Two Hundred and Twenty Three Miles Later....

[trader007]

i have to brag about this.

i bought my 99 4.0 4x4 ext cab ranger when it was 4 years old for $7500. it had 125k on it.

fast forward to now, and the body/motor has 223k miles. i did replace the tranny at 180k but why brag? no trouble codes. zero!

i had a check engine light with the bank 1/ bank2 lean code for about 50k miles. finally, my lower intake gaskets blew water so i did the job myself out in the parking lot of my apartment, with limited tools. all the work ever done to this truck has been by me (after 125k of course, but the guy i bought it from basically did nothing to it).

and MAN was that a SUCCESS. been a month now, and no check engine light and NO CODES what-so-ever. not on the main ecu, the powertrain ecu, the airbag ecu, and the ford electronic ecu (i have a ford specifc scanner, pulls over 2000 parameters off all the computers). not a single fault anywhere.

all i have left is my driver side torsion bar. its loose at the adjuster. those pads or whatever they are must be bought from ford and theyre $100 a side... so for now im dealing with a loose spring basically. otherwise, the truck runs and handles like new!

i want to post some pics when it hits 225K! the truck is rusting starting to look like shit, but mechanically underneath its very solid and sound! im starting to think i can put another 100K on it

things that i replaced over the years thats not normal maintenance (that i remember). no particular order

tranny
alternator
radiator
windshield
back window (slider kind)
both front bearings
abs speed sensor rear
ignition coil
every freakin ball joint in the front
lower intake gaskets
exhaust
drain/replace rear end fluid
like 5 batteries until i got sick of it and went diehard platinum. took care of battery problems and then some! crazy good batteries.

and i think thats it! on the fly 4 wheel drive still engages perfectly! did the brakes once or twice of course... so there was quite a bit of work done, but i did it all myself and it was fun. its an easy truck to work on! and parts are mostly cheap!

 

[jhammel85]

Tough trucks! man

 

[cvar]

Glad you're enjoying the hobby as well as me. Judging from your list, you've learned so much, and I'd like to do the same, some day. Well done! Leave pix for us lesser mortals, please?

 

[doorgunner]

Don't it make you happy when repairs go good!

Congrats on all the repairs that you did yourself!

Pics when it hits 225K

 

[Explorin94]

I bought my 92 in 1997 with 72,000 drove it for 16 years and retired it in 2003 with 353,873 on the clock. Motor ran great with the normal 4.0 tick, the body was rusted so bad.

 

[trader007]

Thanks guys! I love my truck! But to make it to 350k i doubt it... only because the body is rusting pretty good and i know its not gonna stop.

The motor/undercarriage is not rusting bad tho... as long as the oil keeps getting changed it will run!

And scratch the coil off that list! I couldnt figure out why the truck would run weird when its at running temp.... a coil was jusy throwing parts at it. Didnt help, so i go to cleean my maf sensor for giggles and then i saw it. The vacuum hose thats connects to the intake was not hooked up!

Popped that on, and im flyin by people on the freeway. Im pretty sure i just got 24mpg on 70mile trip too! Im going to do a full tank test but i think im finally done getting less then 17 like i was for so long before i did the intake gaskets.

And the one product i swear by- engine restore. Use that every oil change and forget about ticks and lifter/rod noise. My truck always sounds like a overhead cam motor

 

[Ranger Sport Honduras]

Built Ford Tough!

 

[trader007]

question:

my truck, this whole time, has had raised suspension. i think its 2". im tired of it. im tired of poor turning ability, lower gas mileage and rougher ride.

so i plan on lowering it back to stock, but i want to ask what is the maximum size tires i can fit? right now i think mine are too small... i dont have off hand what size they are but they look small.

i think ill do it in the spring, ill get one more winter out of these. i think ill also be buying stock rims... im tired of rusty wheels too.

 

[David88]

question:

my truck, this whole time, has had raised suspension. i think its 2". im tired of it. im tired of poor turning ability, lower gas mileage and rougher ride.

so i plan on lowering it back to stock, but i want to ask what is the maximum size tires i can fit? right now i think mine are too small... i dont have off hand what size they are but they look small.

i think ill do it in the spring, ill get one more winter out of these. i think ill also be buying stock rims... im tired of rusty wheels too.

