I am looking for opinions on this particular truck. I recently acquired a 95 F350 XLT Four Door (Crew Cab??), automatic, that has 355,000 miles on it. Interior is in good shape, exterior good besides one dent behind passenger side cab on the bed. Guy swears his mom changed oil every 3000 miles in it, which I tend to believe for a gas engine to have that many miles on it. It has issues though. I see a ton of them running around where I live, but they are diesels, and want to know other than the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor I have put in it, is it worth my time to fix up? Heat doesn't work, temp gauge flatlines hot when you turn the heat on, not sure about the AC since it's so cold out, but compressor turns on, shifts a bit hard, rear gas tank full of fuel but fuel pump doesn't work, gas gauge doesn't work on front tank, broken driver's side door handle (what a pain, I have not the strength to push the button from outside), needs a new master cylinder, hood doesn't open properly(think I just broke a hinge trying to make it go down after it just flew open on me), coolant is brown when the thermostat opens up finally, and a major exhaust leak. It was running on 5 cylinders when I got it and pulled a 35 foot travel trailer behind it. It did it, but it drank up the fuel. Is this thing worth my time or should I get it running decent and sell it??? Let me know!

 

This is TOTALLY the wrong forum.

 

I figured that out shortly and moved the question. Thank you for pointing that out almost three weeks after the fact. How observant of you! Thank you!

 

which engine is it? I'm impresses with the amount of miles on it and it is still pulling like a champ.
I guess its up to you if you want to try and get your money's worth out of it and drive it till it drops or clean it up and try and make a good return on it $$$ for something with less miles

Personally I like the luxury of the later models.

 

It has a 5.8 liter in it. I was pretty impressed that it not only pulled that trailer, but for 2 1/2 hours that way. Never overheated or anything. Got the hood latch fixed so now I can open the hood. This was after it flew open on me after a test drive! I'm thinking of keeping it for awhile anyways. Most of the stuff is minor to fix, just going to take time and funds to do it. Unfortunately I am in TX where if there is a crack in the windshield in driver's line of sight I can't get an inspection sticker. I need to find an inspection place that specializes in 'special' trucks. lol Not sure why the heater won't work though. But after I flush and fill the radiator and put a new thermostat in it, I might be able to chase that down. May be and heater core or something, but I am guessing thermostat, especially with the overheating problem etc. It drives well otherwise. And I kinda like Ford trucks, been good to me over the years and easy enough for this girl to work on.

 

The 5.8 L is a tuff engine.
I hear ya on the safety sticker, same rule aplies here. No cracks or chips in the drivers line of view. It's good to have a son that is a licensed mechanic
Your quote approve is giving a mixed message
It tows for 2.5 hrs with out over heating ???
You think the thermostat is sticking cause of the over heating issue?

And your above quote say "it's been good to you over the years. ?
Your opening post said you recently acquired this truck.

 

WHat I meant was that Ford trucks have been good to me over the years. Had a chevy dually one time that could pull like crazy but was broke down half the time. And I'm clutching at straws when I say it's the thermostat. I'm no mechanic by any means, but that's the first logical place to start. It's weird how one day ( I barely ever drive this thing, usually only when I am working on it) the temp gauge is fine, and another when you turn the heater on it pegs the temp gauge. Another day it will act like it's getting hot (cool day) and I turn the heater on and (still no heat) but it causes the temp gauge to go down. I do know that it needs new fluid in the radiator. When I got it good and hot one day I checked the fluid, which was bright green when I checked it before I left, and then was a tan color. I thought, hmmm, head gasket? But the oil level hasn't changed even though the guy said it used oil, (but again, I don't drive it) and the oil looks great. So, maybe you can help me understand where to start. I am just a daughter of a man enslaved to Lincoln Continentals and learned alot by being his tool pusher while he was under the cars. Had he not been passed away, I'd be flying pops down here to fix this beast for me, cuz I know he could!

