Seafoam?

[AutoRnD]

The connectors have locking tabs that need to click in place for the connector to fully seat. Be real careful handling connectors; the plastic gets brittle with age and breaks easy.

Use the silicone spray that you got, it will likely help you click the connector in place. Just go easy.


And, get a new air filter as soon as you can. But I know that you already know that, right? See, you're learning quickly!

I feel like I am but I kept refraining from feeling that way or thinking of it because I'll get ahead of myself easily. I'm an idiot. At no point, any time soon do I want to think "I know what I'm doing now". Lol. I'm crazy impatient but I think I'm doing a good job at holding myself back and it's important that I don't muck this up. I'm on a budget and it has to be THIS Ranger that I do a good job with. I'm making progress now but it's going to down major when I have to get under the truck. I'll be honest, I'm a bit intimidated.

 

[AutoRnD]

I need to wait for tomorrow to take more pictures but for now I'll show what's been done.

I couldn't find a spot where the throttle body couldd be removed...

So I slipped the spray nozzle directly into the throttle body? It didn't seem to leak.

This was the throttle body before treatment.

It's dark so I need to wait for tomorrow for the after pictures.

I only sprayed the throttle body. Waiting on a day where I can fill the tank to do the fuel treatment and when I can afford oil and an oil pan so I can dump it into the.... "crank case"?? I forgot to take pictures of the smoke but yeah it let out a lot and now it seems smoother. It was letting out a lot of contaminants.

I did run into this wire while looking around.

I couldn't find a connector. It was just hanging there.

 

[sgtsandman]

That's the throttle body. Being built into the intake like that is not common. The thing sitting on the top right is your Idle Air Control Valve (IAC). That can get clogged up over time. If you have the tools to unbolt that, take it off and hose it down with throttle body cleaner.

I'm not sure what that wire is that you are asking about. Someone else might.

 

[RobbieD]

I did run into this wire while looking around.

I couldn't find a connector. It was just hanging there.

I don't think that single black wire is stock. Try tracing it back to see if you can find where it's coming from.


Is that a headlight connector that's taped up? It looks like somebody's replaced a headlight bulb in the past, and broke the connector's locking tabs, requiring the tape to hold it tight.

If so, that's a good example of why these old plastic connectors need to be handled with care when you're working with them.

 

[AutoRnD]

That's the throttle body. Being built into the intake like that is not common. The thing sitting on the top right is your Idle Air Control Valve (IAC). That can get clogged up over time. If you have the tools to unbolt that, take it off and hose it down with throttle body cleaner.

I'm not sure what that wire is that you are asking about. Someone else might.

I some how missed this message last night. Sorry. As I'm writing this I'm heading to my truck now. I'm going to try and mess with the IAC see if I can't clean it up a bit.

I don't think that single black wire is stock. Try tracing it back to see if you can find where it's coming from.


Is that a headlight connector that's taped up? It looks like somebody's replaced a headlight bulb in the past, and broke the connector's locking tabs, requiring the tape to hold it tight.

If so, that's a good example of why these old plastic connectors need to be handled with care when you're working with them.

I was actually the one who taped it. The third day I drove the truck the right headlight went out.

These are the ones it had:

So I bought new ones(same model) but when I went to replace them it just so happened the light hadn't went out it just wasn't seated. I kept the new lights and replaced them anyway but it still wouldn't seat and I didn't have the silicone spray yet so I hit it up with tape but today I'm realizing... either the clips to hold them in place are broken or these weren't the correct lights to begin with.

They fit and work but theres no click. It's fine up until the point where some sort of plastic tab would exist for that larger mound to fit into but nothing.

Now for this wire, I have no clue where it goes. It has a harness clip but I can't find an entry point.

I thought maybe it was a high beam connector? My high beams never worked. Actually just remembered that I never bought the bulbs. The bulbs are there I just couldn't get them to turn on. The fuse in 33 calls for a 15A. It had a 10 I put a 25 I overlooked the "A" are these not A's? Going to post for noe but after I do so going back to look around that wire.

 

[RobbieD]

Yep, the locking tabs are broken off of the headlight connector, so it won't "snap" and lock onto the bulb. Don't tell anybody, but some of my trucks use the same electrical tape holding method as you did; good fix.

I think that your unused 2-wire connector is for optional fog lights. Parts of the harness is prewired, but the lights, switch and relay weren't installed unless the truck was built with fog lights.

"A" means "amps", or amperes, amperage; that's how fuses are rated. Higher the number, the more amps the fuse will carry before it blows.

 

[sgtsandman]

I hope you wiped those bulbs off with some rubbing alcohol in order to remove the skin oil left behind on the glass. If not, the oil will create hot spots and cause the bulbs to fail prematurely.

 

[AutoRnD]

I hope you wiped those bulbs off with some rubbing alcohol in order to remove the skin oil left behind on the glass. If not, the oil will create hot spots and cause the bulbs to fail prematurely.

Whoa! What? Ok I'll pop'em out and literally do it right now. Back outside for me.

