What did you do to your Ranger today? (Part Deux!)

[Curious Hound]

I think I'm worthy of being quoted.

 

[Curious Hound]

I think I'm worthy of being quoted.

 

[Dirtman]

I think I'm worthy if being quoted.

You are mistaken...

 

[1990RangerinSK]

Why are you still quoting Jim....

Because @Jim Oaks has nothing better to do than check notifications of posts that don't really pertain to him. Right, Jim?

 

[1990RangerinSK]

I think I'm worthy of being quoted.

You most certainly are.

 

[jelinski]

I have a '94 Mazda B4000 (rebadged Ranger with 4.0 liter engine). For a long time (years!) it has seemed like the air conditioner does not blow as hard as it should. The blower sounds like it's running OK, just not much airflow out of the dash panel outlets.
Today (after putting if off for years!) I finally got in the right mood, and dug into it. I pulled the air cleaner and coolant overflow/washer fluid tank out of the way, and removed the blower, intending to check and see if the blower motor was running properly, and to see if it was getting full voltage when on high speed.
Removing the blower, I saw bits of leaves in the ductwork. I removed the dropping resistor assembly, and it was FULL of leaf bits! The blower is fine, the AC evaporator core was stopped up with leaf bits!
I used a shop vacuum (with the hose at the blower passages) and compressed air (blowing in at the dropping resistor pack opening) in the heater unit housing, and blew/vacuumed out all the leaf bits. Used a piece of rubber hose on the air blower for flexibility, then a piece of plastic tubing pressed into the end of the rubber hose as a blower tip, and was able to flex this nozzle all around to blow out all the leaf bits. Used a flashlight and a 'mirror on a stick' through the blower duct to inspect the entire surface of the evaporator core and make sure it was all clear.
Put 'er back together and now it flows more air on 'low' than it used to flow on 'high'.

Not a big deal, but a nice little evening project with a good result.

That's what I did with my (rebadged) Ranger today!

 

[Snoranger]

I have a '94 Mazda B4000 (rebadged Ranger with 4.0 liter engine). For a long time (years!) it has seemed like the air conditioner does not blow as hard as it should. The blower sounds like it's running OK, just not much airflow out of the dash panel outlets.
Today (after putting if off for years!) I finally got in the right mood, and dug into it. I pulled the air cleaner and coolant overflow/washer fluid tank out of the way, and removed the blower, intending to check and see if the blower motor was running properly, and to see if it was getting full voltage when on high speed.
Removing the blower, I saw bits of leaves in the ductwork. I removed the dropping resistor assembly, and it was FULL of leaf bits! The blower is fine, the AC evaporator core was stopped up with leaf bits!
I used a shop vacuum (with the hose at the blower passages) and compressed air (blowing in at the dropping resistor pack opening) in the heater unit housing, and blew/vacuumed out all the leaf bits. Used a piece of rubber hose on the air blower for flexibility, then a piece of plastic tubing pressed into the end of the rubber hose as a blower tip, and was able to flex this nozzle all around to blow out all the leaf bits. Used a flashlight and a 'mirror on a stick' through the blower duct to inspect the entire surface of the evaporator core and make sure it was all clear.
Put 'er back together and now it flows more air on 'low' than it used to flow on 'high'.

Not a big deal, but a nice little evening project with a good result.

That's what I did with my (rebadged) Ranger today!

You’re lucky the leaves didn’t catch fire from the resistor.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Because @Jim Oaks has nothing better to do than check notifications of posts that don't really pertain to him. Right, Jim?

Sure.

 

[Alan_nc]

Finally got the drive shaft back in. Took Floyd for about a 10 mile run. Seems to have gotten rid of some vibrations.
Hey....I'm happy anyway.

 

[ThatOneGuy]

I recently bought another 83 ranger 2.3 4x4, my original was a 2.8 but has sat for ten years now, I have a good running truck but she is rough around the edges. Iv'e been stripping the entire interior dash frame included going to go through wires with a fine tooth comb damn tweaker wire mutilation. Gotta replace fuse box clean,deal with surface rust as that's all there is even original floor pans are solid as new. Truck does look like a pine tree died in it though needles and dirt everywhere. Once clean and repainted I have a nearly perfect full interior out of my 85 I will be installing. I figure with my three trucks and one title I should end up with a really good truck. As long as no one hates on my meticulous rattle can paint job. It can be made to look and last well if done right. Done it a few times.

 

[Curious Hound]

In preparation for the trail ride, I loaded some parts, extra fluids, tools, etc. In the new toolbox I had mounted in the bed, tweaked the alignment slightly to center the steering wheel and give a bit more toe-in and drove it to pick up Chinese takeout for dinner.

 

[Grumpaw]

Bought a set of side step bars from Amazon. Spec D 3 inch. Wife gave me permission to spend a few $$$.
I know there mostly useless but I always liked the look. Delivered next Wednesday.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Bought a set of side step bars from Amazon. Spec D 3 inch. Wife gave me permission to spend a few $$$.
I know there mostly useless but I always liked the look. Delivered next Wednesday.

I remember when you bought your truck... the goal was completely stock... and you were going to keep it that way. lol My how things change. It's hard to not modify...

 

[Grumpaw]

I remember when you bought your truck... the goal was completely stock... and you were going to keep it that way. lol My how things change. It's hard to not modify...

Hard not to mod these things. Don't think I've ever owned a vehicle that I didn't do something too.
But, I do get a lot of "thumbs up" when I'm out driving...even from "the others" owners. Even had a Chebbie owner try to buy it from me.
Havent posted in the how too's too much cause I haven't had any problems at all. Guess I'm lucky, and that I have a bit of $$$ to throw at it.
But, I do admire and respect all you members who keep the old one's going, doing your own heavy mods, rebuilding and renewing. You all have some great skill
set's, and a wealth of knowledge.

 

[racsan]

yes it seems like step bars are more for appearance then function. Ive had 2 sets where I modified the brackets so they were useable as a step. Its crazy how much they are too, I think the escape bars were nearly $200, then I spent a day & some materials making them “useable”. Back when diamond plate running boards were common, they were about $80 and no fabrication needed to be useable.
Its raining today , so I’ll just chill & watch tv. Yesterday I tried putting a tach on again, didnt go well. the inductive pickup was supposed to go with a certian tach, despite the description saying “will work with any equus 3-3/4 or 5 inch tach”. So I tried the conventional hook up, no matter which tan w yellow wire I used for the tach signal, it read low, real low- 200 rpm at idle. So for the hell of it I snipped the end off the pickup & tried that. Nothing. Guess theres always the diesel option, those use the alternator, tach has 500 increments instead of 1000 and only goes to 3500 but thats ok, horsepower peak on a 2.3 is about 4600 I think , 3,000 is usually plenty of rpm for my useage. But I doubt I mess with it much now. I found a few stock tach clusters on ebay but who knows if they work, I might have some weird ignition or wiring issue that would STILL have a stock tach read really low but yet not effect the engine starting & running.
Ive had a neighbor want to buy mine, It does draw some attention with the unique paint & other things Ive done with it. Ive not drove it much since being laid off, was nice to take it out the day I got that trailer.