Just have to vent

[countryboy]

i had the same problem as u do with a 88 ranger with a 2.9. the problem with the truck i had was the fuel pump on the frame rail it is the one that builds up the fuel pressure after i replaced that i could easily do 65 up hill on the intersate. i am not saying this is ur problem but could be. i did a fuel pressure test and if should good. but when the fuel pump got hot it was not flowing as good. and i hope u get all the bugs out.

 

[xr75er]

Let’s see where to start. Bought the b2 in April. Paid $1050.00. The guy said he had it checked by a “mechanic “only thing he found was the radius arm bushing. So first thing was the radius arm bushings, then the driver side spindle (found this while I had it jacked for the bushings), shocks, front brakes, electric window gearing , almost forgot the new drive shaft. Then I did a3” body lift. All good there.
Then the motor quit. Figured it was the TFI. Put in the heat sink conversion. Then it quit again. Started trouble shooting, fuel pump not working. Changed front fuel pump and filters no joy. Changed computer no joy. Put the old computer back in and it stared. Then it started smoking. Checked the plugs and 1was oiled, changed the valve seals on #1 and the valve cover gaskets. Went to replace the rear fuel pump and found a bad post on this, See prior post (Rear fuel pump). Ran ok for one day. Then quit again.
Found bad wires at the inertia switch. Changed out the connector. Ran fine for 2 weeks then quit this week while taking the son out for beer and pizza. (Scotch for me.)Jumped the fuel pump and got it home. Started fine the next day. Checked the codes and EGR PFE 35. But this did not have anything to do with it not running; all the parts stores wanted $70 to $120.00 to replace this sensor. Went to the man store (JY) got one for $6, installed it and got 11 code.
Since the fuel pumps weren’t running I decided to add a bypass switch to the fuel pump wiring. Now if the thing shuts off I can turn on the fuel pumps and go. Oh yea new seats due to broken back and torn material. Just my $.02

 

[country0001]

It doesn't ever end. I have been driving my B2 w the 4.0 in it for a couple of weeks, things keep poppin up. Got my brake lights workin today, but both blinkers come on whenever u turn on the right or left turn signal.... Mt taillights won't come on, thinkin bout hardwiring those w a toggle switch. Then I find a leak in my gas tank.

Not to mention that I haven't had time to work on my tan one.

 

[trail B2]

It's been my experience that you can't work your way to a reliable old car for daily use.I love my old B2 for reasons I still can't explain.I know that it will never be as reliable as say a 05 pickup any brand even if it has the same mileage.I know some people might say thats because you changed things but it was unreliable when I got it originally.My other car is a 93 chevy 3500 and it likes to brake down at the same time as my B2 and I have reached the point that i'm ready to make payments on a five year old truck to increase my odds of not being a pedestrian.

 

[84bluebronco2]

It's been my experience that you can't work your way to a reliable old car for daily use.I love my old B2 for reasons I still can't explain.I know that it will never be as reliable as say a 05 pickup any brand even if it has the same mileage.I know some people might say thats because you changed things but it was unreliable when I got it originally.My other car is a 93 chevy 3500 and it likes to brake down at the same time as my B2 and I have reached the point that i'm ready to make payments on a five year old truck to increase my odds of not being a pedestrian.

+1. I was the same way with my 84 B2. Regular pedestrian, infrequent driver.

 

[LiLRanger]

LOL you guys will hate me for this...
I bought my '92 Ranger without seeing it move, hearing it run, or knowing anything about it. Transferred the title, put tags on it, jump started it, had 2 tires installed, drove it home, loaded it with as much stuff as it would possibly carry under the camper shell, and drove it 2100 miles to my new residence.
The entire trip went without a hitch. After the trip, I changed the battery, put a starter on it and have drove it for 2.5 years with little to no maintenance! LOL
Backstory: (long boring read)
I needed a rig to get me from our place in WA to our new home in OK. I had just got done cleaning the house out and packing for 2 weeks solid, and loaded up my F-350 and a 16' trailer (over the scales at 18740 Lbs). Got 50 miles into the trip and blew the transmission up and caught the truck on fire. Towed it all home (thanks Mike!) and had to find another ride to OK to start a new job.
A friend's sister had just repossessed this truck from her brother. I bought it from her on the spot, on payments, and am still driving it today! The biggest problem I have had is a bad throwout bearing and a valve tick. Well, there was the damage the deer caused when I hit her when coming back from fishing...but thats not the truck's fault!
So not all used rigs have a bad story to go along with them.

 

[country0001]

LOL you guys will hate me for this...
I bought my '92 Ranger without seeing it move, hearing it run, or knowing anything about it. Transferred the title, put tags on it, jump started it, had 2 tires installed, drove it home, loaded it with as much stuff as it would possibly carry under the camper shell, and drove it 2100 miles to my new residence.
The entire trip went without a hitch. After the trip, I changed the battery, put a starter on it and have drove it for 2.5 years with little to no maintenance! LOL
Backstory: (long boring read)
I needed a rig to get me from our place in WA to our new home in OK. I had just got done cleaning the house out and packing for 2 weeks solid, and loaded up my F-350 and a 16' trailer (over the scales at 18740 Lbs). Got 50 miles into the trip and blew the transmission up and caught the truck on fire. Towed it all home (thanks Mike!) and had to find another ride to OK to start a new job.
A friend's sister had just repossessed this truck from her brother. I bought it from her on the spot, on payments, and am still driving it today! The biggest problem I have had is a bad throwout bearing and a valve tick. Well, there was the damage the deer caused when I hit her when coming back from fishing...but thats not the truck's fault!
So not all used rigs have a bad story to go along with them.

