ForOffRoadDriving's 94 Ranger Build

[ForOffRoadDriving]

that mysterious fourth pedal........... Doh!

 

[TheTopher]

No worries, I still ask more dumb questions than you do!

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

thats ok, we've got plenty of dumb answers to go around!

 

[TheTopher]

thats ok, we've got plenty of dumb answers to go around!

I was just in the biggest beer store in the state wishing I had a seasoned beer drinker's advice to help pick some out. But alas, nobody was around, so I just bought some good ol' Yuengling instead.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

i should have known things were going to good for me lately, i went out to my truck this morning to leave the GFs house and every thing seemed normal, but after cranking the engine over for a good little while it didnt start. i cycled the key in the ignition a few times listening for the fuel pump, but it never made a peep. i decided to pop the hood and swap relays around in hopes that one had just gone bad, but that wasnt the case. i confirmed the pump wasnt working when i removed the cap from the fuel rail and depressed the valve and fuel quickly shot out. i cycled the key 3-4 times and tried this again but no fuel came out. i went back inside and called work then had the GF tow me home and then take me to work so i could pick up a new fuel pump. after getting dropped off at home and jockying the truck into place by myself using a tow strap and the rescue ranger (this involved alot of butt cheek clenching), i pulled the pump and then tested the harness and it had adequate voltage, so i ran 12v directly to the pump and it fired right up. i then checked out the intertia switch with my DVOM and it tested out ok. the next logical thing to do was plug in the new pump and see if it fired up (i know this is a great way to burn up a pump, but do as i say and not as i do right?) and upon turning the key to the on position........ nothing. i did some more swearing and then checked the relays under the hood again, apparently when i was swapping them at the GFs house i was so pissed off that i shuffled them around in there so there was nothing in the fuel pump slot. DOH! once i put the relay back in the correct position i plugged the pump back in and it fired up - woohoo! i verified the rail pressure (40psi @ KO) and then tried to start it up........no go. i put my inline spark tester on the engine and that verified that i have no spark. i moved the tester to the coil and using my remote start handle i verified there was no spark coming from the coil. i swapped out coils with a spare that i hadbut it still didnt have spark. since the coil gets its ground signal from the Ignition control Module i swapped that out. still no start. all that was left to do was pull the distributor out and check the pick up module. thats where im at now, got the dist. pulled and im waiting on a replacement to show up around noon tomorrow after my Fenton store makes a run to the Flint warehouse. anyways, heres some pics of my fun morning

at least im getting fast at pulling the bed to change the pump, i had it all apart and tested out and nack together within 3 hours, not bad considering i had to move the truck onto the cement by myself and then do all the work alone also. until thumpers up and running ill be driving the "Retired Ranger"

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

Well i got Thumper fixed, it was the pick up module as i suspected, but i had my doubts for a few minutes (i put the wires on the cap in the wrong order the first time so it still wouldnt run! i dont know why this is so hard for me, i need to make a sticker for under the hood so i can get it right the first time!) but after double checking my work and fixing my error i had it running again. Im not sure what keeps causing these things to go out, but in an effort to avoid this from happening later on down the road, i took off the accel coil in favor of the stocker and i also put copper autolite plugs in place of the double platinums that were in it. i did get to drive my brothers TSX to work on saturday, but it only reminded me that it needs body mounts and new mirrors in a bad way.

i had monday and tuesday off and what was supposed to be crappy rain/ snow weather turned into 50s-60s overcast weather, so i got out the welder and went to work modding!

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

i also got to use my tire swing bracket again when i moved some furniture to Terra's dad's house, it works great!

 

[DisturbedMXer8]

Good to see that you got it back up and running again, man. Still watching this thread every day for updates, can't get enough of thumper. For the record, I prefer the roll cage over the toolbox.

 

[TheTopher]

Looks better with the bar back in!

 

[kroussinoffroad]

any progress on the tail light guard's? i think i'm gonna try and make some of these as soon as my truck is back on all 4 paw's

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

ive got some pics of my new lock rite for you guys, but photobucket is under construction or something? so i guess itll just have to wait another day. since the weather is getting warmer i will be bending up those light guards soon, its just got to wait until a weekend where the weather is right and i have time to go work in the back without being bothered by customers. or if i get my oxygen and acetelyne tanks filled before then i can just do it in my garage, then ill have my favorite bending pliers and use of my large vise and sturdy work bench. im thinking ill have to sacrifice the taillights that are in my parts truck as im going to need a good template while bending and dont want to risk melting any good ones. i already made the initial template out of brake line, but i want to make sure it fits tightly to the perimeter of the light and i think having a the lights removed from the truck will make it possible.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

ok the update is finally here and theres quite a bit to "show and tell". first off ill show you my newly aquired camping equipment, my best friends dad is putting cement in his pole barn next month so hes working on cleaning it out. he had this coleman 426D 3- burner white gas stove that he hadnt used in 10+ years so he gave me that along with a windshield for a road bike and a hand full of large metal files.

the next thing for todays show and tell is my new Lock Rite, i was a little dissapointed in their packaging methods as they filled a bag in the box with expanding foam before it was shipped, the problem was that the bag had a hole in it and when i opened it everything was covered in foam. a few minutes at the wire wheel had things cleaned up, but just the aggrevation of having to clean it after paying $$$ for it had me cussin richmond all day.

i took a break and did some playing to clear my mind and get my boots dirty. ive been riding this little 75 around so much i havent even touched my 250 yet!

the next day i needed to get some gas for the bike and pick up some stuff at work so i just brought the bike along and filled it in the truck, cost me a whole $4.00 to fill and i rode all day and it still has a 1/2 tank!

when i got to work my bag of sample plugs had arrived so i installed one in the tire swing and put the rest in the tubes of the bed extender.

i also started on the tail light guards that everyone has been hounding me about, it took me an hour to bend up the first one but it fits perfect! i just need to figure out how to fasten it to the truck since the gap between the tail gate and the bed side is alot tighter than it was on the rescue ranger.

i started on the axle yesterday, i got a work area set up, got the axle up onto the table (that bitch is heavy when its at chest level, and managed to get it all torn down and ready to be cleaned by the time it got dark (i know thats nothing to brag about, but i did take a few breaks in between to play on the bike).

i had to strap it down in order to use the slide hammer on the axle bearings!

i took the bearings to work to do the press work but i didnt get to them today, weve actually been so busy i havent been able to make this update until now, ive had it up on the screen since 10am.

 

[4x4b2]

congrats on the kid u said july 10th?, my bday is on july 11th lol, i love your truck, any plans to swap it to 4x4?

 

[TheTopher]

Lookin' good man. I really wanna see everything that goes into the axle, I've been thinking of regearing mine for a while now. Kinda intimidated about it since there's not a lot of good info on the 7.5 around.

 

[ForOffRoadDriving]

Ill be updating with pics as progress allows, ive also got a thread in the axle section where ive been posting techincal questions and pics as i go. I want to make a bash guard for the diff cover also, but itll have to wait until after i finish the tail light guard. The crazy thing about the due date is that terras b day is the 7th and ive got a big open house at work on the 14th, so hopefully things work out just right.