.5" Sterling, with factory disc brakes. 3.73 gears in both, which IMHO is a pretty nice "universal" type ratio. So, anyone in need of some nice axles?

[DerekTheGreat]

Welp, maybe it's time to do valve seals on my car then. I haven't fouled a plug yet though so I figure I've got time?

[His Royal Ghostliness]

If she's not belching blue smoke very time you floor the go-pedal, and she's not fouling the plugs, I'd just keep driving the thing and not worry about it too much.

Also for the record there is such a thing as too good of a valve stem seal, the first generation of 7.3 diesels have that problem, excessively worn guides are nor uncommon with them at all, and if not caught on time it could eventually lead to dropping a valve. One of my old heads had a valve that was moving sideways about as much as it's supposed to move vertically, and there were markings on the piston from where the valve wasn't closing fast enough and the piston had to help it a bit, lol.

[DerekTheGreat]

Nope, she's a non-smoker. Been running great lately.

Whoa, now that's something to see haha. Sometimes I watch "Myvintageiron72(?)'s" channel. He's reworked some cool engines but has yet to do a diesel. So what year range are the first generation 7.3's?

[His Royal Ghostliness]

Forget the 7.3 IDIs, underpowered boat anchors with a fatal design flaw built in (actually two). Get an '87 6.9 IDI, or an '85-'86 6.9 and drop the 7.3 rockers and shit on it. Or just do what makes most sense and don't waste your money on the them stupid things, and build a 6BT Cummins instead. Yeah it's a "me-too" type of engine, everyone and their dog runs one or wants to. For a good reason too, usually. If you want something a bit different but still great, DT360 is the way to go.