What did you do to your Ranger today? (Part Deux!)

[97RangerXLT]

The green is different... I like it

 

[97RangerXLT]

Nothing done to or with the Ranger since New years... need to drive it..

AJ

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, I didn’t get to do much to the Ranger, but I did get the last of my tools from the junkyard trip out of the F-150, unpack a few things, and do some testing on leaf spring configurations for the Ranger. Just updated my post in the 4x4 suspension forum with that information.

Hopefully tomorrow I can make a little more progress. We shall see though, might be fixing the boiler if the parts come in and get some heat back in this house. Supposed to go to single digits tonight too. This weekend is supposed to warm up some again so I’m gonna see what I can try to blast out on this. Hopefully I can stop fighting for every little bit and make some real progress again.

 

[4.0blue98]

I really like the green but still partial to the blue. Wonder why?

 

[scotts90ranger]

Got gas this morning in the '97, the new injectors haven't helped the mileage yet but it's been in the 20's most of this week... but still 23 isn't horrible, when I first got it it got 21mpg no matter what I did... the cold and being stuck in dumb traffic doesn't help that, and I've driven a bit hard at times (why are people driving so dumb the last year or so? 35 in the left lane in a 55 zone with 20 cars passing you on the right should be a sign, I decided they needed to hear my horn for 30 seconds straight since I was stuck...).

The last two times I jumped in the '90 the clutch pedal was soft (still disengaged though), haven't checked the fluid yet but not looking forward to changing either end of that...

 

[racsan]

Left mine at work yesterday, eyes were so hazed from the catalyst gas at work that it was impossible to safely drive home, especially since it was such a bright sunny day. She hasnt been feeling well so never went back for it last night. Everyone is going to think Im the first one at work today. I will be on a different machine today and only 8 hours instead of 10 so I should be able to drive it home today.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Left mine at work yesterday, eyes were so hazed from the catalyst gas at work that it was impossible to safely drive home, especially since it was such a bright sunny day. She hasnt been feeling well so never went back for it last night. Everyone is going to think Im the first one at work today. I will be on a different machine today and only 8 hours instead of 10 so I should be able to drive it home today.

What is your job?

 

[racsan]

What is your job?

Im a machine operator at a place that makes sand cores for foundries. Its a fairly small operation, think we have 10 core machines, the one I mainly operate has a unloader robot . Depending on the part im running , cores come out anywhere from 9 to 20 at a time. The ones yesterday (and first part of monday) were 9 at a time but the biggest ones, 5 x 7.5’s. and of course a bigger core takes more gassing to set up. I think the ventilation system needs upgraded, today wasnt a problem as only 3 machines were running and todays machine I was on was a much smaller core. The pay isnt bad there, usually its 4-10 hr days, o/t is helpful and its winter, why not? The worst part of the day is the cleanup, esp in the summer. A lot of the guys that work there have been there over 30 years. things were slow a couple of years back, even went down to 1 shift for a while. Its been busy lately, I overheard someone say its because the democrats are in power and like to waste money on infrastructure so manufacturing is up as a result. Idk, most of what I run goes to laredo texas, they are referred to as “mexico loads” for some company called asfk. I looked on a map once out of curiosity, laredo does appear to be a border town.
It’s finally my weekend, gassed & washed the ranger, its back in the garage for a couple of days.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Laredo is a border town, right on the Rio Grande. A Mexican town named Nuevo Laredo is right across the river.

 

[superj]

And its very easy to cross to nuevo laredo, or get into line to cross with the big bridge for the 18 wheelers to cross

 

[Roert42]

Got my replacement Knock sensor in yesterday to replace the one I screwed up. I put in on and reinstalled the intake, ect, filled with coolant. Doesn't seem to have any more leaks, but it was hard to tell because there was so much coolant pooled up in the valley between the heads.

I think it will be fine. Shouldn't have to deal with that smell valve cover leak any more either.


Was 5*F when I went out to put it back together this morning. Had my heavy insulated coveralls on.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Got my replacement Knock sensor in yesterday to replace the one I screwed up. I put in on and reinstalled the intake, ect, filled with coolant. Doesn't seem to have any more leaks, but it was hard to tell because there was so much coolant pooled up in the valley between the heads.

I think it will be fine. Shouldn't have to deal with that smell valve cover leak any more either.


Was 5*F when I went out to put it back together this morning. Had my heavy insulated coveralls on.

I’ve come to realize that productivity working on fixing a vehicle seems to drop substantially once the temperature drops below 20* if you have to work outside. I have all the insulated and heated gear, but it’s still just miserable and I try to only do it if I have no choice. Good on you for getting after it this morning though! I would have waited until this afternoon, lol. I’d be out there now if it wasn’t that I’m the only one here to man the fire since it’s our only heat right now.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Just wish I had driven it...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, didn’t get to spend as much time today on the Ranger as I wanted to, but got to spend a little time down there, cleaning some things up and prepping stuff today. Hopefully I can hit it hard tomorrow. Need to work out a few details really soon.

Need to settle on a leaf pack to build. I stuck several possible pack configurations together and compressed them and I’m still not really sure what to make of it. Posted all about it in the 4x4 suspension forum. If I can pick one in the next day or so, I can get the rear axle in.

My Ranger rear driveshaft has the wrong bolt pattern flange on it to mate to the AWD t-case. Don’t remember this being a problem before with this swap, but I have the Explorer rear shaft. The one flange has a couple gouges in it from a U-joint failure but probably still would be ok? Thought about trying to work some weld into it, I’m guessing it’s cast steel? Could use the other flange too I guess.

 

[4.0blue98]

Repaired exhaust... finally! Flange at downstream end of catalytic converter rotted off caused a big noisy leak. Chain cutter and an expander and it's back to normal. Good for another 200k.