Faults:
Went through three batteries in a five-month period due to a short that I was never able to pin down.
Replaced the alternator, due to the above problem.
The fuel pump selector switch blew out, and one of the connectors was obsolete.
The neck for the upper radiator hose ripped off; a stupid misuse of plastic.
The air-conditioner and the fuel pump for the front tank never worked. I never had sufficient funds to fix either problem, so I just lived with them.
The rear fuel tank had a bad float, resulting in a bobbing fuel gauge.
It idled rough when cold, most likely due to a bad gasket in the fuel-injection system. I bought the gasket, but never replaced it.
The engine did not return the fuel economy that some claimed it would -- that was not due to my driving style.
General Comments:
I bought this truck to replace my rock-solid-reliable 1992 Toyota pickup, which had been totaled.
This truck drove like a truck should -- very fun to drive! It could also be shifted into fifth gear at 35 MPH without lugging. The inline-six was a great engine, and the transmission was bulletproof.
Having the rubber floor-mat and no headliner was nice, but the Bronco captain's chairs installed by a previous owner were a pain (the driving position was uncomfortably offset).
Had to get rid of this one after I lost my job and could no longer afford to keep it.
I should have done a more thorough inspection on this truck before I purchased it, and been a little more on-top of the maintenance. I might well consider another Ford truck, but will definitely inspect my next vehicle more carefully before buying it.
8th Nov 2009, 04:59
Nice! I love that 300 inline six. All during the eighties my dad had a '78 pickup with that motor, but it was an automatic and seemed to be set up for economy, so maybe the gearing was a lot higher than yours. It cruised nicely at 60 all day long, seemed like it got in the high teens mpg if I remember rightly.
Later on we had some workmen's vans with the 300 six and five speed manual transmissions - now those were great little vehicles - quite economical, and lasted forever. I think we got at least 200K out of each of those before we let them go.