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

[pjtoledo]

You put more work in that contraction than I put into all three of my Rangers!

Send the pictures to Harbor freight so we can all have one in six months!

I need to modify it so the uprights are inside the boards. can't secure the pivot bolts the way it is now. damn wheel humps
MORE WELDING Ya Hoo
also need to lift it 1" to clear the engine hoist legs.

the boards top & underneath are on different planes/holes, I can remove either and support it with the other set.
I'm going to drill a couple extra bed mounting holes so I can R&R one support rib at a time.

keeping it vertical saves a lot of floor space.

 

[holyford86]

Got the dash out of the replacement cab for my supercharged truck, it has some cowl seam rust and a couple small holes, but nothing bad, especially in comparison to the cab currently on the truck.
Ordered a pair of replacement floor pans from lmc for it too, I should have it all stripped out and ready to move into the garage in a day or two, so that'll be nice. Once I do that it's on to getting all the sound deadening scraped off the cab floor, then the fun begins. It's kinda scary how little is available for these through the aftermarket now, at least for cab panels...

 

[mtnrgr]

Went to the lake this evening for some nature time. It's been a slow process to drive that way again...I'm going as I can.

A couple of pictures of the lake and my 97, and the Ole 3.0..still working to keep it clean and reliable. Still dealing with alot of health issues and the pain is intolerable, yet I'm still alive and going.

It's now registered in california, what is left of it. After the state bent me over backwards and forward then backwards again on these high fees..it's done.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Went to the lake this evening for some nature time. It's been a slow process to drive that way again...I'm going as I can.

A couple of pictures of the lake and my 97, and the Ole 3.0..still working to keep it clean and reliable. Still dealing with alot of health issues and the pain is intolerable, yet I'm still alive and going.

Glad to see you got out and got some pictures to share with us all! Always love seeing what you capture.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

That first picture of the Ranger would be great for the next calendar.

 

[Yepitsbob]

I have been working on suspension on my 97 V8 swapped ranger. I changed both rear spring hangers and shackles. Installed energy suspension poly bushings and KYB gas adjust shocks front and back.

 

[4.0blue98]

Noticed strange stain under the right front. Plastic tank on radiator has a small crack on the side just above the upper rad hose connection. It is the original so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Might spring for the Motorcraft replacement.

 

[Rick W]

The Road Ranger battery light has been flickering. The gauge looks like everything is just fine. So first thing I did on catching up on nit picky things on the truck was to pull that alternator. It’s a relatively new rebuilt 130 amp. I was thinking it might be the voltage regulator.

When I took it out, and I took it apart a little, I could see that the fins on the red wire winding were scraping.

As I fiddled around, I realized that you could push the shaft in and out about an eighth of an inch or maybe more. I don’t remember an alternator ever doing that. I took off that top cover, but I couldn’t see anything there. As I was wiggling it around, one of those little fins actually fell out, having broken off.

When I looked at the back, there was a cap with a little dimple on it that went over the bearing on the backside. As I looked at the housing, there was an empty bolt hole next to it. Virgin, nothing had ever been in that hole. I think that was for a little flat bracket to keep that cap seated all the way down. I couldn’t find a picture of anything like that anywhere. So I did the most logical thing:

I went into the shed of miracles, and I picked up a little piece of bedframe that holds the pin for the casters. I ground off the rivets, and then I cut that little leg thing up, so it would go under the bolt and keep the cap compressed. Cap and “new” bracket.

When I put it all back together, it seemed to be spinning perfectly, nothing rubbing. The sun was going away and it started to sprinkle. I covered my portable workbench (a student desk from Goodwill, I added lawnmower wheels) with a tarp. I’ll put it in and test it tomorrow.

Assuming it all works correctly, if anybody wants the specifications on my new bracket, PM me and I’ll send you the blueprints….

Checking plugs tomorrow to see if I can figure out why soot is coming out of my left tailpipe. I’m going to start with the driver front spark plug that was completely loose when I came back from Ford Nationals. ???

