Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

kishy's 1985 Ranger

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    I like where you're going with this truck. Seems like that shade of red was very popular with these trucks. My old '92 Ranger (3.0L/T5) and my current '91 (4.0/A4LD) were nearly identical other than the engine, trans, and the interior. I would keep my '91 if it hadn't been in an in an unreported accident.

    Comment


      I actually really like the colour of this truck. It works really well on the bodywork of these things.

      However, both the frame and body are extremely rough thanks to salt and the elements, and far beyond salvation. My goals here are excellent cold starting and winter drivability, optimal economy, a modest power increase, but while maintaining the familiarity and simplicity of EEC-IV. The new engine should meet these goals effectively.

      Once the engine work pans out I have plans to finish replacing front steering parts and get it aligned, which it has needed for years now: bad toe-in and Ackermann geometry is all screwed up due to offset steering wheel angle.

      While the fuel tank is out I plan to liberally apply oil spray products to the areas normally hidden by the tank, because they're very crusty. I can't repair what's here without a whole new frame, but if I can slow the progress to an actual hole forming, that could meaningfully extend the life of the truck.

      I also have drum brake repairs to make while it's off the road, by replacing the self-adjuster cables, and one of the parking brake cables. Parts are on-hand so I could technically do this whenever.

      Current driver: Ranger
      Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
      | 88 TC | 91 GM
      Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
      Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
      | Junkyards

      Comment


        Can you make the original accessory brackets work so you don't have to fool with the motor mounts?
        86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
        5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

        91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

        1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

        Originally posted by phayzer5
        I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

        Comment


          Originally posted by gadget73 View Post
          Can you make the original accessory brackets work so you don't have to fool with the motor mounts?
          Wouldn't want to. I already have a new 3G for this engine and since it won't fit anything else I own or ever will own (side-mount), I want this setup.

          Additionally I would lose the automatic belt tensioner and that is something I've been looking forward to having.

          Current driver: Ranger
          Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
          | 88 TC | 91 GM
          Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
          Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
          | Junkyards

          Comment


            Originally posted by kishy View Post
            ... Once the engine work pans out I have plans to finish replacing front steering parts and get it aligned, which it has needed for years now: bad toe-in and Ackermann geometry is all screwed up due to offset steering wheel angle. ...
            Since your alignment issue was noted before I had a chance to make posts about my recent experiences, how much of an issue is the steering wheel being off after an alignment? I had an alignment done on Friday, and the numbers are in spec, but the steering wheel is a bit off. It's noticeable enough to be more than slight, but since they only charged $48 plus taxes, it hasn't been enough for me to drive all the way back there and demand a fix unless it really matters.

            2000 Grand Marquis LS HPP, a hand-me-down in 2008 with 128,000 km; 175,000 km as of July 2014
            mods: air filter box 'tuba', headlight relay harness, J-mod (around 186,350 km), 70mm throttle body, KYB Gas-A-Just shocks, aluminum driveshaft, ARA3 PCM

            Comment


              Originally posted by IPreferDIY View Post
              Since your alignment issue was noted before I had a chance to make posts about my recent experiences, how much of an issue is the steering wheel being off after an alignment? I had an alignment done on Friday, and the numbers are in spec, but the steering wheel is a bit off. It's noticeable enough to be more than slight, but since they only charged $48 plus taxes, it hasn't been enough for me to drive all the way back there and demand a fix unless it really matters.
              If the steering wheel is not centered, and it's only off by a little smidge, it's mostly a cosmetic fault. For cars with worn steering gears, it is near impossible to center them exactly.

              However, if it's off by more than a little smidge (hard to define exactly what that is, sorry), then the steering will not correctly angle the inside vs outside wheel in a turn, because the tie rods (think ends plus adjuster = rod) are not equal lengths at each side, which messes with the geometry. The Wiki article I linked kind of explains that.

              Basically it means it'll drive perfect in a straight line, and slight hints of not correct when turning, and most exaggerated at full lock turns (for example you might hear tire squeal at tight slow turns in one direction but not the other).

              Current driver: Ranger
              Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
              | 88 TC | 91 GM
              Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
              Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
              | Junkyards

              Comment


                I'm inclined to think I'm dealing with a wee bit more than a little smidge. Doing my best with a protractor, it looks like the steering wheel is off by only two degrees, but it's enough for anyone (and not just hypercritical people) to clearly see it. Perhaps the most telling thing is that the car goes off to the left when I put the steering wheel where it should be. AFAIK, the HPP/CVPI steering boxes are more touchy, so that would presumably be a factor. If I had paid the usual $90-100, I'd definitely complain about it. It'll probably drive me bonkers in the long term, so I might as well at least go talk to them. Thanks for your input!

