What did you do to your Ranger today? (Part Deux!)

[97RangerXLT]

Well, went and looked at my order for the defective part on Rock Auto to see what kind of warranty it had. it said limited lifetime. so yay! went through the process of getting a warranty return and things were going well until I got to the "ship to address" where it wanted to ship it to the address that the original part came to last year. well... I have moved, so that is not an option. But there is a work around, but you have to pay out for the part again and then return the old one for a refund. Per RockAuto:

.

Note the last line. so if this applies to you in a return situation, go through the process and questions. you can see what info they want. they basically confirm that you did order the part, and it is going to the specific vehicle w/ specific motor. a lot of little "gotcha" questions to make sure that you are not trying to rip them off.

I should get the new one on Oct 21st. will let you know how it goes.

AJ

 

[WutUp Clegg]

Your issue is exactly why I quit loading up the parts canon and firing away. I bought all the proper electronic equipment to diagnoses such issues. I still get hung up from time to time, but eventually I figure it out before shooting loads of money at it in parts.

I purchased the diagnostic tools as well, but it's still not pointing to the exact issue. It read all those parts were bad, but once I replace that part, another code will pop up. It's at the mechanic shop now.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

I spent Saturday afternoon installing a new aftermarket headlight harness and Lasfit LED headlight bulbs. Got stymied for about half an hour trying to figure out why the driver side wouldn't light up. I finally swapped in the factory bulb and it worked just fine. Swapped the passenger side LED with the inoperative one to verify the bulb was indeed DOA, which it was. Buttoned everything up with one LED and one factory bulb and fired off an email to Lasfit. To their credit, they are sending out a whole new set of bulbs free of charge.
Stopped this morning on my way to work at a local grocery store and used the back of their building to adjust the headlight aim. Even with only one LED, the difference in visibility is like night and day.

Good to hear they have good customer service. That is becoming very hard to find today.

 

[Bill]

Tore down the driver's side suspension and it didn't go as planned. I broke my ball joint separator tool trying to free the ball joint stud from the steering knuckle. Pounded on the steering knuckle trying to get it to free up, I decided to order one of those front end kits from Amazon that have five different tools because it said it would be delivered by 8PM today. However, I took the train to Autozone to get a loaner tool just in case Amazon didn't deliver today. I stripped the threads on that. About 7PMish when it was getting dark, the kit from Amazon was delivered and that worked with little effort. This is the first time I've ever run into difficulty separating a stud from a steering knuckle. I also had difficulty with the spring compressor. I had it in there perfectly centered, and as I was torquing to compress the spring it moved off center. I was going to recenter it by inserting an extension in the socket, but as I was trying to free the socket that was pinned to one side, the end of the spring compressor moved into the housing where I couldn't loosen it. So, I just lowered the control arm carefully to get the spring out. The old control arm came out easily once I removed the bolts. That wasn't the case with the new control arm. I fought with it for two hours to get it to slide into place. The front just wouldn't go into place. So, I pounded on it with a mallet to get it to move enough so I could insert a screwdriver into the bushing and use the screwdriver to move it into place. In the process of trying to get it to slide into place the control arm fell on me while I was under it. I ended up with a cut and a lot of blood. The control arms are in place. I'll put the rest of it back together tomorrow. I don't think I will have time to do the other side, so that will be next weekend's project.

 

[holyford86]

Not this morning but yesterday, fixed some shortcomings in my on board air setup, most notably, I swapped the non working Amazon special air filter for a small transport truck air dryer. With a little bit of wiring, a solenoid valve, and a relay I was able to get the purge cycle to work on it as well. It's a little bit of overkill but I'm happy with it.

 

[Rick W]

Oh yee wise ones:

1997 XLT 4.0 5speed

When I went to leave the show yesterday, it would crank, but it would not fire up. After checking a few things, we bumped on the bottom of the gas tank, and then it fired right up. So it looks like I need a fuel pump.

I looked online and found this:

I of course, googled for my truck, but then when I checked the vehicle fit, it said this pump would not fit my truck. Every place else it said it would fit the truck.

This was the alternate:

Here’s my question. Can I just get the pump and replace it on the assembly, or do I have to get the whole assembly? It’s hard to tell from the pictures, and I’m not sure how the tube that supports the float attaches to the top of the pump.

With my rig, I’m not sure if I have to take that toolbox off the back to access this pump. That would be quite a job…

As always, all comments and suggestions are appreciated.

