Recent content by Paulos

I'm not certain about the '88, but I believe there is an adapter plate for the shifter boot that bolts/screws to a universal opening in the bellhousing. So you should be able to unbolt the old automatic shifter adapter and bolt in the adapter from the donor 5 speed. I don't think 1st gen Rangers...

I used a 4.0 upper hose and cut it to fit the 2.9, Gates 21897. About 1/3 of the hose (the end with the most bends in it) isn't used.

Sorry to see that you're still having to deal with this. Did you ever figure out what was causing your fuel pressure to drop so rapidly? I've read that bad injector(s), a bad check valve (built into the high pressure fuel pump), and maybe a bad fuel pressure regulator would cause the drop. And...

Contrary to what some people think, the pinouts of the ECM's and the schematics of the electronic 4x4 shift system don't lie. The speed sensor inputs to the ECM, and plays a part in the 4x4 electronic shift system. An automatic transfer case will not shift into 4 low while the truck is moving...

There may be a difference between the 4wd and 2wd ECM's if you have an electronic shift transfer case, as it depends on the speed sensor, which communicates with the ECM. I have doubts that your ECM is actually what someone wrote on it with a Sharpie. I did a search for the ECM model...

The ground should go from the passenger side of the block to the frame, and then to the negative battery terminal. It's possible that a '90 Ranger would not ground to the frame, but it should be a 4 gauge wire from block to battery. There should be a smaller wire tapped into the 4 gauge ground...

If it's as worn as this one is, I wouldn't recommend re-using it.

It sounds like you're determined to blame those pesky squatting rodents. :)

I would imagine that an oil starved rocker arm shaft may cause some kind of noise. Not sure if that would include tapping. The shaft fills with oil and then goes through the holes/ports to the rocker arms (top and bottom of the shaft and rocker). You can see that the far right oil port (which...

If they haven't been removed for a long time you may have to twist the quick disconnect fittings (male and female sides) to break them loose before they will separate.

I've never taken the dash pad out before, but here are the relevant pages from the 1987 Shop Manual.

I replaced mine a few years ago with the one in the picture I posted. Those are definitely sealed shut. I don't recall where I read about some with and without filters. TRS I think. I got tired of issues with the oring on my original filtered reservoir (and gas down my arms and in my face when...

When you bypassed the fuel reservoir, you did connect the two smaller hoses and the two larger hoses, right? Just checking, because the supply and return lines switch positions when they exit the reservoir. Swapping the lines would create the problem you have. Also, if you try to force open a...

If channellocks won't fit, the only other thing I can think of trying is to clamp some big vise grips onto the sending unit (rotated as far clockwise as you can when you first clamp them down), then some other tool (channellocks?) on the vise grips. You'll only be able to loosen it a little each...

I wish he had been a bit more detailed in the reassembly, but it's enough to encourage me to experiment with one of the worn out FM145's I have. I notice now that there are bearings and races inside the gears on the main shaft that are not included in the rebuild kits. I would think that those...