Then I’m going to run to the smoke machine just for the heck of it. What a great toy!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Just realized I am probably past our 25th Anniversary with my Ranger.

Not sure what day I got it but it was a week or two before I got insurance on it... on 9/11/00

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Just realized I am probably past our 25th Anniversary with my Ranger.

Not sure what day I got it but it was a week or two before I got insurance on it... on 9/11/00

I’m probably around the 25 year anniversary on my first Ranger, don’t remember specifics though on exactly when. That is my blue 2000 Ranger. lil Blue. Dad named it, lol.

 

[Rick W]

The Road Ranger battery light has been flickering. The gauge looks like everything is just fine. So first thing I did on catching up on nit picky things on the truck was to pull that alternator. It’s a relatively new rebuilt 130 amp. I was thinking it might be the voltage regulator.

When I took it out, and I took it apart a little, I could see that the fins on the red wire winding were scraping.

View attachment 133442

As I fiddled around, I realized that you could push the shaft in and out about an eighth of an inch or maybe more. I don’t remember an alternator ever doing that. I took off that top cover, but I couldn’t see anything there. As I was wiggling it around, one of those little fins actually fell out, having broken off.

When I looked at the back, there was a cap with a little dimple on it that went over the bearing on the backside. As I looked at the housing, there was an empty bolt hole next to it. Virgin, nothing had ever been in that hole. I think that was for a little flat bracket to keep that cap seated all the way down. I couldn’t find a picture of anything like that anywhere. So I did the most logical thing:

I went into the shed of miracles, and I picked up a little piece of bedframe that holds the pin for the casters. I ground off the rivets, and then I cut that little leg thing up, so it would go under the bolt and keep the cap compressed. Cap and “new” bracket.

View attachment 133443

View attachment 133444

When I put it all back together, it seemed to be spinning perfectly, nothing rubbing. The sun was going away and it started to sprinkle. I covered my portable workbench (a student desk from Goodwill, I added lawnmower wheels) with a tarp. I’ll put it in and test it tomorrow.

Assuming it all works correctly, if anybody wants the specifications on my new bracket, PM me and I’ll send you the blueprints….

Checking plugs tomorrow to see if I can figure out why soot is coming out of my left tailpipe. I’m going to start with the driver front spark plug that was completely loose when I came back from Ford Nationals. ???

Then I’m going to run to the smoke machine just for the heck of it. What a great toy!

After church, I tackled that alternator again.

First, I ran the smoke machine, and I was very happy to find out I didn’t have any leaks. I guess the whole issue was that halfassed patch behind the glove box. My aluminum duct tape seems to be holding just fine.

When I went to put the alternator back in, another one of those cooling vanes was sitting underneath where the alternator sits. So I pulled the voltage regulator off again, and I just spun it slowly. Sure enough, two of the vanes were broken off, two that were next to each other. The top of all the rest are scuffed.

Didn’t make me happy, but when I put it all back together, I don’t have any alternator light and the voltage gauge seems to be reading correctly. I’m probably going to pick up an alternator from the scrapyard for a truck box spare or maybe even just buy another 130 amp rebuilt, even though this one is working. I don’t know if I’ll ever trust it. But it was a good experience, taking it all apart and putting it back together.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

After church, I tackled that alternator again.

First, I ran the smoke machine, and I was very happy to find out I didn’t have any leaks. I guess the whole issue was that halfassed patch behind the glove box. My aluminum duct tape seems to be holding just fine.

When I want to put the alternator back in, another one of those cooling vanes was sitting underneath where the alternator sits. So I pulled the voltage regulator off again, and I just spun it slowly. Short enough, two of the vanes were broken off, two that were next to each other. The top of all the rest are scuffed.

