couple questions about my 74 bronco

[rockinrich]

Basically what they all just said previously.
In the past I would’ve just drained the gas and put in some new and run it. These days however with all the gunk that is left over when gas evaporates I would probably go to the extra step of adding some cleaner perhaps like a Berrymans or some other solvent-based fuel additive.
If you’re ambitious you can remove the tank and add the cleaner and then of bit of chain or whatever and shake Rattle and roll the whole tank.
If you don’t wanna go quite that far however, I would just put in some good solvent, then run some gas in it to the tune of maybe a couple of gallons and then let it sit for a while and then pump it out.
Get some of the bottom gunk out at least with the new. If you suspect rust you might go further because that can come back to haunt you later.

Check all your rubber fuel lines for deterioration and even the hard plastic lines that Ford used because while most last forever, some do deteriorate and get brittle.

When you’re turning the engine over by hand the normal direction is clockwise. But there’s no harm in turning the engine counterclockwise, so whichever direction feels best at first is good.
If you’ve got some problems internally then you may have to go in both directions to break it loose. If you have that issue however you may have to get more aggressive with your cylinder cleaning.

As for changing the oil, absolutely. And even though your engine sounds like it’s been broken in previously, you need to be sure to use an oil that is good for old style cams. It’s not just for initial break in, but for the rest of the life of the cam.
Some people get away without it, some don’t. You don’t want to be one of those in the don’t category.

i wrote my last comment before refreshing lol.Thank you paul for the help i appreciate it!

 

[DirtDonk]

And I got it all in before naptime too!
Hopefully I didn’t jumble anything up. Including my thoughts.
But I’ll try to double check myself before the next food coma sets in.

 

[rockinrich]

And I got it all in before naptime too!
Hopefully I didn’t jumble anything up. Including my thoughts.
But I’ll try to double check myself before the next food coma sets in.

woohoo!!! naw you're good,thank you!

 

[rockinrich]

update:i took my radiator out and might take it down to a shop and have them steam it out or whatever they do lol.Also on the shroud once i put a 1"wh body lift on it the bottom of the shroud is just about touching the fan.Now i notched the shroud on the bottom as much as i can for the two bolts as the shroud is hitting the bottom grommets where the radiator sits in and i dont think i can go any lower due to this and it's still close what is a quick fix to this?I am pretty sure this radiator is stock for my 74 and it should suffice for awhile but are there better options out there with more rows than stock?I also took all 8 plugs out and squirted a bit of oil in each hole and good news, i was able to turn the crank as much as i want,is there a certain amount of time or turns you'd recommend to turn it before i eventually crank it up?I also pulled the dipstick and the oil looked clean and i remember changing it and not putting many miles on it years ago before it sat and it was at the full mark but not sure if that would be accurate as it has sat for awhile,would you still recommend changing it out before starting it up?I think a couple of you said just check the oil level and go for it.I still have to drop the gas tank but once i do that besides the carb needing to be gone through and any fuel filters replaced do i still need to purge the lines and how is that done?

 

[DirtDonk]

You can lower the shroud 3/4 to 1 inch pretty easily. Got a pic of how yours sits right now?
All the ones I've fiddled with either did not need it for the 1" body lift, or we made 1" wide panels from aluminum strips (or just used 1" strips you can get at the home store) and used those to relocate the shroud.

You can sometimes drill into the top area of the shroud so that the holes line up with the holes in the top flange of the radiator. No filler strip needed.
For the bottom you will likely need filler strip attached to the radiator flange that extends downward to meet up with the old holes in the shroud that are now below the line of the radiator.

It's easier to see and visualize than it is to listen to me ramble on about it.

paul

 

[rockinrich]

You can lower the shroud 3/4 to 1 inch pretty easily. Got a pic of how yours sits right now?
All the ones I've fiddled with either did not need it for the 1" body lift, or we made 1" wide panels from aluminum strips (or just used 1" strips you can get at the home store) and used those to relocate the shroud.

You can sometimes drill into the top area of the shroud so that the holes line up with the holes in the top flange of the radiator. No filler strip needed.
For the bottom you will likely need filler strip attached to the radiator flange that extends downward to meet up with the old holes in the shroud that are now below the line of the radiator.

It's easier to see and visualize than it is to listen to me ramble on about it.

paul

Thanks paul,i do have some 1" strips and was thinking of rigging something like that up.I have the radiator and the fan out right now but i will try to see what i can rig up with the strips.Any thoughts on the rest of my last post?Thanks paul!

 

[DirtDonk]

As far as cleaning or replacing the radiator? Not really.
I’ve got a stock original radiator in one of mine and the the other has a stock style replacement with the triple pass option that we sell.
Super effective and super efficient, but if you’re not having trouble with your existing one and it still works, cleaning it out is still a viable option.

