Help!
I bought a ford f150 for $250
its an 88 4.9 5 speed 133,XXX miles
1. Have you heard of the motor going kaput? I got it cheap because the guy said it truns over and then turns back, there is also oil coating the engine bay, but someone said the ps pump can seize.
2. I was looking up some aftermarket things for this truck
they sell dash kits but they say 87-96 however the dash is diffrent from 92+ so where can someone get 87-91 dash kits?
3. How hard/what do you need to go from a 5 speed to a c6?
4. are the tailights the same from 87-96?
5. where can you get headlight covers?

 

I saw my 88 on the road about a month ago...drivers side fender is still primer. 4.9 is a least one of the best Ford engines of all time.
I think you should get the engine issues sorted out first.
the oil in the engine bay it is motor oil or power stearing fuild.
When you say turns over then turns back...to what degree?
Does it crank sereval times, let the key off and kinda shudders back?

LMC inc sells all kinds of stuff for these trucks.

Going for manual to automatic is a matter of parts and know how.
It's a fair amount of work as well as parts.

 

Changing to a auto can be done you need the tranny, a gear selector either a aftermarket one that mounts on the floor or a steering column pulled from a scrapyard along with the cluster, cooler lines and a cooler for the tranny. The tail lights are interchangeable but the reverse lens is different on the 92 and later trucks. Headlight cover are an excuse to be pulled over and get a ticket.

 

I'd think headlight covers and tail lights are the least of your worries... Make sure you have fluids in the motor (oil, tranny fluid, coolant) and give us a little more detail about what happens when you try to start it. Does it make any noise when trying to start? Is the motor itself covered in oil? Any specific area? Does it look fresh and clean, or old and dirty?

If the ps pump is locked up (or you think it could be) remove the serpentine belt and try to start it, or at least give the pulley a spin to see if it turns. If it does turn, check the others while you're at it. Just don't let it run for very long if you start it w/o the belt.

 

All tail lights from '80-'96 will physically bolt in but '80-'86 is one style, '87-'88 is another style slightly different (yes, the reverse lens) from the '89-'96 style.

 

i havent had a chance to tow 'er home yet the guy said he goes to start it and it turns so far then it turns back.

 

I guess you'll need to actually see what that means when it gets towed home.

It's hard to tell which end of the spectrum you're on... Turning over and over with no start, with a hiccup at the end is the fairly simple end, and not even making a revolution before rolling back would be the real bad news.

 

Im guessing its the p/s pump, have you ever heard of the I6 blowing up? they were a power house! im not thinking total engine loss at 133,XXX

 

I wouldn't think a locked up ps pump would keep the motor from turning - maybe cause the belt to squeal or jump off the pulley, but I'm sure that motor is stronger than the ps pump.

 

you can blow an engine up with 10,000 miles on it, so don't read to much into the mileage, alot of people mantain there cars alot different. you need to figure out the basics b4 you buy it. Can you turn it over by hand? pull the plugs and make sure its not pukin oil or water while cranking. what does the oil look and smell like? etc