 

[AutoRnD]

Ok so. This is the throttle body after seafoam treatment.

This is it with me throwing a little TLC at it.

Is there a such thing as too aggresive with cleaning?

And here's the IAC, sorry I forgot to take before pictures.

Ordered a WIX air filter, it'll be here tomorrow.

I think that your unused 2-wire connector is for optional fog lights. Parts of the harness is prewired, but the lights, switch and relay weren't installed unless the truck was built with fog lights.

Makes a lot of sense now. I'm sorry for the pictures of that wire before. I didn't realize I sent a wrong picture. I never captured the actual harness connector for you guys to see.

 

[AutoRnD]

I hope you wiped those bulbs off with some rubbing alcohol in order to remove the skin oil left behind on the glass. If not, the oil will create hot spots and cause the bulbs to fail prematurely.

Here it is, alcohol treated(like my body)

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Because of how hot headlight bulbs get, you definitely don’t want to touch the glass with your hands and clean them with rubbing alcohol if you do. Those old bulbs were the Xtravison Sylvania’s, decent bulbs. I prefer the Silverstars, little bit brighter. 9007 is the bulb type and those have both high and low filaments in them, so if you don’t have high beams, you have a problem somewhere. As mentioned, the clips on the plugs for the headlights are broken. That extra wire plug appears to be something aftermarket, that’s not a standard Ford harness and plug.

Always use fuses of the correct amperage rating (A). Putting a 25a fuse in place of a 15a could result in an electrical fire. If you’re constantly blowing the correct fuse for the circuit, you have a short somewhere that needs to be found and resolved. Or there’s a bad component that’s drawing too much power that needs replaced.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Re seafoam... I did my 97 in August pretty much like sgtsandman explained earlier. But I did it three ways.

First, I put a full can I. The gS tank, filled the tank. Then I put a third of a can in the oil to clean the lifters. Then drove it to Illinois 3 hours/ 170 miles away to visit a friend. Did som maintenance like the air filter and little stuff, got the engine up to temp and did the intake method and poured another third of a can down the the brake booster hose. Engine died. Let it si for 15 min and ran it did a bit of a smoke show, did it again with the last third of the bottle. Overall it idled a little smoother and throttle response was better, but noverly so. 198k miles at the time, first time that I have ever done it to the Ranger.

AJ

 

[AutoRnD]

Re seafoam... I did my 97 in August pretty much like sgtsandman explained earlier. But I did it three ways.

First, I put a full can I. The gS tank, filled the tank. Then I put a third of a can in the oil to clean the lifters. Then drove it to Illinois 3 hours/ 170 miles away to visit a friend. Did som maintenance like the air filter and little stuff, got the engine up to temp and did the intake method and poured another third of a can down the the brake booster hose. Engine died. Let it si for 15 min and ran it did a bit of a smoke show, did it again with the last third of the bottle. Overall it idled a little smoother and throttle response was better, but noverly so. 198k miles at the time, first time that I have ever done it to the Ranger.

AJ

I wanted to do the methods you mentioned. I saw some videos where they did what you said. It was recommended that I add a can to the gas tank, a can to directly into the throttle body and finally a can in where the oil goes but in the video he also added a Lucas Oil brand treatment that was super thick. Then changed the oil and it was great. I hadn't done most of this because I'm low on funds. Waiting until I can afford to swap spark plugs and change oil before I do the triple treatment.

 

[97RangerXLT]

I wanted to do the methods you mentioned. I saw some videos where they did what you said. It was recommended that I add a can to the gas tank, a can to directly into the throttle body and finally a can in where the oil goes but in the video he also added a Lucas Oil brand treatment that was super thick. Then changed the oil and it was great. I hadn't done most of this because I'm low on funds. Waiting until I can afford to swap spark plugs and change oil before I do the triple treatment.

I also did change the oil after driving it with seafoam in it for 170 miles. One thing to consider if any of the engine gaskets are marginal, this will clean out enough gunk to make them leak...

AJ

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I’ve done Seafoam on several vehicles. Actually most of my trucks have had it done at some point or other. The best though was my Choptop years ago (and a few motors ago). I had it running and sucked it in through a vacuum port on the intake, don’t remember what one, but I pinched the line and just kinda burped it in a little at a time, then let it run for like 15 minutes, revved it a little, got a little smoke but nothing crazy. Shut it off and let it sit like an hour till I had to leave. At the time it had an aftermarket high-flow cat and a Flowmaster 40 series and ran straight out the back.

When I went to leave, it put out a little smoke while I idled it up the driveway, but again, nothing major. I pulled out of the driveway and hammered on it a bit (first, second, fourth) and when I looked behind me after getting up to speed, it looked like midnight behind me. Just literally smoked out the entire road with thick black clouds. It put out that smoke show for a good almost a mile. Ran really great after that until it blew up, but I don’t blame the Seafoam for that. I’ve had a lot of motor problems with that truck for some reason, blew up like four 2.9 and four 4.0 motors so far. Got pretty good at changing motors, but I’m not exactly happy about acquiring that particular skill.