Going full circle

[Josh B]

So yesterday I put the truck into tractor mode, had an unwanted visitor here during a recent thunderstorm.
First I topped up the ATF in the TC, it took a good bit of a 5.5 oz STP bottled I emptied into the tank to get the bottle. Noticed a leak on the rear TC seal

Also a loose connector here, I don't recall where it went, I think over the top somewhere, or right around the Speedo and TC motor

Summer is coming down in a hurry here

Oh yeah, about those limbs, made at least a half a dozen trips. Good to see them getting gone tho

 

[Josh B]

Anybody drop a clue where this thing plugs up? It could be anywhere from front of the gas tand to top of the engine I suppose, but it seems to be comfortable right around the transfer case, just everything I know of there is plugged up and working

 

[scotts90ranger]

Do your backup lights work? If not, that's the reverse switch on the top of the shifter housing.

 

[Josh B]

I checked that Scott, I'm not positive, it was daylight, but the white lights in the middle were on. It was running in reverse with lights on, I shut it off, and turned the key back on to get out and check it

There are two connectors on top sides of the shift cover, today I know I looked at the one on passenger side. I've got a few glitches still to patch up in there yet. I believe most of my connectors in there hook up to the transfer case or shift cover

My speedometer cable is just stuck in there, I haven't yet located the clip and screw that hold it in there, might have to scavenge one off the Explorer, if it even has that type just crossed my mind

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

You couldn't pay me enough to get under that
View attachment 87482

$5.

I'm your guy.

 

[RobbieD]

My speedometer cable is just stuck in there,

Does, or did, the truck have a factory cruise control? There would have been a speed signal generator that plugged into the tranny (or TC I presume on 4WD), that the speedometer cable plugged into. It has a 2-pin connector.

 

[Josh B]

I've pulled the transmission on that 4 or 5 times and don't recall ever having anything left over, excepting plenty of my absent mindedness.
I've had a long week or three and maybe take another look tomorrow. I have another M50D I can check the plugs on, or track this wire as far as possible and see where it comes from. I'll do that over the weekend sometimes.
I do appreciate you fella's trying to help

 

[Josh B]

In other news, the transmission is doing fairly well. I had a tree blew over in a storm a few weeks back and am just now getting it cleared up a bit. The biggest part of it kept me from getting to most of it, but after a neighbor helped pull the main part of it out of the way I spent Thursday dragging the rest with the truck.

Coming back from town I made a few stops and as I went through the edge of downtown My whole transmission began to lean farther and farther to the left. Every time I;d push it into first it would lean farther yet.
I had to let it coast off the side of the road after it leaned almost completely into the floor.
After getting out and looking under the truck to see what was happening to the transmission, I couldn't see anything.

I got a wrench and got in the cab and began removing the shift boot and after getting that off the shifter came completely off. It was just that shift lever locking bolt coming loose

 

[Josh B]

My other truck has wider tires

 

[Josh B]

I recently (in the last year or so) got the 2 3/8" socket and the inch/pound ratchet to torque my front bearings, which I have actually never done to spec, always just used what I had to work with and hoped for the best.
They're always a bit loose when I check them, and were as well last night.
Recently I've been noticing a rotating-rubbing sound (not sure how to describe it but I'm sure we all hear it at times, on older or aging vehicles) so I checked it last night by raising each steering wheel (Even tho the rubbing sound I mentioned is most likely coming from a brake)
I found of course the steering a bit looser than it really should be, but today I had about 5 appt's so I left it and tried not to get too fast on the highway.

I'm hoping Sunday I can dedicate to putting a more proper torque on the steering.
I don't believe there are any components near a failure state, nor do I wish to push any of them into one, just hoping to get me where I need to go until I can put more time and money into it if need be

 

[Josh B]

I think soon my ignition switch will fall apart, it is very loose when I turn it to different positions
I read some say the wheel must be removed and some didn't, guess I'll have to do some digging and find out
I'm not even sure where to buy one, would the wrecking yard be a candidate?

And the door locks too eh? Do they make a set with them all together or does it have to be pieced together by a locksmith?

 

[Josh B]

I checked my radiator and found this

That's the way I check how level it is
The oil looks ok

I've got to make a hundred mile trip tomorrow and that;s what I'm going in :/

 

[scotts90ranger]

The radiator should be completely full of coolant up to the top there where the cap goes, with the overflow bottle system it's way different than the 60's when there was a line a couple inches down the radiator and a puke hose that just went out of the radiator. The expansion and contraction of the coolant based on temperature constantly keeps the radiator full of coolant reducing the pressure and some of the explosive nature of the system... plus the environmental concerns... I always just wing it, take the cap off cold make sure it's full to the brim then make sure there's an inch or so in the bottle cold and it's good to go...

 

[Josh B]

What made it red and caused that corrosion on the cap?

 

[Blmpkn]

What made it red and caused that corrosion on the cap?

Looks like rust to me