 

Well your rite, Your logical start would be the thermostat. And while you have the antifreeze level down and the stat cover off for the stst change. I would flush the hole system and replace with new fluid.

Even before the thermostat replacement you could go buy a cooling system additive to help clean any slug that might be plugging up your heater core.

 

I will go buy that additive before I change out the fluid. I had no idea there was such a thing (pops didn't believe in miracle cures in a bottle) so am not familiar with it. It's probably cheap enough too. I am not really working right now, so am on a tight budget. The thing that kills me is how much antifreeze is. And how they try to fool people, like my poor roommate. Selling 50/50 antifreeze. I told her, do you realize you just spent ten bucks on half a gallon of water? That still gripes my gut. I digress. So how long do I need to run that stuff before I decide to dig into the cooling system? And just for kicks, before I google it, where is the thermostat located and do you know exactly what I need to do to change it? In my mustang there is a "bleeder" valve that I have to unscrew too when I do it, and it's a first for me to see that type of thing. Usually it's right on top of the engine and a couple bolts and voila you are done. You have been very helpful, thank you. I'm sorry for talking your ear off!

 

I'm doing some Googling about your truck too.
Here are some fun facts about your truck.

HaHaHa I know how girls like to talk talk talk ... My daughter like to talk my ear off about her 67 mustang Yahhhh (it's not a truck)

I'm looking (googling) the location of your thermostat and the amount of antifreeze your gonna need.
Oh ya, by the way...tell Pops (Dad) the additive isn't a quick fix, it's just something to add to the antifreeze before you do a antifreeze flush to aid in removing any slug that maybe built up in the cooling system.
Read the directions on the bottle. It usually suggests adding it while the vehicle is cool, then take it for a drive to get it up to full operating temperature. After the truck cools some, ie: a couple of hrs, pull the plug and watch the crap flow.

Share some of this with Pops
BTW does the truck still have the owner's manual???????

Front axle: Dana 60 monobeam high pinion (reverse-cut gears) with ball-joints ('91 and earlier had kingpins). If I remember correctly, Ford rates the front axle capacity at 4650 lbs.

Rear axle: Ford/Sterling 10.25" full-float, made by Visteon www.visteon.com. Rated at 6250 lbs gross weight capacity by the axle manufacturer. Ford rates the rear axle gross capacity for the whole rear suspension/axle/frame. It is: 6084 lbs. Brake drums can be removed without pulling the shafts, unlike Dana axles .

Gear ratios: 3.55 stock, 4.10 optional. Rear Trac-Lok limited slip optional. Axle code can be found on the driver's door VIN/weight sticker. Code 39 = 3.55 open, 35 = 4.10 open. Code with an alpha character in front means it has a rear limited slip.

Stock tires and wheels: 235/85-16's, load range E, 3042 lbs max capacity at 80 psi max pressure, cold. Wheels are 16" x (I think) 7". Bolt pattern is 8 on 6.5" bolt circle.

Engines: most common were the 5.8L V8 (351W), 7.4L V8 (460), and 7.3L V8 (Powerstroke diesel).

Transmissions: ZF 5-speed manual with granny low first gear and overdrive 5th. C6 3-speed auto, no overdrive (trans code G). E4OD 4-speed auto with overdrive 4th gear (trans code E). The E4OD will have an overdrive lockout button on the end of the shift lever.

Transfer case: Borg Warner 1356. It is aluminum cased, chain drive, part-time and can be either manual shift or electric. Hubs can be either manual lock-outs or autohubs.

Towing and carrying weights:

GVWR = 9200 lbs. This is the max wieght rating for the loaded truck by itself.

Payload: subtract actual truck scale weight from GVWR and what's left over is the Payload capacity.

GCWR (gross combined weight rating): This is the rating for the total combination of loaded truck plus loaded trailer together. This rating is different depending on what engine and axle ratio you have. From this rating, the tow rating is figured. You subtract the actual curb weight of the truck from the GCWR and what is left over is the max trailer weight rating.