'85 Ranger Restomod

[Jim Oaks]

Damn you're old.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Thinking more about it last night, my truck was 15 years old when I got it. The original 2.8 was in pretty rough shape and I nursed 11 years out of it.

So I go snag a $200 302 out of a fencerow, change some seals and timing set and here we are 15 years later and I would still drive it anywhere.

It doesn't seem like it was that long ago I did the swap. It is really strange to think if I went back that far from when I got the truck... it was a new truck.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Its been sitting for like two weeks now but it finally warmed up to above 20*. My accelerator pump thing has been bugging me so I went out to try it.

Kicked it in neutral, turned the key on, "pumped the throttle" by hand to confirm good accelerator pump shot and that the choke set. Spurred the old girl with the remote starter trigger, I had spark right away and it started very nice.



Pretty sure I will revisit the float level, I wonder if it is right on the line.

I pulled it out and let it idle/warm up while I did chores, I threw my new fuel pump in the tote in the back with the injection kit and backed it back in the garage.

 

[Curious Hound]

Its been sitting for like two weeks now but it finally warmed up to above 20*. My accelerator pump thing has been bugging me so I went out to try it.

Kicked it in neutral, turned the key on, "pumped the throttle" by hand to confirm good acceleratior pump shot and that the choke set. Spurred the old girl with the remote starter trigger andI had spark right away and it started very nice.



Pretty sure I will revisit the float level, I wonder if it is right on the line.

I pulled it ut and let it idle while I did chores, threw my new fuel pump in the tote in the back with the injection kit and backed it back in the garage.

That looks like something that arrived at my house yesterday.

 

[SenorNoob]

LOL. Me too. I saw that price and couldn't pass up the opportunity to delete the in frame pump. Especially since it's now only held in with one bolt and my sender hasn't been right since I got the truck...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I don't know how many layers there is to this onion but I am getting kind of tired of it.

It started doing the start and then die when I let go of the key thing again like it was a year ago. I think on it and decide to bypass the ballast resister. It is a ceramic one, maybe it has a intermittent open so sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Started great for a week with no resistor. I didn't drive it much because the internet seemed 75/25 in favor of a resistor being required. Nobody in town had a new one so I ordered one and I got it Sunday when we visited my MIL (it was a few days faster to have it shipped to her than to my house)

It was super nice Monday, I couldn't help myself and drove it to work. Started/ran great, I was feeling really good about it.

I was going to go pick up my son yesterday after school with it I go to start it and it starts... but the starter stays running. WTH?

Jump in the other truck to pick up my kid and circle back to it. I unhook the starter signal wire from the relay, turn the key on to check for power in the signal wire and it tries to start in gear as I am standing beside the truck reaching in thru the window. It isn't caring about the clutch switch. I kick it out of gear and try it again it starts right off again and the starter won't disengage. I didn't even go to the start position.

We are drastically losing ground here...

I poke around, the starter has a relay on it like a newer truck. I basically just use the trucks original starter relay to trigger the starter and the "start" positions for the coil and DS module. The wire to the starter that engages it is getting power and that is the only place it could be getting it from.

Swap in my spare DS module and all is right again. It must have been backfeeding the "start" circuit" with "run" power and powering the signal wire to the starter on its own.

So was the module screwing up on its own and the resistor was making it worse? Or did the lack of a resister kill the module?

I really can't wait to get all this of this behind me. Now that I don't have a spare DS module my loyalty towards it is fading fast in light of the fact that my EFI can handle all that on its own and will basically eliminate the presence of water compromising connectors in my ignition system.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

And on a totally different note, my EFI system has provisions to run two efans. I don't mind both mine running at once and seperating them will unnecessarily complicate things. My truck has a '88 cluster with a CEL. So my current scheme for that is to glue a LED into the back of the cluster and have that come on instead of the "second" fan.

Have the EFI system trigger the actual cooling fans at 195* or whatever... and then at like 215* or so when it tries to trigger the "second cooling fan" it will actually be lighting up the CEL.



I looked at my spare 86-87 screen for more to use and didn't really see any. It would be neat to be able to get custom covers. The 4wd ones will never work with my NP205, it would be neat to have ones work for lights and whatnot.

 

[SenorNoob]

Couldn't you get a piece of clear plastic and draw up a vinyl to cover it and make your own that way?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Couldn't you get a piece of clear plastic and draw up a vinyl to cover it and make your own that way?

And my wife even has a Cricket vinyl cutter thing...

A hard thing though is I like how it is all nice and black when nothing is lit.

 

[PlumCrazy]

And my wife even has a Cricket vinyl cutter thing...

A hard thing though is I like how it is all nice and black when nothing is lit.

Maybe 5% limo tint on plexiglass and then print the vinyl in a mirror image so it can be stuck to the back

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Maybe 5% limo tint on plexiglass and then print the vinyl in a mirror image so it can be stuck to the back

What I have found so far after just looking at break...

https://www.amazon.com/SAMNISOO-Correction-Transparency-Overlays-Lighting/dp/B0D3Z854C4/?tag=959media-20

Amazon.com : Lighting Neutral Density Gels Filter Sheet 16x20 inches Kit, ND3,ND6,ND9 for Photo Studio Video Flashlight Led Light Photography : Electronics

Amazon.com : Lighting Neutral Density Gels Filter Sheet 16x20 inches Kit, ND3,ND6,ND9 for Photo Studio Video Flashlight Led Light Photography : Electronics

www.amazon.com

 

[SenorNoob]

Looks like for $25 you could have enough material to make a dozen or so depending on what color you want things to glow.

 

[ford4wd08]

Have you considered an HEI module vs the duraspark?

If I understand correctly you're having issues with the duraspark modules?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Have you considered an HEI module vs the duraspark?

If I understand correctly you're having issues with the duraspark modules?

Not at this point lol.

Years ago I did start that, I have the gutted DS housing and an aluminum baseplate for the HEI module.

I think the ballast resistor went bad. I deleted it for testing and it started much better but I think in doing so I cooked the DS module.

My EFI system has a coil driver included. I lock up my DS distributor and it basically just sends tach signal to the EFI. There is an included harness that plugs into the factory E coil on the fender. Then the EFI controls both fuel and timing. Not having to worry about interchangeability I can just put a weatherpack on the distributor harness and then the only connector in the ignition system is the harness plugging into the coil.

So I just need to focus on getting the EFI installed. I had planned on keeping the DS thinking my issues were all carb related. At this point carb or ignition issues... it won't matter anymore if I don't have either system.

I have mulled getting a cheap HEI dizzy and throwing in a box with the Edelbrock for spares if I keep doing long trips with the thing... but I would rather sell the Edelbrock and put that towards a spare ECM at this point.