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

[JoshT]

Failed on charging the AC system and finally really drove it for the first time with the V8.

As I mentioned yesterday, we were trying to charge the AC sustem that I thought worked in the explorer before it was disassembled. The rental vacuum pump from O'Reilly wasn't up to par and would only pull around 16" of vacuum. Purchased a much larger (3 vs 1.8 CFM) two stage vacuum pump from harbor freight this morning. That thing works. Pulled the system down to 30 inches almost instantly. Let it run for the recommended two hours. Unfortunately trying to charge it revealed that the compressor isn't working. Compressor clutch works, we jumped it and it engaged, but built no system pressure. Going to take a break and drive the truck for a few weeks before taking it back apart to fic AC. In the mean time I have to decide if I'm going to re-use parts from the previous (working) 4.0L AC system or buy all new Explorer 5.0L components. I just bought the receiver drier and orifice tube so they should be good. Both evaporators should be ok since the orifice filter would catch any debris, just flush it. The compressor and condenser are the questions. Compressor is the same except pulley size is different, but those can be swapped. Condensers mount different, the 5.0 to the radiator and the 4.0 to the core support. If it fits with the 5.0L raiator, the 4.0 condenser would be easier when/if I need to work on the cooling system in the future. I might start another thread on this.

After figuring out the AC was a bust and pulling the compressor relay, I took it for it's second maiden voyage up the interstate. Second because I did drive it up the interstate to the exhaust shop, but still maiden since it wasn't running right due to plug wires being wrong and got towed back. Ran great, but I expect it to get better as the system learns. Hopefully the transmission will learn some too. It shifts well, but I feel like it could be better. Might just have to get a tuner and adjusted shift points after I get a few miles on it. I imagine a shift kit would help as well, but not sure I want to touch the internals on a relatively unknown transmission.

Drove truck home tonight and it will be my daily for the next few days (weeks?) unless something happens. Might take it to my mechanic buddy later this week and complain about the noise and feeling different without mentioning the swap. He doesn;t know I started the swap, but knows me and will figure it out quickly. Also probabaly give me crap for not fixing a few things while I was in there.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

@JoshT , I don’t have my AC done in mine either. I need a hose and probably a compressor. Think I might just replace my evaporator too. Got a new receiver/dryer and orifice tube ready to go for it. I’ll have to get on fixing it though.

As for the transmission, yeah, it’s sloppy. No external adjustments for the bands either. Mine has been happier since I changed the tire size in the computer and it tends to shift better if you’re a little less than full throttle. I’ve been looking at shift kits and valve body stuff. Probably gonna happen before long.

 

[JoshT]

I drove to work and around town today. I learned a few things about the V8 swap from it. More on that below.

@JoshT , I don’t have my AC done in mine either. I need a hose and probably a compressor. Think I might just replace my evaporator too. Got a new receiver/dryer and orifice tube ready to go for it. I’ll have to get on fixing it though.

As for the transmission, yeah, it’s sloppy. No external adjustments for the bands either. Mine has been happier since I changed the tire size in the computer and it tends to shift better if you’re a little less than full throttle. I’ve been looking at shift kits and valve body stuff. Probably gonna happen before long.

Being here in middle Georgia, the AC will be fixed by the end of April. Even if I have to throw the parts catalog at it, it will be fixed by then. We're going to run through the charging procedure again sometime this week just to make sure that we didn't do something wrong. If that fails I'll either be cobbling parts from the 4.0L system or buying a new compressor and condenser. The system on the 4.0L was working when I started trearing the truck down a few weeks ago and I removed the system intact without opening any lines. I'll have to carry it to get the Freon recovered, but all the components should be good. Will have to swap the compressor clutch, but other than that I could use those parts.

Transmission will get something, but I need to put some miles on it before I'm willing to sink the moneyt into THIS transmission. It needs to prove itself for a bit. If it shows signs of failing, I'll do that work on a replacement to swap in. I knew from the start that this transmission failing in short order was a possibility. No alarm bells, just a used and unknown part.