I like aluminum, and they are generally inexpensive, (or very expensive depending on which way you go), but I have never personally used one yet.

 

[rockinrich]

As far as cleaning or replacing the radiator? Not really.
I’ve got a stock original radiator in one of mine and the the other has a stock style replacement with the triple pass option that we sell.
Super effective and super efficient, but if you’re not having trouble with your existing one and it still works, cleaning it out is still a viable option.

I like aluminum, and they are generally inexpensive, (or very expensive depending on which way you go), but I have never personally used one yet.

Thanks paul,i'll probably take it down and have them do a good cleaning.I plan on getting new upper and lower rad hoses,fan belt, as well as some new fuel line and filter.Is there any need to buy a new fuel pump or wait and see if this one still works?Also,when i drop the tank would you recommend getting a new sending unit or again wait and see how this one works?Also,do you have any recommendations on spark plugs and also a battery?Lastly,as far as plug wires i guess if you put new plugs in and it doesn't get a spark change them out huh?Sorry for all the q's lol.

 

[DirtDonk]

Thanks paul,i'll probably take it down and have them do a good cleaning.

Sounds good. Just remember that these days the cost of having an old one cleaned out and buying a new one often are not that far apart. Or reversed!
But I'd use an old original that was not leaking any day over a cheapy brand new one. Or a cheap aluminum one.
But if cost is a concern and they quote you like a bazillion bucks to clean the old one, then you can reconsider.

I plan on getting new upper and lower rad hoses, fan belt, as well as some new fuel line and filter. Is there any need to buy a new fuel pump or wait and see if this one still works?

Generally I say wait until you know. But in this case the instances of fuel pump failures after sitting seems to be running at about 85% fails, so if it was me (and I have done this) I would certainly buy a new one just to have it handy in case yours fails. Then you don't have to wait for a replacement.
If it turns out yours works for more than a week, then you can return the new one unused.
How long you wait depends on your comfort level.

Also,when i drop the tank would you recommend getting a new sending unit or again wait and see how this one works?

Tougher call here. I say no way replace a good working old one with an unknown new one. But if you're dropping the tank you certainly don't want to do that again!
Luckily you can replace most of them without doing the whole thing again. Just lower the fuel level and replace it in place, so to speak.
I don't remember. Did you say whether or not you remember the fuel gauge working fine before?

I wonder, is it worth testing in place before you drop the tank? Maybe fill the tank with water to see where the gauge reads, then dump the water out knowing you're going to be pulling and cleaning the tank anyway? Then add some gas additive with the first couple of tankfulls just to be sure to absorb any residual water.
Might be more trouble than it's worth. Especially if you have gas in there still that would mix with the water and not let you dispose of it easily.
Couple of options anyway.

Also,do you have any recommendations on spark plugs and also a battery?

Nothing on spark plugs, but I always say don't go cheap on the battery. Especially if you only have one, it's your life-energy of the rig and can leave you stranded or get you home. I say go AGM (absorbed glass mat) all the way. You can go cheap there, but not too cheap. Get a known brand of AGM and never have to worry about acid burns under the hood again.
And while their warranties are not always better than any other style, their track record surely is. I've never gotten more than the warranty period on a regular battery, but have never gotten less from an AGM. Typically four or five years beyond the warranty!
I'd say that's getting my money's worth, going almost two times the life of a standard battery. Even if I did pay two times the price!

Lastly,as far as plug wires i guess if you put new plugs in and it doesn't get a spark change them out huh?

No, that's not the method of testing. You can't put new parts in and then cross them off the list of possible problems automatically anymore. New parts just equal new potential problems.
But plug wires do age out sometimes, even when unused. But they could be perfectly fine too other than faded and dirty. Test them with an ohm-meter and go from there. If they fail the test, get new ones whether you have spark or not.

Paul

 

[rockinrich]

Thank you paul for your help,i will keep that in mind as far as the radiator,and i agree with you on the fuel pump,i believe the fuel gauge did work but maybe i will hook up another battery to it and turn the key on and watch the gauge,got ya on the spark plugs,I've never heard of agm batteries,what brands contain it?Also i got ya on the plug wires as well.Like i said earlier i was able to turn the crank pretty easy so i should be ok with cranking it up when i get the fuel thing taken care of huh?Also although the oil looked very clean once i get her warmed up i will probably change it,thoughts?Thank you very much for the help and to everyone else as well.

 

[DirtDonk]

No, don’t change it later. Change it before.
Engine oil can be good for many years under light duty circumstances and lack of use. But because you’re still dealing with an old flat tappet cam I would not take any chances with the motor oil itself.
Brand new is the only way to go when re-firing an engine that has been sitting. No matter what you see on shows named “roadkill” or anything even remotely similar.

