Rusty Version 2.0, what i found...

[rusty ol ranger]

If you want the ying to go with Rusty's yang...

https://siouxcity.craigslist.org/cto/d/1990-ford-ranger/6482250377.html

If you want to make this your build thread I could move it to that section for you.

Wtf....it says my IP is blocked from craigslist???

Ill check it out once i figure that out, but yeah, if you wanna move it go ahead. Not really a build thread though, more of a...revival of sorts

EDIT....
CL is working now. Id rock the hell outta that, a club cab would be a bit more comfy, and its even got a 2.9

 

[rusty ol ranger]

https://youtu.be/MN9NW-kuXKo

Couldnt figure out how to enbed, but either way. I won the battle. This wasnt the initial start, it took alot of priming/key cycling and cranking, this was after it had run about 5 minutes, i ran it up and down the road, not far, hit about 35mph, everything seems to be functioning normal. The trans doesnt feel as tight as rustys did, BUT it shifts well and doesnt make any noise, atleast up to 4th.

Has a slight miss under load im thinking might be crappy gas (itd been in there a long time, i siphoned 5 gal or so out and put in 4 or so gal of fresh, but im thinking there was still 3 or 4 gal of crap in it).

It dont knock or tick, and seems to be pretty damn snappy still. No clouds of blue or white smoke.

So now, its down to the little annoying things, getting the wipers, turn signals, and brake lights working, tightening up the column, and getting the damm radius arm crossmember changed.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Project is moving along well. I learned my left from right D) and ordered the new radius arm mount.

Got the wipers running yesterday, not really sure how. Unplugged to check for power, plugged it back in, and they ran. Slowly, but ran. Still gonna pull the motor off Rusty #1 as well as the wiper switch (this one is sloppy) and swap the turnsignal switch in hopes that takes care of having no brake lights, no hazards, and one signal.

I need to look into the HVAC system. For some reason it wont slide all the way to panel....any ideas?

Rusty #2 should hopefully, if all goes well, be burning up the streets around here by the end of the month.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Probably a sticky cable or linkage for the hvac stuff.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Probably a sticky cable or linkage for the hvac stuff.

Kinds been the story with this thing. Seems like the stuff thats bad/not working is just stuck or froze up.

It was last plated in 06

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Well, everything is right on schedule. Got all the lights working (literally it had 7 bulbs burned out). Yanked the dash and the radio, plugged in rustys radio but its junk to now.

All i gotta do now is go pick up a radio i sourced from the junkyard, then backroad it up to tke shop to get the radius arm cross member changed and figure out why the HVAC wont switch

 

[bobbywalter]

found ya.........re - rusty.....still rusting rustily

 

[rusty ol ranger]

found ya.........re - rusty.....still rusting rustily

Most definatly. Although rusty 2.0s state of general rustyness is roughly the same as rusty the original circa 1995.

 

[bobbywalter]

mine is rustilated something awful....once i get the trans in the b2, and some of its rust horror hacked up.... i will have to get after some overdue rust replacement...


its pretty bad

 

[rusty ol ranger]

mine is rustilated something awful....once i get the trans in the b2, and some of its rust horror hacked up.... i will have to get after some overdue rust replacement...


its pretty bad

Mines just got the usual wheelarch rust, anf aound the mirrors. The pass side door is gettin kinda rough though, but eh ill use it. It shuts and opens good

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Well, tomorrow is the day i take the ol girl out for her maiden 12 mile voyage up to my mechanic to get the radius arm mount changed, and a few other little things i dont have the paitence to deal with. Ive drivin it up and down the road, put a whole 1.2 mi on it so far. Today will be spent doing the following...

1- Swapping the coolant gauge sender with the one from rusty #1 (Its a 2.9, i aint taking any chances)
2- Bolting back down the damn inertia switch that i forgot to do when i put the dash back in
3- Emptying a bottle of injector cleaner in the tank (no issues, just figured it wouldnt hurt)
4- Airing up the dryrotted tires
and last, but not least...
5- Replacing the dome light.

Bon voyage!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

For less than $10 it might not be a bad idea to spring for a new sender.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

For less than $10 it might not be a bad idea to spring for a new sender.

I plan to. But of course my local NAPA (Never Any Parts Around ) couldnt get one till tuesday. Rusty #1s temp gauge was about the only gauge that still worked. So for now....

The cooling system on Rusty 2.0 is in amazing shape from what ive seen, and when i did run it the top hose got stiff and warm, so im not to worried.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Well, she made the trip.

Must say, the truck itself feels very tight yet, no squeaks or rattles, but the front end is way out of wack. Oil pressure rode good even when warm, the typical 2.9 tick was there, but not bad.

I dont think the sensor was bad, i swapped it with rustys and i think the tstat is stuck open. Even after running it up there the heater hoses were warm, but not even as hot as a cup of coffee. The gauge did come up to "C" but that was it.

One things for sure though, i forgot how obnoxiously loud a 2.9 with shitty exhaust can be. The tranny is quiet, but feels kinda clunky, i think the shift bushing is bad.

But hey, the cruise works

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Well, as promised...an update...

Finally got her home from the doctors visit, had them change the radius arm bracket, and a few odds and ends. Front end is way out of wack (has alot of positive camber...which is odd), and what i thought was a broken HVAC switcher cable they think is a mouse nest blocking flow. The fan works, doors moving, but nothings coming out. How hard is it to get into the blower fan on a 87 with air? I did rustys a few times but it was non a/c.