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97 F150 in SC


ericbphoto

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Age
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Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
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.
This seems to be clean as far as rust goes. I did see a 93 Ranger in the junkyard yesterday that obviously came from a rust generating region.

Got a bunch of stuff on order today - filters, dpfe sensor and hoses, pcv valve, gas shocks for the hood ( but I'll keep the stick I made), positive battery cable, seat covers, floor mats, touch screen multimedia receiver, etc. Somebody cut the clamp off the battery cable and did a bad job of installing a repair clamp. Should be able to change some fluids and filters soon. Glad I put new wiper blades on yesterday. Because the monsoons restarted today. I also siphoned all the old dirty gray mystery liquid from the windshield washer reservoir and refilled it with fresh wintertime Rain-X fluid. I can't believe the cheap, easy things that people go cheap on. Is it really that expensive to put cleaning fluid in that reservoir instead of dirty water?
 


ericbphoto

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Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
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.
Got the trans dipstick tube replaced the other day. Dropping the pan and replacing the filter is a messy job no matter how you prepare for it. Positive battery cable is replaced, but found the negative cable clamp officially FUBAR. Took care of some of the time-consuming details for my upcoming stereo replacement. Mainly, mounted the docking station for my satellite radio tuner and ran the cable assembly to the tailgate for the backup camera. Other projects temporarily on hold due to serious family issues occurring. Almost finished running a bottle of injector cleaner through the system and believe I may have picked up a mpg or so. Will find out when I fill the tank tomorrow morning.
 

ericbphoto

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Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
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.
Just a brief follow up on the EGR system issue. The dpfe sensor I ordered is wrong so I haven’t replaced that yet. However, the CEL has gone away. I poured a bottle of Lucas high mileage fuel system cleaner in the tank. Now, several tankfuls later, the CEL is off. I drive about 25-30 miles each way on my daily commute and over half of that is at 60+++ mph. So, I guess the cleaning stuff plus high volumes of exhaust flow cleared up the problem.

Machines like to be used, not stored.
 

adsm08

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Location
Dillsburg PA
Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
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Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
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Tire Size
31X10.50X15
Just a brief follow up on the EGR system issue. The dpfe sensor I ordered is wrong so I haven’t replaced that yet. However, the CEL has gone away. I poured a bottle of Lucas high mileage fuel system cleaner in the tank. Now, several tankfuls later, the CEL is off. I drive about 25-30 miles each way on my daily commute and over half of that is at 60+++ mph. So, I guess the cleaning stuff plus high volumes of exhaust flow cleared up the problem.

Machines like to be used, not stored.
Those sensors can become hit or miss as well. The Expedition did this to me last year. The light would come on while out driving, go out, come on, get home to a code reader and had a P0401 in memory. I'd clear it, it'd stay off for a few weeks, come back, go away for a while. I was about three months before it started to stay on consistently and I finally replaced the sensor just before it was due for inspection.
 

ericbphoto

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Age
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Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
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.
WTF Ford?

I planned on changing my differential fluid today. Manual said I needed 80w90 oil. So that's what I prepared to use. Took the cover off the diff and the tag clearly states 75w140 synthetic only. I'll put the 75w140 in it. But it seems like Ford should have known what to write in the manual.

Sheesh!
img20190621_114301.jpg
 

adsm08

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Location
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Vehicle Year
1987
Make / Model
Ford
Engine Type
4.0 V6
Engine Size
4.0
Transmission
Manual
2WD / 4WD
4WD
Tire Size
31X10.50X15
Running updates, PO swapped the axle, who knows why it is wrong.

The 8.8 did change from 80-90 to 75-140 around that year.
 

ericbphoto

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Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
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.
Must gave been running updates. I don't think either PO had any interest in doing mechanical work of any kind. I received a big envelope of receipts for everything that was every done. tire rotations, oil changes, replace faulty CD changer, tires, brakes, etc. They paid someone to do everything. This was just a frustrating afternoon. I made one trip to Advance to buy oil and friction modifier to go in the diff fluid I already had. Another trip to return friction modifier and buy the right diff fluid. Then a third trip when I found out I didn't have the right disconnect tool to replace the fuel filter. One of those trips wasn't my fault.
 

ericbphoto

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Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
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.
Uh-oh.

