Rebuilding my 2.9: a love story 😒

[Jaelaw89]

Here are my photos thus far. Builds all but complete just finishing the assembly. Got a few questions about the knock sensor I found and the oil level sensor. This is an 89 ranger 2.9l with a 5speed 4x4.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Lookin good!

On your 89 the knock sensor is a non issue...not sure about the oil level sender but probably the same thing. Only 86/87 trucks had a knock sensor (and EGR)

 

[Jaelaw89]

Lookin good!

On your 89 the knock sensor is a non issue...not sure about the oil level sender but probably the same thing. Only 86/87 trucks had a knock sensor (and EGR)

So the sensor on the left is the one I was thinking of. It definitely came off the truck just can’t seem to figure out what it was connect to.

 

[Shran]

Where was that sensor located?

The one on the right is the Air Charge Temp sensor

FYI you can replace the low oil level sensor with an oil drain plug that O'Reilly carries... those dumb sensors leak

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Oil pressure sensor on left.

If you can't find one, summit builds a really nice electronic oil pressure gage.

Just my opinion, but capillary tube gages are a great way to lose oil and seize a motor.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Just my opinion, but capillary tube gages are a great way to lose oil and seize a motor.

Dad almost lost his 88 351 F250 like that. Thats why you use metal line not plastic hose that comes with the gauge lol.

 

[Jaelaw89]

So I installed it where it was and took that photo. Also what is a capillary tube gauge.

 

[DirtBronco]

Dude that is one clean machine! I'm a sucker for painted block.
Did you have a shop hot-tank it? The coolant passages are beyond clean.

 

[Jaelaw89]

Dude that is one clean machine! I'm a sucker for painted block.
Did you have a shop hot-tank it? The coolant passages are beyond clean.

Yes I did. No choice but to do that this bad boy was disgusting. Would you believe I thought it only needed gaskets

 

[DirtBronco]

Yes I did. No choice but to do that this bad boy was disgusting. Would you believe I thought it only needed gaskets

Cheers to that. Thought the same for my engine, ended up with cracked water jackets lol
I'm surprised the tanking got all that rust rust out! It cleaned up really well. You should throw some pacesetters on it to complete the new look.

 

[Ranger850]

Cpillary is when liquid goes up a tube without being pushed/pulled ..... Hold up


Adhesion of water to the walls of a vessel will cause an upward force on the liquid at the edges and result in a meniscus which turns upward. ... Capillary action occurs when the adhesion to the walls is stronger than the cohesive forces between the liquid molecules.
www.usgs.gov › science › capillary-...
Capillary Action and Water - USGS

 

[Jaelaw89]

Cpillary is when liquid goes up a tube without being pushed/pulled ..... Hold up


Adhesion of water to the walls of a vessel will cause an upward force on the liquid at the edges and result in a meniscus which turns upward. ... Capillary action occurs when the adhesion to the walls is stronger than the cohesive forces between the liquid molecules.
www.usgs.gov › science › capillary-...
Capillary Action and Water - USGS

so what is the gauge and why is it there?

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

This is a capillary tube style:

do not get this




Instead



Get this

Much less likely to leak and destroy your engine.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Rusty, you'll love this.




And if you want to see a terrifying oil gage, look up a Mors. Their cars used a "total loss" oil system, and pumped it through as many cylinders as you had sight glasses in the dash.

If you had one bubbling it meant you were running low on oil on that cylinder and had to immediately pull over and fill its reservoir.

Ahh, the days before those stupid oil pans. Its how we kept the dust on the roads down, damnit!

 

[Jaelaw89]

This is a capillary tube style:


View attachment 49693


do not get this




Instead



Get this


View attachment 49694

Much less likely to leak and destroy your engine.

so does that go in my oil pan? I’m just confused as to what it’s replacing. Sry for these questions this is my first rebuild and my brother in law isn’t available at the moment to assist me.