Project #11 - new daily driver '94 Ranger

[Shran]

If I had some injectors I would have been driving today... instead I had to quit here at 2:00 and switch projects. I would have been at quitting time a few hours before that but I had to get a new fan blade, the old one had some rather ominous cracks, and then I forgot that I needed to change the lower radiator hose and filled the rad with a junk hose which promptly puked all over the floor, so another trip to the parts store was in order.

No shortage of projects, the rest of the afternoon was spent taking apart an ancient DeWalt radial arm saw from the 40's that I won at an auction for $1.26... needs a couple bearings which are now on order.

 

[mtnrgr]

This ranger will be a good truck after repaired correctly. What I read you found wrong, and people call that a repair job. Glad to know this truck is in good hands with you..live that color blue. Don't remember, didn't you end up with those blue ranger floor mats?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Pic of deWalt ras. I have one from early 50's waiting for refurb.

 

[Shran]

This ranger will be a good truck after repaired correctly. What I read you found wrong, and people call that a repair job. Glad to know this truck is in good hands with you..live that color blue. Don't remember, didn't you end up with those blue ranger floor mats?

Yeah, I don't know if this was someone's project they did at home or a pro mechanic that cut corners. Wish I could have been a fly on the wall... there is just really no reason to not replace something like a timing cover gasket while you have the heads off, the time & expense are so minimal. Or assembling things dirty... a quick rinse in the parts washer eliminates so many possible problems. I get that most people don't have a shop and tools like I do or time to be meticulous like I do, but that really begs the question... why do it at all, if you're not gonna do it right?

It was me that ended up with the floor mats, they are happily residing in my stepside truck!

Pic of deWalt ras. I have one from early 50's waiting for refurb.

Will definitely post a few - it's a model MB. Motor needed both bearings replaced so it's in a bunch of pieces at the moment, and I need to build a table for it. The one that was on it is awful chewed up and missing the fence. I suppose I should rig up something to test it with before I spend a bunch of time building a table.

I was never real interested in radial arm saws until I got this one. I think it will fit right in with some of my other vintage equipment.

 

[RobbieD]

Enjoying this thread. That's a nice truck. And it's gonna be even mo better.

 

[Shran]

@alwaysFlOoReD

This is the junk table I need to replace, I'm glad to have it for a bolt pattern!

And just to keep this thread on track, here's a couple pics while I patiently wait for injectors.

 

[sgtsandman]

@alwaysFlOoReD
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This is the junk table I need to replace, I'm glad to have it for a bolt pattern!

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And just to keep this thread on track, here's a couple pics while I patiently wait for injectors.

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That saw looks like it would do a mighty fine job at removing a finger or limb and not think twice about. A cool old piece of machinery there!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

They have a bad rap. You need to use a blade with a negative tooth rake to help prevent the saw from grabbing uncontrollably. Lots of people didn't know, or were too cheap to use those type blades, so got hurt. Any saw is wanting blood. It's your job to prevent it.

 

[DRanger024]

That thing is super nice. Manual swap is always an option unless you’d like to keep it as it was. Where did you send the injectors out to? I have a set that sat with old fuel in them for a couple years.

 

[Shran]

Seat covers and dash cover installed:

That thing is super nice. Manual swap is always an option unless you’d like to keep it as it was. Where did you send the injectors out to? I have a set that sat with old fuel in them for a couple years.

www.mrinjector.us, super good guy!

I may 5 speed swap it someday. I have everything to do it… we’ll see how long the A4LD lasts I guess.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Seat covers and dash cover installed:

View attachment 105749



www.mrinjector.com, super good guy!

I may 5 speed swap it someday. I have everything to do it… we’ll see how long the A4LD lasts I guess.

Your link takes me to a domain name for sale page;

 

[Shran]

Your link takes me to a domain name for sale page;

My bad, fixed the link

 

[Shran]

Well here it is, in all its glory...finally out of the shop and on the road.

This truck is really battling me. I put about 40 miles on it last night and today and still have not got all the air bled out of the cooling system. My tried and true "leave the cap off, rev the engine while filling the rad and put the cap back on before returning to idle" method does not work well here, the fan clutch engages sometimes while filling and blows coolant everywhere.

Issue #2, there are some erratic idle issues that come and go - usually it runs really smooth but once in a while it'll develop a really mild misfire. At idle, in Drive, not moving, there is an occasional shudder that feels not really like a miss, it just barely shakes the truck. It has also died a couple times when turning at idle or pulling away from a dead stop...it's like the IAC isn't keeping up or something. Not sure what to think of that.

Issue #3, I don't know what's in it for fuel but it pings like crazy under load, especially in 3rd & 4th gear on the highway if I go WOT to pass someone. It only has a 1/4 tank left and I dumped a whole bottle of Lucas octane boost in but it didn't seem to help. There are some other weird rattly noises under load too but not when just free revving in park.

Issue #4, I swear I am seeing a light cloud of smoke behind the truck but only under really heavy load/accelerating... maybe it is my imagination... my kid watched me drive away after I dropped him off at school and he said he saw nothing. May throw a new PCV valve on it... the one on it now rattles but I didn't really test it beyond a quick shake. The exhaust smells fine at idle, doesn't smell like fuel or oil... just normal exhaust smell.

Ideas on those would be helpful... I'm gonna try to run it down to almost an empty tank and fill it with premium I guess.

 

[scotts90ranger]

On the coolant side, I highly recommend a vacuum fill setup, harbor freight has one for like $50 and it's worth it, so much easier to fill modern systems, and no funnels!

I'd also recommend at least adding fresh gas, and from the sounds of it cleaning the IAC wouldn't hurt...

 

[mtnrgr]

Truck looks great..

Issue 1..my learning of this way came from my father decades ago. To bleed a coolant system, and this has worked for me always and even showed and helped others in the past.

With engine off, fill radiator to top..leave cap off. Turn on heater to the number 3 setting on the knob. Put slider to max on heat, and only use the dash vents. Start the engine, check time on your watch or phone..15-20 mins only..put a rag or two for coolant overflow. Coolant level will go down, add as needed. Constantly pinch the upper radiator hose and watch inside to see all bubbles escaping..this what's possibly wrong with yours..you have bubbles in there and it needs burping. Mostly let the engine idle during that time..occasionally rev it, mostly let it idle.

Periodically check the the heater vents for hot air. Arounds 20 minutes after no more bubbles are coming out..keep pinching that upper radiator hose. Keep topping it off with coolant and vents ate blowing air. Check heater core hoses for getting hot. Once all that is done..your heat should be hot. I really don't like the testers mechanics use..Im old school and I do certain things that way.

Issue 2..maybe the icm on the core support is bad?

Issue 3..sounds like iac is dirty or needs a replacement?

Issue 4..pcv would be a good start.

For gas I would use regular at Chevron or shell.