Going to look an F250 today

[htchbck]

Hopefully. Its 2:41AM and I just hopped on Craigslist (up with the wife helping with the baby lol). There is an '83 F250 4x4 on CL with a 460/automatic that has a broken valve spring, but besides that is supposed to be driveable. Showed up around midnight, which is why I didn't catch it before I went to bed. Its also go a camper top on it (which I would likely remove and sell to recoupe some of the purchase price. Basically it is my ultimate towing rig already set up the way I want it (only thing better would be the same truck but F350/F-Superduty and a ramp bad), and gorgeous to boot! The price tag? $400! With scrap as high as it is now I'm deathly afraid someone will grab it up before me and crunch the poor thing, which would be a sacrelige because it is such a beautiful machine. If I'm lucky he'll take payment and transfer title, and I will drive to the nearby junkyard and pick up a valve spring, stick it in, and drive it home, then start on a complete teardown of the engine. Maybe I can finally sell the van now lol.

[Festy46]

Check the exhaust manifolds. The 460's are prone to cracking. It's possible the exhaust manifold is leaking and giving the engine a "putt, putt" sound that the guy is confusing with an engine miss.

[Banana Bonanza]

You arent going to go wrong if you can get it home for that price. Wish my '84 4wd F250 looked that nice. These do suck gas bigtime even when running correctly. Mine apparently came from factory with a diesel, some previous owner stuck in a carb 460 which wasnt that healthy and gave me 6mpg at best. Usually more like 4mpg. This with a 4spd manual. I replaced it with a good 300-6cyl and now get 12 to 13mpg. I imagine a 460 in great shape might get 8 to 10mpg. Probably 8mpg since its a 3spd automagic.

Are you sure its a valve spring? Or is that just what seller "thinks" is the problem?

Maybe you are better mechanic than me but replacing a valve spring on way home sounds like a nightmare. Its doable but need valve spring compressor and a way to keep valve closed (rope trick?), and maybe a few powerful magnets just so if the valve stem keepers fly off. And new valve cover gasket so you arent throwing oil all over the place. Good luck. Sure you cant find somebody with a trailer to haul it home? I'd suggest tow truck but anymore they cost an insane amount money.

[Sparky]

Htchbk, that looks like a steal...I like the old square Fords.

[ericsmith32]

Awesome truck.. I sure couldn't afford to fill it! Wish I could get my 86 on the road.

[links56]

Just bring a air pig and pressurize the cylinder to hold the valve up while you put the new spring on. Very nice looking truck, a very common problem with these is that the vacuum booster for the brakes will leak and create a vacuum leak. The vacuum line for the booster pulls off the intake by the back drivers side cylinder which then leans the fuel mixture for that cylinder out causing it to run hot and burns the valves causing it to miss on one cylinder. I love these trucks they may not be that economical any more but they are reliable and tough.

[FestYboy]

needs a cam and heads... more power AND better milage (more efficient).

[Zanzer]

Let me know if you need a valve spring or 2. I'm a major hoarder of 429/460's

I have all kinds of spares laying around...maybe even a few sets of D0VE heads

[Larry Hampton]

I've got a bunch of valve springs and valves from some drag 460s. Some lifters and came too.

[Bert]

I love the 80-86 body style but am no fan of huge engines. My neighbour sold me his 86 F150 manual 300-6 22 years ago (which I still drive) and year before last offered me his 96 F250 manual. Like new and never been in the rain or snow and only had 30K (18,000mi) but the 460 motor scared me off. The 300-6 consistently gets 20+ mpg (Imperial gallons) on the highway. A 460 might easily be able to pass by me, but not a gas station.

[htchbck]

Well, it was gone already. By the time I called at 8:00 yesterday morning there was already a guy in route to look at it. Since it was going to be about a 2 hour drive for me I asked the seller to give me a call and let me know if the guy bought it or not. Didn't think he'd actually call back, but he did about half an hour later. The guy was there and already had the valve covers off installing brand new springs to drive it home . I'm sad I missed on such a great deal on an awesome truck but at least its going to a good home with a fellow wrench turner instead of being crunched in the boneyard, so I have that to be thankful for! And this way I'm not compromising in my search for my true dream truck, something with a long enough chassis to be a rollback or ramp truck

[NovaSS]

Let me know if you need a valve spring or 2. I'm a major hoarder of 429/460's

I have all kinds of spares laying around...maybe even a few sets of D0VE heads

used to a be a big 385 series fan, had a scj 70 torino that got totaled sitting in front of my house. Still have a set or rods or two and a set of used TRW 429 pstons on the shelf just in case I ge the desire

4 bolt dove blocks bring a good penny on ebay

[hamburglar]

I love the 80-86 body style but am no fan of huge engines. My neighbour sold me his 86 F150 manual 300-6 22 years ago (which I still drive) and year before last offered me his 96 F250 manual. Like new and never been in the rain or snow and only had 30K (18,000mi) but the 460 motor scared me off. The 300-6 consistently gets 20+ mpg (Imperial gallons) on the highway. A 460 might easily be able to pass by me, but not a gas station.

I have a manual 96 F250 with the 300 I6. I towed my festiva from Iowa to Phoenix (~1500 miles). I went through 2-3 full tanks of gas (both small tanks) and it burned NO oil. its got 160k on her I think

Can't beat the ford 300

[Flyin4stroke]

4.9l for life!

[BigElCat]

Ditto! I know ya'all seen these before...but I have no shame