Thanks guys. I figured all the "cold weather" rules would apply to me.

The block heater cord was just replaced. I've got a timer set up to run my Bronco block heater for a few hours each morning. Its below 28* in the morning, every morning, from like October (maybe September) through May some years.

Since I won't be driving every day, I'll get a Battery Tender, that does seem like money well spent.

Keep the advise coming. I've got a lot to learn.

I'm considering looking for a new job closer to home and would love to have something that can tow the Bronco to Moab, Rubicon, etc. I also know that my VW TDI takes roughly 60,000 years to warm up in cold weather. How well would a Powerstroke hold up to a short commute? What's a the ballpark price of something that's older but still reliable enough for long trips?

Driving diesels short distances is not good on them at all. It's not good on a petrol engine, but a significantly worse on diesels. Now, if you were towing every weekend, or taking a nice hr+ long trip in it, you should be fine.

My solution was using the truck for truck stuff and getting a small commuter for the daily. What year is your Jetta?

My golf is a 2012. Part of getting a new job could involve a small pay cut, so 2 vehicles wouldnt be an option. One of the jobs im considering is close enough that I could ride my bike most days and only drive when its icy. My current commute is perfect for a diesel (long, mostly highway).

I've been seeing the 99+ Superduties with about 200k +/- miles for mostly about $10,000+. That is why I jumped on this truck. I've seen the 96/97 trucks with similar miles for a few thousand less $7-9k, sometimes. I think trucks with under 250k miles are pretty reliable. Since I'm not driving the truck daily, the miles won't rack up quickly, so I expect it will stay reliable for years to come.

I just started at the body shop and a guy there picked up a 97 4 door F350 for $4500. I don't know the miles, but they are out there if you keep looking.

Drove her home tonight. Ran great.

Looks like it has a few minor bugs - heat runs through the defrost only.

From what I read it's likely a vac leak, or possibly a failed vac pump. I'll check it out tomorrow.

My truck has a floor shift t-case, not a dash mounted selector. My manual hubs are labeled "FREE" & "LOCKED". From the little I've read, the dash controlled t-case came with vac actuated auto hubs.

Coolant temp gauge is intermittent. There seems to be some problems with the aftermarket ECT senders, Ford OEM is recommended. Hopefully that is all it is. I did find a gauge & bulb check procedure, and the gauge looks good.

I'll be checking the glow plug relay & swapping fuel filters soon- he gave me an extra he had. Also need to get some anti-gel & figure where/how to park it and be able to plug in a battery tender & the block heater.

I'm running out of room at my house and will probably have to store my camper, and eventually a car hauler trailer somewhere else.

Good luck tracking down that vacuum leak. The most likely location on ESOF trucks is in those lines. Seeing as yours mostly likely came without, well, sounds like you might be digging into the dash.

What color coolant is in the truck? Apparently the green stuff requires some sort of silicant to reduce the effects of cavitation. The pink/red stuff, or ELC is what most of the guys over on FTE are running.

I'd suggest only plugging in for a few hours on days you plan to drive. That bad boy sucks down something like 1000W so if you plug in all the time, the power company will start sending you a card on your birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I'm sure you've come across this before, but just a reminder. Only use Motorcraft ZD-11 glow plugs. If they only seller Autolites out there, order them online. The Autolites burn out fast and have been reported to break off tips in the cylinders.

So I ordered a billet compressor wheel and FRx from riffraff friday. Once thos come in it's time to tear the truck down before moab. We'll see how well these will improve the truck.

I have been working my new job at the body shop a few days each week, as well as Avis, so I haven't had much time to mess with the truck. I just ordered a "combo" kit, HPOP plug, & extra orings from dieselorings/guzzers. It is leaking from the fuel bowl, for sure, so I thought I'd just grab everything that might need replaced.

I'm expecting a bluetooth OBDII reader today, and will get the software Rob suggested.

I'm hoping to get Friday off work, and crack things open. I'll seal up the fuel leak, and check out my glow plug situation, and some other things.

