VTX1800N1

You DO NOT put a lead fuel additive in any vehicle equipped with a catalytic converter. Good grief.

Axios

He's meaning a lead substitute, such as Klotz, HAPCO or Red line. It has the effect of keeping valve stems clean from Ethanol deposits, and is 100% safe for cars with O2 sensors and catalytic converters. It helps high mileage and older vehicles keep clean.

I use Marvel Mystery Oil, as i've seen it keep valves free in MUCH older and more abused engines than Ive ran.

Steve83

All that should be in your sig, and more.Amazing. This tank sat for less than 6 years:


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These sat for about 6:


(phone app link)That's REALLY dangerous. Oil gels even faster than gas.What kind, and how much?Amazing.Common cheap 89-octane pump gas? Or ethanol-free?How? Is this the same occasion that you described later, or did the valve stick twice?Yeah, that's the only way it can happen.Again - that's the only way.This is what's confusing - you mentioned freeing it up, and then you described other things, and then you described freeing it up again. So it almost sounds like you're describing 2 occasions that the valve stuck.

PB Blaster isn't the right chemical to use on intake valve stem varnish. Berryman's B12 Chemtool would be much better; particularly if you could soak the valve in the can.
Amazing. Mine has rattled like a diesel since I pulled it out of the original wrecked '95 F150 25 years & 800Kmi ago.Your original description made it sound like you put it on the terminals. Electrical grease will also work on the rubber seals, without the risk of getting dielectric on the terminals.I know 3M makes lots of chemicals, but most of them are adhesives. What oil do you mean?I'm always suspicious of what "them" does to these old trucks.Yes, they certainly needed it. How exactly were they lubricated?A Ford dealership? Even "them" are suspect. I worked at one for a while, and it's shocking how often I saw "professionals" doing things Ford says not to, or skipping things they were being paid to do.You can't necessarily see the broken parts of those mounts. How were they checked?Which one, and how did it get loose? I've never found one loose on any of the trucks I've worked on or taken apart.I doubt it, but I'm on a crappy satellite ISP, so I can't watch videos. It frequently loads none or half of a text page; even worse if there are pics. A few seconds of video can take minutes to load, so I don't even try now.

But this symptom doesn't strike me as something that can be diagnosed electronically, so I don't think the video would be helpful anyway. These old EECs aren't as sophisticated as modern PCMs (which ALSO can't do much real diagnosis), so even with the best scantool or software, you really have to diagnose driveability faults yourself.The PCV just jams through a rubber grommet in the valve cover - there should be no sealant on it. But that grommet CAN benefit from a little dielectric or electrical grease.

Teflon tape on the intake manifold threaded fittings is risky - it can block them up, even if it looks OK when you start screwing it in. Teflon paste is better; threadlocker is best (which is what Ford used).That's bad - it suggests that the EGR system is not working. Unless you meant they were spotless AFTER being cleaned.Very bad idea. The coating on the TB is designed to keep it working with the sludge on it. But cleaning removes the coating, making it NOT work right.


(phone app link)That's convenient, but adding connections to a circuit (particularly 60 or 80 of them THIS old) can increase their resistance, and damage the terminals. I prefer the pierce probes in this caption because they do very little damage (if any) but only to the circuits I choose:


(phone app link)That's a handling package - it's more for trailering & hauling than for off-roading. And for comfort due to the high unsprung weight of the D44IFS.You DO NOT see where anyone in this thread suggested that. Good grief. Read what's there - don't get angry at us about what you imagined.

Axios

Sorry, but Im not good with Multi-quoting, so bear with the response.

Yeah, I used a fuel safe borscope with an LED light on the end of it to go down the filler neck. While it looked a LITTLE discolored, it wasn't too bad. Definitely no sludge or floaty things in it. That Crown Vic tank looks ridiculous. I'll likely drop both tanks in the spring to make sure they are clean, and I know that the float in the mid ship tank is sitting on the floor of the tank... the sending unit in that one doesn't read any fuel level.

To clarify, The valve stuck exactly once. This was after it was moved down to my house, and after it sat for almost a year with barely being started. The oil was definitely dark in color when I changed it, and was thinner than it should have been. No metal was found in it, I took some samples of it when it came out in a clear glass mason jar and put some light into it. it just looked dirty. Regardless, this oil change is going to be a short interval just in case. I used 10W30 Valvoline High Mileage and a WIX filter. The PB blaster was just used because its a good penetrating oil, and just to lube up the valve stem prior to me tapping on it. I made sure that I didn't mar up the top of the stem. It literally took just a couple of light taps after it had been soaking for about 5 days to make is snap shut again. Before it was fired back up, I did the oil change, fresh gas, and added MMO to both of them. It seems to have worked. I've put maybe 300 miles on the engine since then. Most of the parts I replaced in the list in my first post were done when I had to take off the Valve cover. The distributor and coil were done because the original distributor housing broke an ear off (someone cross threaded it last time it was changed...ugh) and the ignition coil looked like someone had been chewing on the tower terminal.

