F250 release bearing....

No rest for the weary. Last time at town I came out of TSC and when I started truck with clutch engaged, banshee wailing. Release bearing had seized up on it. GRRRR! I got home with people staring everytime I pushed clutch to change gears. Ordered clutch kit from RockAuto.com. Pretty cheap, like $67 plus shipping. Its 4wd so easier to pull engine forward than deal with both transmission and transfer case. Just obvious I am an old man and this sort thing is slow-go. My goal is to have it drivable by Monday. Tractor not working so doing this old school with a comealong hooked to a tree limb. Havent pulled an engine that way since I was a young man with no money and few tools. Dont have to completely pull engine, just move it forward enough to change out clutch parts and put in new rear main seal.

Poor old engine needs a rebuild or at least new rings and bearings, its showing significant blowby. But without tractor hydraulics to move engines around that is just going to have to wait. As few miles as I drive, no doubt I could limp along with engine as is for several more years. Not like its smoking or anything. Just top it off with oil every fuel fillup.

Hoping finally can use the Ranger so not as dependent on the F250.

I'll be darned if release bearing wasnt completely in pieces. Seems only thing allowing any use of clutch was that homemade clutch arm I made out of leaf spring back when I put the six in this truck. It was wide enough to press fingers on the pressure plate. I obviously was most concerned with cost doing homemade workarounds. This release bearing, other than actual bearing itself, was all plastic. I wasnt stupid, but used plastic release bearing anyway, so must been kinda hard up for cash. Must been like 15 years ago. I never put lot miles on this old truck, it was my firewood truck, the idea was just to keep it usable enough for that and emergencies. Never figured it would be my main transportation. LOL But setbacks making Ranger usable and reliable... and driveway necessitating eithr high ground clearance or expensive bulldozer work. Will say F250 is lot nicer to drive than used to be. You have to drive a vehicle regularly, you fix little annoying stuff. I'd get nicer three quarter ton, but they are now all diesels with automatic transmissions and priced like some exotic European sports car. Not what I want for kind of use I give them. I want simple with granny four or five speed and carb engine. Such 4wds getting rare as hens teeth. You pretty much have to piece one together. I suspect I will eventually have to find some 2wd F150 to donate cab and box to my F250 frame and drivetrain. But even 2wd single cab long bed pickups not that common. I guess pickups are not used for actual work anymore, just a toy.

Whew, finished. Hopefully. I got F250 all together today. That includes repair of power steering pump. Moving engine around, I managed to break the plastic nipple on the reservoir. Took apart identical junk one off old Ranger that was in my scrap pile. Nipple broken on it, but its reservoir was less messy to experiment with. Not room to do anything where original nipple was. I put piece vacuum hose in the hole and put screw inside the hose to expand it into tight fit. Then I drilled 5/8 inch hole in flat area and installed a metal tire valve. Removed the core and drilled uniform hole through it as it has an internal shoulder to seat the valve core. Anyway nice solid nipple approx size of original plastic one. And no glue or epoxy needed. Gluing or epoxying plastic is iffy at best. They used to sell new plastic reservoirs for these pumps, but they are now old so they may want you to buy new pump.

Just started it up little while ago. Power steering works. Yea, no having to buy a new pump. And its going to take some getting used to clutch pedal. Very light pedal. Never believe this is heavy duty 11 inch clutch.

Exhaust stuff to finish Ranger on the way, should all be here by Thursday. Knock wood that it works for more than ten miles this time out. Yea, last spring just factory defective release bearing. Should work ok this time.

I was still having problem with power steering pump leaking down so replaced the non-pressurized hose with length fuel line. Solved probem. Went to town with it yesterday and this morning checked fluid level and it hadnt lost a drop.

Engine lot quieter since I tightened exhaust to manifold after stabbing the engine. There is a rythmic thump-swish, thump-swish sound like a pump doing its thing moving liquid, that can be heard now. Not sure what it is, would guess its been there a while just not heard over noisier engine. Guess either power steering pump or water pump. Other old truck sounds also now audible so.... dont worry, be happy!

Got all parts to make my custom y-pipe for Ranger. But today is recuperation day. Trip to town really took it out of me. I may have more stamina than I have had in a decade, but maybe not saying a lot.