Probably going to swap the CPS out, just-in-case. I figure I'll throw my old one in the glove box, as a "working" spare.

New set of tires ordered.

JD, you are right, the rims aren't stock. The stock rims should be 16", mine are 18". According to the guy I bought it from, the original owner had a "new" SD, when he was selling this one. I figure he had some blinggy rims on the 02, and wanted to keep them, and put his "new" rims on the "old" truck when he sold it. The tires are a little too big, and rub on the leafsprings at full lock.

Thanks

Sounds like a good plan of action. How does the air intake system look?

CPS requires one 8mm socket IIRC. It's kinda tough to get to, but you're used to contorting while wrenching!

Perfect! I did the Tymar, which is pretty much the same thing in a kit. Then I wanted a cleanable filter.

I did the 6637 with RiffRaff sock on it. It replaced an AFE stage II. I have absolutely no regrets.

I haven't had time to do much with this truck, since I bought it. I did spring for a new set of tires, bought a smaller size, very close to the stock size. Unfortunately, they still rub on the leafsprings near full lock right & left. Looks like the problem is that the offset is different from 99-04 and 05-?. They are 1.5" different, and wheel spacers are being used to put newer rims on the older trucks.

Since this is primarily a tow vehicle, I woudn't think it was a good idea to use spacers.

I might have to find a set of 17" rims for a 99-04 and swap my new tires onto a different set of rims.

The other bad news about the truck, the graphic down the side. It has a pinkish hue in the right light, and is NOT a sticker. I never thought it might be painted on, until I went out with a heat gun to remove it. Overall, the paint is in such bad condition, I'd have to strip the whole truck & repaint it. There is too much body damage to justify that, so I'm shopping two tone. Maybe a wide silver or white stripe, ala OBS Ford trucks.

Anything to look for in aftermarket rims for a tow vehicle? I don't want flash, just function.

Offset is -6mm factory. Looks like the aftermarket are selling rims around -10mm to +10 mm for these trucks.

I'll keep looking at CL, but a think 17's might be hard to find. Stock was 16" and I bet most people upgrading went big.

Cragar sells a couple black steel rims for about $110 each, Black Rock (I think) has black steelies for right about $100 each.

Its not the end of the world, I just loose some turning radius, but this truck feels like driving a school bus, so any extra turning radius I can get back I'd like.

I wouldn't think it too hard to find some factory 16" take-offs with tires. I had some along the way, but now that I think about it, they sold pretty easily. They were the chrome capped steelies from an '04-ish. Kept the aluminum ones which were indeed what the truck came with new.

Then you could sell what you have with tires too.

Maybe see what this guy has:
http://denver.craigslist.org/pts/4424638298.html

Yeah, I thought about that. I just dropped $1000 on tires, they have about 40 miles on them. Maybe I'll find something to make it affordable. I figure if I spend $400 on rims, and can sell the factory 17s for a little, and keep my new tires, it wouldn't sting that bad.

I thought I remembered you just got tires. 17's will be harder to find unless you go new. Or put some miles on these while you see what comes down the pike.

BTW i run 1.5" hub centric spacers on my truck. No issues yet to date and have towed a couple times. Just make sure they stay tight. While the book says to torque the lug nuts to 150ft-lb the spacer guys say 100ft-lb. so thats what I have been running for 2 years now with no issues.

If you scour the Craigslist some really good deals come up. I picked up all 5 of the 17s for my rig for $250 off CO4x4. If you find a deal down this way I'll do my best to make the parts run happen.

Thanks, I'm going to keep my eyes open for a while. I was thinking about hub spacers, but it looks like I can get wheels cheaper than spacers, so I'll probably just get wheels if it comes to that.

Love them old 7.3 s. I own a 95 and a 97. Both run great.

Thanks, email sent.

I just ordered real Gauges tonight. I went with Isspro EV2's. All the kits I found for the OBS trucks had the gauges that did not match the factory gauges. I shopped for days before I went back to RiffRaff and put my own gauge set together. for $20 more than the best price I found on a gauge "kit" I got exactly what I wanted. I hope to get them and start the installation by the weekend.