2 Ford F150's 2 days...ugh
 

Hey all I'm new here and I'm also new to Pickups, I am NOT new to fords however. So when I bought my home this month and was told I would need to haul garbage and maybe a small amount of water for gardening, The obvious conclusion was get a ford! My dad always drove ford pickups and I've always had ford cars.

Obviously I didn't want to buy a new truck because for it's sole purpose of garbage hauling I didn't want to spend that kind of money. So I rode a greyhound a hundred miles and bought a 94 F150 300 Straight 6 with a manual 5spd ZF Tranny... I bought it from an auto shop who had inspected it and told me of a few issues with it. they had previously repaired the shifter pins in the vehicle and the old owner had not paid his bill. Other issues were minor (windshield, tires etc)

I decided since I was buying the vehicle mostly sight unseen to have a quick inspection done by the auto shop a mile away..It checked out and I was on the road home drove the hundred plus miles and the truck was a dream! Loved it! Went to take my garbage to the dump the next day and it started grinding as I clutched, Then as I put it into 1st and finally at 2nd. I took it immediately to a shop and they said it was the tranny at first they said 1k to 1200 to replace now they are saying the tranny is a special tranny and it will be about 2k or more! I don't know much about tranny's. Does that sound right for a tranny going out? Or could it be something else?

I really needed a truck so the next day went out (still with my faith in Fords) and bought a second F150 this one is an 88 with a 302 auto. 4x4. It's definitely a farm truck, today I was told that the valves and differential was slowly leaking..what does this mean and can truck stupid people like me fix it or do I need to take it to a shop?

If it is a ZF tranny, then I guess that's about right, but I'm not sure. As far as your new truck, if you mean the valve covers are leaking then that is an easy fix. It is just two gaskets that are on top of the engine. If the differential is leaking from the cover, then that's not hard to do either. Just take the differential cover off and put in a new seal or use silicone sealer, I'm not sure what the preffered method is for that.

man if i were you i would stay away from anything that needs a little TLC. these older trucks need someone with a little mechanical mind and they will be very trustworthy. I'm sorry you went though 2 f 150s in 2 days because i've had mine 89 model 13 years!!

Valve covers are easy as stated above. Just make sure you clean the area up really well before installing the new ones.

As for the differential, where is it leaking? From the cover? If that's the case it's real easy to put a new gasket on. Just take off the cover, clean up the cover and the differential where the gasket goes, put the new gasket and cover back on and fill it back up.

You can't kill a ZF - I'm betting you simply have a leaking slave cylinder.

Pilot bearing is their known weak link.

Wow, if you have a ZF, that would make my day for my ford tranny research. The ZF S5-42 is standard issue in the F-2/350s all the way up behind the 460 and diesels. The F-150/Bronco were standard issue with the lighter duty Mazda M5OD-R2 with exception of a few special ordered out of the factory with the 300/S5-42 combo. Personally though, the last example I've found of this is '89 in my research.

Easy enough though to check it out for sure. Mazda tranny has square shaped external case ribs on the side, and the ZF had diamond shaped pattern goin' on.

You didn't mention if it is 4x4 or not, but even so the very desirable for swaps 4x4 ZF small block pattern can be had used for 800-1000. Everything else is below that.

Valve cover gaskets are pretty straight forward as mentioned. Passenger side cover can't be removed without pulling the upper intake manifold if I remember right, but that's not a big deal. And we need to know if it's the cover or pinion end for your diff leak.

Adrianspeeder

Take the I6 back & shove it up their *ss! It has to last more than 100 + miles w/o catastrophic failure. As for the leaks on the other truck, tighten what you have to spec, in the proper bolt pattern & then see if the leaks persist, first. Although it wouldn't hurt to change the Diff fluid anyway. Run a couple of tablespoons of Transtune in the Diff. prior.

Thank you everyone
 

Ok so I did a little homework and I have a rebuilder coming out to look now, But it appears the Tranny guy was pulling my leg by quoting me for the more expensive tranny..(not cool) Adrianspeeder, I am starting to believe that this IS a Mazda tranny NOT a ZF, I think the guy assumed I'm a female and that I wouldn't do my homework...You questioning it made me do the same thing.
It is a 2 wheel drive not a 4x4 out second F150 (the 88) is A 4x4

The rebuilder guy says he wants to take it and check the tranny because he doesn't believe that it's a bad tranny..something about 4th gear being out and not the rest of the gears (initially) and it may be a way cheaper fix then originally thought. I will keep up to date here, because I know that quotes and unseen opinions can change as fast as the weather here in Montana...So we will see.. Thanks again!

I love my '65 F-250 I wouldn't trade it for anything brand new, these old fords are nice and reliable with a lil' TLC

I like the older trucks as well, I know I don't know how to work on them (yet) but I'm willing to learn I would much rather drive the old trucks then the new..On a side note The rebuilder guy came and he just drove the truck away..he didn't need a tow truck to do so.

Welcome to the site. I hate it when someone trys to take advantage. Hope the "fixes" go well.

If it were a ZF, you would be starting in 2nd gear - 1st is a granny. The Mazda has a normal 1st gear.

You can find rebuilt Mazdas for $700 or so.

So post up the shmucks info and the "boyz" here will take care of it fer ya...

Anyway, take a poke under there and see which pattern the ribbing is on the side of the tranny like I mentioned before. If it is an M5OD-R2, I've gotten 4x2 units for as low as 200. Shoot I have three sittin back home, but that doesn't do you well in Montana, or me being deployed.

Adrianspeeder

Adrianspeeder, It is the M50D-R2 for sure...But I can top that, The Tranny guy that came and drove the truck to his shop on Wens. Is almost positive it IS NOT
the tranny, he drove it 6 miles and was able to use every gear including 4th which was believed to be missing previously It was a tough ride to get them into gear but he said they are all still there and that it may be shifter pins. I hope So!!!! If that's the case I got a killer deal on a really nice truck, which I'm going to learn top to bottom so I can baby her!

Awesome. Easy fix there.

For the '88, does the rear leak at the pinion or the rear cover?

Adrianspeeder