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1988 Ford Ranger - Journey Down the Rabbit Hole.


MrMunition

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Hey everyone, been lurking the forums a bit looking for insight to get this ranger I just bought back on the road. With that, I don't know who to thank directly, so thank you as a community I finally did it.

Backstory: So! I bought this truck around 3 weeks ago. It ran very well and the gentleman I bought it from was a good ol' boy who offered his garage (full lift included) if I need to do any work on it.

The following week the truck started to not start up easy in the heat of the afternoon, later not starting at all. Mechanic told me it needed a new cap and rotor, plugs, wires, and an idle air control valve. All that after discounts came out to $900.

He was a bit upset with me when I started laughing.

Had it towed to my apartment and began working on those things (out of highschool, 11 years ago, I went to automotive trade school, so I wasnt worried about turning a wrench and getting dirty). $200 later, it broke down with same issue a block away.

Next was trying to change the TFI module on the back of the distro. Long story short, walked 2.5 miles to autoparts store and back, then again for the ford ignition module tool...

A rubber cap was inserted and melted to one of the bolts on the module and no easy way to take it off. So luckily buddy helped me get the distro shaft w/ module attached, rebuild, and now it runs.

Would turn over, rev up, sound strong and die immediately. It was the TFI module.

And now onto my plans. Currently living 3000 miles away from my full toolbox do to active duty, have always been a Dodge guy and am always trying to save money. So my plans for the truck are offroad (home in California seems to be land of the prerunners and Im no different), but with a ratrod sense of things. Skimping here and there with lots of junkyard runs, rattlecan painting, sheetmetal and welded tubing.

It's a long road but hopefully this thread will be a source of inspiration.

Sofar I've changed with Kraken spawned ink oil that was sitting in it with high mileage synthetic (167k on engine 277k on chassis) as well as a quart of Marvel Mystery (considering using lucas next change). Seafoam in the crank before the change, as well as in the gas tank. New basic ngk plugs, basic spark plug wires and rebuilt distro. New idle air control valve as well.

Next few things will be seafoam through the intake, flushing the radiator, and degreasing the years of neglect out of the engine compartment, complete with old wasp nest...

Tips, tricks, advice, critisim and praise all welcome. Glad to be here!



Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:


DannyG

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1992
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4.0 V6
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2WD / 4WD
4WD
This reminds me so much of my 87 XLT. So much I wanted to do but no money or time at the time.

The '92 will be a different story now. More experience and a bit more money.

Hope it all goes to plan. Looks like a solid starting rig.
 

adsm08

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1987
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4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
That is nice and clean. I'm not sure I'd change a thing on it, except that garbage oil filter on the front seat.
 

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