Bronco Update:
Finally at 11 pm last evening we had the last piece completed on the Bronco and it was ready for the long trip up north to MN. This has been a brutal last 3-4 weeks trying to get it ready for the trip.
But it appears the Bronco going north was just not to be. Daughter had quit her job here and last day of work was this past Sunday. Plan was to take those few days left and get it licensed and all little details working for the trip up north.
On Wednesday she picked up the Uhaul only to have a cheap junk Oreilly starter relay stick and then ruin the starter. Bought another thinking it was a fluke. It lasted for about 5 starts and it also stuck. Then looking online and seeing NAPA showed a made in USA unit we purchased it for bigger $$ trying to put on the best one we could find.
What a disappointment when she came home with the unit as it was also the exact same as the other china junk. To me that is just plain wrong where NAPA can say made in USA show a pic of a USA made piece but when out of box it has China all over it.
Yesterday morning she went to the alignment shop just to have it double checked from the home job. Again the relay failed. I got the call and called the ford dealer thinking no way they would be avail any longer. Not only was the starter still avail and also the relay they were less $$ than all the others! Much much better quality too. No more issues since!
Early this morning the Uhaul was all loaded along with back of Bronco and ready to roll at exactly 8:59 AM. I took a video of her pulling out of the driveway. FINALLY, the Bronco was complete and running great. Burning a tank of fuel and getting quite good MPG considering how many short trips and tons of idling etc. She drove to her favorite gas station, filled up and was on her way.
Well, She made it less than 15 miles when the call came in saying it has lost all power and barely goes. Gas from a brand new station open only a few months it crossed my mind bad gas. Saying the power was down was a understatement.
Over an hour later got the call it would barely move and could I come to the rescue.
Only thing I have with a hitch is the '66 Ranger F250. Hooked up the trailer (approx 2 miles from home) and she drove the Ranger while I drove the Bronco to see how bad it was really running. I had no moved 50' when It was obvious it felt like a fuel supply issue.
At start of project we had removed and replaced fuel tank, In Tank Fuel Pump, In Line fuel Pump, Filters, Fuel Pressure Regulator and also the Injectors thinking it should now be bullet proof and go a long way.
Limped it home and got it up on the 4 post hoist. First up was to install a fuel pressure gauge. As soon as we threaded on the pressure gauge the engine stalled and did not want to restart. Cycling the key many times the pressure came up so it would start but when it was dropped into gear pressure dropped under 20 lbs.
Removed filter and it was good so checked pressure at in line pump. Barely a trickle, One could feel and hear the pump working. Then thinking most likely the In tank pump so we pulled the inline pump to test. It was fine. with inline pump off we again cycled the key. Barely a trickle of fuel. The new pump shot in 300 miles.
A total junk Precision brand pump from Oreilly had ruined the entire trip north.
Daughter had a deadline to get to MN for a job and Oreilly did not have another replacement pump.
From Ford the pump was Obsolete and no time to try to find one out of state.
Only choice at this time was to get a Penske rental truck for her to move all her belongings up north. 8 hrs later she is on the road north with the Bronco left behind.
So after all this hard work on her part, all the frustration not to mention the months of time with every spare minute working on it she only got to enjoy it for 300 miles.
At a loss for words right now what I think of the cheap aftermarket parts and the places that sell them. And we bought the most expensive and what we thought was the best aftermarket pump avail at the time.
So now I have a fuel tank with 36 gallons of fuel in it and it needs to come out, it has no drain and it cannot be siphoned as it has a shield in the tube. Will find a way but the frustration is pretty high at the moment.
So yes once the fuel pump is squared away it will be up for grabs. . . .
Moral of the story is: Any and all parts stores at least in Arizona simply have very few good parts or made in USA parts that are worth installing.
I cannot count the number of times I have purchased parts from Oreilly that turn out to be not worth the packaging they come in. Just today when I got the call to come rescue the bronco and Uhaul trailer I stopped by my local oreilly to pick up a trailer ball and hitch for the Ranger as could not find mine quickly. When I got to the bronco and went to install the new ball/hitch I noticed it was USED! its the one with 3 diff size balls on it and never noticed until I went to install. I took a pic of it. It was a 60.00 plus $$ hitch!
What materials did you use to prep and paint the panels?
Does the daughter have garage to put that restored Bronco in ??
