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

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I’m trying to remember who offers them. I think it is AutoZone or maybe NAPA that sells an AGM battery but it isn’t Optima. The price is about the same and the reviews seem to be better. It’s supposed to fit just fine where as Optima doesn’t have one that is listed as fitting the newer, old Rangers. Might be worth a look.

Autozone “Platinum” batteries are AGM and some Golds are if the vehicle they are specific to requires it. Which is why my lawn tractor has a gold AGM that was intended for a Miata. I picked it up off the “used“ battery rack because the date code made the battery over a year old so no longer able to sell as new.

 

[racsan]

maybe ive been lucky but Ive had good results with $50 rural king batteries. theres one in everything here except the escape & the ford 2000 tractor. HHR had been a little slower cranking this winter but it had been cold and I had a alternator that was barely charging. Think coolant killed it, I had a slight leak at a hose connection right above the alternator. After I fixed all of it I cut a 6” peice of 3” pvc (lengthwise) and zip-tied it to the underside of the upper radiator hose so if it were to leak again it wouldnt drip on the alternator.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Ok, here's some pics from the last couple weekends... or is it 3 weekends? whatever...

First is the Explorer pulling my new to me trailer with a cord of wood on it... this is when a fuse blew in the Explorer that powers like half the fuel injectors and the transmission solenoids and other such fun... of course it blew at a stop sign waiting to cross a busy highway, took all it had in low range first gear (even being a 5.0L) just to cross the stupid intersection, was getting honked at and everything... stupid mice...

Second is the Ranger pulling the ranger trailer around the yard, the trailer had some super old tires on it with blown cords and super cracked on first gen wheels (even had one hub cap...), so I put on the last pair of wheels/tires that came with the '97... while I was working on the trailer I checked the diff tag, it has the oh so sought after 3.08:1 gears... Right now the Ranger trailer is sitting about 3" lower since it is full of firewood stacked fairly nicely to a point over the bedrails... For anyone curious, whoever put that trailer together even wired the tail lights correctly into the trailer wiring unlike 90% of people that give up and just put on magnetic lights or whatever...

 

[LearningStick]

I drove it to a garage for work. My manual driving instructor was not available and the tires look more suitable for street racing than snow, so that was more challenging than I wanted for my first drive. It stalled a few times. People were waiting behind me at a stoplight through a few cycles. My back hurts from the jolting and lurching. Biking home in snow was easier than that two mile drive.

 

[superj]

You will be good if you drove it with slicks in the snow. You don't need a driving instructor, just a big parking lot to practice in

 

[Fast Eddie]

You will be good if you drove it with slicks in the snow. You don't need a driving instructor, just a big parking lot to practice in

It's called 'seat time'.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

You will be good if you drove it with slicks in the snow. You don't need a driving instructor, just a big parking lot to practice in

Yeah, I’ve driven both, and I’d still rather have good tires and practice

 

[scotts90ranger]

I drove it to a garage for work. My manual driving instructor was not available and the tires look more suitable for street racing than snow, so that was more challenging than I wanted for my first drive. It stalled a few times. People were waiting behind me at a stoplight through a few cycles. My back hurts from the jolting and lurching. Biking home in snow was easier than that two mile drive.

Not many people want a manual trans anymore, so good on you... I'm a diehard manual guy but like an auto here and there, when my V8 Explorer is running good it's a pleasure to drive...

If you are jolting, and judging by how my wife tries to do it I understand, it will mainly take practice... I recommend an open parking lot or somewhere where you have room to yourself. The big trick is getting a feel for how far to release the clutch pedal before it starts engaging, along with how much throttle to give it to get a smooth transition. The clutch isn't a switch, well it acts like one but you can release the clutch slow at the engagement point with a little bit of throttle to keep from stalling or lurching. The jarring motion is from too much throttle when engaging the clutch too harshly then freaking out and letting off the throttle... you want to be just off idle then slowly let off the clutch pedal until it starts moving forward a little then a touch more throttle and release the clutch, or just release the clutch... there's times I'll screw around and end up in 3rd gear without touching the throttle...

Believe me, I know how it can be, I learned to drive a manual on my '90 Ranger that had a 4 cylinder and 3.08:1 gears (makes it harder)... I don't even think about it anymore, towing offroad with my F350 diesel with a warped clutch plate and no damper springs left (guessing) can get annoying though...

