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

[rumblecloud]

Started installing parking/emergency brake rear cables. Should finish up today. Hopefully the adjustment process goes well.

 

[4.0blue98]

New muffler. Super Turbo from Dynomax. Cheap and fit the rest of the plumbing. The old Ultraflo looked great on the outside but was getting a bit too loud after 10 years. Saved it for a different project. I'm half deaf and it was just too loud for the daily drive.

Side note, hit 221122 the other day. Hope to get a Pic when I get all 2s.

 

[JoshT]

Fixed a coolant leak. As mentioned in another thread was driving yesterday and started overheating. Turned out to be a pinhole in the nipple for the waterpump bypass hose.

I'll drive it the next few days to make sure that there are no lasting issues from the overheating. If all is good, it's going back into the shop to prepare for new exhaust.

 

[Bill]

I decided to flush the old brake fluid out of the lines using the brake bleeder thingy I ordered on Rockauto. The "tool" works, but it is really a hassle. The first problem is the tubing is 4" long, which isn't long enough to set on the ground. I ended up using an empty planter to set it on. The second problem is it fills up after you pump the brakes about five times. The third problem is the bottom twists off, but it isn't threaded. It has bayonet-like tabs that don't disengage smoothly, so I ended up spilling brake fluid on the driveway. Anyway, I think it was $4-something on Rockauto. I tried it because it was cheap. I got one side done because one side took the whole bottle of brake fluid. . The brake fluid in the wheel cylinders was dark brown. That pumped out fairly quick. The fluid in the lines was dark amber. It took awhile to get it all out of the rear line. The fluid in the front caliper wasn't as dark, but that is because I loosen the bleeder screw to compress the pistons when I replace the brake pads and that got rid of some of the old fluid previously.

 

[Saddle Tramp]

That sounds frustrating.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Changed the water pump in the '97 Ranger, dumb design with the inlet tube going through the alternator/belt tensioner/coil bracket monstrosity... conveniently someone before me changed out the fiber inlet thing with a metal one which was very happy being in the old water pump, I had to empoly a really long brass drift and hammer to get it out.

While I had it apart I took the T stat housing off again and pondered the best way to deal with that mess, I decided to put in the Motorcraft T stat back in which fit better but I had to straighten out the washer deal in there that I dented last time, didn't need the spacer but had to open up that hole in the washer thing... we'll see how it works tomorrow...

Had to go to town to get a T stat gasket, conveniently Advanced auto parts is closing all it's west coast stores so I stocked up on some things... $170 later I got 3 T stat housing gaskets, two 7.3L valve cover gaskets, a 2.3L timing belt kit, pilot bearing and rear main (clutch in the '97 is coming up in a few months, should have gotten a slave and master if they had them...), 4.5 gallons of diesel oil, valve cover gasket for the Camry once I swap it's engine and a couple cans of red car paint so I can touch up the '97 Ranger... I'll probably head back over there tomorrow after work after I do more thinking...

 

[Bill]

That sounds frustrating.

It was. But, I have clean brake fluid. Brake fluid really should be flushed as it absorbs water and lowers the boiling point of the brake fluid.

 

[MaicoDoug]

Trying to figure if I want to keep the rear jump seats or not. They are sitting next to my toolbox and getting tired of looking at them. Heavy too. Never did figure out where to put my tire tools. But the bed has a cap on it now for 4 months, locked and secure. I guess a tote of some sort will work to store the tire jack, wrench & other stuff.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Trying to figure if I want to keep the rear jump seats or not. They are sitting next to my toolbox and getting tired of looking at them. Heavy too. Never did figure out where to put my tire tools. But the bed has a cap on it now for 4 months, locked and secure. I guess a tote of some sort will work to store the tire jack, wrench & other stuff.

I stuck my jump seats in my shed for storage. They likely will never go back in my Ranger again unless I rig them up as seats in the bed for the fun of it.

Come to think of it, maybe I could rig something up on the farm tractor to mount one of those for when someone wants to ride along…

 

[Blmpkn]

Started it up and let it run for a bit the other day. Having some slight heat issues with the stainless header and the wiring harness right above it with no air moving through the bay lol. Luckily that bit of harness is run through a thicker plastic housing of sorts so I didn't melt any wires.. just a slight softening of the harness protector/housing thing. I'll hafta give it a good inspection and wrap it up myself using.. something..

 

[superj]

took the ol ranger down to port aransas and across the ferry into aransas pass to go to a car show at the jeep dealership. got there and decided my truck was way out of its league so i just parked and walked through the cars. should have taken pictures to post but i never think of that junk like younger people do... they grew up with phones attached to their heads.


anyways, did that, ate lunch, and than drove the other route home, through town. its probably 65 or 70 miles total to go around the bay and then back along the highway. perfect trip in the ranger and the only thing i was missing was cruise control

 

[rumblecloud]

I posted earlier that I'm replacing the parking brake rear cables...Like everyone else, I take pics of everything I'm taking apart so I can reference it as I put it back together....
I must have taken 30 to 35 images and still I do not have the one image I need to show me how a particular part goes where....WHAT IS WITH THAT!?

I'm good, but for cryin' out loud....how many shots do I need....ahhhhI get it now....wrong kind of shots....barkeep,..... tequila please.

 

[Curious Hound]

I posted earlier that I'm replacing the parking brake rear cables...Like everyone else, I take pics of everything I'm taking apart so I can reference it as I put it back together....
I must have taken 30 to 35 images and still I do not have the one image I need to show me how a particular part goes where....WHAT IS WITH THAT!?

I'm good, but for cryin' out loud....how many shots do I need....ahhhhI get it now....wrong kind of shots....barkeep,..... tequila please.

Probably only need 2 or 3 pictures, if you get the right ones.

 

[JoshT]

Took it on a long test drive too and from work. No apparent side affects from the overheating, and no further loss of coolant. Tomorrow after work I'll drop it at the parent;s house to start preparing for exhaust system.

Got new cat pipes to install. Will also be flipping the rear axle before delivering it to exhaust shop. Probably won't be drivable with the axle flipped, but should be able to get it onto a trailer no problem. Reason for flipping axle is setting clearance for future plans. Truck currently sits like a 2wd in rear, but want to go a bit lower (2-3") if I can ever get the parts I need for the front. Not waiting for that to get the exhaust done and get the truck tuned, but don't want to have to get it redone again in the future. So flip it for the work, then flip it back when I get it home.

For the exhaust itself, I have new mandrel bent Magnaflow cat pipes. My engine donor was a 2000, but I went with 96-98 Explorer cats because the front and rear cats are separated on those. Was expecting new cat sections to be 2.5" from previous reviews I'd read, but they're only 2.25". Since they're new and the bends aren;t crimped like stock, they should still flow much better. Exhaust shop will be doing 2.5" dual exhaust from there to the back of trhe truck with either individual turbo mufflers and a crossover, or with a single dual-in/out turbo.

Aiming to have it at exhausst shop next Monday and might get it back the next day. Not going to rush it and they close for the week on Christmas, so might be Monday before I drop it off. Either way it should be done New Years week and I can start making arrangements for the tuning.

 

[sgtsandman]

I stuck my jump seats in my shed for storage. They likely will never go back in my Ranger again unless I rig them up as seats in the bed for the fun of it.

Come to think of it, maybe I could rig something up on the farm tractor to mount one of those for when someone wants to ride along…

Mine are stored on the loft in the garage. I did put them in trash bags in order to somewhat protect them. I don't ever anticipate putting them back in but if I ever sell the truck, the new owner will have them.