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

[cbxer55]

Got the wonderful aluminum thermostat housing installed and flushed the coolant.
View attachment 51844

Big improvement over the POS plastic part. I had to put one on my 4.0 Mustang when the plastic one blew out a seam.

Taking the Ranger to a friend's transmission shop to get the fluid and filter changed. This will be the second time it's been done in the 20 years I've owned it.

Then if weather permits, changing the oil and filter tomorrow.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Drove the 92 out to my girlfriends and back. Was a gutless POS of a 4.0l the entire time. Stopped and got a bottle of trans tune and one of seafoam so we shall see how that all does. Also picked up plugs and wires. Changed the plugs, the ones in it didn’t look bad other than a massive gap. I went ahead and put the auto lite double platinums in anyway. Also went tracing vacuum lines to find the one for the fuel pressure regulator ended about 8” away from its destination and featured a piece of rubber line folded over and zip tied. That has been remedied and a new FPR is on order just in case it’s fubar. Hopefully that helps it out some, I just want it to be reasonable transportation while I get some of my other junk fixed.

 

[scotts90ranger]

filled the tires and oil and checked the gas on the ol '90, likely go for a rip in the woods tomorrow night for old times sake...

 

[cbxer55]

Drove the 92 out to my girlfriends and back. Was a gutless POS of a 4.0l the entire time. Stopped and got a bottle of trans tune and one of seafoam so we shall see how that all does. Also picked up plugs and wires. Changed the plugs, the ones in it didn’t look bad other than a massive gap. I went ahead and put the auto lite double platinums in anyway. Also went tracing vacuum lines to find the one for the fuel pressure regulator ended about 8” away from its destination and featured a piece of rubber line folded over and zip tied. That has been remedied and a new FPR is on order just in case it’s fubar. Hopefully that helps it out some, I just want it to be reasonable transportation while I get some of my other junk fixed.

The 4.0 in my Mustang is very peppy. Has a true dual exhaust and a CAI. The cai has a velocity stack in the lower grill and a three inch plastic tube that goes up just underneath the filter, blowing cold air in from the bottom. The car will spin up 265/35-20's from a standing start very nicely. We have a 4.0 Ranger at work for our work truck, also very peppy performer. Both my Mustang and the work truck Ranger are five speed automatics.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

The 4.0 in my Mustang is very peppy. Has a true dual exhaust and a CAI. The cai has a velocity stack in the lower grill and a three inch plastic tube that goes up just underneath the filter, blowing cold air in from the bottom. The car will spin up 265/35-20's from a standing start very nicely. We have a 4.0 Ranger at work for our work truck, also very peppy performer. Both my Mustang and the work truck Ranger are five speed automatics.

My green 2000 is a 4.0 and it was a sad performer but not as bad as this 92 was. My dad’s 99 has a 4.0 and it pulls hard. My choptop has a 4.0 with gasket match porting on the heads and headers with a 2.5” custom exhaust and would break 35’s free if I tried. The choptop is the only manual of the bunch

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

So today I finished the work on the red Ranger for now. Fuel injector cleaner in the tank, trans tune in the transmission, new Autolite double platinums, new plug wires and hooking that vacuum line up. Gave it another look over today then ran some Seafoam into the intake, let it sit awhile, then smoked out the whole street. Runs 100x better so far. Running back out to my Girlfriends in the morning so we’ll see how it does on the highway this time, the last trip out the pedal was buried just to do 60.

 

[cbxer55]

Yah. The Seafoam really does smoke out a hood. Reminds me of back in the day when I was a kid, and the mosquito smoker truck rolled through the hood. All us kids jumped on our bicycles and rode in the back wash. Our parents never stopped us. Probably explains why I am the way I am these days. LMAO!!

But truthfully, the Seafoam thing never did anything for mine. I've had to run 93 octane in it for years to stop the marbles in a can sound, even after I did the Seafoam thing. Honestly, carbon buildup is a free compression increase. Just up the octane and keep on rolling. My runs great. Since putting a semi-fuctional hood scoop on it, with holes in the hood over all the intake components, adding two small scoops directly over the cai filter, and the heat vents on the sides of the hood, I am now running 89 octane with no funny stuff happening. Just runs like a scalded cat now.

 

[Maritime Drag Racing]

Got this from our track photographer this morning. I know the days of the week are rearranged and he told me why but I really don't remember his reasoning behind it.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yah. The Seafoam really does smoke out a hood. Reminds me of back in the day when I was a kid, and the mosquito smoker truck rolled through the hood. All us kids jumped on our bicycles and rode in the back wash. Our parents never stopped us. Probably explains why I am the way I am these days. LMAO!!

But truthfully, the Seafoam thing never did anything for mine. I've had to run 93 octane in it for years to stop the marbles in a can sound, even after I did the Seafoam thing. Honestly, carbon buildup is a free compression increase. Just up the octane and keep on rolling. My runs great. Since putting a semi-fuctional hood scoop on it, with holes in the hood over all the intake components, adding two small scoops directly over the cai filter, and the heat vents on the sides of the hood, I am now running 89 octane with no funny stuff happening. Just runs like a scalded cat now.

lol, I’m not old enough for the mosquito smoker truck but I do remember gypsy moth spraying.

I’ve done the Seafoam thing to several vehicles. My first Ranger it did nothing, not even really any smoke, my F-150 was the same. Don’t remember if I did it on my green Ranger. Want to say I did it on the Bronco II that I had at college and it was kinda meh. My choptop and this red one smoked ridiculously and both ran better and smoother. I’m going to say it’s not a cure-all but it can help some vehicles.

 

[racsan]

Got this from our track photographer this morning. I know the days of the week are rearranged and he told me why but I really don't remember his reasoning behind it.

View attachment 51933

Ive always prefered a calander to start on monday, I consider sunday to be the last day of the week.

 

[Curious Hound]

Ive always prefered a calander to start on monday, I consider sunday to be the last day of the week.

I think that's common in Europe.

 

[Bgunner]

Looked at it through the window as it got rained on and felt appreciative that it has only have needed a wrecker once in over 3 years and that was a bad "new" part. It has treated me well and I treat equally as well with new parts and regular maintenance as needed. On this Thanksgiving day I feel thankful to have friends that allowed me to purchase such a clean Ranger at such an affordable price and that this truck has treated me well, starting every day and only once, not of its own fault, left me stranded needing help to get home.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Well, the 92 runs and drives much better. No hesitation, no struggling, no messed up shifts. Looking like a good get around truck until my green one is back up

 

[sgtsandman]

Finally got a chance to inspect, clean, and lube the brakes and install the winter tires on the FX4. I'm starting to not mind rear disc brakes so much, at least with that truck. They are made with intentional thought instead "how can we make this work" like they did on the 8.8 axle on the Rangers and the Explorers.

 

[Jazzer]

I parked on a slightly steep driveway and noticed that my e-brake didn't hold. I backed in and they held going forward, barely.

Got off early, put the rear axle on stands, pulled the wheels, spacers, and drums. The adjusters weren't working, the little arms that turn the star wheel were corroded and worn.

I manually adjusted the pads and got good e-brake again. Tomorrow I'll replace the hardware.

-Jazzer