Maybe 255/70/15. My 2001 Came with 235/70/15 stock and so I wet up to 245/70/15. My 01 Sport Trac had 255/70/16 and then I went up to 265/70/16. They now ride under my 88 with a 3inch body lift. So 245 definatly, 265 maybe since they fit my 2WD Sport Trac.

And the 265/70/16 fit before the lift on my 88. I didn't have much fender clearance and ripped off a mudflap when I hit a golfball sized rock.

And my 88 has 267K and climbing on it.

 

[Andy D]

Yah, After struggling with the rat, taking way longer and way more $ than expected. I have got a good running old truck. Assuming the speedo is saying 128 K miles , It drives pretty good. The body and frame say 428 K . Its been patched and there are dents in every panel, except maybe the roof. I don't care about the body. How pretty a rig do you need for dump runs and hauling garden stuff?

 

[David88]

I got my 88 and two 86s in trade for my 89 Cherokee. Not a bad deal. We're strippin the 86s for spare 4wd parts and any usable body parts.

My 88 needed a new trans, picked one up for 1000. Reman, no core so I got the old one I can rebuild later. I put in a whole bunch of stuff in the two years I've had it running.

Transmission
Clutch, pressure plate, throw ut bearing
Clutch Master cylinder
Clutch Position Switch
Starter
Hub Bearings
Brake Calipers
Fuel pump-to get the sending unit so my guage worked
Exhaust manifold
Plugs, wires, distributor cap, rotor
Battery
Removed mirrors, body work, installed more adjustable plastic mirrors from a Toyota Celica
3" Body Lift from Performance Accessories
16X8 Pacer Warriors from 01 Sport Trac
Electrical tape on door catches to stop door rattle
Coolant temp sensor
Headlights

Still need a power steering pump, wiper motor, front windshield, radio, and a rear view mirror.
Probably going to tear down and rebuild the motor one day soon.

In all, I probably dropped 3,000 into my truck. I still plan to paint it once I finish my body work on it. Marine Safety Yellow with roll on bed liner lower trim.

 

[jhammel85]

Safety Yellow? You'll be able to see it from space

By the way...I'm doing the "electrical tape door mod" myself, lol.

Once it's done, I bet it'll look good!

 

[trader007]

Maybe 255/70/15. My 2001 Came with 235/70/15 stock and so I wet up to 245/70/15. My 01 Sport Trac had 255/70/16 and then I went up to 265/70/16. They now ride under my 88 with a 3inch body lift. So 245 definatly, 265 maybe since they fit my 2WD Sport Trac.

And the 265/70/16 fit before the lift on my 88. I didn't have much fender clearance and ripped off a mudflap when I hit a golfball sized rock.

And my 88 has 267K and climbing on it.

thank you.

i think i have 235/70/15 right now.

i will likely try the 265/70/16.

anyone know a good place to buy stock 16" rims? junkyard?

 

[straycat]

question:

my truck, this whole time, has had raised suspension. i think its 2". im tired of it. im tired of poor turning ability, lower gas mileage and rougher ride.

so i plan on lowering it back to stock, but i want to ask what is the maximum size tires i can fit? right now i think mine are too small... i dont have off hand what size they are but they look small.

i think ill do it in the spring, ill get one more winter out of these. i think ill also be buying stock rims... im tired of rusty wheels too.

I have a 2wd 4.0 motor with a 5 inch lift and I run 33x12.5x15 BFG KO tires with 4.10 gear and I get 24 mpg on the highway. I have no turning issues. You need to work on that suspension and see what is wrong with it and get it aligned and do some motor work (tune it up plugs/wires etc) and regear it for better gas milage if you are running larger tires than stock. 2 inches is nothing, Bro.....

 

[David88]

thank you.

i think i have 235/70/15 right now.

i will likely try the 265/70/16.

anyone know a good place to buy stock 16" rims? junkyard?

Go to a tire shop, someone that deals with American Tire Distributors. They have steel black whees for about $60 each. Or check NTWonline.com they sell cheap rims and cheap body lifts. My 3inch cost $175. That will clear the 265s and let you stockify the suspension if you want.

Jhammel85
That was the point of it. My truck may be old, but it was well taken care of. No real rust anywhere on it and the interior looks almost new, not even cracks in the dash cover like you usually get with the older dash material. Someone hits it they can't say they didn't see it and they will damn sure pay to replace my hobby.