New purchase, overall status, anything missing?

[eightynine4x4]

Hey all,
Very first post here.
Just picked up an 89 Ranger, V6 2.9 4x4 regular cab.
I suppose this thread could grow a bit since I'm bound to run into lots and lots of questions..

I think the first things i'd like to address are routine sensors replacement, vacuum line cleanliness, fuel filters, and last but not least, addressing anything weird done by previous owners like missing connections here and there.

The Ranger has around 80K on it (and with over all condition of truck it doesn't appear to have rolled over the odometer) so it's a good time to replace some sensors anyways.

First i left the vehicle untouched and pulled some codes. During KOER it get 21,41,72,73,74. However, i'm not positive that i had the engine warm enough for those to be certain. I let it idle for a few minutes. The idle was sometimes/momentarily choppy and erratic, though not ever dangerous sounding.

After that, the following day, I put in a new MAP sensor and it seems to have stabilized quite a bit. Idle still started a tad high at around 1400 RPM, but quickly it settled into about 1000 RPM and the more i let it run the more it smoothed out and deviated a lot less than before. When idling before replacing MAP sensor, even after running for a few minutes it would suddenly jump and plateau to different RPM's pretty significantly. After this, I then simply added a bunch of Ethanol-free fuel. There was around 1/8th tank of fuel in the tank, and i filled it up to about 3/4 using Ethanol free i had in my containers already. Things improved even more, and idle has been sitting pretty at 1000 RPM seemingly for good. Honestly it could have been just the fuel delivery being a little week and 1/8th tank wasn't enough to keep things constant since the truck is parked at a slight uphill incline, and just adding any fuel type would have made things better. But i like the idea of using Ethanol-free fuel in pretty much all old vehicles. My1969 motorcycle behaves better with it.

When looking for the MAP originally (which i finally figured out was inside the firewall), I noticed something else snipped.. Close to the part of firewall where my MAP sensor is buried in, there's a free standing bracket with a yellow-iso plastic piece. It's got 3 short wires dangling down. What is this?? It's a bit dim so hard to see, but those wires are just free in the wind.

I haven't received the Hayne book in the mail yet, but when i do i'm sure it will point me to what this is..

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Hey all,
Very first post here.
Just picked up an 89 Ranger, V6 2.9 4x4 regular cab.
I suppose this thread could grow a bit since I'm bound to run into lots and lots of questions..

I think the first things i'd like to address are routine sensors replacement, vacuum line cleanliness, fuel filters, and last but not least, addressing anything weird done by previous owners like missing connections here and there.

The Ranger has around 80K on it (and with over all condition of truck it doesn't appear to have rolled over the odometer) so it's a good time to replace some sensors anyways.

First i left the vehicle untouched and pulled some codes. During KOER it get 21,41,72,73,74. However, i'm not positive that i had the engine warm enough for those to be certain. I let it idle for a few minutes. The idle was sometimes/momentarily choppy and erratic, though not ever dangerous sounding.

After that, the following day, I put in a new MAP sensor and it seems to have stabilized quite a bit. Idle still started a tad high at around 1400 RPM, but quickly it settled into about 1000 RPM and the more i let it run the more it smoothed out and deviated a lot less than before. When idling before replacing MAP sensor, even after running for a few minutes it would suddenly jump and plateau to different RPM's pretty significantly. After this, I then simply added a bunch of Ethanol-free fuel. There was around 1/8th tank of fuel in the tank, and i filled it up to about 3/4 using Ethanol free i had in my containers already. Things improved even more, and idle has been sitting pretty at 1000 RPM seemingly for good. Honestly it could have been just the fuel delivery being a little week and 1/8th tank wasn't enough to keep things constant since the truck is parked at a slight uphill incline, and just adding any fuel type would have made things better. But i like the idea of using Ethanol-free fuel in pretty much all old vehicles. My1969 motorcycle behaves better with it.

When looking for the MAP originally (which i finally figured out was inside the firewall), I noticed something else snipped.. Close to the part of firewall where my MAP sensor is buried in, there's a free standing bracket with a yellow-iso plastic piece. It's got 3 short wires dangling down. What is this?? It's a bit dim so hard to see, but those wires are just free in the wind.

I haven't received the Hayne book in the mail yet, but when i do i'm sure it will point me to what this is..

View attachment 50038

Need a better photo.

 

[eightynine4x4]

Need a better photo.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

That.... doesn't look stock.

 

[eightynine4x4]

That.... doesn't look stock.

Well it would be convenient if i could just remove it, because my new MAP sensor is just sitting on top of stuff since i couldn't get the old one out from the firewall. Would love to just mount my MAP to this bracket holding an unidentifiable disconnected object!

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

@RonD @adsm08 @Shran @rusty ol ranger

Consensus gents??

 

[RonD]

Well heat changes air pressure, which is why the MAP was mounted to firewall or inner fender usually behind wiring harness, to reduce its temp changing too much, firewall or metal inner fender acts like a heat sink

Can you mount it to the firewall next to the old one?
you can just pry the old one off, breaking clips, then mount the new one using short self tapping screws next to old location

 

[eightynine4x4]

Well heat changes air pressure, which is why the MAP was mounted to firewall or inner fender usually behind wiring harness, to reduce its temp changing too much, firewall or metal inner fender acts like a heat sink

Can you mount it to the firewall next to the old one?
you can just pry the old one off, breaking clips, then mount the new one using short self tapping screws next to old location

Yeah i can figure out a way to mount in the effective location. Understood about heat variations. I'm pretty sure i can force my way into that compartment after some more effort.
Now i'm mostly concerned about this stray object on the bracket. I mean, what was the bracket used for per OEM design and is it now missing? Or did someone add that bracket just for this stray object.

 

[RonD]

Not OEM that I have ever seen

Maybe previous own had a engine bay temp gauge?
You would want it higher up and away from other surfaces

 

[rusty ol ranger]

@RonD @adsm08 @Shran @rusty ol ranger

Consensus gents??

For sure not stock. Where does the wire on the bottom run to?

 

[eightynine4x4]

For sure not stock. Where does the wire on the bottom run to?

In the first pic, i circle three wires that are snipped. They're like a couple inches long and just snipped and doing nothing. So whatever it was, someone decided to kill it but not remove it. I suppose i'll do the removal!

 

[rusty ol ranger]

In the first pic, i circle three wires that are snipped. They're like a couple inches long and just snipped and doing nothing. So whatever it was, someone decided to kill it but not remove it. I suppose i'll do the removal!

Missed that one...oops.

Wonder if it was hooked to a alarm/theft deterrent?

 

[Shran]

Weird. I'd remove it,

 

[adsm08]

Not OEM parts, purpose unknown, remove and place in circular file.

 

[eightynine4x4]

All right thanks i'll incinerate it.

Next items of somewhat mystery...
( I'm sorry this is so rudimentary right now. I can't wait for the Haynes manual to show up so I can navigate everything. )

Near front of bay, just towards the passenger side of and below the fan/shrowd, there are two wide open items. One thinner black plastic tube comes from the area of the radiator.
The other is just hardware that's open... maybe part of the air system that should have something connected to it that leads to grill for fresh air?
Are these both supposed to be both wide open?


Lastly, below those pics, i'm not sure what this component is but the top has a seemingly open hole. I can imagine this is for air venting for its own operation, but wanted to confirm before ignoring it forever. It's a threaded hole, so a bit concerning.