Schlag96

Hey all!

I just bought my first truck of any kind - a 2008 F150 regular cab with the 5.4 triton. I've always loved the style of the F150 over the other auto makers, so I'm glad I found this one. That's the good news.

The bad news ...I bought it cheap as a fixer because the previous owner ran it into a light pole. (123,000 miles, $2500)

I'll post pictures in a day or two when I can get some taken, but for now I have a question...

Basically everything forward of the engine is gone. The entire cooling system. The engine starts and runs fine. The question is this: I need to get it smogged in order to transfer the title into my name. (CA) Will the engine run for 12-15 minutes without overheating? (I'll be towing it on a dolly into the smog place)

If not, what might you recommend to keep the engine cool enough to make it through smog? (I need to get it into my name in order to get the financing in place to fund the restoration.)

I figured maybe I could hold a hose where the coolant intake is and catch it in a plastic bin to keep some coolant running through it (and keep the water pump from burning out if it's still functioning)

Thoughts?

Thanks!!!!

Schlag

Schlag96

94 views and not a single thought on whether that'll work or not?

Guess we'll find out tomorrow!

dukedave5200

Running straight water through your engine isn't a good idea, especially if you leave it in the engine for any amount of time. It could potentially only take a few days for pure water to start corroding internals.


That said, it would work as far as keeping the engine from overheating, but I'm not sure it would pass a smog test that way. I think the engine has to be at normal operating temperature and if you are feeding it cold water it won't be able to reach normal temp. I guess it would depend on the shop if they allow it.

Rick's 06

I would call the emissions place and see if they'll even test the vehicle that way. If they do I say go for it. I think if you run cold water through it, it should still get up to temp if the thermostat is working. Like DukeDave said above though, I'd flush it with some antifreeze after the test to get the water out. Good luck and let us know how it goes. Post up some pics of your truck when you get a chance.

Schlag96

Do these trucks take pure antifreeze? My other vehicle takes 50/50 water + antifreeze.

Yeah they said they'd try it.

We'll see how it goes.

Rick's 06

They use a 50/50 mix too. Just mix it with distilled water, not tap water. Tap water has minerals in it that will eventually stick to your aluminum parts and slowly clog it up.

Especial86

iTrader: (1)

Your going to have to spend a few penny's to do this right.
Go to a junkyard, get an old radiator, and zip tie it in place.. Fill and bleed your coolant system and go pass the test.. If the fan and shroud are still working then it should be easy.... Use 50/50 antifreeze.

Rick's 06

I just thought about a trans cooler. Did yours have one in front of the radiator? I'm assuming not since trans fluid would have been all over the place when you started the engine if one was there and damaged.

Schlag96

Yes there was one there at one time. Some spilled out which I cleaned up with Zep commercial absorbant powder.

I took it to the smog place and they ran the codes first to save me the $50. It threw 3 codes that will fail smog so I need to fix whatever those codes are - basically get it driveable again.

Here are some pics - my main question is whether the frame can be fixed or not and how much it'll cost. Everything else I'll do myself with salvage parts. I'll probably wrap it all in white vinyl and make it an art truck with a comic book theme.

So do you think this frame can be fixed? It looks like everything from the cross member forward needs to be replaced.

I guess it might be worth it to just buy an auction wreck with a good frame and swap frames... I'll see what a frame shop has to say.

vintageman

I've seen worse and had worse. I bought an explorer a few years ago that was wrecked. Got a bunch of salvage body parts, put in a new crossmember, a few other things and then took it to the frame shop to straighten a bend it had. About $600-700 and drove it for about a year before I traded it in on a newer suv. Takes some time and effort, don't rush it. Look at everything especially underneath and make sure that you listen to the advice from the frame shop (hopefully you have a good one nearby that you can be towed to). Good luck
Tom