 

[scotts90ranger]

I just ripped the upper intake manifold off the '00 Explorer, there's not a lot of extra room for that... found the mouse nest under there, but they didn't touch any wires or anything? I was hoping to find something straight forward... now I gotta see what fuses 10 and 13 do since they're the two that blow... conveniently we have a guy named Ron that got me a diagram, unfortunately I didn't print it at work where we have a printer that deals in 11x17"...

I did find that the PCV valve was basically sticking out of the back of the intake manifold and there are a few points that were likely vacuum leaks which explains some things... I have a spare PCV so I'll throw a new one in... gotta go to town tomorrow and get some gaskets so I can put this thing back together...

Tomorrow my helicoil kit for the Honda 4 wheeler I have ripped apart in the shop should come in too, one of the head studs became righty loosey much before it was tight...

 

[scotts90ranger]

Jacked up and crawled around under the Explorer today just to notice right off the bat the drivers side front O2 sensor wires rubbing against the front driveshaft enough to scuff the rust and dirt off... and the two wires that were rubbed through were the heater wires of course... fixed that up then zip tied them to the trans vent tube drain so there's clearance this time...

Also jumped on the mower to get ahead of some areas where I've moved stuff around and of course a deck belt idler froze up so ordered that, a belt for that (I'll run this one until it's done, but will have a backup...) and a bearing upgrade for the front wheels since the previous owner didn't grease them enough and the PVC bushing I drove in there a year ago didn't hold up , turns out it's $15 on amazon for a ball bearing upgrade for both wheels...

 

[scotts90ranger]

Am I the only one working on stuff?

Got the sploder back together, by the time I attempted to start it up I only forgot one vacuum line! Why there's two tee'd together going to the PCV I have no idea but it's not the easiest thing to work on...

Now to attempt to figure out why the cruise control and horn don't work and blow fuse 10 under the hood... my guess is the clock spring or something is broken but we'll see...

Oh, also got the helicoil in for the head stud on the 4 wheeler, the top end is assembled at this point. Ran out of steam but still need to put the carb back on, weld the crack in the frame, then put the fuel tank and plastics together... if I get ambitious maybe try to find the oil leak that is making a mess on the floor...

 

[snoranger]

Am I the only one working on stuff?

Got the sploder back together, by the time I attempted to start it up I only forgot one vacuum line! Why there's two tee'd together going to the PCV I have no idea but it's not the easiest thing to work on...

Now to attempt to figure out why the cruise control and horn don't work and blow fuse 10 under the hood... my guess is the clock spring or something is broken but we'll see...

Oh, also got the helicoil in for the head stud on the 4 wheeler, the top end is assembled at this point. Ran out of steam but still need to put the carb back on, weld the crack in the frame, then put the fuel tank and plastics together... if I get ambitious maybe try to find the oil leak that is making a mess on the floor...

Yes... Rangers never break down.

 

[scotts90ranger]

That's why I'm working on an Explorer... , last time my Ranger broke down the alternator died and I just kept driving to work...

 

[racsan]

Id love to be out in the garage. The weather is just too crazy lately. 15’s then ‘40’s then massive rain then 20’s . Im definitely ready to change oil & the car and park it, have the ranger back on the road daily. Escape is due for a oil change too, Im hoping next weekend I can get some stuff done. The garage is in need of some organizing. We moved here in late october/ early november and quite a bit needs moved around. When it has been over freezing the wind has really been wicked, a sunny calm 20 degree day had felt warmer then a 45 degree windy day. Ive been doing some project research for either a carport add-on to the garage for the tractors or a front enclosed porch. Wow does the $ add up quick! The escape needs new summer tires too, Ive been thinking of different rims for it but not sure much is out there in a positive offset 16”. At least the ranger needs very little, its even got a full tank of gas. Its last oil change was before we moved, might have put 500 miles on it and most of that was between the old place & the new place with a trailer behind it, usually the flatbed.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I haven't done much to either of my rides. Not that there is any lack of things to do to both.

Hopefully by the time spring comes and my arm is closer to normal... the Bronco II is first up.

Remove fuel tank/clean fuel system
Fresh spark plugs
clutch fan
install gauges
install console/seat covers
Get my power windows working smooth/install my new door panels
Go back over all this new running gear... retorque/repair all of it
alignment
New Tires

Then when it is driving happily... I'm going to do a few things to the truck.

Annual maintenance
Rear brakes
Install my AirLift system
install heavy duty rear bumper brackets/fix all the twisting with my rear bumper/tire carrier
Install roof basket and work lights
tweak my front torsion bars a smidge
alignment
Finish up all the electrical that never got completed

Then I start back on the Bronco II cargo area... so much to do...