 

[97RangerXLT]

Here’s my question. Can I just get the pump and replace it on the assembly, or do I have to get the whole assembly? It’s hard to tell from the pictures, and I’m not sure how the tube that supports the float attaches to the top of the pump.

With my rig, I’m not sure if I have to take that toolbox off the back to access this pump. That would be quite a job…

well my two pennies... 38 bucks is not a bad price, plus it looks plug and play after you sort out the toolbox removal issue. less engineering... I figure my time is worth the 25 dollar difference and the possible headache of needing more little hardware peices to make it work, plus there is the "this wont work with your truck" notification on numerous other sites.

toolbox removal... is it bolted to the frame? if you can lift the bed off the frame with the toolbox attached using an engine hoist you might be ok. just remove the bolts that hold the bed to the frame and any that need to come off of the toolbox and lift it up about 18 inches. that should give you room to swap it out.

Other thought... remove the bed bolts and wiring harness to the trailer and tail lights and then lift the bed off so that it clears the axles and wheels and pull the truck forward until you get access to the pump. once the pump is changed, back the truck under the bed and let it down. Not sure how heavy your flat bed is you might need a couple of engine hoists to safely lift it up.

AJ

 

[Rick W]

well my two pennies... 38 bucks is not a bad price, plus it looks plug and play after you sort out the toolbox removal issue. less engineering... I figure my time is worth the 25 dollar difference and the possible headache of needing more little hardware peices to make it work, plus there is the "this wont work with your truck" notification on numerous other sites.

toolbox removal... is it bolted to the frame? if you can lift the bed off the frame with the toolbox attached using an engine hoist you might be ok. just remove the bolts that hold the bed to the frame and any that need to come off of the toolbox and lift it up about 18 inches. that should give you room to swap it out.

Other thought... remove the bed bolts and wiring harness to the trailer and tail lights and then lift the bed off so that it clears the axles and wheels and pull the truck forward until you get access to the pump. once the pump is changed, back the truck under the bed and let it down. Not sure how heavy your flat bed is you might need a couple of engine hoists to safely lift it up.

AJ

Thanks. I have to agree that the investment in the whole assembly is probably money well spent. But I’ve always pinched pennies, that’s how I grew a pile of them, a hard trait to change in my advanced years.

And maybe I didn’t clarify that this is for the Road Ranger. If it was a stock ranger, I’d pull the bed in a heartbeat and slide it back. That’s not the issue.

When I built this contraption, it wasn’t a design on paper for ease of maintenance. There’s a 2 x 2 tubing frame on top of the truck frame, and then some spacers, and then the box. Inside the box is the second battery, the gas tank fill neck runs through it, all the wiring for all the lights, etc. It will all come apart, I’m just hoping I don’t have to do it wire by wire and piece by piece.

The diamond plate over that area comes out with just two Allen screws. I have a toolbox underneath it that holds the jack and some tools. I’m guessing the bottom front of the box is 6 or 8 inches higher than the top of the tank. I’m hoping I can wiggle the pump out if I take that diamond plate off, but I think there’s a little crossmember on the frame right there Or maybe I could get away with loosening up the box and just tilting up the back side a little bit. If I do have to pull the whole thing, I’ll modify it when I put it back, so it comes out more easily the next time and I’ll document it in the “Road Ranger maintenance manual.”

And as I’m saying this, it’s making more sense to just change the assembly, But I am curious if it is the same pump. I have unlimited time in my retirement and tinkering with this stuff is what I do. By the same token, I’d rather play with it than redo what I’ve already done. My luck, the pump would work, and then the gas gauge would go out or such.

Still curious if I could just swap the pump part

 

[sgtsandman]

Oh yee wise ones:

1997 XLT 4.0 5speed

When I went to leave the show yesterday, it would crank, but it would not fire up. After checking a few things, we bumped on the bottom of the gas tank, and then it fired right up. So it looks like I need a fuel pump.

I looked online and found this:

View attachment 119212

I of course, googled for my truck, but then when I checked the vehicle fit, it said this pump would not fit my truck. Every place else it said it would fit the truck.

This was the alternate:

View attachment 119213

Here’s my question. Can I just get the pump and replace it on the assembly, or do I have to get the whole assembly? It’s hard to tell from the pictures, and I’m not sure how the tube that supports the float attaches to the top of the pump.

With my rig, I’m not sure if I have to take that toolbox off the back to access this pump. That would be quite a job…

As always, all comments and suggestions are appreciated.

