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budget 84 i6 daily driver. Thread being fixed. Thanks photobucket

29K views 204 replies 24 participants last post by  disturbio 
#1 ·
I got an 84 i6 4x4 because that's what I wanted. My search for the right rig with the 4.9 and Ac ... well it was exhaustive, I don't know if they had automatic transmission with the 4.9 but I didn't want it. I didn't want anything too nice because I will tow with it, camp, do some trailing but nothing too crazy. I wanted a base model bullnose. After months of not finding what I wanted this beat old white bronco popped up and I overpaid for it but it literally was exactly what I wanted


Fairly shot interior, hardly any clear coat and dirty. Every accessory I wouldn't want was on her but she was the right girl in the wrong dress.





I bought her in March. Slowly I have been doing little things to her that she needed, I'll post some pics of my steps thus far but she has a ways to go. I've put 3k on her without a hiccup thus far but there are some issues to address.

Interior- The panels are present but beat and need reconditioned. The rubber floor is shot. The windows need tinting and it needs a headliner. Im in AZ and it's hot. Needs stereo, needs dash but I'm sporting a very 80s oxblood dash mat now to improve my view while driving.
It needs a new steering wheel and front seats. It needs a glove box lock and center console repaired. My windshield doesn't leak but it's all ****ed up around the seal and outer bezel.

Mechanical - I need an exhaust of some sort. The stock one has hot spo ts and stinks. I have either a small rear main or oil pan leak. The source of which I can't determine. She doesn't really eat much oil, but, over the course of a few minutes parked I'll see the first of a slow drip until she cools and pressures down. My stock head lights are super weak, the air filter and breather are a strange set up, I don't know what they look like stock but mines missing a bunch of stuff. The feedback carb stuff is removed I guess. The computer is all unplugged and the distributor is aftermarket. I don't have any real frame of reference as to what the previous owner had done to her, but she runs well enough so other than some maintenance and sanitary type things I'm not sure I'll mess with it too much. I have a power steering leak but not bad,

Looks wise I don't want anything too aggressive. I need tires and have 31 Yokohama geolanders now and want 33s but I think they are too wide for my stock 7 inch wheels. 32s maybe I dunno. It's got a lift. I see it says super lift but I don't know how high it is. Anybody with familiarity can chime in. I don't know.

I probably won't paint her. It's a truck. It's a driver

So I'm not a mechanic and don't have anything radical in mind but would like to tackle some of this stuff.....oh and I'm cheap so it's all going to be cheap too.
 
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#3 ·
I already pulled all the 80s jc Whitney accessories off.
Goodbye push bar and tow hooks.

It was tough looking. Bit ugly though

No more spare holder either



Took care of some interior pieces. My 4 buck eBay leather steering wheel cover will keep me from sourcing another wheel that someone didn't chew on

Found a latch and the center console at the bone yard. 15 bucks!
Few random cheap upgrades.

Chipping away at it.
 
#4 ·


Got my stereo in but didn't take any pics because it's fugly yet functional. It was an old head unit I had and as luck would have it it plugged right up to the pioneer 90s stereo that was in there even though this is a JVC. Sticking to my guns in cheap
 
#7 ·
Very nice find disturbio! I like it. Thanks for sharing 'er with us and keep us posted on your progress.

I have either a small rear main or oil pan leak. The source of which I can't determine. She doesn't really eat much oil, but, over the course of a few minutes parked I'll see the first of a slow drip until she cools and pressures down.
Just a thought, you might want to check the PCV system. If it's not working right it could cause some leaks. But with trucks as old as ours it's most likely seals or gaskets.
 
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#13 ·
Positive Crankcase Ventilation. It consists (on my 81 300 six anyway) of a vacuum line from the manifold that runs to the PCV valve on the rear of the valve cover. This pulls vacuum through the oil breather cap on the front of the valve cover (that you remove to add oil) which has a hose that runs to the air cleaner housing where it connects to a filter.

PCV valves can stick closed, or it may not be hooked up at all. Without the vacuum it provides, there may be pressure buildup in the motor, causing it to push oil out of weak gaskets and seals. May not be the case, but something to check.
 
#19 ·
I don't hate it, if it were a little less massive. I know I'm probably alone on the subject but I always preferred 80-86 ford front and the push bar certainly hides a bit of it.
*picture1*

VS.

