86 Diesel Ranger 4x4 Conversion

[Enemy]

Ive been slacking on updates!
So I haven't had much luck finding a 4x4 other than the one punched in the side so Im gunna use it for what I can. That means a crossmember swap. Going to amputate the front of the wrecked truck off and have all the parts ready to swap when I tear the diesel down for resto. Pull the motor, swap the member and hopefully be bolting in Skyjacker 4" in the process. Starting on cab corners next week.
In the meantime....I have been chasing oil leaks! Put a rear main seal in when I fixed the flywheel and then onto that damn oil filter adapter... Changing $23 filters on this truck has to be the biggest f'n cluster eff BTW!!
Other issue is the junk pressure fittings they used on the cooler lines. They work great until the plastic retaining rings get brittle and crumble apart and leave a 26 mile oil dribble to work on a -10* morning. Fun fun!
The hose clamp was holding the clip locked in place from a previous repair lol!


Adapted in some -8 AN to 3/8 pipe fittings. The original snap lock fittings are notorious for loosening up and leaking as well BTW.


-8 AN push lock hose adapts nicely to the original cooler hard lines. Much cleaner and out of the way a bit more for easier DUMPING of oil in the filter upon removal
Did I mention how awesome this adapter is? lol


Other than that, I turned the boost up to 18psi, rebuilt the injectors and pump, and put a turn on the fuel screw and now hitting 30-34 mpg on winter blend fuel. Like a completely different motor now, running really good!

 

[Twister]

Looks good. You from Nebraska or just the truck?

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk

 

[Enemy]

I'm from Nebraska. Howdy from WAHOO!

 

[Mike Tonon]

If I had that truck, I'd paint the bottom (up to the higher aluminum trim across the body) black (in my opinion, black is sharp!) and the top (down to that same molding) white (to keep it cooler in hot weather). Then chrome the bumpers (probably cheaper to just replace the front, but the factory rear bumpers on those older rangers are hard to find).. no plastic caps on them either, just straight up chromed metal! And the 83-84 ranger chrome mirrors, which should mount right up where your black plastic mirrors are. I'd throw in a rear sliding window too, because I personally like my windows down on a semi-hot day AND when I need to haul something long, like 12-14 foot long lumber or something similar, I slide my rear window open, send it part way through and tie it down.

Just my opinions. Nice find!

 

[AllanD]

Before you get too deep into a cross-member swap to convert the truck to 4x4 look REAL CLOSE at engine oil pan Vs Cross-member clearance.

The 4x4 cross-member is wider and the bracket for the passenger side beam is
likely to be more of a problem than the actual width

remember that even minor interference is fatal

As an example:
Going from the 1991-92 Ranger 3.0 (2wd only) to the 1993 where the 3.0 and 4x4 were offered, a different oil pan was required, along with a different pickup and oil pump to clear the bracket.

If swapping to a 4x4 by cross-member swap is what you really want, by all means do it.

I'm in no position to suggest against it, I converted my '87 Supercab to 4x4 at the same time I did my 4.0 swap.

But if you do go to that effort remember that the hardest part is NOT getting the old
cross-member out, but getting the bits of frame off the donor cross-member then getting the new one in.

Also remember that Dana 28 axle parts are long discontinued and are not going to get easier to get with time. so seriously consider using a Dana 35 axle, which are far more common (all those first gen Explorers and third gen Rangers)

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Also remember that Dana 28 axle parts are long discontinued and are not going to get easier to get with time. so seriously consider using a Dana 35 axle, which are far more common (all those first gen Explorers and third gen Rangers)

35 stuff isn't quite as scarce as 28 but I can tell around me it has began the same downward slide.

Either they are dying off or they are not getting enough out of them for parts and crush them outright, I don't know.

 

[jesselee20040]

What trans does the diesel have, this is purely my own curiosity?

Another note about the front ends, I looked at doing a frame swap to convert my diesel to 4wd since my gpa had also collected one of those and it would have been free (although missing trans and case); but after I started looking at prices to rebuild a dana 28/35 and purchase a lift kit I found that a SAS for me would be the better option.

 

[jesselee20040]

Also what did you have too do for the new cooler line -an fittings to work, did you drill and tap?

 

[jesselee20040]

So what ever happened to this truck??? I just bought an 87 bronco II that i will be slapping the diesel motor in.

 

[JenniferMora]

Cool truck, its nice to take lots of pics there, hope your projeck can done


______________________________________________________
http://www.carwashwater.com

 

[Enemy]

Sorry to be on hiatus folks! This has been a crazy year and getting difficult to sit down for very long! But its work and I'll take it.. So in the meantime, I have literally been driving the wheels off this truck as my daily driver so this conversion has been put on hold in favor or more critical projects. The good mileage has been VERY helpful lately! Along the way I have discovered a few issues with this engine and truck that needed addressed that I will post up in the engine forum, but the major issue for me is the Standard Cab. My comfort level in this little cab is at an all-time low and am now searching for an 87-88 extended-cab 4x4 to drop this motor in and having zero luck in my search. I can find 2WD all day long and some real clean ones! No older 4X4 around here for sale this time or year, or ever it seems.. Anybody else feeling what that 'effing "Cash-forCLunkers" disaster program did to us guys that like to keep the older vehicles on the road??
Thanks for all the kind words, ideas, and help so far! It will be done sooner or later!
I'll try not to be such a stranger as well LOL

 

[Enemy]

Also what did you have too do for the new cooler line -an fittings to work, did you drill and tap?

No drill or tap required, Original fittings are 3/8 npt, so just a conversion fitting like this -> http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Black-Straight-8-AN-Flare-to-3-8-Inch-NPT-Pipe-Adapter-Fitting,37346.html
Then use -8AN push style hose and fittings and clamp over the factory hard line on the frame rail

Along with 2 of these http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Straight-Socketless-Reuseable-Push-On-Hose-End-for-8-AN-Fitting,38969.html

 

[jesselee20040]

What kind of mileage are you getting? Also what gear ratio do you have? My diesel ranger is a 3.45 but when i swap it into my bronco ii, that has a small lift with 31" tires, I am trying to figure out the gear ratio to use. I am thinking either 3.73 or 4.10.

 

[Enemy]

I'm an open 3.45 ratio. Constant 30 mpg on my drive to work with mostly all highway @ 65 mph with a touch of stop and go during the week. This build really comes on power right at 2500, maybe a touch higher, and it is right where I run at 65mph with the little 205/75 15 Firestone Winterforce
(great tire in the snow BTW ..work equally as well on hard pack pastures jumping terraces ) I think it might improve even better with a 3.55 or a 3.73 and a taller tire. I think a 4.10 would work well in your build.
I'm going to advance the timing a bit on the pump and see if I can gain some mpg there as well. My throttle shaft bushing is VERY wore out at the moment and requires some machining on the top pump cover to press in a bushing and fix it. Right now I have a fast idle cause so much fuel is leaking past the shaft. No other way to address it, no parts available, blah blah LOL. Finding out how rare these things are getting everytime I tinker with it! BUT, we are not here to ask why.. we are here to modify!
At least the oil filters came down to under 18 bucks lol..