adsm08's Ranger build up

[pxbacher]

You should definitely support that dangling caliper.

Perhaps this would work?

 

[adsm08]

Nah, it's all good. That brake hose was getting replaced and that caliper actually got turned in as a core on the rear calipers.

 

[adsm08]

Well, here is 6 months of saving, scrimping, side work, and scrapping turned into car parts.

Soft-rebuild kit and headers for the 4.0.

 

[adsm08]

Alright. I did something today.

Started around 11:30 this morning with this:





One 1994 4.0L, reportedly "runs strong but has top end noise". We all know what that means. Push rods are shot, might as well do them with it on the stand.




Hmm, this doesn't look good. There is water in that oil.



But the valves look OK.





Rockers and arms aren't bad.





The rods all have mashed ends and about a 1/32" ridge worn into the middle of the top.



But what is this?



Oh look!! Rods, rockers, rings lifters and bearings!!



Guess it's ok that the top end was in such rough shape.


Heh, I am such a mess.


Anyway, the fan is shot.



Also, I am not really sure how I am going to get it off the pump.


Anyone ever take the water pump off with the fan still on?



Turns out it isn't so hard if the engine isn't in a vehicle.


Front cover looks good, balancer is shot though.





Head bolts out, cam looks good. I can see enough through the top of the block to not be worried about it.



Heads off. Shame I was taking it apart so far. Those head gaskets were still good. Took a pry bar to break the seal.



Block cleaned up real nice.





But this thing def had at leas an inch of water in it.






It doesn't appear that anything was damaged though. I need to flush out the oil pump and I need more brake cleaner to clean the block out, but aside from the yuck and a rounded, possibly frozen, drain plug the worst thing I've seen is a little surface rust on the one crank weight. The cylinders are OK.

My floor on the other hand is now a mess.



So being out of energy to keep doing mechanical work and lacking the tools to get the balancer off the engine at home (clinging to an irrational avoidance of using a hammer even though I already ordered a new balancer) I set about making certain parts of the engine pretty.



This is not going to be a high level paint job. It is going to be a 50/50 job. It's not a show truck, but gun-metal grey is just so boring.

The plan is to stick to the color scheme of the truck, black block and heads, red intake, blue valve covers, and the exhaust is not getting painted today, but I have two cans of Eastwood silver exhaust ceramicoat on the way.

I am pretty happy with the way the valve covers and filter adapter are turning out.




I don't know yet if I like the way the intake is turning out. The paint seems to have a more orange tint than I was hoping for. I was hoping for a darker red, but it is getting darker as it dries.

 

[88_Eddie]

Anyone ever take the water pump off with the fan still on?

yes, lol. had to do it on my 2.9. i was replacing the water pump and couldnt get the damn fan off while it was still in the truck. i clamped the water pump in my vise and popped the fan right off. damn, what a PITA

 

[adsm08]

yes, lol. had to do it on my 2.9. i was replacing the water pump and couldnt get the damn fan off while it was still in the truck. i clamped the water pump in my vise and popped the fan right off. damn, what a PITA

I am thinking strap wrench and pneumatic fan clutch set. The pump and pulley are fine, it's just the fan blade that is shot, but I am putting a clutch in it too just because it looks awful.

 

[88_Eddie]

i had tried a strap wrench on it when it was still in the truck, but it just would not budge. once i got it on the vise, i used an adjustable wrench and my BFH and it came right off with a few hits. (this was in my early RBV days before i was informed that a little heat could help loosen things up lol.)

 

[jhammel85]

I used a vice to get one off of a Chevy 4.3's waterpump. Probably the easiest way to do it if it's not on the truck.

 

[adsm08]

I actually used the hand wrenches we have at work for fan clutches. It was barely even tight. Almost like someone spun it on snug and hit the key to let it tighten itself up.

 

[adsm08]

Got the heads and lower intake on the new engine today. Didn't take pics because I was racing the weather again.

 

[MikeR]

EDIT: 2.9L with the most aggressive cam the speed density can handle, WC heads, and a set of headers.


Where did you get the cam from?

 

[adsm08]

It was a custom grind done for the guy who built the engine.

 

[adsm08]

Hmm. I seem to have run into a minor setback in my build.



Someone took my hood.

Then the trans fell out.
















Oh wait, that's right.

I did all that in preparation for this:

 

[doorgunner]

I have pills that will help your memory.........................if I can find them?

 

[wrecking-crew]

So, who is getting the old engine?

Mine is starting to knock.