H311RA151N : 1986 Ford F-250 XL

[H311RA151N]

The bad.

Where do I start...

I'm wore out. Too busy and nothing is going right. Or at least the things I'm stressed the most about anyways.

I dropped the rear tank today. Only to find Oreilly's sold me the wrong fuel pump assembly and they cannot get the right one. Neither can NAPA or Autozone.

The brass float was full of fuel from a pinhole is the reason for the fuel level sending unit not working. The gauge will move when I plug the assembly in and move the arm.

I tried brazing the float to fix the pinhole but with the fuel vapors inside and the heat it kept making a little hole in the solder. I tried so many times I ruined the float.

I just wanted to buy a new float and use the old pump and assembly but I cannot find any online at Autozone, NAPA, or Oreilly's.

I have thought about using something else that will float but nothing comes to mind. Other than cork which wont work.

So here are the pictures of this nightmare.




The good.

I tightened the rear pinion nut down to 140ftlbs which is what Ford calls for. It was 1 and 1/4 turns loose. Not a bit of slop what so ever now that it's tightened. So that's good. U-joint is good so I didn't replace it.





And I got the new heater core in. No pics of it installed but here is the old one.

[illinois_erik]

hmmm..take some copper pipe split it and hammer it into a sheet big enough to go over the area you chowdered (dunno if it will be big enough to weigh it down didnt see the damage) anyway SOLDER it on..brazing is like using a shotgun to remove a stuck fishing hook..way over kill..you might even be able to just flow solder all over the area thats messed up. .just plain old solder no need for the silver solder..post some pics too if you can maybe theres a better way to skin this cat. Im not sure how its attached to the arm, but I just thought too you could fab up a little container the size of the original float from some old radiator tanks that are brass, (im sure you got some laying around :P) seal it up with solder and youd be good. maybe dissect the the old float leaving enough meat thats factory attached to the arm and solder the new float to that.

[H311RA151N]

hmmm..take some copper pipe split it and hammer it into a sheet big enough to go over the area you chowdered (dunno if it will be big enough to weigh it down didnt see the damage) anyway SOLDER it on..brazing is like using a shotgun to remove a stuck fishing hook..way over kill..you might even be able to just flow solder all over the area thats messed up. .just plain old solder no need for the silver solder..post some pics too if you can maybe theres a better way to skin this cat. Im not sure how its attached to the arm, but I just thought too you could fab up a little container the size of the original float from some old radiator tanks that are brass, (im sure you got some laying around :P) seal it up with solder and youd be good. maybe dissect the the old float leaving enough meat thats factory attached to the arm and solder the new float to that.

Idk what I did or what it's called rather. I got the map gas out, flux and electrical solder and without putting the flame on the float I heated it up until the solder would touch it and melt which didn't take long. But every time I tried a pinhole in the solder would develop. Eventually I burned a hole in it or the solder pushed through the float by barely touching it. Unfortunately the hole now the size of a pea is near one end.

From reading on the internet prior to messing with it I read people heat up the factory solder where it's two halves come together then once they are apart they then fix the pinholes. Once that's done the put the halves together then solder or braze the seam. I know very little about this kind of stuff. I would assume the float is done for.

I have two good floats from my old carburetor. I was thinking about using them somehow as I left them in gasoline completely submerged with sockets for 4 days before I tried rebuilding the old carburetor so I know they are good.

I cannot find even the part number for the pump I have anywhere. So I cannot even buy the right assembly. And I have today (11-10-14) to get the tank in and with the fuel level sending unit working as it's about to get cold.

Oh and I found out my shop is 17' 7" and my truck is 17' 8" long.

[H311RA151N]

From my thread on Ford Truck Enthusiasts I received the following reply in regards to the engineering number:


E5TF-9H307-FB ID engineering number is not listed in the Master Cross Reference Catalog or the 1980/89 Ford Truck Parts Catalog, but...

There are only two possible pumps for this application: 1985/86 F250/350 460:

E5TZ-9H307-E .. Fuel Pump & Sender Assy / User with Aft Axle PLASTIC Fuel Tank / Obsolete

E5TZ-9H307-FA (replaced E5TZ-9H307-F) .. Fuel Pump & Sender Assy / Use with Aft Axle STEEL Fuel Tank (Motorcraft PFS-130) / Obsolete

No Ford dealer or obsolete parts vendor has any of these 3 pump/senders.

After 1979, Ford did not sell the float by itself, it was only available with the sending unit. 1979 and earlier is not the same!


So... I'm pretty much screwed with this deal. So I think I'm going to go fuel cell and be done with it. More $$$ but I'm sick of messing with it.

I could make a float but one day the pump is going to fail and I'll be right where I'm at now. Man this sucks...

[illinois_erik]

From my thread on Ford Truck Enthusiasts I received the following reply in regards to the engineering number:


E5TF-9H307-FB ID engineering number is not listed in the Master Cross Reference Catalog or the 1980/89 Ford Truck Parts Catalog, but...