*picture 2*

I prefer the cleaner look
I can certainly agree on the 80-86 front. By far the best bodystyle for the Bronco IMO. I have a love of period correct mods, but seeing both pics, I kinda have to agree it looks a little better without it.
 
#15 ·
Mine doesn't show good with the air cleaner on it. Here's one I swiped off the net. It's an earlier version, but I think it will give you an idea what to look for. Where the blue hose comes off the top left side of the valve cover is where the PCV valve is. This one is straight metal where mine and probably yours is a plastic 90 degree ell (mine has a smaller connection also). You can see where it ties into the manifold for vacuum. On the other end of the valve cover is the breather cap. You can see the 90 degree fitting on it. That should have a hose connected to it that connects to the breather element in the air cleaner housing. If you have an aftermarket air cleaner, you could use an aftermarket breather cap without the hose connection that has holes on the bottom side where it would draw air in.



It's hard to see, but if you follow the hose from the PCV valve, you can see where mine was originally connected below the carb.



HTH, if not I can take my air cleaner off and get a couple better pics. Or if someone else has some, please share!
 
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#18 ·
I think mine may be all hooked up but I don't know what the PO cut off. Lots of Rigery here. Something went on the air filter to the snorkel too. I haven't seen a stock set up bit I have empty holes and cut wiring everywhere. My brother said I needed a duraspark set up, bit when he saw the truck he said what the PO did was similar. I know the carb is a stock 1 Barrell because I can see the part number on it... who knows really



She runs well.... makes me apprehensive and scared to mess with it
 
#20 ·
I got a 43 dollar Chinese billet grill and some clear parking lights. Polished up grill surrounds a bit, polished up the bumper too but she needs more elbow grease and a better cutting polish. But the 50 bucks investment don't look bad!

 
#24 ·
I think you said that it's already been converted to Duraspark II ignition and the feed back carb replaced? I do see the DSII module in your pics. If so, you can ditch a lot of the vacuum hoses and valves since they are not doing anything without the feed back carb and the original computer hooked up. This will cleanup the engine compartment greatly.

. . . unless of course you need all that stuff to pass a visual smog inspection in AZ . . . ?
 
#31 ·
Im not sure why it list 3 different belts for the alternator. I guess ill pull em to find out, I just wanted to order one ahead of time rather than match it up.

I will try to get a pic of my lift today to see if any of you guys smarter than me can ID it. I know it doesnt matter, I just want to know.

On a side note, an 80s something blazer pulled up next to me at the light and was revving out pretty hard. The i6 is slow so i wasnt going to race no matter what but when he was revving his engine died. I should have took a pic but I just waved instead!
 
#35 ·
With that 300 six you have in there, you might not want to go to a 35" tire.

If you are stuck on bigger tires, might I suggest a 33x10.50x15? I've got them on my '96 XL 302/manual and it still seems way under powered. I cant imagine the 35's. My XLT runs 315/76/16 (~35x12x16) with a roller MAF 351/E4OD and it still lacks power. Stock axles in both.

You also might want to head to your local picknpull to see if you can find newer flooring. I don't know if the floor pan is the same on all FSB's, but the XL Border patrol special (and many other XL models) have rubber floors front and rear.
 
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#36 ·
With that 300 six you have in there, you might not want to go to a 35" tire.
I ran 35's with a 300 and everything worked awesome.. so that statement isn't right... I was regeared though (which is a necessity when running larger tires) but only to 4.10 when I should've been running 4.56 but I couldn't complain getting 20 mpg going 75mph. Never had issues with 90% of the drivetrain but the front axle sucks MAJOR a$$ :banghead
 
#40 ·
I'm not stuck on bigger tires. I don't want you macho men to hate me, but I don't like the fender gap and honestly could just pull the lift out so 33s seem to be a good solution. I asked my brother if he'd help me pull the lift out and he basically called me a ***, laughed and said I was nuts.

The 6 seems sluggish now so I imagine it would be worse with bigger tires but, for city driving it's probably not a huge deal. I get about 16-17 mpg and am pretty happy with that.

I think the truck has 3.73 gears according to the tag on the tranny. Not sure that's stock but I bet it is since it's in the tag. It's a four speed with a granny gear
 
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