                2000 Grand Marquis LS HPP, a hand-me-down in 2008 with 128,000 km; 175,000 km as of July 2014
                mods: air filter box 'tuba', headlight relay harness, J-mod (around 186,350 km), 70mm throttle body, KYB Gas-A-Just shocks, aluminum driveshaft, ARA3 PCM

                Comment


                  Last night, lugged the engine and mount over to a buddy's shop for his review. We surveyed the mount bracket situation and we came up with a solution. Not pretty but it will work. He is confident that I am fine without the fourth mounting bolt and pointed out that engines with a lot more output are mounted with a lot less material than this one is.

                  Not shown, we also briefly scoped the cylinders and found clean crosshatching, no evidence of rust, but some carbon deposits (it has ran before but not for long) and other light debris which will be thoroughly blown out before turning the engine. The twin plug head is a bit of a blessing in that sense because a vacuum can go on one side while compressed air goes in the other. I have no plans of removing the head after seeing this.








                  Current driver: Ranger
                  Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
                  | 88 TC | 91 GM
                  Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
                  Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
                  | Junkyards

                  Comment


                    Sweetness, goes the Jimmy Eat World song I think. Whoaa-ohh.

                    Cross hatch great, shouldn't burn oil. Might wanna do all gaskets besides head? Valve seals? It'll all be worse once it's mounted...
                    1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                    1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                    Comment


                      Originally posted by DerekTheGreat View Post
                      Sweetness, goes the Jimmy Eat World song I think. Whoaa-ohh.

                      Cross hatch great, shouldn't burn oil. Might wanna do all gaskets besides head? Valve seals? It'll all be worse once it's mounted...
                      Taking a chance on the valve seals. Can't change them without pulling the head so I have no plans of doing those either. Since the valve guides should be pretty much as-new, there's no reason to suspect the seals are junk.

                      Oil pan on this is a factory RTV job (cast pan), there is no gasket. So, again taking a chance on it since anything I do is far more likely to leak than the factory job. Valve cover might leak but that's at least sort of easy in the truck.

                      In other words, no, not touching anything else but planning to do the rear main because it's the biggest pain to do once installed.

                      Current driver: Ranger
                      Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
                      | 88 TC | 91 GM
                      Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
                      Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
                      | Junkyards

                      Comment


                        They're rubber, right? Years of no oil might mean they're a bit stiff & dry. You don't have to pull the head, just need compressed air and the spring removal tool thing, provided the engine makes compression on each cylinder that is.
                        1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                        1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                        Comment


                          ^whar derek said.

                          Old ass RTV is what leaks...you sure you don’t want to put on a new “gasket” while it’s out? Crossmember will be in the way otherwise...
                          -Nick M.
                          Columbia, SC

                          66 Squire, 89 Colony Park, 90 TC, 03 TC, 06 TC, 07 TC (2x)
                          03 BMW 540iT, 07 Toyota Tundra SR5 Dbl Cab/5.7 2WD

                          Comment


                            Appears I misspoke about the oil pan gasket. It's one of those formed rubber dealies that gets stuffed inside a channel in the pan or block, and then securely pinched within when the pan bolts up. You cannot see any gasket where they meet; it looks like metal directly up against metal, but the gasket is within.

                            Considering that type of gasket is often reusable, and it is not normally bathed in oil in this design, I have doubts it needs any attention.

                            Weighing the options for the valve seals. If the head need not be removed then they will be very easy to do in the truck, only slightly less-so than out of the truck.

                            The truck probably only has 2-3 years left on it, which makes this entire project very silly, but...it is what it is.

                            Current driver: Ranger
                            Panthers: 83 GM 2dr | 84 TC | 85 CS
                            | 88 TC | 91 GM
                            Not Panthers: 85 Ranger | Ranger trailer | 91 Acclaim | 05 Focus
                            Gone: 97 CV | 83 TC | 04 Focus | 86 GM
                            | Junkyards

                            Comment


                              Compressed air and a spring compressor will get the seals done in place. I've done it on the Towncar. It sort of sucked but wasn't actually all that hard. The cheap HF compression tester uses the same fittings my air compressor hose does so it was a simple matter of pulling the valve core out in order to pump air into the engine.
                              86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                              5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                              91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                              1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                              Originally posted by phayzer5
                              I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                              Comment


                                2-3 years is a long time. And maybe when you're done with it and the engine proves itself to be a reliable unit you can pull & save it for something else, like your next truck. Hell, I might end up with another one of those Ranger turds and might need it. The nice thing about doing the seals out of the car is if you do end up dropping a valve, it's that much easier to get apart.. But I see your point, the intake is already on it and in the way, and you might get lucky with that thing. When the "new" used engine went in my K1500 I had them do every gasket aside from the heads.
                                1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                                1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X