Thats awesome dude, I had a truck like that too. My 94 ranger was given to me and I drove it a year and a half b4 the tranny went out, taking it in trips to houston and dallas on several occasions.

I love my old trucks, knowing that I'm building something not buying something. Just venting frustrations a bit. Honestly, what fun would it be if everything worked great all the time.

Whare abouts in OK do u live?

 

[LittleHorse]

oh this just keeps getting better.

So for a while I've had a leaking shaft seal on the power steering pump. It's of course made a mess of that entire side of the engine bay. Then I started hearing a knocking noise in the front suspension on bumps.

So I look under there and, most likely due to the power steering fluid, the rubber bushings that go above and below the shock tower around the top shock stud are completely gone. Must have deterioriated from the oil and fell apart.

So this morning I just about finished replacing the PS pump but unfortunately the PS pump pulley puller/installer had screwed up threads so I can't get the pulley installed. So instead I start working on the shock and BAM!

Twisted the shock stud right off the radius arm. Well, most of the stud is still there, but none of the threads.


That's the last straw. It's on craigslist as soon as it's running again.

 

[Chevelle Kid]

If you weren't so far away I'd trade you my 1996 GMC Sonoma. Runs like a champ every day of the week.

Good luck with it and I hope you get it running and moving right, I'd hate to see a nice B2 go to the scrapper.

Ben

 

[Jason]

hey... i like my monthly paymnts!!!!

I know where you are coming from, but I pay cash. I would rather wait 3 years to get something than pay a bank thousands of dollars to get it faster.

 

[LittleHorse]

I know where you are coming from, but I pay cash. I would rather wait 3 years to get something than pay a bank thousands of dollars to get it faster.

I hate debt and pay cash when I can, but fortunately my bank periodically has low interest rate promotions if you do a short term and make your payments with direct withdrawal.

I have a 3.9% rate on my '05 TJ, by the end of the loan it'll end up costing me an extra $1000, but by that time I bet the Bronco II would have cost me far more than that in repairs.

 

[LittleHorse]

If you weren't so far away I'd trade you my 1996 GMC Sonoma. Runs like a champ every day of the week.

Good luck with it and I hope you get it running and moving right, I'd hate to see a nice B2 go to the scrapper.

Ben

eh, it won't go to the scrapper. The interior is almost perfect and the body is straight, A/C works, etc. Once I get the engine running right and the new shocks put on I shouldn't have any trouble selling it.

 

[xr75er]

Let’s see where to start. Bought the b2 in April. Paid $1050.00. The guy said he had it checked by a “mechanic “only thing he found was the radius arm bushing. So first thing was the radius arm bushings, then the driver side spindle (found this while I had it jacked for the bushings), shocks, front brakes, electric window gearing , almost forgot the new drive shaft. Then I did a3” body lift. All good there.
Then the motor quit. Figured it was the TFI. Put in the heat sink conversion. Then it quit again. Started trouble shooting, fuel pump not working. Changed front fuel pump and filters no joy. Changed computer no joy. Put the old computer back in and it stared. Then it started smoking. Checked the plugs and 1was oiled, changed the valve seals on #1 and the valve cover gaskets. Went to replace the rear fuel pump and found a bad post on this, See prior post (Rear fuel pump). Ran ok for one day. Then quit again.
Found bad wires at the inertia switch. Changed out the connector. Ran fine for 2 weeks then quit this week while taking the son out for beer and pizza. (Scotch for me.)Jumped the fuel pump and got it home. Started fine the next day. Checked the codes and EGR PFE 35. But this did not have anything to do with it not running; all the parts stores wanted $70 to $120.00 to replace this sensor. Went to the man store (JY) got one for $6, installed it and got 11 code.
Since the fuel pumps weren’t running I decided to add a bypass switch to the fuel pump wiring. Now if the thing shuts off I can turn on the fuel pumps and go. Oh yea new seats due to broken back and torn material. Just my $.02

Well famous last words, It quit again going home from work. I'll be checking ALL the wires this weekend. My fuel pump switch was intermitent. so that's why the wire check.

 

[LittleHorse]

perfect...so after replacing the power steering pump and leak checking it in the garage last night, it started leaking again on the way to work this morning. Pressure line connection, good steady drip about 1.5 per second. I would have thought a leak that big would have started when I ran it and bled the system in the garage.

If I can't get it to seal I'm just paying someone to take care of it. I'm tired of working on this thing.

 

[LittleHorse]

LOL the alternator just went out.

Cutting my losses, gonna quit shooting for "excellent" mechanical condition and just going for "runs".

Fortunately I have a second Bronco II that is in much better mechanical condition, but poorer cosmetically that I can drive after I sell this one and before I can afford to go buy something newer. Thinking about maybe a 2000 SVT Contour.