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

[Uncle Gump]

Last week I road tripped my truck up to deer camp. Put just about a thousand miles on it. On the way there... I got 16.2 mpg (I sat in stop and go traffic for over an hour) but on the smooth sail home it was 17 mpg. The tank of fuel I burned while two-trackin in 4wd with 8-10 inches of snow... driving into town etc... and lots of idle time... 12.2 mpg.

I'm probably going to take my tire carrier off for the winter... I have to haul a couple sheets of drywall and lumber for a couple projects. I did loosen the bumper brackets and straighten it up so it sat uprite before I left. I think the factory bumper brackets are bending. But i might not be giving the bolts enough rat a tat tats. I have a set of AOR HD brackets just haven't put them on. It will happen this spring. You can see everything leaning back again after the drive there.

My bother-in-law bought a used Taco TRD (he calls it the TuRD)... but he loves it. I couldn't get in or out of it without bumping my head and the cab for me was just uncomfortable. Something is just off with the Toyota's cab. It is his first "shift on the fly" 4WD and when he would come out of 4WD there was an associated bang/crunch going on. I noticed he was coming completely of the throttle then selecting 2WD. Then when the 4WD indicator turned off... he would add throttle and get the bang/crunch. I got him to use light throttle and drive through the transition... smooth as silk. We got him in and out 4L a couple times and I made sure he was a two wheelie peelie and his diff functioned. He cruised it all over on half worn street tread. Maybe all of those engines are a bit clattery... I know my 4.0L is way quieter.

All the snow had melted by Saturday.

While out in his truck we did catch this guy checking us out... Big Barred Owl. At first sight... I thought why in the world is there a monkey in that tree. From the cabin... we could hear him at night... perhaps looking for love? Pretty cool experience.

 

[Blmpkn]

We had a couple of them in the yard for most of the year. These two didn't seem to be too wary of humans which I thought was neat. The racket they make at night is wild!

 

[sgtsandman]

My 2011 typically has the fuel light come on at about 2 gallons. I forget on the 2019. I think it comes on at Either 2 or 3 gallons left in the tank.

Except on long trips and the biannual fuel system cleaner, I try not to run the tank down that low.

Like Eric said, the pump depends on the fuel for cooling.

 

[JoshT]

The racket they make at night is wild!

Yes, yes it is. Owls in general. Try sitting in a deer stand at 5am and not knowing he's right overhead until he starts hooting.

 

[Blmpkn]

Yes, yes it is. Owls in general. Try sitting in a deer stand at 5am and not knowing he's right overhead until he starts hooting.

It's the rabbits and partridge that always jumped me while hunting lol. They'll wait to move until your right on top of them then all of a sudden they leave at 106mph.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I've heard the fuel pump cooling thing is more of a theory than a fact... I don't do like when I was a teenager and just put $5 in the tank at a time (back when that got you 5 gallons or more...). The fuel pump has fuel running THROUGH the motor, it's a brushed DC motor, the spinny bits are what create heat... anyway in a commuter I run full to emptyish (empty line on the '97 still has at least 3 gallons left) depending on when I feel like getting fuel... in the '97 I can make it about 6 days, explorer was 3-4... on a Ranger changing the fuel pump isn't a huge amount of work anyway.

Been driving the '97 to work for a couple days, it's doing fine, added some cardboard over the radiator yesterday since it didn't get over 150 on the way in to work yesterday... it now vibrates at idle, apparently when the engine is attached to the vehicle it's a bit different... . Just returned the old bumper to the junkyard today for the core charge (no way a 20lb bumper is worth $5 in scrap) since it wasn't out of the way...

 

[Maritime Drag Racing]

A little more progress on the roll bar today. Got the back bars both notched to fit the main hoop and now I just need to put the holes through the box floor to weld them to the frame. Violated that 7.35 roll bar rule with a couple of 7.29s at the last race so I gotta be legal in 2023.

 

[sgtsandman]

I've heard the fuel pump cooling thing is more of a theory than a fact... I don't do like when I was a teenager and just put $5 in the tank at a time (back when that got you 5 gallons or more...). The fuel pump has fuel running THROUGH the motor, it's a brushed DC motor, the spinny bits are what create heat... anyway in a commuter I run full to emptyish (empty line on the '97 still has at least 3 gallons left) depending on when I feel like getting fuel... in the '97 I can make it about 6 days, explorer was 3-4... on a Ranger changing the fuel pump isn't a huge amount of work anyway.

Oh no, they actually do use the fuel to cool them. While not to the extent of aircraft fuel pumps but they do depend on the fuel running through them for cooling. With aircraft, there is a minimum standard fuel load dictated for each tank. Partly for the heat sink cooling aspect but also to minimize cavitation since jet engines don't like a lot of air bubbles in the fuel they are being fed. In any case, while the sealed motor in an automotive fuel pump doesn't generate a massive amount of heat, it does generate heat that needs to go somewhere.

Fuel being used for cooling is not a new thing either and has been used in a lot of applications. Including rocket engines. The fuel is circulated through the rocket nozzles to cool them from the intense heat and I believe it also helped boost performance and power at the same time but it has been a long time since I've read anything on the subject and I am not a rocket scientist.

