About to get a free 84 BII

[Greenstranger]

So my grandmother originally purchased this truck in the 80s and drove it until 2000 (or at least '99), where it sat until 2006 when she passed and my uncle took the vehicle to use as a DD. He used it until '11 or '12 when the trans (or so he thinks) died. Lately, I've been wanting a 4wd vehicle for light trails and cargo capacity and I remembered that he has the old Bronco II so after a quick phone call, he told me that he had it and tomorrow, I'll be the owner of my first Ford.

After doing some research, I've found that this truck has some rare options on it: the metal map light, and an opening rear glass hatch.

So what should I do to get the engine to turn over? I live in El Paso, TX and that pretty much means that all of the rubber parts would be bad due to the heat. I'm also expecting the valve cover gaskets to leak. Other than fresh fluids and new hoses, is there anything else I should do?

P.S. What could cause an auto trans to die? I'm not sure what is wrong with it (I'll let you guys know tomorrow when I see it) but could it just need a trans flush?

 

[NoahS]

After getting some fresh oil in the engine and a new tank of gas I would just try and see if it will turn over, if it isn't then you can come back with more specific questions to get some help here.

As for what can make an automatic transmission die, high temperature, low fluid level, low fluid pressure, bad luck... Drop the pan and see how bad it looks in there. Metal in the pan would be a bad sign. Otherwise same as with the motor. See what happens because the more detail you can give on what exactly is happening the more likely someone can help.

 

[Greenstranger]

So here's where I'm at with the truck. The trans fluid looked great from the dipstick and I found out that the trans wouldn't shift into reverse while running and wouldn't engage 1st while parked which makes me think that the shifter cable may be bad. I wasn't able to turn the engine over because the battery was shot so I'm charging another one up to swap in later today.

 

[ab_slack]

Damn, yet another Bronco II owner on this site, it seems everyone active on this site has a Bronco II for some reason.

Anyways, cool about the free Bronco II. I wish someone would give me one for free!!

Good luck getting it running. Even if the trans is bad with all the upgrades people do you would think there be some spare trans floating around.

 

[Greenstranger]

I know this sounds stupid but how do you open the rear hatch? I think the handle might be broken.

 

[ab_slack]

That early has some slight differences from the newer ones I think.

Nominally speaking however...

First make sure it is unlocked. I once thought mine was jammed but someone had gone and locked it on me. I never lock it so it hadn't crossed my mind that it was locked.

If you have an externally mounted tire swing it out of the way. This should be obvious.

With it unlocked turning the large black rectangular knob clockwise should open the liftgate. Turning it counter clockwise should open the glass.

On mine the window doesn't give a real affirmative indication that it has unlatched. The liftgate is pretty obvious.

Does the black knob turn? Does it turn all the way around or does it stop?

With it unlocked it should turn and it should turn right or left to a point then stop and auto return to center.

A common problem with the latches is the pin on the latch that pushes against the release levers, after some wear is able to slide past the latch mechanism. So as you turn you feel tension build up but before it opens you feel it suddenly move freely for a bit (or maybe all the way around if really broken in other spots). That is when the pin has slipped past the release lever.

I think the only thing different from the really early ones verses most of the others the early one has a key that goes into the center of the black knob. Later ones had a key located some down on the liftgate from the knob.

 

[Greenstranger]

Well I think it might be broken... lol the handle just spins.

Anyway, I got the old gas out and got it to run for a good 5 seconds (I had to use starting fluid in the carb). I probably need to replace the fuel filter and flush the fuel line. Does anyone have pics of the location?

 

[ab_slack]

The fuel lines generally run along the inside of the driver side frame rail.

Fuel filter, not sure what to say on that. I am just not sure. I have only had fuel injected BIIs and there is a filter the lines go to mounted on the frame rail. It is a "lifetime" filter and supposedly the filter element inside is replaceable, but it can't be replaced in position and to dismount it involves removing connections that are known to break and hard to replace so....

Unless yours is something simpler to get at and replace I would just make sure I was getting fuel to the carb before diving into that can of worms.

When was it last run? This fuel with 10% alcohol is terrible if it sits and after replacing fuel in the tank you might have to run the pump a bit to get the bad fuel out of the lines.

On the liftgate latch, if you climb in the back you can get at all the screws needed to get the plastic panel off the inside of the liftgate. Two on the each side, one in the bottom middle and two at the top. With that inner cover off you can get at the mechanism and should be able to manually release it. It releases very easy if you know what and how to pull. Easy to reach stuff, it is just figuring how how it is supposed to move that gets you the first time.

This is a link to one fix that extends the position of the pin a little bit if the problem is that it is slipping past the plate it needs to push.

http://www.broncoiicorral.com/library/liftgate_latch_repair.htm

Below is a link for a repair I did. First post is description. Later on down I show where the crack occurs and how I did the repair.

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141823

 

[Greenstranger]

Well, I got the the filter. It's under the air filter on the passenger side of the front of the carb. The engine hasn't been turned over in at least two years. The fuel I pulled out of the car looked more like the car was suffering renal failure than old gas.

The new filter didn't do it. The engine is still not getting gas from the tank. I only put about a gallon of gas in it, maybe it needs more? Otherwise the fuel pump may have quit.

 

[ab_slack]

Depending on how you got the old gas out, probably be a good idea to get more than a gallon in from a dry tank.

 

[Greenstranger]

Depending on how you got the old gas out, probably be a good idea to get more than a gallon in from a dry tank.

I siphoned it into a bucket. Maybe I should've dropped the tank?

 

[3rd Petal]

You will probably need more than 1 gallon in the tank for it to pick it up.
Also it will take a fair amount of cranking for it to pick up fuel.
If you can get someone to help you, you can try having someone in the cab to turn the key and rev it a little while you use starting fluid in the carb to keep it running. See if you can keep it running off starting fluid for a good minute or so, and if it doesn't pick up fuel by then, I would suspect the fuel pump.

If you are sure the pump isn't pumping, take if off the block and get a bowl of fresh gas to dip it in. Let it soak a little in the bowl of gas, then wiggle around the actuator rod the runs the pump, and repeat. As long as the seals aren't ruined that should get it freed up and pumping again. I've had to do it before when I got my grandma's Mustang running again after it sat for about 5 years. Worked like a charm, still running to this day on the same old fuel pump, just had get the pump good and freed up from all the gunk it accumulated while sitting

 

[cklueee]

had a problem with mine where i thought the fuel pump went bad, ended up not being the pump, but the wiring itself. me being lazy, i just ran the front fuel pump wire to a switch inside the cab, and it now sits nicely beside my underglow switch and my lightbar switch, and i just have to manually turn my fuel pump on and off, which could be potentially hazardous if i get in an accident. but im pretty sure driving a bronco ii is hazardous also, and im not stopping that anytime soon.