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

[85_Ranger4x4]

I know what I was doing to my Ranger 14 years ago today...

 

[WutUp Clegg]

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.

I don't remember the codes. I do remember it was reading as running rich, MAF issues, O2 sensor issues, etc... I checked and replaced all of those things, but it still reading rich without giving me an exact problem. The mechanic found the intake was leaking at the left-side head. Hopefully that will fix the issue. I'm tired of throwing parts at it. On the other hand, many of those parts were bad, including the Y-pipe with the cats on it.

 

[Rick W]

I know what I was doing to my Ranger 14 years ago today...

View attachment 119278

Has it moved or is it like some of my projects?

 

[Rick W]

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

Update update: when I pulled the alternator to swap the brushes, the Belt tensioner didn’t seem to want to come up all the way. It did, but if I touched the wrench a little bit, it would come up just a little bit more. I don’t think the belt was slipping, but I ordered a new tensioner anyway.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Has it moved or is it like some of my projects?

Oh lord has it moved...

It's been in the truck since 2011.

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

I listened to the engine.

A few things to note. One, my alternator bearings seem to be going out, so I’ll need to get that sorted soon.
Two, I about freaked out when I noticed a faint ticking noise, not the dreaded chain rattle but something else. After listening closer and putting my finger (carefully) on things to feel for vibrations, I can say with reasonable confidence it’s just injector tick, as it’s softer and more solenoid-like than lifter tick. And, yaknow, it’s coming from the injector area.

Also my valve cover gasket on the passenger side is leaking already… smh. It’s been less than 10k.

 

[Bill]

So, sunday I finished rebuilding the suspension on the driver's side. While driving to work I noticed a popping sound when going over bumps. When I got home I inspected my work. Everything was torqued properly. I then started looking for movement and I found it. The upper control arm ball joint was loose in the top of the steering knuckle After trying to figure out why I popped out the caliper to measure the ball joint stud in the old control arm and the new one. They were both the same. I measured the new bolt that came with the control arm. It had a slight taper going toward the threads. A difference of about 1.5 mm. The part of the bolt that pins up against the ball joint stud was the same as the old bolt. I decided to reuse the old bolt and the problem appears to be resolved. Then I attempted to re-center the steering wheel by adjusting the toe. I made some improvement, but it was getting dark so I quit.

 

[Rick W]

I listened to the engine.

A few things to note. One, my alternator bearings seem to be going out, so I’ll need to get that sorted soon.
Two, I about freaked out when I noticed a faint ticking noise, not the dreaded chain rattle but something else. After listening closer and putting my finger (carefully) on things to feel for vibrations, I can say with reasonable confidence it’s just injector tick, as it’s softer and more solenoid-like than lifter tick. And, yaknow, it’s coming from the injector area.

Also my valve cover gasket on the passenger side is leaking already… smh. It’s been less than 10k.

You probably know this, but just in case you don’t, you can cut a piece of one by two or use a dowel or something like that, and carefully touch it down on different parts of the engine with the other end against your ear. It’s like a stethoscope, it magnifies whatever noise, hunting around you can isolate it


My 2 cents, hope it helps

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You probably know this, but just in case you don’t, you can cut a piece of one by two or use a dowel or something like that, and carefully touch it down on different parts of the engine with the other end against your ear. It’s like a stethoscope, it magnifies whatever noise, hunting around you can isolate it


My 2 cents, hope it helps

A long screwdriver or prybar works too.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Saturday I took the '00 Explorer up in the woods hunting, hadn't driven it much in the last year since I welded the rear diff last hunting season . It's kinda annoying having a welded diff in the city as it squeals tires all the time and really wants to go straight, but get to a gravel road and it's a frickin blast! Stab the gas, drop a gear and you get all the powerslides...

They say welding a clutch type limited slip isn't recommended, heck I'm not recommending it, I was out of spare parts and time so it's the route I took, honestly kinda amazed it's taking this abuse... I pre heated then welded until it looked like there was absolutely no gain in adding more metal in there, then added a little more then put a 5 gallon metal jug over the carrier and put a few towels over it and let it cool naturally, then reassembled the next day... If you're gonna be dumb at least be smart about it...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

You probably know this, but just in case you don’t, you can cut a piece of one by two or use a dowel or something like that, and carefully touch it down on different parts of the engine with the other end against your ear. It’s like a stethoscope, it magnifies whatever noise, hunting around you can isolate it


My 2 cents, hope it helps

A long screwdriver or prybar works too.

A long extension for a ratchet works well too

Somewhere I do have a mechanics stethoscope but I don’t remember the last time I used that over whatever was handy to transmit sound

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Replaced a tailgate cable on my green Ranger yesterday with one that is less broken. Had to fight the stupid bolt. Ordered new cables.

Worked on welding on dad’s Ranger. Got the tab by the body mount done. Tried to get the one other tab on and it didn’t fit quite right so I was working on fit and I managed to put a twist in it and there’s no room to work because of the fender liner. Got frustrated and left it at that for the day. Took care of a few other things.

Gonna have to take the fender liner free to get room but I’m thinking today I’ll probably see about changing the oil in the green Ranger, maybe work on the crossmember for dad’s Ranger, maybe work on the 88.

 

[Rick W]

Alternator and belt came in today for the Road Ranger. They weren’t supposed to be here till the weekend or Monday. I still have to wait on the belt tensioner.

Some progress though. Fuel pump is supposed to be here Tuesday.

 

[4.0blue98]

Turned 220k. Still my daily driver. Needs brake work and I think I blew out my catalytic converter. Don't tell Al Gore...

 

[CamTheHedgehog]

Alternator and belt came in today for the Road Ranger. They weren’t supposed to be here till the weekend or Monday. I still have to wait on the belt tensioner.

View attachment 119453

Some progress though. Fuel pump is supposed to be here Tuesday.

That reminds me…. I think mine is going bad.

I’m getting a little bit of rattle/grinding noise, similar to the dreaded chain rattle but from the top front of the engine.
My giveaway that it’s something in the accessory drive is that it’s quite faint from the wheel wells, but very prominent from the front through the grille and radiator. If it was the chain rattle, I feel like there’s no way the sound would carry better through the accessory drive and radiator than through the wheel wells. Also from my experience with the rattle it comes very clear through the wheel well if it is the chains.

why am I writing this? To calm my fears that it is somehow the chains AGAIN and not the accessory drive. If it is I will have a literal stroke.