There are only two possible pumps for this application: 1985/86 F250/350 460:

E5TZ-9H307-E .. Fuel Pump & Sender Assy / User with Aft Axle PLASTIC Fuel Tank / Obsolete

E5TZ-9H307-FA (replaced E5TZ-9H307-F) .. Fuel Pump & Sender Assy / Use with Aft Axle STEEL Fuel Tank (Motorcraft PFS-130) / Obsolete

No Ford dealer or obsolete parts vendor has any of these 3 pump/senders.

After 1979, Ford did not sell the float by itself, it was only available with the sending unit. 1979 and earlier is not the same!


So... I'm pretty much screwed with this deal. So I think I'm going to go fuel cell and be done with it. More $$$ but I'm sick of messing with it.

I could make a float but one day the pump is going to fail and I'll be right where I'm at now. Man this sucks...

Yeah..I did some quick poking around using that engineer number and basically all those pump assemblies have been discontinued..sucks. what about retrofitting a newer tank/sender/pump from a later year..or one of the same vintage that is more common? Im guessing the general design hasnt changed much between years.. Well at least now you know what the problem is..Its blue and has a circle around it HAR HAR HAR...Hey I can talk shit about ford Ive at least owned one (84 Grand Marquis)

[H311RA151N]

Yeah..I did some quick poking around using that engineer number and basically all those pump assemblies have been discontinued..sucks. what about retrofitting a newer tank/sender/pump from a later year..or one of the same vintage that is more common? Im guessing the general design hasnt changed much between years.. Well at least now you know what the problem is..Its blue and has a circle around it HAR HAR HAR...Hey I can talk shit about ford Ive at least owned one (84 Grand Marquis)

Yeah, damn old Fords!

I'm thinking along those lines currently. The design hasn't changed a whole lot between years really. One pump is close to the same design. I may try a retrofit or something along those lines.

I have a soft spot for Fords as that's what I was riding around in as a kid. But I like many makes and models.

[H311RA151N]

I tested my pump and the fuel level unit again. Both work. Which I knew they did but before I put it back in I just wanted to make sure they still work. (Yeah, I hate doing things twice that much. Even though this isn't that hard.)

[H311RA151N]

I have put all other projects aside, cleaned out the shop and rolled the truck in. It's cramped but it beats working in the cold. And I made it fit. Took the back bumper off. 17' 5" long without the rear bumper.

[H311RA151N]

Quick Car 4AWG Race Wires battery cable kit came in today.

[wildBill83]

LOL @ the rear bumper, I was actually going to suggest the front bumper until I read that!

Screw working in the cold, we are in single digits to low 20s here right now. Snow is on the ground. Brrrr.

[H311RA151N]

LOL @ the rear bumper, I was actually going to suggest the front bumper until I read that!

Screw working in the cold, we are in single digits to low 20s here right now. Snow is on the ground. Brrrr.

Good thinkin'!

You guys are super cold up there. The low 20's is about as cold as I can stand. It's definitely not pleasant but I can do it.

[H311RA151N]

Dorman coolant overflow reservoir came in today. A little smaller than I wanted but it will work just fine.

[H311RA151N]

First things first... I built a fire in my outside wood stove as it was about 30* today.




I went and got a Wix fuel filter.



There is no longer one piece of old fuel hose on this truck. Thank fuck. The old hose was soft and I'm surprised it hadn't caught on fire long ago.



Outlets to the new heater core.



Heater hoses ran.






It's coming together. Slowly but surely.



I was never a big fan of the Bullnose body style. But it's really growing on me.

[H311RA151N]

Gotta figure out exactly where I wanna put the coolant overflow reservoir tomorrow. I would like to buy another one and run two eventually being as they are so small. That's the largest universal I could find without a windshield washer reservoir built in.

I'm also going to bolt the battery box in and start running the battery cables and starter solenoid. Which is greatly needed as the current rigging job someone did on it sucks and just plain doesn't work right.

The battery cables are not going to be crimped, they will be soldered into the connectors.

On Saturday the brass float is supposed to be in and then the fuel pump and tank will being going back in. I'll be glad to be done with that mess.


Whats next:



BRAKES:

Dorman Front Brake Hoses
Dorman Rear Center Brake Hose
Wagner Thermo Quiet Brake Pads
Motorcraft Rear Brake Shoes
Dorman Rear Wheel Cylinders
Dorman Rear Drum Brake Hardware Kit

ELECTRICAL & LIGHTING:

Motorcraft Ignition Lock Cylinder & Key
A1 Carodone Wiper Motor
Standard Wiper Switch
Standard Headlight Dimmer Switch
Standard Headlight Dimmer Relay
Standard Turn Signal Switch
Standard Headlight Switch
Replacement Front Turn Signal Bulb Sockets
Dorman Rear License Plate Light
Front Turn Signals
Side Marker Bulb Sockets
Brake Light Sockets


HVAC:

Motorcraft Blower Control Switch
Standard Motor Products Blower Motor Resistor
Four Seasons Blower Motor
Four Seasons HVAC Blower Motor Wheel

[H311RA151N]

Brass float came in and it works.