Do Members call you Petro for short?
Thanks for the great advice and sharing the link to your 1st Ranger build. I have always respected a man that understands his limitations. After viewing your build, I can honestly say that I can never see my level of automotive mechanical expertise matching yours.
That being said, be prepared to be continually tapped on the shoulder for advice. My local truck pick and pay yard just sent me an email that a 85 B2 just landed. I’m hoping the sway bars are still on there tomorrow.
Is the harness from the donor Windstar difficult to install? Where could I find technical direction/guidance for that harness swap? Would it matter if I made the alternator upgrade before the other electrical upgrades?
In your thread, you mentioned that the JBA headers were ‘reversed’. What did you mean by that? Headers and a 2.5” exhaust are a short term upgrade I’m considering now.
Do you suggest putting a 4.0 radiator in along with the electric fan? I’ve read that upsizing the rad will help the trans.
Aftermarket cold air intake or modify the stock box to allow more air in and install a K&N filter?
I replaced the ABS unit under the master cylinder/near the steering column but the light on the dash is still on. New brake lines, wheel cylinders, fluid, pads, etc. Brakes work fine. The pesky light is still on.
I won’t monopolize your time but there is more to come. Thanks again for your input.
Line by line:
PJ412 or PJ420 depending on the time of day
I am not, nor do I have it within me to ever be a mechanic. That's far beyond my level.
I've only gotten this far by listening to my father and the guys here and their combined centuries of wisdom. I'm humbled, but still just a hippie computer nerd that ****s with obscure and widely misunderstood engines
You'll get a lot less flack nowadays on working the 2.9 game. You have to fix a few things the factory ****ed up, mostly cooling system, castings, etc. There's a lot of room for serious modernizing as well. They are high maintenance, but every 80s motor is. If you have your original 86tm heads on, you have a good one. If you don't mind, can you get me the date and code off the back of the block? Flat spot, passenger side deck, right under distributor. Printed upside
Absolutely grab those ****ing sway bars! Duuuuude b2 has sooooo many good ranger parts. Go. Over. That. Thing. Especially if it's an Eddie Bauer in tan. Some of us drool over that 80s plastic haha
Windstar harness is a cinch. Just follow and carefully cut open the harness as far as you can go. Be patient, take your time, get all of it. You're only ****ing yourself later if you hack it. All of us here have learned thst lesson.
Reverse headers face forward, allows for downpipe to be brought across the core support for turbocharger flange.
Not sure about the radiator. I didn't go with a big Rad. I flushed the hell out of my block, ran the smallest Rad rock auto had, and a massive stack of electric fans and the biggest bore thermostat I could find. I went the high flowing route and used fans to increase efficiency instead of big Rad and meh efficiency. Big thermostat means more effective coolant exchange, plus fails open so cheap insurance. Mechanical fan is a parasite. E fans and properly chosen thermostats in your lower Rad hose makes a world of difference. Don't be dumb like I was and out the thermostat in the upper. Weird stuff happens.
Have manual trans so no idea. Automatics are the devil.
Stock box, but need to screw with mine more. No maf, so k and n is OK, tight weave oil free like an air hog, green, afe etc better. Factory pickup looks restrictive to me, need to see if there's an advantage of a fender cut or pickup tube modification. 2.9 MAF is a joke if you modify your engine. Even my blown out cam engine hated it die to crappy size. Don't run the pos in line filter like I have. Ask any of the guys at the trail ride.
Merkur intake is worth doing. Makes it snap on the throttle.
Don't have RABS. No idea.
Aftermarket heads are usually superior to factory. I have promaxx. Cheap and heavy. They're OK. Worlds if you can find em.
Post, ask questions, it's why we're here.
@rusty ol ranger and the mafia grows....