My first move towards improving tranmission will probably be through tuning rather than a shift kit. I say that because one of the things I figure out today (other than just confirming the sloppy shifting) is that the explorer was apparently speedlimited at 90 MPH. Not that I need to (or will regularly) run 90, but it should be able to exceed that easily and there were still people passing me that speed. Sunday on the interstate I wasn't sure if it was just breaking up at those speeds, it felt like it was pulling hard until it just wasn't. I hit a "closed course" on the way to work this morning and it is most definitely in the tuning, repeated it on the way home. Either fuel or ignition gets cut almost as soon as the needle hits 90. That has got to go away soon, so I'm going to be loking into tuning options.

Another thing I figured out is that with AWD the V8 is deceptively strong. With the 4.0L it would let you know when you hit the throttle too hard. Even if it didn't break the tires loose you could feel the launch. With the AWD it just goes. It doesn't feel like a particularly hard launch even if it is harder than with the V6, it just goes. Aside from the lazy shifting, which I hope will improve some through learning, it just keeps pulling. Well, it just keeps pulling... until it hits the speedlimiter.

Finally, I figured out that this exhaust is not a long term solution. It does work and makes the truck quiter than the pipes open behind the cats, but it's louder in the cab than I wanted and I don't know that I care for the flowmaster sound. I wanted a dual in/out turbo muffler, but shop "couldn't" fit what I wanted. I'll probably end up with two single in/out turbos and a crossover if I can't find a shop to use what I wanted. I can live with it until I get the suspension sorted. In the mean time I might see if I can attach the original tail pipe in palce of the turndown that they put on, assuming that it is the right size. That should move the sound further from the cabin and out froom under the truck.

 

[ActuallyaMazda]

Took the rig up to the trails today. Being in Washington in early spring means a whole lot of rain and with that comes a whole lot of mud. My buddy came with in his Jeep and we did about 35 miles most of which was at pretty high elevations, but in the low altitude spots the rain was collecting a lot in spots and made some pretty tall water crossings. We got through unscathed though. I broke my air filter support though, so it was annoyingly slamming around under the hood for the last five or six miles, but that’s what I get for buying a cheap chinese eBay air filter tube. All in all the truck held up great and didn’t have one issue with idle or running rough like the problems I’ve had the past couple weeks.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

@JoshT

I need to finish lowering my front end before dealing with the speed limiter. But yeah, the speed limiter has to go. I’m not sure if it requires a tuner or if there’s a way to do it with Forscan. Haven’t dug that far into it yet.

I’m really tired of the sloppy shifting. It needs a shift kit. Early on I was worried about the condition of the transmission because it acted up a bit, but they don’t like sitting and it was sitting awhile. After putting a couple hundred miles on it, the only thing it does is the sloppy shifts. I’m irritated enough that as soon as we start getting more consistent decent weather, I’m probably gonna get it done.

Mine launches nice. I need to find the other traction bar bolt and get those in, I can feel it try to rock back a little on a harder launch. I try to roll into launches though because I’ve been told there’s something in the transmission that slides and bangs hard on hard launches and the better shift kits eliminate that by starting in second for like one turn of the tires. The AWD does make a huge difference in being able to fully utilize the power of the 5.0. I’ve had a few people tell me that my truck is junk because I can’t smoke the tires. That’s nice, you sit here and smoke your tires and think you’re cool but I’m gonna be waaayyy over there because my toy is gonna hook n book. The AWD is a game changer. It will try to fight you a little in hard cornering in the steering wheel. I’ve been debating going to an electric power steering pump which would deaden that. Part of that problem though is space under the hood to make it happen. It would have to go where my air box is or I’d have to run long lines and mount it under the bed.

My recommendation on exhaust is a Magnaflow crossover muffler. Here is what I’m running and what dad’s had.