To me, you will have to do the same work in order to get the same result. So, it would be better to replace the whole assembly and be done with it. Especially, since the pump you have now is probably the original and is 27 years old, thus probably pretty rusty. If you have a plastic retainer ring, you can reuse that with the new pump but if you have the steel one, you will want to replace that as well. You might need a new seal for the hole as well so gas stays in and doesn't leak out.

As a side note, a number of people have had issues with aftermarket fuel pumps not lasting very long. Since the pump isn't easy to get to and one would want to only do the job once, I would strongly encourage getting a Motorcraft fuel pump. Those have a tendency to fix the problem and stay that way.

 

[JoshT]

I purchased the diagnostic tools as well, but it's still not pointing to the exact issue. It read all those parts were bad, but once I replace that part, another code will pop up. It's at the mechanic shop now.

I understand that it's in the shop now and hopefully they'll get you straight.

What codes was it actually giving you? Preferably the code numbers rather than the nomenclature since the nomenclature can vary with source.

Codes may mention parts, not saying that the part is bad. Usually it's just saying that the sensor indicates a certain condition that the system can't correct, but it is something other than the sensor causing the condition.

 

[Rick W]

Thanks. I have to agree that the investment in the whole assembly is probably money well spent. But I’ve always pinched pennies, that’s how I grew a pile of them, a hard trait to change in my advanced years.

And maybe I didn’t clarify that this is for the Road Ranger. If it was a stock ranger, I’d pull the bed in a heartbeat and slide it back. That’s not the issue.

View attachment 119216

When I built this contraption, it wasn’t a design on paper for ease of maintenance. There’s a 2 x 2 tubing frame on top of the truck frame, and then some spacers, and then the box. Inside the box is the second battery, the gas tank fill neck runs through it, all the wiring for all the lights, etc. It will all come apart, I’m just hoping I don’t have to do it wire by wire and piece by piece.

The diamond plate over that area comes out with just two Allen screws. I have a toolbox underneath it that holds the jack and some tools. I’m guessing the bottom front of the box is 6 or 8 inches higher than the top of the tank. I’m hoping I can wiggle the pump out if I take that diamond plate off, but I think there’s a little crossmember on the frame right there Or maybe I could get away with loosening up the box and just tilting up the back side a little bit. If I do have to pull the whole thing, I’ll modify it when I put it back, so it comes out more easily the next time and I’ll document it in the “Road Ranger maintenance manual.”

And as I’m saying this, it’s making more sense to just change the assembly, But I am curious if it is the same pump. I have unlimited time in my retirement and tinkering with this stuff is what I do. By the same token, I’d rather play with it than redo what I’ve already done. My luck, the pump would work, and then the gas gauge would go out or such.

Still curious if I could just swap the pump part

New pump assembly ordered, it’ll be here in a couple days.

I pulled the diamond plate panel over the axles, and I crawled underneath to check out where the fuel pump was relative to the weatherguard toolbox. Of course it’s right dead center in the middle, a little off to the driver side. Crap.

If you look at the picture, the headache rack and the smokestacks are actually attached directly to the Ranger frame. The toolbox is bolted down on top of the 2 x 2 tubular frame I built, with some screw/bolts going into that headache rack.

All the wiring goes in and out of the box on the driver side, where the fill neck is, where the fire extinguisher is. I have a habit of leaving one or two coils of wire extra when I wire anything like this contraption. If I have to modify something, I don’t have to run new wires. I’m hoping I’m going to have enough slack that after I pulled the fill neck, I will be able to slide it over tilt it up, passenger side to driver side, enough to get the fuel pump out. If the wires aren’t long enough, when I put the box back, I will make it so I can unbolt it and tilt it up right to left without disconnecting anything but the fuel filler for next time, next caretaker

BTW, when I was modifying the fill neck to run through the toolbox, I had that pump assembly out. I don’t know if the items you guys asked about are plastic or steel, etc., But I have enough sense when I’m doing this stuff to check things out that I have to touch, and nothing looked bad on it or I would’ve replaced it at that time. It had a little drip on the return line when I got it, and when I modified the fill neck, the door is located about 6 inches closer to the centerline of the truck from when it was sitting on the side of the bed.

ALTERNATOR

On a different note, I bought a voltage regulator/brush thingy for the Alternator and swapped it out. As I was doing it, I remembered that I did that shortly after I got the truck, which is only a few thousand miles ago. Battery light is still on, and alternator voltage is still low. Is there anything else I should check before replacing the whole alternator?