I don’t believe in over changing oil either, such as every 3000 miles or every six months. Those are usually ridiculous unless the manufacturer specifies.
Motor oil that’s been sitting in an engine for years and getting condensation moisture buildup could be bad news for a camshaft.
This definitely falls under the heading of cheap insurance to spend the money now on new motor oil.

 

[DirtDonk]

Not only that, but make sure the oil has a high zinc, or ZDDP content from now on to keep the cam happy. It’s not just for Cam break in that you need those things.
Sure breaking in a new cam requires some additional additive on top of things, but it’s a good practice to use oil specifically slated for “older engines” or “flat tappet cam‘s“ and other characteristics that need it.
Again, it’s cheap insurance.

If you’re ever looking for oil and can’t find one of those specified, go for an oil slated for diesel engines. Most of those have at least most of what you need for keeping the cam happy.

 

[rockinrich]

Ok paul will do on the oil change but i'll be changing it with a cold engine and not likely to get as much of the old oil out as compared to a warmed up engine,but in this case would you not worry about that?I know the last oil i put in it was amzoil synthetic but wanna go with a different oil i think.Any thoughts on costcos synthetic oil?I have put it in one of my vehicles and seems to be ok but an even better price,you get two 5 qt. containers for about 1 of any other brand.On another topic,i looked at my fuel lines and up front from the carb i have about a foot long piece of 3/8s rubber connected to my only fuel filter and then a short piece of 3/8 rubber connected to the fuel pump,then after the fuel pump another short piece of 3/8 rubber, Then connecting to what seems to be about 4 feet of plastic fuel line and then connecting to that you have about another 6 feet of 3/8 rubber fuel line which runs back to the main tank.Is this typical or would you change anything with either the amount of rubber fuel line or the plastic line,like maybe run steel braided fuel line or metal fuel line?Also is my placement of the fuel filter good or should i put it before the fuel pump or just add another or is it good where it's at?Also anyone else feel free to offer your thoughts as well,i don't wanna keep harrassing paul,lol.

 

[DirtDonk]

Ok paul will do on the oil change but i'll be changing it with a cold engine and not likely to get as much of the old oil out as compared to a warmed up engine,but in this case would you not worry about that?

Not even a thing. Sure the oil is cold, but it’s been draining down to the bottom for how many years now?
You’re literally never going to get that much oil out of it by trying. Especially firing it up and warming the engine up first.
And then your warming it up on all the old oil which is what you’re trying to avoid in the first place.

Don’t overthink that point. Even if you left a little bit of oil in the engine, which you always will, it’s not as bad as leaving all the old oil in.

I know the last oil i put in it was amzoil synthetic but wanna go with a different oil i think.Any thoughts on costcos synthetic oil?I have put it in one of my vehicles and seems to be ok but an even better price,you get two 5 qt. containers for about 1 of any other brand.

No idea. Read the bottle. If it has high zinc quantity and it is made for older vehicles, it’s probably great. Costco generally sells good stuff.
But read the label…

On another topic,i looked at my fuel lines and up front from the carb i have about a foot long piece of 3/8s rubber connected to my only fuel filter and then a short piece of 3/8 rubber connected to the fuel pump,then after the fuel pump another short piece of 3/8 rubber, Then connecting to what seems to be about 4 feet of plastic fuel line and then connecting to that you have about another 6 feet of 3/8 rubber fuel line which runs back to the main tank.Is this typical or would you change anything with either the amount of rubber fuel line or the plastic line,like maybe run steel braided fuel line or metal fuel line?

Plastic and rubber is how the factory did it.
But it sounds like in your case that final stretch to the tank had the original plastic replaced with rubber. Maybe.
Usually the rubber was just for the short sections at a connections or interfaces. And most of it was 5/16 at the ends. Was typically 5/16 at the carburetor and 5/16 at the tank, with either 5/16 or 3/8 along the frame. I’ve heard of both being used.
If it’s an aftermarket carburetor then it’s probably 3/8 up at the carb too.

Before you go to the trouble of putting gas in it I would replace the rubber. With good stuff.
The problem is the cheap rubber stuff is gonna be worse than old worn out rubber stuff.
So spend extra and get stuff that’s compatible with modern fuels.
Others will know what type best to use.

Also is my placement of the fuel filter good or should i put it before the fuel pump or just add another or is it good where it's at?

Does the carburetor have a filter? Stock carburetor or aftermarket?
The factory puts a filter inside the tank on the end of the sending unit. You should make sure that still there and if not, or if it’s all gummed up, replace it.
Then make sure there’s one after the pump but before the carburetor. Using the factory one is fine, but if it’s an aftermarket carburetor you’ll want to add one.

Also anyone else feel free to offer your thoughts as well,i don't wanna keep harrassing paul,lol.

And correct me if I’m ever giving bad advice!