MagnaFlow 11386 MagnaFlow Performance Mufflers | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - MagnaFlow Performance Mufflers with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Mufflers at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

 

[sgtsandman]

@JoshT

I need to finish lowering my front end before dealing with the speed limiter. But yeah, the speed limiter has to go. I’m not sure if it requires a tuner or if there’s a way to do it with Forscan. Haven’t dug that far into it yet.

I’m really tired of the sloppy shifting. It needs a shift kit. Early on I was worried about the condition of the transmission because it acted up a bit, but they don’t like sitting and it was sitting awhile. After putting a couple hundred miles on it, the only thing it does is the sloppy shifts. I’m irritated enough that as soon as we start getting more consistent decent weather, I’m probably gonna get it done.

Mine launches nice. I need to find the other traction bar bolt and get those in, I can feel it try to rock back a little on a harder launch. I try to roll into launches though because I’ve been told there’s something in the transmission that slides and bangs hard on hard launches and the better shift kits eliminate that by starting in second for like one turn of the tires. The AWD does make a huge difference in being able to fully utilize the power of the 5.0. I’ve had a few people tell me that my truck is junk because I can’t smoke the tires. That’s nice, you sit here and smoke your tires and think you’re cool but I’m gonna be waaayyy over there because my toy is gonna hook n book. The AWD is a game changer. It will try to fight you a little in hard cornering in the steering wheel. I’ve been debating going to an electric power steering pump which would deaden that. Part of that problem though is space under the hood to make it happen. It would have to go where my air box is or I’d have to run long lines and mount it under the bed.

My recommendation on exhaust is a Magnaflow crossover muffler. Here is what I’m running and what dad’s had.

MagnaFlow 11386 MagnaFlow Performance Mufflers | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - MagnaFlow Performance Mufflers with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Mufflers at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

Some people see benefit on burning rubber for some reason. I'd rather keep the rubber gripping the pavement and get moving faster.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Some people see benefit on burning rubber for some reason. I'd rather keep the rubber gripping the pavement and get moving faster.

Yeah, seems like a lot of people think that burning rubber means your vehicle is cool and fast and also they usually think the louder your vehicle the better. I think those people are a bit daft. If you can light up the back tires, especially both and not just one (or front tires if it’s a front wheel drive vehicle), you have a traction problem because you’ve just proven that you can’t effectively and efficiently put the power your vehicle produces to the ground. It’s also a good way to break things and ruin tires, none of which is cheap. Every ounce of power my 5.0 AWD Ranger makes I can effectively use right now between the AWD and the packed limited slip rear. When it was in stock form with an open rear, 4x4 and 4.0, I could do a one wheel peel, often accidentally, which irritated me to no end when I was trying to hurry up and get going. Same with why my F-150 has a rear locker. Smoking a tire off when you’re trying to hurry up and move is not productive. I want to hook n book, not play around.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

@lil_Blue_Ford and @JoshT

What do you guys mean by AWD? I thought the explorers/rangers only came in 4x4 or 2wd, as a full time AWD system requires a center diff or viscous clutch.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

Also, @lil_Blue_Ford, I try to avoid hard launches for the same reason- the trans. Any recommendations for "good" shift kits that will let me ham on it without fear of excessive wear or damage?

 

[ben_2_go]

@lil_Blue_Ford and @JoshT

What do you guys mean by AWD? I thought the explorers/rangers only came in 4x4 or 2wd, as a full time AWD system requires a center diff or viscous clutch.

Some of the limited edition Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers came with AWD. I believe some had a low range. Yes, they had something like an open diff inside the transfer case, from what I can remember. They weren't very reliable and a lot of them ended up getting swapped for a standard t case. Very limited numbers of those were made.

Here some info. Very little info, but it's in there.