I have been moving lately, due to my wife and I separating. Well, today, with the truck bed loaded heavily and towing my utility trailer full of heavy stuff, ie.; my lesser used tools and parts, I noticed a vibration and loss of power, particularly when accelerating at lower rpm's. I babied it the rest of the way to my new home and put the scanner on it and have a code for misfire in cylinder #4. Now, instead of going back for another load of junk/treasures tomorrow, I guess I need to figure this out and get it fixed.

Dang spark plug for #4 is way back in a dark cave. I couldn't even see it when I opened the hood. I'll need a light in the morning. Not sure how to get my hands back there to pull it out. I haven't investigated the ignition system on this engine yet. Looks like I have 2 coil packs at the front of the engine. #4 is fed from the pack on the driver side even though the plug is on the passenger side.

I'm only about 3 miles from the junk yard now. Maybe it would be worth going over there to pull a couple coil packs and some plug wires for troubleshooting purposes. I cleared the codes and drove it to pick up dinner. The code hasn't come back yet. But engine is running the same.

The timing stinks. I'm trying to finish moving this week and do some suspension work on the truck to prepare for hauling the Ranger to Ohio in September.

1997 F150, 4.6l, 4r70w, RWD
 

ericbphoto

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Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
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.
Finally tackling my bad ball joints on this truck. Several projects all in one. I also have a Belltech drop spindle lowering kit to install. So today's progress;
  • Front left corner is finished - new lower ball joint, new upper control arm, new shock
  • Because my new wheels have a lot of open space, painted rear brake drums to match body color, also painted front caliper and part of the steering knuckle that is exposed
  • Removed fiberglass bed sides to give access for replacing front leaf spring hangars, shackles and the rest of the spring and shock work to be done on the rear.
32380
32381
 

85_Ranger4x4

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This whole thing is not fair on so many levels.

No rust and the bed sides are removable? Methinks I need to track down a stepside bed for my '02...

Truck looked very clean at the roundup... and with no fenders it still looks clean. :icon_thumby:
 

ericbphoto

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Wellford, SC
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1993
Make / Model
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.
Thanks. It's not a show truck. But it's pretty good. Finished the front today. Then I started the rear. Everybody says that to remove factory rivets like the ones holding the leaf spring brackets on, you just take a cutoff wheel and slot the heads of the rivets. Then use the air chisel to pop the pieces off. Then just use the air hammer or a hammer and punch to push the rivets through.

That's the biggest load of bull ever excreted. That's a good way to remove the heads of the rivets. But it ends there. These things act like they're welded in. I then had To drill them. I just drilled most of the way through, leaving something for a punch to push on. Besides, there was a fuel tank and fuel lines back there. Had to drill the 9/16" rivets with a 1/2" bit before they would budge.

Anyway. Got the driver side leaf spring bracket installed and rehung the spring with it's new shackle before my hunger headache and darkness convinced me to quit for the night. Still have to fight with 4 more rivets after the rain stops tomorrow.
 

85_Ranger4x4

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A properly installed rivet also swells to fill the hole to make sure everything is tight and there is no wiggle room. That is why they are preferred over bolts for OEM's.

This shows a pop rivet but the expansion principle is similar:

 

ericbphoto

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Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
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.
Really Ford? You want me to lift the bed in order to access the top nuts on the shocks?!? Are you kidding me???

Well I did it with the bed in place. No easy feat there. I'm convinced that Ford has an entire department of at least 500 engineers whose entire purpose is to make things more difficult for mechanics. The "Make Stuff Harder To Do" department.

Anyway, all I have left is to put the bed sides back on, put the rear wheels back on and have the alignment checked. Finished picture tomorrow.
 

ericbphoto

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Age
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Location
Wellford, SC
Vehicle Year
1993
Make / Model
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.
Well, I just dropped it off for a n alignment. I'm always nervous first time with a new shop. We'll see what happens. On the way to the shop, it was pulling to the right too much and very tight and twitchy. Otherwise driving ok.

In my opinion, it looks much better lowered with the wheels tucked into the wheel openings like this.

20191017_095049.jpg
 

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