1990 ford f350 ?

[bigred1951]

well i just acquired a new to me truck a 1990 ford f350 4x4 5.8 5 speed single wheel not dually. Runs and drives great body pretty rough though but for a $1000 bucks the motor/trans/tcase and running gear worth what i paid. But anyways the guy i got it from let it sit around and not drive it much and he said the clutch safety switch went out so now you have to jump the solenoid to start it. How hard is it to replace the switch or just bypass it all together. I plan on eventually pulling the old bed off and putting a flatbed on it and making it a dually to haul wood and whatever.

[sawguy21]

I would bypass the switch. Have you looked under the dash at the pedal linkage?

[bigred1951]

not yet havent had a chance to check into it yet just got it today gonna bring it to the house tomorrow. I know its on the clutch rod or i guess the switch is. How do you bypass it.

[North River Energy]

If the '90 is set up like the '85, you'll find a plunger switch behind the clutch pedal arm.  Should have two wires attached.  Unplug the switch and jumper the plug, or cut the wires off the back of the plug and splice together. 

Maybe before you modify anything, hold the switch closed with your hand, and turn the key to see if the switch is simply out of adjustment.

Also, if the solenoid is mounted to the fenderwell, make sure it has a good ground for the switching current.

[bigred1951]

ill get a better look at it tomorrow when i get it home and mess with it this weekend. Hopefully i can change the switch if its cheap to replace or ive thought maybe the started solenoid might be bad itself but i wouldnt think it would be since the truck still starts if you jump the solenoid

[justallan1]

If you fit between the seat and pedals on your back it's pretty easy to replace, but I agree with checking it by hand first. It fastens around the clutch rod and clips onto a knob on the floor end of it. If for some reason it's off that knob it doesn't use the travel it needs to activate the switch.
NOTE: Check under the seat and dash for living things first. It's a rough trip out of that son of a gun when you get hit in the face by a black widow! ;D

Allan

[bigred1951]

well i brought it home today and i was wrong about the motor for one i said that it was a 5.8 but its the 460 big block. I also noticed the starter solenoid is broke so im gonna try to change it tomorrow if i got the time and hopefully that fixs the problem

[sandhills]

Yep, easy to fix (if it's bad) but hard to get to unless you're a contorsionist  :D. and with that 460 you can pass anything but a gas station!

[bigred1951]

well 14 bucks for a new solenoid put it on and fired right up so problem fixed  8) . it didnt take but 5 mins to fix its mounted right on the passenger fender. The 460 seems to have plenty of getty up to it and added to the 5 speed makes it fun

[chevytaHOE5674]

460 is a good motor plenty of power for its age. You can single-handedly keep BP in business. ha

[Magicman]

I have the same engine in the RV, but it has the E4OD transmission.  It has ~90K miles on it and I have not had any problems.

[sawguy21]

That 460 is a torque monster but sure loves the gas. You will likely seldom if ever need first or second gear. Be good to it, will serve you well for a long time.

[thecfarm]

I have no idea what you have for a rear end in that Ford. sawguy reminded of my old ford. '76 4wd,top speed was just about 55,50 was better. But did not drive on many roads that the speed limit was 55. 8 miles to the gallon,uphill or down. That had the bull low. And I do mean low. Put that thing in 1st gear and 4wd drive,I could walk around it before it moved 4 feet. Was a real good work truck. 

[Tom the Sawyer]

Remember to turn it off when you go to the gas station, otherwise it'll never get full. :D :D

[bigred1951]

im pretty pleased with the truck it should last me a good while. The body pretty rough on it. im gonna either put a flatbed on it or find another bed for it. Plus 2 front fenders and maybe a core support if i feel like it. The rockers and floor have rust to but so far they still holding the cab up and straight so im not to worried about them right now

[Gunny 1992]

Sounds like a o.k. deal.  I owned a 1992 Ford F-450 flatbed/dump same setup as you motor/trans.  Just be careful with the floor.  I only owned the truck for about 5 years because I had to junk it.  We get alot of rust in Michigan due to the salt on the roads.  The rust on my truck rotted the floor apart so bad the cab started falling off the frame.  Because of the year of the truck/effort and $, it was not worth me putting a cab on her.  Still got $1000 for it from the scrap yard.  Motor and trans still worked great when it was driven to the scrap yard.  Good luck, that motor/trans is a beast but I think the fuel lines are the size of a garden hose. ;D