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The future has arrived!

8K views 36 replies 5 participants last post by  Destructicon 
#1 ·
Ok, so on my sig panel it says The Future - Who knows? The future has saw fit to send me a 1993 F250 XLT Turbo Diesel 4x4. Any suggestions as to where to start or what to look for? Troubleshooting tips...etc. It has a 5 speed which, for me, was a deal maker. Super Cab, Black and was originally from Oregon. I'm somewhat soured on diesels by the F-550 at work but have come to realize that oil changes matter on 6.0L engines. Looks like it has a Dana 50 front axle, IFS with leaf springs. Axle code is 35 which, so far, seems to be 4.10 diff. So, I'm looking for anything from anyone in the way of info. Pics come next weekend. Body is in really good shape. That's good because I hate doing body work beyond R/R a fender, hood, door or box.
 
#2 ·
Those IDI 7.3's are very reliable motors. Not sure if it's your thing, but many guys swap that Dana 50 TTB out with a Dana 60 solid axle. Pretty straight forward swap and iirc, you need a small amount of lift to make it work right. The dana 50 can eat parts with that heavy motor on it. Check brake lines going along the frame...they usually rot right behind the front fuel tank where you can't clean or even see.
 
#3 ·
Any ideas which parts the Dana 50 are weak? I am considering the swap but thats awhile away yet. Thanks for the reminder in the brake lines. Had to do that on the F150. Easy enough done though.
 
#4 ·
Basically just gotta to keep an eyey on any play. Because there are many moving parts on the D50 you need to stay on top if it to keep the tires from wearing. Parts include tie rods, ball joints, wheel bearings, axle housing bushings, three axle u-joints, springs and bushings. Also good shocks are worth it too. The factory tie rods, ujoints and ball joints are non greaseable, so they can seize up pretty quick. If you have to replace parts, go with greaseable stuff so you can maintain them.
 
#5 ·
good truck if its from the west. get it well oil sprayed .

if it has a red interior I think you should just pass it on to me:icon_razz:

the return orings on the injectors, 2 on each injector are prone to seapage but are a cheap and fairly easy fix with a return line hose kit.

you are right on the 410's as for the dana 50 front, yes they have more moving parts and the leaf TTB don't handle worth a crap. the locking hubs/rotors and calipers fit same year dana 60.

but the Ujoints are indestructible as they are the same size as dana60 but have external full snap rings instead of internal C clips. ring and pinion are very strong also.

The TTB leaf tends to wander something awful, I had a new 1996 with a TTB 50 and a diesel 5spd and I grew to hate it in my 3yrs of ownership. mine had auto hubs and front posi and making a real sharp turn if the Ujounts were not perfectly in line with the BJs, it would move an axle shaft enough to lock one hub. and I would be driving along wondering what all the extra noise was:icon_mad:

only breakage I have ever seen on a dana 50 that was not from neglect was breaking the Left side TTB right at the centre diff and leaf spring. this was from bottoming out the beam hard with plow on front. had a buddy with a 1981 or 82 F250 who plowed snow with the truck for almost 20 years on the original dana50 with no issues other than regular maintenance , he had a 4inch lift in the front and never bottomed the suspension out once.

I always used an FL1995 oil filter on my idi's I've had, adds another litre of oil into your service and that can't hurt.

good luck
get those pics up:)
 
#6 ·
Seems like the front end won't be much different than I running on the F-150. Sorry, no red interior. That would have gotten changed out PDQ. It's the same grey as the F-150. I've got the Dana 44 IFS in the F-150 but it runs coils. No sign of a plow ever being on the front. So, thats a good thing. If it needs any front components, Moog, Spicer and Federal Mogal are my friends. My guess without, so far, is the front mounted shackles will have me wondering if they can be moved to the rear. I think I figured out the starting problem. The glow plug controller doesn't keep the plugs on long enough. My guess, right now, is the engine temp switch may be causing that. Can't wait for next weekend.
 
#8 ·
just in case you did not know this....................
the glow plug controller will cycle shorter and shorter as glow plugs burn out.
might want to check those glow plugs first.

easy test: remove all the wires from each glow plug, take your 12 volt test light and put the clamp on the "+" battery terminal touch the probe to each glow plug terminal and if it lights up its good, if it doesn't it's fushnikin!

I haven't seen anybody personally using a shackle reversal on the TTB 50, lots on Dana60 though.
the TTB leaf spring beams are a lot shorter than the coil TTB!
 