When I had the brushes out, I looked at where they contact the rotor, and it looked like it was worn down about a 16th - 1/8 of an inch or a little bit more, Which seemed like an awful lot

It’s the “4-hole“ alternator which I understand is the 95 amp. I’m going to go look at the pull-a-parts and see if I can find a “2-hole” 130 amp that will bolt in. I’ll probably grab the first 95 I see, and then simply leave it behind if I find a 130. I’ll probably start at the south pullapart, which has the greatest selection of trucks, explorers and Broncos. It’s the furthest away, so if I don’t find one there, I’ll probably hit the other two on the way back here.

Fortunately, I have a couple of less broken down vehicles I can drive…

 

[Roert42]

Swapping a fuel pump in the sender can be a giant paint. I always recommend buying a sender.

However, my brother bought a sender for his ‘96 recently and the angle of the piping was all wrong it it didn’t fit right in the tank. So we had to take the pump from the new sender and put it into the old sender. So your mileage may very.

 

[Rick W]

New pump assembly ordered, it’ll be here in a couple days.

I pulled the diamond plate panel over the axles, and I crawled underneath to check out where the fuel pump was relative to the weatherguard toolbox. Of course it’s right dead center in the middle, a little off to the driver side. Crap.

If you look at the picture, the headache rack and the smokestacks are actually attached directly to the Ranger frame. The toolbox is bolted down on top of the 2 x 2 tubular frame I built, with some screw/bolts going into that headache rack.

All the wiring goes in and out of the box on the driver side, where the fill neck is, where the fire extinguisher is. I have a habit of leaving one or two coils of wire extra when I wire anything like this contraption. If I have to modify something, I don’t have to run new wires. I’m hoping I’m going to have enough slack that after I pulled the fill neck, I will be able to slide it over tilt it up, passenger side to driver side, enough to get the fuel pump out. If the wires aren’t long enough, when I put the box back, I will make it so I can unbolt it and tilt it up right to left without disconnecting anything but the fuel filler for next time, next caretaker

BTW, when I was modifying the fill neck to run through the toolbox, I had that pump assembly out. I don’t know if the items you guys asked about are plastic or steel, etc., But I have enough sense when I’m doing this stuff to check things out that I have to touch, and nothing looked bad on it or I would’ve replaced it at that time. It had a little drip on the return line when I got it, and when I modified the fill neck, the door is located about 6 inches closer to the centerline of the truck from when it was sitting on the side of the bed.

ALTERNATOR

On a different note, I bought a voltage regulator/brush thingy for the Alternator and swapped it out. As I was doing it, I remembered that I did that shortly after I got the truck, which is only a few thousand miles ago. Battery light is still on, and alternator voltage is still low. Is there anything else I should check before replacing the whole alternator?

When I had the brushes out, I looked at where they contact the rotor, and it looked like it was worn down about a 16th - 1/8 of an inch or a little bit more, Which seemed like an awful lot

View attachment 119257

It’s the “4-hole“ alternator which I understand is the 95 amp. I’m going to go look at the pull-a-parts and see if I can find a “2-hole” 130 amp that will bolt in. I’ll probably grab the first 95 I see, and then simply leave it behind if I find a 130. I’ll probably start at the south pullapart, which has the greatest selection of trucks, explorers and Broncos. It’s the furthest away, so if I don’t find one there, I’ll probably hit the other two on the way back here.

Fortunately, I have a couple of less broken down vehicles I can drive…

UPDATE: remanufactured 130 amp alternator delivered to the house, $80. Pull a Part price was about $40 with tax and core charge. Add gas, no brainer….

I looked all over the place for a serpentine belt, and couldn’t even find one locally for a 4.0 with air conditioning. Then I went to rock auto, and they had four or five of them under $25. It’ll be here in about a week

 

[ben_2_go]

UPDATE: remanufactured 130 amp alternator delivered to the house, $80. Pull a Part price was about $40 with tax and core charge. Add gas, no brainer….

I looked all over the place for a serpentine belt, and couldn’t even find one locally for a 4.0 with air conditioning. Then I went to rock auto, and they had four or five of them under $25. It’ll be here in about a week

You were right about the wear on your original alt. That's to much wear. For what you ordered the new one for would be about what it would cost to have a shop repair the commutator rings, if they're the press off/on type.

 

[Rick W]

You were right about the wear on your original alt. That's to much wear. For what you ordered the new one for would be about what it would cost to have a shop repair the commutator rings, if they're the press off/on type.

Truck has 318,000 miles. Might be the original alternator. I said it a few times, but the guy who had it before me bought it new and did meticulous maintenance on it. He looks down on it from heaven now, he probably spins!