View attachment 133455View attachment 133454

Didn’t make me happy, but when I put it all back together, I don’t have any alternator light and the voltage gauge seems to be reading correctly. I’m probably going to pick up an alternator from the scrapyard for a truck box spare or maybe even just buy another 130 amp rebuilt, even though this one is working. I don’t know if I’ll ever trust it. But it was a good experience, taking it all apart and putting it back together.

I know you don’t like buying new… but I’ve been buying starters and alternators from Autozone. If I can afford it and they offer it, I buy new (Duralast Gold), if not I get the regular Duralast rebuilt. Lifetime warranty. The 130 amp in my F-150 died almost 10 years to the day and they warrantied it. Actually it didn’t quite die, but it was only putting out about 9 volts… lol

 

["Risky Bizness"]

Ranger got a bath, and a coat of spray polish

 

[Rick W]

Oh wise ones, I need some help, some wisdom.

That 97 4.0 has been running like a top ever since I got it. 300,000 miles, one owner, extremely well maintained, now 320, and I didn’t think to tune it up until I had a miss coming back from Ford nationals in June. Actually, I couldn’t really feel a miss, but I feel like I had a slight loss of power. It’s still runs very strong, but doesn’t seem to run as strong as before, but it might be in my mind.

When I got home, the left exhaust pipe was full of soot, and there was soot on the rear fenders on the left side. A lot.

When I pulled the plugs, the driver side front spark plug was actually loose, it was still in the threads, but it was loose enough to wiggle it and remove it with my fingers. When I pulled it out, it was covered with soot. I put the new spark plug in, and it tightened down like normal. I don’t remember ever having a loose plug in the last zillion miles on any of the dozens or hundreds of vehicles….

I put in new plugs and wires. I haven’t put in an I haven’t put in an PCV valve yet, but I find it hard to believe that would be the problem. After driving it a couple hundred miles at highway speeds and temps,, I still have some soot in that left pipe. Left compared to right, today.

Last week, I ran the gas tank down to less than a quarter tank, and I put in a can of seafoam. I ran it long enough to make sure it was hot and all through the system, and then I parked it for a couple days. Then, when I was almost out of gas, I filled it with premium. I don’t think that made any difference. I have a few hundred miles at 70 mile an hour at highway speeds since changing the plugs.

It seems to be hitting on all cylinders, but it still seems to have a slight lack of power. Not a dramatic lack of power, just a little from the way it was running when I got it. I can’t tell if it’s got a miss at lower RPMs, but I do still believe there’s a lack of power. I’m not sure if the miss is in my mind.

Today I pulled that spark plug, and it looked fine.

I’ve wondered off and on if it had a blown head gasket, but it just runs too well. For unrelated reasons, I took the top radiator hose off a couple times, and it always takes checking it after some miles a few times to get the radiator topped off. But I think that’s because there’s no good way to burp it, not because it is consuming radiator fluid. It was full when I checked it today after a couple hundred miles.

So here’s my need. What do I check next?

I’m going to buy the gizmo to do a compression check. It’s in the mail. Btw, it’s not using any oil I can notice.

Could I have fouled the catalytic converter on that side? That cat has less than 10,000 miles on it. I understand the science, and if I was feeding hydrocarbons into it when the spark plug was loose, once I fixed it, running at highway speeds and temps, shouldn’t it burn off the carbon off fairly quickly? Before, when I’ve had a cat that was plugged, the vehicle ran like absolute crap. It’s still running pretty good. ???

What else can I check short of pulling heads?

 

[Rick W]

I know you don’t like buying new… but I’ve been buying starters and alternators from Autozone. If I can afford it and they offer it, I buy new (Duralast Gold), if not I get the regular Duralast rebuilt. Lifetime warranty. The 130 amp in my F-150 died almost 10 years to the day and they warrantied it. Actually it didn’t quite die, but it was only putting out about 9 volts… lol

Understood and agreed. I don’t know if I mentioned that this was a “store bought“ rebuilt alternator that I installed less than a year ago. I didn’t think to check the warranty. Taking things apart and figuring them out is more hobby than necessity at this point.