2000 Mercury Mountaineer Review & Ratings | Edmunds

Edmunds' expert review of the Used 2000 Mercury Mountaineer provides the latest look at trim-level features and specs, performance, safety, and comfort. At Edmunds we drive every car we review, performing road tests and competitor comparisons to help you find your perfect car. Read the full...

www.edmunds.com

 

[Snoranger]

Some of the limited edition Explorers and Mercury Mountaineers came with AWD. I believe some had a low range. Yes, they had something like an open diff inside the transfer case, from what I can remember. They weren't very reliable and a lot of them ended up getting swapped for a standard t case. Very limited numbers of those were made.

Here some info. Very little info, but it's in there.

2000 Mercury Mountaineer Review & Ratings | Edmunds

Edmunds' expert review of the Used 2000 Mercury Mountaineer provides the latest look at trim-level features and specs, performance, safety, and comfort. At Edmunds we drive every car we review, performing road tests and competitor comparisons to help you find your perfect car. Read the full...

www.edmunds.com

The 95-01 V8 Explorers came in either 2wd or AWD. None of them came in 4WD of had low range.
The AWD t-case had a viscous coupler that allowed for the slip between the front and rear. They were known to go back from mis-matched tires. Even a worn out tire or 2 could cause issues over time. When they went bad, a common symptom was that the vehicle could drift in park.

That’s enough Explorer facts for now… if there are any other questions, just ask.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

Thanks for the info, both of you! Useful to know if I (someday hopefully) do a V8 swap.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

@lil_Blue_Ford and @JoshT

What do you guys mean by AWD? I thought the explorers/rangers only came in 4x4 or 2wd, as a full time AWD system requires a center diff or viscous clutch.

Just that, the 5.0 Explorers and Mountaineers were either 2wd or had a single speed AWD t-case. The AWD case isn’t really good for off-road use, but it works well on the street. Since I lowered my green Ranger, it’s not going to see much more than a dirt road. If I want to play in the dirt, I have my Choptop and F-150 for that. Green Ranger is a straight up street toy for me.

Also, @lil_Blue_Ford, I try to avoid hard launches for the same reason- the trans. Any recommendations for "good" shift kits that will let me ham on it without fear of excessive wear or damage?

I’m not sure it’s a problem for any other transmission but the 4R70 and AOD/AODE. Just a problem I noticed references to in those transmissions because that transmission series was behind 302 engines in police cars and taxis (think crown Vic). So they were subjected to a lot of abnormal abuse and a problem was found. Not that I hammer on it all the time or anything, but it’s a noted problem with the transmission behind the 5.0/302

As for a good shift kit, I’m not really sure what is available for your transmission. The only shift kit I’ve done so far was in my red 92 Ranger and I did the recommended TransGo kit with some other recommended additional parts and it was 1,000x better than a stock A4LD slushbox. That truck despite a working rear limited slip would light up the back tires just by giving it too much gas from a stop. At the time I did the work, there were only two kits offered for that transmission but now I’m hearing there may be another option.

 

[Manscout]

I am a big believer in pics with posting. I'm a part of multiple forums and I find the folks that care the most use them in their posts. That's not an indictment on anyone here, but it really adds to the enjoyment of being a forum member. There is a saying about what a picture is worth. Sometimes you just have folks that would rather type up the 1000 words.

What I finally did TO my Ranger:
- Finished up my pillar pod holder. I'm using a Glowshift Vac/boost gauge on top for the supercharger and testing a dual temp digital on the bottom. I am not loving the temp gauge. Sometimes it bounces wildly +/- 5deg. The top is to a sensor near the grill, and the bottom is the interior temp near the footwell. The night mode is still ridiculously bright too. The Glowshift is perfect.

- I got my TRS decal on the window! Looks good! Thanks Jim!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Since I am not really to the point of hooking the winch up yet and the cables were just kind of wrapped around the winch I slipped the winch back off. No idea when but the Ranger is going to be pulling dd duty for a bit while my dd is in the shop. @Mrs. Eighty Five was sitting at a stoplight in Omaha with 85_Ranger4x4jr in the back seat and somebody did not see the Aluminum Falcon sitting there... and took a 2" ball to the grille. AFAIK so far nobody got hurt, sounds like it was a pretty good bump though.