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07 level II YELLOW submarine


ericbphoto

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Ford Ranger
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Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
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35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.


MaicoDoug

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Ranger FX4 LVL2
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4.0 V6
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4WD
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2 inches in the back, not enough in the front
Tire Size
32x11.5x15
I was wondering if 'yall noticed that freshly harvested "green" bubble wrap. Thx Grumpaw. It goes on in the morning. I am loosing sleep on what exactly I will do with the old ones (Ford badges) & I'm fairly good with vinyl film.

Well today I'm off to the HD or Ace hwre store for some semi-gloss black paint. Center section arm rest, maybe some swede. Padding yea buddy!

Paid the $$$ sales tax yesterday. Thinking about the pair of stock headlights I saw on that '08 at the junkyard. I know how to polish headlights.

Wires & plugs tomorrow. So far I'm driving this ~ 20 mi / week. I need to go through the fuel filter where ever it lives. Sure is smother with the new shocks. Can't wait to do some off road tooling around other than at my place. - Doug
 
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MaicoDoug

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2 inches in the back, not enough in the front
Tire Size
32x11.5x15
"4.0 DOG" is available for a personalized plate here in Texas if anybody wants it.

Hello all,

More work is being completed (attempted) today with a simple task on the 4.0 dog motor. I have ever evolving love for FORD, their charities & their mechanical engineering (or what ever they call it over in their universe) Plugs & wires, that's all. I have in the past been able to preform magic with tools in a automotive environment. The driver's side went easy. The passenger's side was just plain ridicules. Having to service anything such as the #3 spark plug, I have to pray for you. Requiring removal of the transmission dipstick, gain entrance going behind & through the rear tire. Among other issues. I'll most likely find other things to lacerate more of my 2 forearms. Ford outdid themselves by placing those open hose clamps for easy access to my arms.

Enough bitching about Ford. I am a fan, but there is a limit. I am willing to preform the required maintenance, however......there must be a specified duration of maintenance intervals between preforming the recommended self sacrifice & washing the YELLOW paint in the driveway. I am discovering that someone had forgot to replace few fasteners along the way back from earlier in this truck's life. The plugs that came out were in recent replacement with their gaps ranging from 0.043" to 0.060". I went for a gap of 0.052". The Bosch Iritium plugs that were recommended from the AZ store seemed to start right up with 5/6 installed with no delay. All except the last task, that was to R&R #3. Which after installation, caused a miss, hummm, this was confirmed by pulling the newly installed plug wire at the coil.

So here I am. With both fore arms scraped & cut up. I'm working from behind the tire, in the front right tire well, laying on the ground. Boy I wish I had a lift. I guess Ford does not give a darn about the "free" world having to attempt their own self sacrifice while even alone doing what it takes to follow their recommended maintenance tasks. HA! I'd be better driving it off a cliff instead,,,,,,not all the way off the cliff mind you. This is where we all here at the Ranger Station come onto the scene. Now I have the scars to prove it. I used to simply pull the entire wheel well out with other spark plug - exhause manifold jobs. Knock on wood Ford, everything going well there. Made things simple. Did I start out this paragraph saying enough complaining about Ford, yea that was it. I'm done....

An existing issue that I have not mentioned before, but a well known one is that the "oil" idiot light keeps staying on now. Not only at idle. Yea, OK. The previous owner did use synthetic oil. Don't know what weight, but the idiot light is the only one currently besides the "motor" light which is new caused from newly purchased (made in china) junk parts. OR. debris on the plug caused while installation. (this my first time for this) and/ or the new suppressor plug wire. Should of checked these parts with an ohm meter (first time for that also). Getting to the point here is that I'm in the same general area for installing a new (idiot light) oil pressure sensor and /or a mechanical oil line for actual entrance into the passenger compartment to measure the oil pressure directly. Heck, how are we going to retire 200 Ford workers (included a few cousins) doing such things as this? Rant, rant.

Well more from the sub shop later today after the sun rises. And a picture of what it looks like with a new badge on the front. Hopefully moving away from the death bu 1000 sharp edges.
-Doug
 
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Uncle Gump

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2WD / 4WD
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My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way
Do yourself a favor.... carefully pull those Bosch plugs out... and throw them directly into the garbage can. But before doing so... drive somewhere and purchase a proper set of Motorcraft or Autolite plugs. You can thank me later.

For oil pressure... I bought an oil filter sandwich adaptor from Glow Shift on Amazon. Really nice piece and leaves the original oil warning system in tact. I also bought their A-pillar gauge pod for a voltmeter and oil pressure gauge. You may have to replace the Oil Pressure Switch though. I had one on our 11 Edge that was doing the same as you describe... turning the light on at a warm idle. A new switch fixed the issue
 

ericbphoto

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Ford Ranger
Engine Type
3.0 V6
Engine Size
3.0L
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
6"
Tire Size
35"
My credo
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are different.

Uncle Gump

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How did that taste ?
It was actually way better then the transmission filter sandwich... and a definite notch above my wife's cooking.
 