 

[rockinrich]

Thanks once more paul,you rock!I will stop overthinking the oil thing and just change it lol.Will do also on the choice of oil,look for high zinc content.As far as the fuel line you would go with a good quality rubber over say aluminum hard lines?I believe it is the stock carb but how can i be sure?There may be a filter in the tank like you said and i will check that out when i drop the tank and the only other fuel filter is the one i put on between the fuel pump under the hood and the carb.I doubt you could ever give bad advice,thank you sir!

 

[DirtDonk]

In the old days I would have said rubber was fine. Problem is that nowadays much of the rubber is not fine!
But you said "high-quality" rubber, so there is that. I know of a couple of Broncos that have either rubber or steel braided running from the engine to the tank and it's working sweet. But I prefer rigid tubing over at least some of the length anymore.
I'm a big fan of bending my own steel lines. Rubber only at an interface IF I still need it. Fittings are better, but sometimes you just need rubber in the right spot.

Never used aluminum but I hear it's pretty slick and easy to work with. I would check that it's compatible with all normal gasoline mixes these days though. Some here will know.
There are other options with hard line these days. Flexible steel, nickel/copper stuff, stainless, etc. Coiled and flexible, straight and rigid, multiple choices. Some even pre-made hard lines from the Bronco vendors.

Show us a pic of the carburetor and someone will know. They're pretty distinctive.
If it's still a 2bbl carb, it's either a Motorcraft 2100/2150 or a Holley 2bbl. There are others of course, but those are the most common found on Broncos.
A stock carburetor has a fuel filter screwed right into the front of it that is both a filter and the inlet hose fitting. It's pretty obvious...
But some get changed out, tossing the filter and replacing it with a simple thread-in hose barb.
If you don't have an obvious filter in the front of the carb, then an additional filter as it sounds like you have, is perfect. You don't need more than two usually. One in, or at the tank, one between the pump and the carb.

Paul

 

[rockinrich]

Thank you paul,do you prefer to run the lines on top of the frame or on the side?My body is on the vehicle so not sure how hard it'd be to put on top,i'll have to take a look.As far as the aluminum lines i have been watching jason and jonie builds channel on you tube and he said he has used aluminum lines for other cars and likes it.I'm pretty sure it's a stock carb as everything on my bronco seems to be but i'll take a couple pics.Also i'm sure my carb could use a rebuild where would i find a rebuild kit? I have never attempted a carb rebuild,is it pretty simple?Thank you sir!

 

[rockinrich]

Here is my carb paul also is a pic of a battery off my other truck and i noticed it says on top what you mentioned agm battery.Your thoughts on optima?Also although it's not the clearest pic and i can't get a friggin flashlight to work around here,lol,here's the inside of my tank.It looks pretty clean to me almost everywhere,just a couple small spots of rust.So maybe just some berrymans with some chain or some bolts thrown in and call it good?Also if you click once on the tank pic and then click again it's a lot better pic,just letting you know.

 

[DirtDonk]

Yep, stock type carb.
Looks like either Ford went to a separate filter, or someone replaced the original screw-in filter with a simple screw-in hose fitting.
Your hose is connected directly to the carburetor this way so yes it’s a good idea to keep a filter between the pump and carburetor.

Nice battery. Optima was the company that put the AGM style on the map.
Not sure if they were the first, but they were the first to really make a splash.

Looks like a newer one too, but if it’s been sitting without being charged I hope it’s not dead. They require special chargers to stay in the peak of health while sitting long periods and also to bring back from the dead. But those are not bad chargers to have anyway.
I retired my dumb chargers, and even one of my semi smart chargers in favor of a really smart charger that can do AGM style batteries.
Not that expensive anymore either.

But the opposite of “not that expensive” are the batteries. If yours is good you can save yourself more than $200. If it’s not good and has to be replaced getting one of equal value will probably cost you at least 200. If not more…
I haven’t priced them lately, but they were never cheap. Now with all the increases of costs on everything I’d be very surprised if they weren’t pushing $300.

 

[rockinrich]

Thanks paul,will do on the filter for now,are the carbs pretty simple to put a rebuild kit in it?The battery is for my shhhh chevy lol and it's a 2018.I brought it over to my bronco to see if the gas gauge moved and i didn't see it move but i didn't have much gas in there after dropping the tank.I added a pic of the inside of the tank probably while you were posting,as i said it looks pretty clean just a couple spots of rust,any need to worry about it?,It's just a couple small spots that i can see.I have heard of something made by por 15 that coats the tank,is it worth checking into?Otherwise, i think i'll do the berrymans with some chain or bolts and slosh it around some and call it good huh?Also i'll attach a pic of the sending unit which i will replace.What special chargers do amg batteries use?I have a shumacher charger i've had for years,and while i had the battery out for a bit i was trickle charging the battery and man did the battery get hot,what's up with that?