 

[sgtsandman]

Used the 2011 to haul home some lumber to replace some of the decaying, 10+ year old lumber that makes up the carport. Considering it's untreated pine boards, I can't complain. 10+ years is a good run considering. It didn't need a lot. 4, 2"X4"X10' and 10, 2"X3"X6' boards. $52 worth in all.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I was meaning that the fuel in the tank outside the pump doesn't necessarily cool the pump, I was saying the cooling is done inside the pump not outside... it is very true that the less fuel you have the more heat is built up so there's a limit to this, in a return system pressurizing the fuel creates heat which is returned to the tank then cycled back through the pump increasing the fuel temp and so forth... I think that's the biggest reason for what people say... in short you aren't going to kill your fuel pump if you get below 1/4 tank occasionally, you "might" shorten the life of the pump if you drive reasonable distances (heat has to build up) and never fill over 1/4 tank...

Jet fuel is basically kerosene isn't it? which is similar to diesel and might foam up? That and being in the air relying on air speed to keep it up and the engine loaded sure changes the dynamics of the situation, as well as the pressure inside (and/or outside...) the fuel tank .

There's debatable things in there, myself I try not to stress on some things I might have in the past, but then again I have 6 vehicles that currently run for just me and the wife so I'm not relying on one anymore...

 

[Robertmangrum.rm]

My 08 Sport Trac didn't even have a dip stick to check.

I believe they changed quite a bit in 07 when they changed the body style up. I've never been under the hood of the latter body style. The 05 was a fist body style still. I was quite jealous when they offered the V8 in the newer ones.

 

[DILLARD000]

I believe they changed quite a bit in 07 when they changed the body style up. I've never been under the hood of the latter body style. The 05 was a fist body style still. I was quite jealous when they offered the V8 in the newer ones.

Yep, also sometimes wished for a V8, but V6 was only option in 2002 when I bought my DealerDemo 2001 SportTracJob2;
was really wanting an F150, but they wouldn't fit in my garage & wasn't keeping a new vehicle outside thru RockyMtn blizzards.
Initially had 10kMiles on the clock, still holding its own with original Engine+Tranny at 250kMiles.
Definite weaknesses+quirks, but has suited my needs, proved worthy with good maintainence & relatively minor reliability upgrades.

Early 2001 SportTracs (Job1) of course had the 4.0L~SOHC & old variable IntakeManifold shaped like a pretzel; lots of initial issues.
Later 2001 SportTracs (Job2) again had V6~4.0L~SOHC with new IntakeManifold+ValveCovers+MetricOilFilter, moved OilStick to left & OilFill to right.
2002~2003 SportTracs still basicly Job2s with some improvements: better TimingTensioners, DiscBrakes replaced rear DrumBrakes.
2004~2005 SportTracs still had same 4.0L~SOHC Block & 5r55e Tranny, but many changes: new HybridElectronicControl\HEC PCM+Cluster+Harness+...
2006 model year got skipped, assuming to retool the Louisville KY assembly plant.
2007~2010 SportTracs as you noted had V6~4.0L~SOHC or V8~5.0L 4.6L , new version of 5r55 Tranny without DipStick, new Frame+Body,+Interior...

 

[Ranger850]

2007~2010 SportTracs as you noted had V6~4.0L~SOHC or V8~5.0L, new version of 5r55 Tranny without DipStick, new Frame+Body,+Interior...

2nd gen Sport Trac never had the 5.0 v8, but it did get the 4.6

 

[sgtsandman]

I was meaning that the fuel in the tank outside the pump doesn't necessarily cool the pump, I was saying the cooling is done inside the pump not outside... it is very true that the less fuel you have the more heat is built up so there's a limit to this, in a return system pressurizing the fuel creates heat which is returned to the tank then cycled back through the pump increasing the fuel temp and so forth... I think that's the biggest reason for what people say... in short you aren't going to kill your fuel pump if you get below 1/4 tank occasionally, you "might" shorten the life of the pump if you drive reasonable distances (heat has to build up) and never fill over 1/4 tank...

Jet fuel is basically kerosene isn't it? which is similar to diesel and might foam up? That and being in the air relying on air speed to keep it up and the engine loaded sure changes the dynamics of the situation, as well as the pressure inside (and/or outside...) the fuel tank .

There's debatable things in there, myself I try not to stress on some things I might have in the past, but then again I have 6 vehicles that currently run for just me and the wife so I'm not relying on one anymore...

It depends on the fuel. JP-4 was gasoline based. JP-5, JP-8, and Jet A are Kerosene based, which is more refined than diesel but close enough that you can run it in a diesel engine if the engine is setup correctly. It also doesn’t foam up like diesel. Probably because it’s more refined.

 

[G8orFord]

See me too. I have always been a manual trans guy. The Sport Trac was literally my first RBV with an auto besides my first car which was a 63 Fairlane with a built C6. It didn't get a chance to need one before it was taken away for me being a dumb teenager. So it was more of a question for me. The wife's focus is an auto but it had the trans worked on twice since we got it in 14 and only has 40k miles. All warranty work but on the paperwork it said both time fluid drained and replaced. I'm planning on following maintenance guides on my 2020 because I've heard the 10 speed is sensitive to dirty fluid. My dad's friend passed away about 3 years ago so don't have him to smell my trans fluid anymore haha

I would question whether your Focus is a true automatic or if it's the problematic dual clutch manual they put in them from around 2011 to 2016 or so. They were manual transmissions but were shifted like an automatic by the computer and solenoids.