86 Diesel Ranger 4x4 Conversion

Enemy · Oct 14, 2013

Been finding a wealth of info on this site and wanted to share my build! I finally came across an 86 Diesel Ranger 4x2 longbed last year and have been using it as my work truck ever since. Awesome little truck!
First mods after full maintenance was installing a pyro and boost gauge (and seeing 1300*f WOT! ouch.) Had to get rid of the hacked in gardenhose exhaust and run 3" exhaust out the back, built a cold air intake and turned up the boost to 15psi. Hit a whopping 89 hp and 151tq on the dyno! WOHOO!! lol Temps never see much over 1150 now..Mileage is consistently in the low 30's.
Next is rebuild on the VE pump and injectors and turn the fuel up a bit and see what happens. The only thing I can find about this truck I don't like is that its not a 4X4.. Kinda handy around my neighborhood this time of year!
SOoo, I now have a chance to buy a wrecked 86 gas burner 4x4 shortbox for $250 just down the road from me. It has the Mazda trans and the manual shift Borg-Warner 1350 so Im HOPING this should be a fairly straight forward swap :icon_confused:

Couple things I'm still investigating like coil spring rates and rear driveshaft length but looking like it should all be a bolt in. Any little secrets or suggestions yall might have I appreciate the input!

How I found er..

Found a new OEM tailgate for it along with a rust free box, got new cab corners for it as well, just gotta find the time now!. Gunna be a busy Fall!

Captain Ledd · Oct 14, 2013

Good luck on the swap! I'm just about to embark on mine (finally), Frame swaps are pretty straight forward, just labor intensive.

Take lots of pics and keep us updated!

jhammel85 · Oct 15, 2013

Very clean for the year! Don't you just LOVE previous owners?

Enemy · Oct 15, 2013

jhammel85 said:
Very clean for the year! Don't you just LOVE previous owners?

It took about a week and 40 different cleaners to get the hand juice off the steering wheel. Friggin nasty!! lol
Aside from that, it is really clean for a Nebraska truck from the 80's.. Most are much further along in the stages of "chemical cancer" around here lol Especially now with that garbage the state sprays on the highways to pre-treat (doesn't work) before a winter storm. We have 2 year old trucks coming in our shop with warranty rust hole claims on the boxsides and bed floors. Nasty shit!

Got some more pics somewhere Ill dig up of it cleaned up. Interior cleaned up pretty good! gotta love rubber floors and powerwashers

Enemy · Oct 15, 2013

Few pics of the cold air intake. Did that make a world of difference on EGTs! Dont suppose the ducktape rubber tube thats 3/4 collapsed had anything to do with it LOL!! :icon_confused:

I giggle everytime I hear that little hairdryer spooling up now! Funny thing about this truck, it sure does THINK its hauling ass..

Used the 2nd battery tray for the floor of the air box. Cleaned and coated it with POR15.

Aluminum shield bent and shaped to the hood. Cut down a piece of Corolla decklid gasket and fit it to the top.

Beef52751 · Oct 16, 2013

This thing is awesome. Your lucky to have found a decent diesel ranger

Enemy · Oct 16, 2013

Beef52751 said:
This thing is awesome. Your lucky to have found a decent diesel ranger

Thanks Beef!
I was very lucky to find it! Being an F-series guy my whole life, I had no clue a diesel Ranger even existed when I found it either! :icon_confused:

I ran across a craigslist add when I was looking for another work truck and thought someone hacked a diesel into a Ranger. Well a few eves on the internet edumacating myself later , I figured I better go take a closer look. I bought it on the spot after giving it a good driving. I new it was a solid truck, just needed some loving abuse!

Enemy · Oct 23, 2013

Well harvest is done and finally got out to look at the wrecked 4x4.. :shok:

I think the frame might have a scratch or two lol..

I don't even like to think about the shock the tranny and trans case took on that one.. Ole boy said he slid it into a power pole and the scariest part was watching the power line overhead turn red and start melting lol
..I think Im gunna pass this one up.

The good news is I found a new connection to everything Ford truck! WOOHOO!
They are everywhere on this guys place! Problem is he doesn't like to sell anything...But we are dealing on a different truck now

Just a glimpse around the corner..

Captain Ledd · Oct 23, 2013

That white one looks way to snazzy to be sitting in a field!

Enemy · Oct 24, 2013

I hear ya man! I am like a drooling little kid with his face pressed up against the glass at a candy store when I pull onto the place. Gunna try to get up there again this weekend and get some more pics of the other 4x4. I figured out his favorite beer so gunna take some ammo with me too

jesselee20040 · Nov 12, 2013

I have a 86 2wd also, except mine is red with red interior with a short bed. I have been gathering parts to convert it to 4wd. I have a hpd44 that has been narrowed to EB width as well as an explorer 8.8 and a manual bw1354 transfer case. I just need to get a 4wd tk5 transmission to swap out.

jesselee20040 · Nov 22, 2013

How well does it start with the one battery, how many CCA is it? I have contemplated going to a single 750 or 800 optima battery, does anyone know what they came from ford with? The interstate battery website lists a 590 cca as the replacement so with two of these that is a lot of cranking amps.

Will that size filter fit under the battery tray? My truck doesn't have a/c so i have a little more room to work with.

Thanks

Enemy · Nov 22, 2013

It starts great with a single Optima, 800 CCA. I cant give ya a comparison cause when I got it, there was only one little junk Walmart 600 under the hood, and it did OK, but could tell it was a bit weak in single digit temps. Factory was twin 500's I believe, with newer battery tech a single will do just as good or better. Not much room left to fit anything under the bat tray because of the support bracket but could be removed/modified maybe?

Oh2Ranger · Nov 24, 2013

Cool truck man, I just installed that engine in a 94 Ranger and It's kicking ass! here is my thread if you haven't seen it yet:

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141761

Enemy · Nov 24, 2013

Thanks for the link! Kick ass build man!

86 Diesel Ranger 4x4 Conversion

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