MikeG

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B4000
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Automatic
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2WD
Total Lift
2"
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235/75r15
I used to bitch about changing the #3 plug on the 4.0 OHV, but not any more after reading all that!!!!!
 

MaicoDoug

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Location
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Vehicle Year
2007
Make / Model
Ranger FX4 LVL2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2 inches in the back, not enough in the front
Tire Size
32x11.5x15
Hey all,

Turns out #3 is the easiest. Don't fret,
1) Turn the wheels full CCW.
2) (LH) Just above #2, remove the 13mm flange nut, then remove sheetmetal finger supporting the transmission dipstick. Remove transmission dipstick.
3) Shimmy under #3 with a 3/8ths socket wrench (1/4" drive would be better during installation & spinning), 1" extension, and spark plug socket.
4) Pull spark wire off, slip entire 3/8" drive socket wrench, 1" extension & a spark plug socket over the spark plug. The end of the wrench should point rearwards. Engage the spark plug & remove.
5) If the wrench assembly comes apart, perhaps add some non-conductive grease to the inside boot only, de-grease all other areas on the wrench assembly before use.

This works with the removal of those inner-fender 90 degree corners, just trim them off. I recommend gluing the 1"- 3/8th extension to the spark plug socket. Then one can get to it with hardly any boho's & this truck is full of plenty sharp edges.

And now I have a boho.....with those Bosch plugs & AZ store wires: now engine light on. Missing on #3. I did try the other 5 cylinders while scratching my head BEFORE I did anything, and all was well-no miss firing. Now after messing with #3, now has a slight miss & won't go away. Tried a new coil pack, worse. Original plug & wire on #3, same slight missing....? Pulled #3 wire at coil pack & started it for 5 seconds, slightly worse. Perhaps after I installed the #3 spark plug, I started the motor and discovered the miss & motor light turning on. I then removed that #3 plug & found that there was debris across the #3 plug. I repaired this situation. Q: is this now an issue with the computer requiring a reset? Reset?? Who does this? What is the cost of the best scanner to do this? This should be a simple problem.

So I will go back to 100% original ignition parts & re-test. I hate to tear up my arms again. The motor seems to be in a limp mode not able to exceed 2500 rpms. Perhaps some computer mal function or fuel injector?? I hate to drive it into town (10 miles) to have the autoparts sales guy pull some codes for free or just hand it over to a repair tech. I have re-installed the old spark plug & the new Bosch about 8 times, #3 is super simple, maybe the easiest. If I only had my 2.8l solid lifter monster motor again. - Doug
 
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MaicoDoug

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Location
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Vehicle Year
2007
Make / Model
Ranger FX4 LVL2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2 inches in the back, not enough in the front
Tire Size
32x11.5x15
IT runs like a scalded dog..........

Well the days have passed with me buying a code reader. Whoopie a code reader. This one is just an OBD plug and one uses the "smarter than me phone" to display stuff. It did show #1 misfire, AHHA. And it looked like it. I guess in all the rigmarole, I dropped it before installation while being tangled up inside. Such a dumb mistake. The electrode had practically collapsed onto the center electrode. Wonder it ever fired at all during the initial test.

Anyway I wanted to tell everyone that indeed, one can very easy get to ALL the plugs from under & behind the front wheels on this 07 4.0L. Would be worth it to remove both the front wheels. You will have to remove the trans dipstick. Such a jungle of sharp stuff to tend with up top. Go through the bottom, and hey, you get to lay down on the job.

Spending so much time underneath I noticing the distance between the bumpstops. maybe 2 inches. Am I worth only 2 "? Rides well. I even have the T bars
still cranked up all the way.~

Right then, onto to some more less tedious tasks like installing some interior goodies. -Doug
 

Uncle Gump

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2WD / 4WD
4WD
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Lead follow or get out of my way
2" between the stops translates to much more travel when figuring in the length of the arm. That said... my guess is that you have limited down travel. A suspension has to both give and get. If you have ride quality issues I would dig up the front suspension specs for your truck and see if you can get it closer to the factory setting. Favoring the higher side of the spec. With the Alcoa's you should honestly clear 33/10.50's all day long.

Glad to hear you got the running issue corrected. Did you leave the Bosch Plugs in it?
 

MaicoDoug

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Make / Model
Ranger FX4 LVL2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2 inches in the back, not enough in the front
Tire Size
32x11.5x15
I lied.

Thx for your reply Uncle Gump-

Just went back under to do some looking. My bump stops are about 3/4" off the lower A arm (not the 2" I wrote). Which are Apx 10" from the hinge point. From the bump stop headed out to the C/L of the wheel it looks to be apx 15". So the total A arm length out to the wheel centerline is apx 25" fulcrum arm. So if the vertical distance off the bump stop is 0.8" off the A arm, that gives me apx 2" of travel. Math: 10" (bump stop) equals 40% from the 25" total length (hinge point to wheel C/L), so 3/4" comes out to 2 inches total travel. About an inch or so loss in travel I read around here. When new 3 inches or so total front travel with sag accounted for. So the math gets complicated. I'll see if I can find that post from one of our senior members. My T-bars are adjusted all the way up, or as the they say on the street, "cranked". I have never heard or felt the front suspension top out. The truck actually feels really nice riding on some real crappy asphalt & broken up combo roads now, about the same as my f150 w/ Bilstein shocks all around.

