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

[scotts90ranger]

Yesterday I used the '97 as a workbench disassembling some pallets I got from work (I take apart some that are easy to take apart for some wood for projects, staples are easy to pull compared to those wire shanked nails...), then moved the Explorer to the driveway to air up the tires... found out why it towed bad, 3 at 28psi and one at 18psi, that would explain the thrust change on and off throttle... it drove fine on the way home without the trailer the other night...

 

[sgtsandman]

View attachment 76317

Better tell the middle one to simmer down!

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Changed the oil and filter, using Amsoil for both. Last time and this time I used the premium Signature series, and I went just over 10,000 miles on the first fill. Signature series claims to be good for up to 25K miles or 1 year, but I'm conservative and the first fill was near the 1–year limit anyway. Will probably stick to 10K miles between changes.

When I drained this first fill, it didn't look or smell too bad after 10K miles. It was comparable to how an old-style conventional oil would look after 3K. No evidence of debris, coolant, or fuel dilution.

The Ranger used or maybe seeped (don't see any evidence of oil leaks so far) about 1/2 quart of oil over the 10,000 miles, based on dipstick checks. After 113,000 miles I cannot complain. The CarFax report suggests the oil wasn't changed quite as often before I bought the truck as it should have been.

The Amsoil oil filter is US–made (marked with that on the end) and seems to be pretty robust. I'm curious to find who makes these filters for them. Maybe that's a good question for BobIsTheOilGuy (BITOG). But I'm not obsessed like some of those members are, so no oil analysis or cutting open the old filter.

 

[superj]

I changed the radio from the single din flip screen media player one to a single din normal am/fm/cd radio because the flip screen kept blocking the center vents.

And I found out the fan clutch seems to be going out. Sometimes the ac goes warm in the drive through but if I rev up and hold the rpms up a little, I can get the air temp to drop back down at the vents. When driving though, vent temps are ice cold. Popped the hood and the fan clutch has very little resistance, even when I just turned the truck off

 

[cbxer55]

Changed the oil and filter, using Amsoil for both. Last time and this time I used the premium Signature series, and I went just over 10,000 miles on the first fill. Signature series claims to be good for up to 25K miles or 1 year, but I'm conservative and the first fill was near the 1–year limit anyway. Will probably stick to 10K miles between changes.

When I drained this first fill, it didn't look or smell too bad after 10K miles. It was comparable to how an old-style conventional oil would look after 3K. No evidence of debris, coolant, or fuel dilution.

The Ranger used or maybe seeped (don't see any evidence of oil leaks so far) about 1/2 quart of oil over the 10,000 miles, based on dipstick checks. After 113,000 miles I cannot complain. The CarFax report suggests the oil wasn't changed quite as often before I bought the truck as it should have been.

The Amsoil oil filter is US–made (marked with that on the end) and seems to be pretty robust. I'm curious to find who makes these filters for them. Maybe that's a good question for BobIsTheOilGuy (BITOG). But I'm not obsessed like some of those members are, so no oil analysis or cutting open the old filter.

My sister had borrowed my Ranger for "one year", back in 2009. She ended up with it for four years. When I finally got it back in September 2013, it still had the oil change sticker on the windshield from the last time I had it changed. Asked her, she never changed it. Four years and over 40,000 miles. Didn't hurt it one bit. Ever since then, I am not real big on 3000 mile oil changes. I pull the dipstick, feel and smell the oil on it. If it feels like oil and doesn't smell bad, I leave it. I have no idea how many miles are on the oil; that's in my Ranger now. Oil change places won't put the oil in it that I want, 20w-50. They all insist it's a 5w-20 vehicle. "Bullsh-t! That colored water oil didn't exist in 1998." Asshats!

 

[ekrampitzjr]

My sister had borrowed my Ranger for "one year", back in 2009. She ended up with it for four years. When I finally got it back in September 2013, it still had the oil change sticker on the windshield from the last time I had it changed. Asked her, she never changed it. Four years and over 40,000 miles. Didn't hurt it one bit. Ever since then, I am not real big on 3000 mile oil changes. I pull the dipstick, feel and smell the oil on it. If it feels like oil and doesn't smell bad, I leave it. I have no idea how many miles are on the oil; that's in my Ranger now. Oil change places won't put the oil in it that I want, 20w-50. They all insist it's a 5w-20 vehicle. "Bullsh-t! That colored water oil didn't exist in 1998." Asshats!View attachment 76445

Ford "back-specified" 5W-20 for many older models later. That's why the oil change places are telling you they plan to use that grade. Ford's change was about "fuel economy". I'm with you about sticking with higher viscosity. 20W-50 might be overkill if it isn't using/losing oil, but 10W-40 shouldn't hurt anything.

My 4.0 takes 5W-30. No way am I going with xW-20.

 

[Maritime Drag Racing]

BEFORE CalTracs photo - Can't wait to see what it will look like without maximum separation on the rear. At rest that slick is usually ½" up inside the wheel lip.

​

 

[ekrampitzjr]

That drag-racer Ranger has the 7–foot bed (or someone did some nice body work). Rare one.

 

[rubydist]

But its ruined by having that bowtie on the grille...

 

[ericbphoto]

Loaded about half of my earthly belongings into it for a 6 day camping trip.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

But its ruined by having that bowtie on the grille...

Thanks for mentioning that. Don't know how I missed it.

Now that raises a few questions about the drag racer... Why is he running a Ranger body?

 

[Ranger850]

Thanks for mentioning that. Don't know how I missed it.

Now that raises a few questions about the drag racer... Why is he running a Ranger body?

cuz dey purdy

 

[Bill]

Ford "back-specified" 5W-20 for many older models later. That's why the oil change places are telling you they plan to use that grade. Ford's change was about "fuel economy". I'm with you about sticking with higher viscosity. 20W-50 might be overkill if it isn't using/losing oil, but 10W-40 shouldn't hurt anything.

My 4.0 takes 5W-30. No way am I going with xW-20.

The 4.0 uses 5w30 due to the design of the oil pump and it's inability to maintain adequate oil pressure at operating temperature using 5w20. That engine design comes from a V4 designed in the early 60s. It's big, fat, inefficient, and clunky when compared to the newer engines. Don't compare it to the engines in modern vehicles. It's summer now, so a 20w doesn't matter. A 50 weight is excessive. 5w20 or 5w30 is more than adequate. There's much more to engine lubrication than the weight of the oil. You not only want the oil to maintain a film between moving parts. You also want it to flow between the parts to cool the bearing surfaces and be able to reach all the components in the valvetrain.

 

[Blmpkn]

Thanks for mentioning that. Don't know how I missed it.

Now that raises a few questions about the drag racer... Why is he running a Ranger body?

Ranger looks better than the s10, but SBC power is cheaper than Ford power so it's perfect.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Finally got the old power steering line off the Explorer, the new one on, then had to replace the tensioner because it wasn’t doing much, but that’s all back together now. Pretty sure there’s a parasitic draw somewhere but that project is down a bit on the list. Dad’s Ranger has some issues starting, but it has to wait too.

My green Ranger has to take priority now until it’s done. Hopefully my parts come in tomorrow or Thursday. I have a little bit I can work on before needing them though so I’m not too excited just yet. Still need to figure out what clutch packs I need to order for the rear axle, I wanted to service the limited slip and shove a couple extra clutch disks in, but my search for them brought up the question of are they short ear or long ear. I also want to find a better diff cover since it’s pretty rusty. Originally I thought about a Solid cover like I put on my F-150, but then I had someone tell me that F-150 8.8” and RBV 8.8” use different covers? The axle I’m talking about for this project is out of a 98 Explorer.