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'85 Ranger Restomod


85_Ranger4x4

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The new (to me) camshaft is in and retimed. I am glad I cut the center brace for the pusher fan, otherwise the cam would have hit it. I also got my new lifters in today.

Now I need to rip a head off and check clearances before proceeding much farther... and clean a ton of gasket surfaces.
 


85_Ranger4x4

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The PS head is off. I really don't see how I could have got the compression reading I got out of #1, it was about 180lbs. There is some carbon there but I don't think it is that bad, the piston does look like it has been hot from something (timing, preignition, detonation...). I had suspected a couple of my colder than spec plugs were fouled... and so was that one.











Maybe it was a valve hanging up or the carbon was staying hot enough to act like a glow plug and preignite it... dunno. Still have another head to go to find more carbon I guess.
 
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85_Ranger4x4

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Tonight I sandblasted the header that I have off and a throttle cable bracket off of a Mustang II in hopes to get rid of my homemade bracket.

I also cleaned up the gasket surfaces on my intake and tried to clean the intake itself... I really don't know how but that aluminum color paint has stained VERY easy in the year it has been on the truck. The heater hose port leaked a little = stain, dribbled a little gas changing jets = stain, dunno what else dribbled on the intake = stain. I can't get it to clean up, rather than rip off my intake and clean it every year I am really thinking about painting it dark Ford blue so at least it won't show as bad if it still does it with gloss paint.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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Tonight before a predicted cooldown and rain I got the other head ripped off. Still no joy on finding a massive carbon deposit anywhere. Number 8 had some but I wouldn't call it very extreme.





It was easier to pull this head than I thought it would be, I had nightmares (not really) about the steering being right in the way of everything... not the case.

Why the sun will never set on the SBF... try this with a mod in a Ranger engine bay...





I don't see much to do here, clean up the minor carbon on the pistons and get ready to drop the E7's on.

I tested the valve clearance, pretty sure the E7's are going to clear. The play-doh shifted a little, and after three attempts I was getting tired and in fear of dropping the head on my fender. I am going to try it again real quick just to be sure.
 

dangerranger83

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85_Ranger4x4

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I will say this plug looks the dirtiest of all of them. the rest look very clean and whatnot. I would look more into why.
I have had it running on the rich side to try to cope with the pinging. I suspect that and colder than spec plugs to also try to make the pinging more tolerable have a lot to do with it. Dunno why it is just the one though... I kinda wonder about a valve problem. The extra carbon may have been a factor too, none of the other chambers are carboned to that extent.

I can't rebuild the engine right now so that is out, it ran great with perfect vacuum, no blowby and used no oil.

As you can tell the intake was dribbling a little coolant right there by that same cylinder (#1)... kinda wonder if there wasn't an internal intake air leak (passed the brake cleaner test on the outside) I knew I had to change the intake gaskets, that is why I wasn't too bashful about going all the way and jerking the heads off too.
 
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dangerranger83

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Lets hope it wont need a rebuild.

Get her back together then another long over duew video of it idling and you taking her for a drive.
 

Robert_1967

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I can of seafoam every now and then will help with all that carbon.




Robert
 

85_Ranger4x4

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I can of seafoam every now and then will help with all that carbon.




Robert
Two cans over the course of last summer got it where it is now. :icon_thumby:

I already had the headgaskets and intake gaskets are about the same price as a can of Seafoam. Besides, it was a great excuse to maybe get rid of the E6's :icon_idea:

I found this is... what made me think of the lifter valley to intake leak. It does add up according to that, leans it out and it sucks in a little oil and builds up carbon on the plug. I haven't really put a ton of miles on it, which is probably why I haven't noticed a ton of oil consumption. It sounds stupid but I always thought it sounded like it was coming from the PS bank.

http://www.explorerforum.com/Singleton/web/pages/ping.html

One way or another it will be going back together, it may be confined to city limits where it didn't get a chance to ping until I can afford to rebuild it... I am going nuts after it being down for two weeks.
 
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85_Ranger4x4

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dangerranger83

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A. Awesome
B. What camera/setup did root use to take the videos with? Thats one of the best examples of the ttb working I have seen along with the rear axle while driving.

You are making me want to get my 302 swap done now when I can't...but at the same time I can't stop watching rangers that have had v8 swaps done to them.

And I just used tapatalk for the first time in a few days and it did an update hince the tapatalk 2 thing...ya that was off topic.

Sent from my SGH-T499 using Tapatalk 2
 

85_Ranger4x4

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A. Awesome
B. What camera/setup did root use to take the videos with? Thats one of the best examples of the ttb working I have seen along with the rear axle while driving.

You are making me want to get my 302 swap done now when I can't...but at the same time I can't stop watching rangers that have had v8 swaps done to them.

And I just used tapatalk for the first time in a few days and it did an update hince the tapatalk 2 thing...ya that was off topic.

Sent from my SGH-T499 using Tapatalk 2
GoPro Hero2 HD.

The front view was mounted on standard 1/4-20 thread tripod adaptor with a bolt through the PS framerail. The rear view was mounted on a bolt through a receiver hitch.

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=123527

I only have a Motorola Razr VE-20 so I am pretty oblivious to the "sent by..." messages unless someone has a comical one. :D
 

Robert_1967

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I'm driving my father-in-laws 94 Explorer right now, and it pings like crazy, I had a code saying low voltage on the map/maf or what ever sensor, I changed that and it still pings when under acceleration, or going up a hill.




Robert
 

dangerranger83

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I like the camera, looked it up, and ouch on the price. I will see if I can find another one like it and cheaper.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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I like the camera, looked it up, and ouch on the price. I will see if I can find another one like it and cheaper.
They do have other ones, the next one down (just a Hero) is like $50 cheaper. I figured since I was going through the motions I might as well get the better one...

I got mine at Jegs, it was the Motorsports edition that came with a bunch of brackets and the suction cup mount (which is worth $30 on its own)

I tried a cheaper video camera, it was a POS and really not much good for what I intended to do with it.

I figure since it is more durable than the average video camera it would be better for filming stuff like this, my brother's Mustang attempting to do autocross this fall, and my tractor plowing/disking/whatever. It is a neat way to get different views of stuff. It does timelapse, and takes stills as well... I have had a lot of fun messing around with it. :icon_thumby:
 

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