#9 ·
The solid axle swap may come around the same time as the shackle reversal. I'm getting new glow plugs with the truck along with a few other items. Testing will tell. I thank everyone for the suggestions. I know the exhaust could use some work. Maybe add an intercooler to keep the turbo cooler. I'm new to diesels when it comes to owning one. All tips are greatly appreciated.
 
#11 ·
The future got delayed by a week. Damn Buicks!
 
#12 ·
The new truck.


 
#14 ·
Not one hole in the floor or bed. Needs a drivers seat, a steering column, tires, batteries and glow plugs. I'm getting the plugs and column with the truck. So, all I need to find is a seat, tires, and batts. I'm thinking of either power mirrors or west coast mirrors, but I'm still looking through options. I have to change the t-case. I like my "All Gear Drive" sig.
 
#16 ·
got a pair of doors off an old 96 F350 hostess/fritolay truck with the REAL west coast mirrors on them.

get some oil spraying oil into those cab corners, Ford filled the bottom portion with foam to deaden the noise but it made the supercabs rot to bits. I drilled into the cavity and used a long wood drill to pull all the foam out , then filled it with fluid film and stuck a 1/2 plastic plug in the hole. that was over 10 yrs ago and my buddy still hasn't need cab corners on the 1990.

good looking truck, good thing it doesn't have the red interior;)
 
#17 ·
If it had been red, I'd have said someone please trade me a grey interior. I've always hated red interiors every since I was a teenager.
 
#18 ·
I would have made that trade willingly, even tossed in a few cold wobblys doin the swap:icon_biggrin:

might be able to help you with that gear drive Tcase thing but you might need to do some driveshaft/Ujoint changes.................
have to go through my parts stash, good thing I had some parts stashed in a lean to instead of inside in secure dry storage eh?

cheers James
 
#19 ·
I've already got 2 NP205. 1 in the Frankenforcer and one in storage as a spare.
 
#20 ·
ah you've already been through the yoke issues, good stuff. the 205s are one tough case but don't swap it with your bare hands. aluminum chain drive case no problems . NP205 not so much.:icon_rolleyes:

I was young and fearless once........................................
:icon_redface:
 
#21 ·
That was a bit of fun. I have a special seal for the rear yoke because that yoke isn't supposed to be there. I had the drive shafts all re-done to fit the same u-joints, Spicer 1330's, if memory serves. Transmission jacks are the order of the day. I'm not 18 anymore.
 
#22 ·
It lives! Got the diesel fired up today. I can't believe how easy it is to work on.
 
#23 ·
EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO SELF :icon_cool:

and I brought a 92 Bronco XLT 5.0 5spd home today for my Christmas present, but it was paid for by selling one of my SHOs back to the PO.:icon_biggrin:

its a scrap price bronco but has some real cool rare parts on it!
 
#24 ·
Congrats!
 
#25 ·
I am looking for a '93 owners manual with the diesel supplement. I know I'm probably the only one that reads them, but I've found a few little tidbits of info that make things a little easier/better.
 
#27 ·
I got to take the truck out for a spin, yesterday. Steers nice in 4x4 and 4x2. Brakes work well. Got all the glow plugs finally changed. All of the return lines have been changed. I test drove through the Tim Hortons drive through. It fits! Needs tires, yet, but it went through the 2 foot snow banks well enough. This is the first ZF 5 speed that I've had that shifts very nice. Might have to do the pilot or throw-out bearing, though. Not sure yet what's making the noise. The turbo really enhances the 7.3L. It's quick to pick up for an IDI diesel. Can't wait to get it home and start transferring stuff from the Frankenforcer over. Then the mods begin. Got myself 20 feet of 3 inch 304 stainless already. The air intake before the turbo is not exactly condusive to air flow. And there's the back window. It needs to be changed to something that opens, not to mention the FordTough decal.
 
#29 ·
That's what it's all about, for me. Screw the horsepower, gimme the FOOT/POUNDS!
 
#30 ·
Anyone ever seen the rear quarter glass on the supercab open? They did in the 70's trucks and on trucks after 1997 but I've never seen 1980~1997 open. I haven't found a retrofit for it yet.
 
#31 ·
I can see why they may have sealed the rear windows...to keep the rear portion and cab corners from filling up with water. It didn't work! Lol.
 
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