Shran's '86 Build

[Uncle Gump]

Will it truly turn tighter? Or is it just eliminating trying to push it through the turn and pull it with steering tires that makes it more responsive?

Either way... I'm not knocking it... it's pretty cool stuff.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

It allows the truck to turn like it is in 2wd but with more traction (engine adding weight to the front tires)

 

[Shran]

Rwd low range is handy - especially without the front components turning.

The main advantage is front wheel drive. You can go what's known as a "front dig" - put the rear in neutral, turn the tires, lock the brakes and drive forward. The front of the truck will slide sideways in whatever direction your tires are turned. Handy for getting around tight turns or obstacles.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Describing the technique added the right amount of light needed for me to see it.

I kinda figured there was more to it... and that is exactly why I asked. Now that I "see" it... if you include both forward and reverse... twin sticking your t-case gives you 12 modes of operation.

That makes it even cooler then spanking the majority up the hill while shifting in reverse... Thanks!

 

[Shran]

I'm feeling kinda burned out on vehicle maintenance lately but we have a club run coming up on May 18th... so I figured I'd at least fix my coolant leak and get the clutch working right.

The EFI 5.0's like the one I have in my truck have a mess of coolant hoses that run through the upper intake/throttle body area. These fit pretty well in the Crown Vic engine donor but not so well in mine - I've had a plastic elbow leaking for quite a while right up against the firewall, plus two little hoses that just never seal up right. I think I am going to remove all that tonight and just run my heater hoses directly to the water pump and intake like they should be.

I did finally get my lower intake gaskets redone last night. I didn't realize how much they were leaking! Oily mess in back and seeping coolant in front, real nice. Kinda funny that it's been like that for almost 10 years and it was the ONE relatively easy to replace seal that I didn't replace when I did the engine swap.

Should be done with most of it this weekend I hope. I think I'm going to put a 180* thermostat in while I've got it apart. I've always had cooling issues and maybe that'll keep the coolant flowing a little longer.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Your coolant will start flowing at a lower temp [comparing 180 vs 195] but the overall temp it gets to will not change. If you are having over-heating problems then you need to address that.
Perhaps a better shroud? Additional fans? The more the air is directed thru the rad the better.
Cooling vents in the hood or fenders? Getting rid of underhood heat can help.
Bigger rad. Maybe not so simple or cheap but effective.
PS, I haven't read your whole thread so excuse any duplicate info.

 

[Shran]

That's exactly what my intent is, to get coolant through the radiator sooner. It doesn't overheat, per se, it just gets up to 210, 220, 230 on occasion if I'm really working it hard on the trail or climbing a long hill. It seems like it'll be fine for quite a while and then just spike and takes a long time to cool off. I'm hoping that the lower temp thermostat will help moderate that.

Hood vents are probably going to happen at some point. I already have two electric fans that cover most of both sides of the radiator, and a high flow water pump.

I do have a Duff V8 swap radiator and am really not all that impressed with it. I've been tempted to try a 4.0/automatic radiator but it would be a lot of work for maybe no gain.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I wonder if changing the lower intake gasket will make a difference?

 

[Shran]

Can't hurt! The old one was crusty as hell. Took me half an hour with a die grinder/scotchbrite wheel to remove all of it. I've never had one cooked on like that.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I do have a Duff V8 swap radiator and am really not all that impressed with it. I've been tempted to try a 4.0/automatic radiator but it would be a lot of work for maybe no gain.

My Explorer radiator runs 200* no matter what stat is in it. Someone said to run a 160* so I tried that, only thing I noticed was in the winter I basically had no heat. In the summer it was running 200*. So I put a stock 190* stat in it, have heat in the winter and it still runs around 200* in the summer.

I really wish there was more room side to side to run a wider radiator. It doesn't take much to start interfering with the battery. I think mine is fine now but I want to add A/C which won't help anything for cooling

With my bodylift I am tempted to try a 5.0 Explorer radiator. I grabbed a shroud (cheap) and I think I have enough room to keep the bottom of the radiator above the bottom of the frame and the top below the radiator support.

 

[Shran]

200 would be just totally fine with me. Even if it would stay at 210 I'd be OK with that. And like I said, most of the time it's fine and stays at 195... but once it starts heating up, there's no stopping it unless I pull over and let it idle.

I am kinda wondering if I'm getting air pockets in the upper radiator hose that are preventing the thermostat from working correctly. With all the small leaks I'm chasing down, it's always a little low on coolant, and the upper radiator hose is pretty high up in the system.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

FWIW I am also at 1000' above sea level too. I know elevation makes a difference on cooling, not sure how much though.

It seems to me I am running at about the max the radiator can handle. Lots of crawling at higher elevations I don't know how well it would work.

 

[Shran]

Going to try round 2 of filling coolant tonight. I cannot seem to ever seal a 302 thermostat housing... they always leak. I trashed the gasket I had and am trying just a bead of RTV this time. Gasket by itself leaked even with high tack adhesive and gasket with RTV on both sides has been leaking for several years.

Haven't quite figured out the clutch situation yet. I shimmed the slave cylinder about 1/8" closer to the clutch arm...we'll see if that helps once I I have no coolant leak and can drive it. I tried bleeding more fluid through the slave and didn't get any air, and I pulled the master cylinder off, straightened it out and didn't get any air in the reservoir. Maybe the new clutch assembly and throwout bearing are just slightly smaller than the old set leading to a longer throw required, I don't know.

Should I be able to push the slave cylinder pushrod back into the slave by hand? Does that sound normal? Because I can, fairly easily.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Going to try round 2 of filling coolant tonight. I cannot seem to ever seal a 302 thermostat housing... they always leak. I trashed the gasket I had and am trying just a bead of RTV this time. Gasket by itself leaked even with high tack adhesive and gasket with RTV on both sides has been leaking for several years.

I hate them.

Best thing ever, right after I did my swap I had a chrome mr gasket housing that sealed with an o ring. It worked great. They don’t make one with a port for a temp sensor so I ditched it shortly after.

 

[Bird76Mojo]

Jegs carries a nice billet 302 thermostat housing with the additional port. It also seals with an o-ring. Several companies make them. Pretty cheap too.