Yes I did leave the Bosch plugs in for now & give my mind & forearms some time to heal. I passed someone doing the test drive too. Cost me about 2 gallons of gas.

Currently running 10.5 x 15 x 31" on the original Alcoa wheels. I would enjoy going up to the BFG KM3/33's yes, and the $$ will be there, but that's a chunk of change to change out the Torsen 4:10 to the 4:56. Maybe I could trade someone. Like exchanging old girlfriends however. The gas mileage will be best if I did. -Doug

That darn'ed stuff my doc gives me makes me bleed like a stuck fish. Don't need it he says. Just part of the old mechanic formula these docs' prescribe. - Doug
 
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Uncle Gump

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2WD / 4WD
4WD
My credo
Lead follow or get out of my way

MaicoDoug

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Ranger FX4 LVL2
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Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2 inches in the back, not enough in the front
Tire Size
32x11.5x15
Hey yea Uncle Gump!! Tape measure time, but there no actual height numbers for 1,2 or 3. I'll find it.

Yesterday I was able to remove that Peter Max lunchbox insert of a center console.........and oh yes I finally looked and what did I find $5bucks
49632


There is a structural aluminum section that held up the armrest, something that this now removed console came missing when I purchased. One thing I do realize is that upon the initial test fit of the explorer console is that it very well may require trimming of the forward section. As the driver needs a good comfortable elbow spot. Don't want this whole deal to protrude too far aft into the rear section. So far I've only eyeballed things. Today I'll pull out the forward little piece. Saving it all for someone? Local pickup only. The current hurricane is making it a tad wet, but hope to put a tape measure & toss it in and see what lines up. I'll need to plumb some wire over to the ciggy lighter. Accent lighting anyone?

So far I like the ride. So much better than before. Some comments from bystanders as I am driving this more. I need to figure what to say more than "one of 500" made that year. To think that I totally passed on the gas mileage thing when I fell for the big lemon. When I picked it up to take her home, the guy said "I put some gas in for you", thanks I said, and I've been putting it in since. Well at least the 4.0 dog has a tuneup. Now lets see that console test fitted-Doug
 
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MaicoDoug

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Ranger FX4 LVL2
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Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2 inches in the back, not enough in the front
Tire Size
32x11.5x15
Hey yall,

Some new headlight buckets are coming. The projector style. No halos, ahhhh.....but does have some DRL LEDs. Going to retrofit some big 25w LED driving lights with a separate power supply & switch where the stock ones went. Going to use some of that blocked off area towards the inside of those tiny useless square things.

The prior owner had purchased some of the cheaper headlight buckets. One leaked & the chrome reflector plain went away. Like a subscription had elapsed. Water soluble sort of thing. Like a party trick or something. Anyway...

The new center console is been consuming more time in my mind than anything else. The wife says cut it right where the seat stops. I'm going to attempt to lean the left side in towards the center to allow more leg room. With a flathead 1/4-20 bolt screwed in from the side. With my knee, I can re-position the left side of the center console for more lower leg room. I hope to mechanically overcome the fit currently. It's all got to come out for paint at some point. The front section is still in the design stage. The sheetmetal section has been scrapped until I figure out another idea on how to use all that area, heck may turn into a big bucket to hold something. I will go with a rocker switch panel - Doug
 
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MaicoDoug

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Location
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2007
Make / Model
Ranger FX4 LVL2
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Transmission
Automatic
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Total Lift
2 inches in the back, not enough in the front
Tire Size
32x11.5x15
Quick update-

My issue is this, the curve has caved in on the exterior of my tailgate. A common problem. The tailgate that came with this truck I believe is the correct one with the bedliner screwed (with TEK fasteners) to the inside. These are requiring a bunch of wd-40 and hopefully will come loose. How to fix? Well the right side pops back out when driving, however the drivers side stays caved in. This has always been this way. So my thoughts progress... with 2 seperate sections of sheetmetal. Simple, figure how to push it from the inside and work that wrinkle out. ($700 from my favorite body shop is estimated) This tailgate is formed closed. There is no access with the bedliner removed, as I see underneath. So now I am envisioning sawing - cutting open a section large enough to work the left side back to normal & pop it back out. It may be time to purchase that MIG.

Their is a wrinkle line next to the emblem running vertical, so somehow it got caved in. I've tried a bunch of tape pulling on it & it simply is happy to stay caved in.

Any thoughts? I know of other good condition tail gates local to me. They would require paint however and drilling the 9" logo holes, but heck, the blue oval will be fine. Plus transferring the bed cover & figuring out how to attach it like the original.

So hey, this has to be a common issue. I asking you all instead of driving around to body shops. I'm a "do it your self" sort of guy.

Merry Christmas and hope to go rock crawling in the snow !!
- Doug
 

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