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

[2drxploder]

Dyno day, I feel like I dressed wrong or something

 

[Neil Teske]

U V8 swap guys make me jealous.

 

[Rick W]

@lil_Blue_Ford

how about just taking the stx stickers off?

 

[2drxploder]

No tuning or pulls done. He can't communicate with ecu, can read codes thats it.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Other than drive the '97 to work and back, don't get much Ranger time in anymore...

Today my knee and back were feeling better so I got under the hood of the F350 to tackle the new turbo I got for it... I got the old turbo out, so that's a start! I also found the annoying oil leak! On this the turbo is mounted on a "pedestal" held down with 4 bolts, two you can see nice and easy, another you can see if the EBPV or whatever it's called (doesn't matter, it doesn't have the valve in the pipe anymore...) is removed, and the last you can kinda feel with one finger if you wipe off the goo in just the right spot after removing the EBPV solenoid hold down bracket thing... Anywho, those two back bolts that you can barely see were basically finger tight, the easier one didn't require a wrench, the harder one I mainly used a socket on an extension to twist it out since I couldn't touch the bolt head...

Oh, and since I replaced the rear sway bar end links last week and noticed the rear shock bushings were fried I was going to measure for new bushings, but turns out the shocks are toast, no gas left... so just ordered some new KYB Monomax shocks for the rear, was going to order some for the front but Amazon only had one... I did order the sway bar pivot bushings for the rear, so I'll do that when I put the shocks on.

I'm contemplating getting new injectors since the turbo is off, this would be an opportune time... that would open up another can of worms for getting the intercooler installed though...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

@lil_Blue_Ford

how about just taking the stx stickers off?

The STX stickers are long gone, they were gone before I ever laid eyes on the truck, hence why I decided it was an XLT package because it had the power upgrades inside and all the typical XLT stuff but didn’t seem to sit all that high. It was only when I discovered the window sticker that I figured it out and promptly felt cheated.

Not really sure what exactly my plan is for the truck. It was originally supposed to be fixed up to help a kid out, but he never put in the effort. My green Ranger went down last year, drove the GF’s car for awhile but then she started back to work (cook), so needed her car back, so I drove the F-150 but it’s hard on my hip to DD that, so I threw the couple things the red one needed at the time on it and been driving it since. It still needs a bit of work and technically I won’t need it once the green one is back up, but it is a handy little truck to have around since I haven’t put a cap on it. Little annoying that I can only lock the cab at times, but pretty handy with yard work and such. Thought about doing a supercharger or something to it and fix it up like a sleeper/rat rod. Not sure I really need such a project, but….

 

[Bgunner]

So the other day I purchased a new stereo amplifier for my subwoofer along with a capacitor and installed them. All the wires were installed shortly after I purchased the truck but I thought I had smoked my old amp so I just uninstalled it and pulled the fuse. After getting everything wired correctly and cap charged I went to test it and whole lot of nothing came out the speaker. I was at the GF's so I didn't have my multimeter to test if the amp was working so I gave up for a few days and just pulled the funky privacy shade that the ranger has for the super cab to hide my mess till today.

So I felt ambitious today and am home so I through on the sweatshirt and packed the pockets with my multimeter and thought "What if this is not an amp issue? The speaker may be shot I should grab a 12" out of the closet as a test subject." I gabbed the speaker and off to the truck I headed with my confidence high that I could find the issue now I'm near my tool box. I used the K.I.S.S. theory (Keep It Simple Stupid) and tested the 12" sub and low and be hold the speaker was moving. Hmmm, OK did I buy another amp for no reason? I thought to myself so I proceeded to wire up the old amp and tested it and wouldn't you know the old amp is still alive... It's Alive!!! Ok Now the issue is either the speaker, most likely at that point, but to be sure I pulled the box out and pulled the 15" speaker to test on its own without the added box connections just to be sure it is the speaker. yup I literally smoked the speaker, the magic smoke smelled horrible when it crapped out last summer. Issue known!

So I now have a wiring mess that you only normally see behind your computer desk with wires all twisted and no organization to them so I preceded to install the 12" in a 15" box... Oh boy next time I'm at the GF's I need to hit the best buy for a 12" box because it is some jerry rigged / MacGyver stuff right there. I then put the box back in and organized all the wiring, again, I wired up the amp and tested. The speaker moved so the wiring in the box is fine. Now with a back ache I took 5 mins to chill and cleaned up my mess and tossed the 15" in the dumpster that was just dumped this am. All I can think of now is will that big magnet keep the speaker from being dumped next week...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Got out of work early, so after helping my buddy with hauling in some scrap, we pulled the bed on the red Ranger, fixed the fuel filler neck and swapped the carriage bolts that someone welded in for bed bolts with regular bolts and weld nuts on the frame. Cheap and dirty solution, but it’s better than carriage bolts.

 

[Bgunner]

Drove to the GF and blew the pressure hose on the power steering pump. I already had the part but it's at home. trying to decide buy another line and replace it here or full the pump and run home, a 44 mile jaunt none the less.

 

[Jazzer]

I had that happen to my ‘87 a couple of years ago, had no fluid with me and had 18 miles to get home. Luckily I didn’t burn out the pump.

-Jazzer

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Cut up enough 2x4's I got last year I could have almost retired on in today's market and started building a framework to support the roof when I take it off.

 

[1990RangerinSK]

Drove to the GF and blew the pressure hose on the power steering pump. I already had the part but it's at home. trying to decide buy another line and replace it here or full the pump and run home, a 44 mile jaunt none the less.

Personally, I'd borrow the GF's car, drive home, get the part that I have there, then drive back and put it in. On the other hand, depending on the price of the hose, it might be cheaper to just buy a hose there.

 

[Dirtman]

Cut up enough 2x4's I got last year I could have almost retired on in today's market and started building a framework to support the roof when I take it off.

I've always wanted to build an indestructible workshop out of 2x4 square stock for framing and 1/4" steel plate for walls, roof, and floor instead of using any wood. I went to home depot today and saw the lumber prices, suddenly my insane plan to build a solid metal 2,000 ton shed in my yard is not looking so ridiculous anymore. Take that rational thinking society!

 

[Roert42]

I've always wanted to build an indestructible workshop out of 2x4 square stock for framing and 1/4" steel plate for walls, roof, and floor instead of using any wood. I went to home depot today and saw the lumber prices, suddenly my insane plan to build a solid metal 2,000 ton shed in my yard is not looking so ridiculous anymore. Take that rational thinking society!

View attachment 60116

Build it out of solid Titanium.

 

[Dirtman]

Steel is stronger...