The fuel we filled up with when I picked it up was regular 89 octane with the 10% ethanol added. My last two fill up since the valve stuck have been Premium 91 Octane with no ethanol.

Sorry for the miscommunication with the Dielectric grease. I used what I had lying around, and since its non-conductive its a non-issue.

As far as the "3m" oil, my phone must have auto-corrected it. I used 3-in-1 oil. I've used this before on cleaned IAC valves with no issue.

The dealership i went to has a good reputation with us locals, and their techs aren't the typical "do it fast" young kids who change tires and sling oil all day. They are pretty decent, and Ive never had any issue with them doing things on my trucks. They did all the standard shaking and using pry bars to check how the balljoints and bushings were, as well as observing the engine while goosing the throttle and shifting in into and out of gear while on the ground. It looked exactly like what I would have done.

I also replaced the PCV valve grommet, since it was a bit loose around the valve itself. I used a bit of dielectric grease when I seated it in the valve cover. The place where I used the tape was on the screw in fitting side of the PCV valve system. I used it sparingly. Same with the vac tree.

The EGR valve passages were cleaned when the intake manifold was hot tanked. They WERE black when it was taken off of the truck, but not overly crudded up.

Is there anything else I can clarify?

Axios

As far as cleaning the hubs, they used some sort of solvent, and then dried the parts and used a light coating of clean Hi-temp grease to coat them. I've done this before. They didn't pack them full, like some people seem to think (which can cause big issues later down the road or in cold weather.) I used to clean auto hubs in my Bronco 2 the same way, only I'd let them sit with ATF in them for a while before installing instead of using grease. That's how WARN recommends they be serviced.

The throttle body was cleaned with a coating safe TB spray, not carb cleaner or brake clean. I know about the coatings, and have cleaned one the WRONG way a long time ago and messed it up.

The heat shield is one of the ones under the cab, I can hear it rattle only at idle in gear. As for how did it come loose...the spot welds they put on them from the factory fail all the time up here in Wisconsin. Salt on the roads is a horrible thing. I don;t think I've owned a vehicle in the last 20 years that hasn't had one of them come loose and rattle at some point. It comes with the territory, even if the truck was kept in a garage most of the time.

When we initially picked up the truck I put a full bottle of Chevron with Techron in both tanks.

Steve83

You saw it sunk below the fuel level? It's very common for them to become varnished & unresponsive, but it's relatively easy (after getting into the tank) to repair the level sender without any replacement parts.


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Obviously, if the float is sunk, it has to be replaced. But they're reasonably-priced.


(phone app link)That won't help the engine, either. It will run best on 89 octane with no ethanol. Next-best is 89 gasahol with lead substitute &/or top-end lube (like MMO).


(phone app link)I agree it's a non-issue for the current symptom, but not because it's non-conductive.

Have the spark plugs been run enough miles (a few thousand) that you could "read" them?


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The best reference is the inside back cover of a Haynes manual, which is a wise investment:


(phone app link)Right, and Warn built the original Ford hub locks, so that's the way to service them, too.They're pop-riveted & screwed - no spot welds on the cab or bed heat shields.


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The point is: I think it's something else rattling. The TSB in these captions explains how to find frame noises:


(phone app link)That's among the best, but I'm not sure 1 bottle is enough to treat 18gal. I prefer a couple of cans of Berryman's B12 pour-in.

Axios

Just an update, I've found a U-joint on my read driveshaft that has some side play. Under load, its likely moving causing the part-throttle vibration. What are your suggestions for U-joints? I'm going out to pull the shaft today. I would prefer a non-greasable U-joint over a greasable one.

Steve83

Start by making sure the caps are fully-seated on the trunnion, in the yoke. If so, either MotorCraft or Spicer (the OEM for MotorCraft u-joints) replacements are the only ones I'd consider. I prefer the OE-style, with a circular trunnion body.


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Axios

Yep, the caps are seated properly, clips are intact, and they are even all the way around. The play is definitely in the U joint and not the pinion. I have used Spicer "Lifetime" U joints in the past, it's been so long since I replaced any that I didnt know if something new and improved was available. Thanks!

Axios

Both rear driveshaft U-Joints were replaced today, and the vibration still occurs. The balance on the driveshaft is good (it was checked) and there is no damage to any of its components. The new joints move smoothly as they should, no binding. The pinion is tight, and there does not appear to be any play in it or the transfer case end. All the transfer case bolts are tight. I'm not getting any clunk when shifting in and out of gear, and Im not getting any strange noises when getting on and then off the throttle at cruising speed or low speed.

A few more things to consider: The rattling in drive at a stop I described in an earlier post is the exhaust hanger aft of the secondary cat rattling because it rusted out and is hitting the exhaust. No big deal there.

When warm, the transmission "flares" when shifting, shifts seem a bit soft to what I am used to.

The Transmission fluid looks a bit dark, like old trans fluid. It is dirty. There are no particles floating in it, but it needs a change.

The truck Idles about 200-250 RPMs too high, I believe I have a small vac leak somewhere.

Any idea on where I should look next?