Hello Forum,

This is my first post. . . I just bought a 1985 F150 with perhaps 172,000 miles on it, Yikes!! I took a $500.00 chance.

I was layed off from my technology job a year ago and have been doing handyman type work to make ends meet ever since. However, I've been beating up my little passinger car trying to carry tools, ladders, paint, doors, wood . . . so I saw this truck for sale on the side of the road, and $500.00 later I pulled it up into my driveway.

Now, I'm a bit worried (buyer's remorse) . . . have I just blown $500.00 bucks on someone else's old heep? It is definitely leaking oil and burning some during warm up. . . so why did I get it?

Well, it purrs. The 8 cylnders run smooth, no knocking or roughness. The bed and underbody are solid. Interior is pretty clean and undamaged. Brakes, lights, turn signals, shocks, seem in working order. The transmission feels good, no late shifting, or jerking around.

But I think this oil "thing" is a problem. Oil is leaking pretty badly from the value covers, I think. Bad enough to start smoking when things get hot. I'm going to start there anyway, by replacing the value cover gaskets. . .

Any input and/or handholding would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

If it's burning oil when it's warming up only it could just need a set of valve seals, but odds are, with that many miles it's about due for a set of rings too, probably even valve guides. If it doesn't smoke too bad and it runs good, I wouldn't sweat it. Provided you don't have to put a couple of quarts of oil in it every day. For what you have in it, replace the valve cover gaskets (and valve seals if you can) and run it. You might just get another 10 to 30k out of it.

 

Thanks for the info. Nite351,

One of the first things I want to do before replacing anything is get a good manual. Can anyone suggest a good manual with plenty of pictures? I need all the pics I can get since I'm basicly a few lug nuts short. . .

I've used Chiltons before, but sometimes it can be a little to generic.

Also, while looking the engine over at home (it's amazing what I can overlook when the seller is there), I found that the oil dip stick moves. I can move it in and out of the hole where it goes in on the manufold. What is that all about?

What worries me now is how do I get a good oil reading. And does oil squirt out this loose fitting? I can't visually see oil coming out, but I also can't get a very close look.

Any ideas on what's wrong with the dip stick? Is there a fitting there that I could tighten? Anybody familar with this?

Thanks

 

After re-reading my earlier post about the dip stick, I realize that all dip sticks move in and out, of course. But what I meant to say was the whole tube which surrounds the dip stick moves in and out.

 

do you know what motor it is? where does the dip stick go in? on my 302 the dip stick goes in the block right above the oil pan and the only thing that holds it in is the little brace thing that goes to a header bolt.

 

If the tube is on top in front of the intake manifold it is just pressed in, if you can pull it all the way out you can do a couple of things with it. You can use some good RTV which will hold it for a while or you can do my favorite, clean the hole as best you can, clean the tube good, smear a little JB weld on it and shove it back in the hole. Problem solved.
If it's the type that goes down on the side of the block then as dave186 said, there should be a mount tab on it that goes to a stud bolt on the exhaust manifold. If there isn't you need to get another tube and replace it.

 

Thanks Dave and Nite,

The dip stick tube goes in what looks like the exhaust manufold on the right side, just below the valve cover and a little below the last spark plug boot. I'm not exactly sure if that fits Dave's or Nite's discription. But I think I could use either suggestion.

There is a broken metal clip still attached to the tube, but I haven't yet figured out how much of the original clip remains and where it is supposed to connect. . . With the holidays and all I haven't had much time to check things out.

Thanks for the RTV and JB weld tip . . . I'll have to check those out at the autoparts store.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a good 1985 F150 truck manual? Or should I just get a Chiltons?

 

You have the tube in the side of the block, it's down further than you think, almost down at the oil pan deck. That tab is generally 2 - 2 1/2" long with a hole in the end of it. If it's broke off you should get a new one, just pull the old one out put a little red or black RTV on the new one, stick it in the hole and attach the tab to whichever exhaust man. bolt it is closest to.
As far as the manuals go, they haven't made a good one since they quit putting out the MOTORS manuals, but I have found that if you buy the full service manual from Chilton it's a little better than the regular one.
I don't think there is a lot of difference between Haynes and Chilton but if you have both it sometimes helps, it's like anything else, each one will always have something the other dosen't. Different pictures or a different way of explaining something.

 

Thanks Nite,

I bought a Haynes manual which helped me tighten up the doors; they both rattled. There is some info. about replacing the value cover gaskets too which ought to help when I'm ready for that.

Concerning the oil tube, I'm a little worried about loosening two of the exausted manufold bolts for a new support bracket (that's what held the old one). The manufold bolts look awful rusted. What do you think, should I get lots of liquid wrench and attempt to loosen those and slip the new metal taps on them for the oil tube? Or use the RTV or JB Weld to just secure the tube in the hole? I guess I'm skeard I might brake off a bolt. I'm not sure of the recovery process for a broken bolt, do they break often?

Ardee

 

I can't say for sure what will happen, but I can say that I have rarely had a exhaust manifold bolt break off. They usually look worse than they are. I would work them a little bit, loosen a little, tighten a little, repeat until they feel loose enough to turn out. If it looks like they might break off just clean it off where it goes in the block and work the J-B weld around it.
If you do get the bolts out make sure to put a little RTV on the tube before you slide it in. Good luck, Rich

 

I was looking through a JC Whitney catalog for manuals and they have one called "Ford F Series Pickup, Owner's Bible ". "The most complete & comprehensive manual."

I'm kind of a religious guy, so that reference to the "Bible" sounds mighty tempting. They have them priced about $10.00 more than a Chilton. What do ya think, does anyone know if these "Owner's Bibles" are any good?