1988 Ranger Restoration - Keeping a Promise

fuse panel release

Devil take you, Pat Kunz...

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definitely fuse panel release.


and m5od. niiiice.


should be a bolt in swap... unless the clutch line is a dikhed. and provided the t case is the same use the 28 t case and front shaft for 28 or 35 t case and shaft for 35...or hybrid.

Just had the trans out last year for a clutch, so shouldn't be too bad.

Also, they weren't kidding. Electric fan definitely makes a difference, especially when your viscous clutch is shot.

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Whomever invented this needs to be taken out behind the woodshed and shot.

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PetroleumJunkie412 said:

Whomever invented this needs to be taken out behind the woodshed and shot.

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Twice.

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PetroleumJunkie412 said:

Whomever invented this needs to be taken out behind the woodshed and shot.

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What am I looking at?

alwaysFlOoReD said:

What am I looking at?

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Broken off plug in driver's side exhaust manifold. The thing had been leaking since day one, and I finally decided I would fix it. Joke is on me.

I put a minimal amount of torque to it with the impact, and it sheared off. As soon as I tried to use a broken bolt extractor on it, the bottom of the manifold shattered.

Oh yeah, that sucks. I don't bother with easy-outs any more. I go directly to the drill and heli-coil.

alwaysFlOoReD said:

Oh yeah, that sucks. I don't bother with easy-outs any more. I go directly to the drill and heli-coil.

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We’ve been using keysert’s at work. Wayyyyy better than a helicoil in my opinions. I just installed one on a 5.4 exhaust stud that went south lol. They’re fantastic to use.

https://goo.gl/images/bFTjzZ

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Yeah, I was using heli-coil as an example. I bought the sae and metric kits from Princess Auto, the Canadian version of Harbor Freight. They have worked so far, but I'm just a backyard mech. They have saved my ass a few times.

They both have their applications. I had a broken stud on a 6.4 diesel a few weeks ago (cast iron head..). Was scared id have to drill it bigger and tap the hole bigger where there was no room to begin with. Ended up having to order special carbide bits that will even drill through broken taps or extractors if the job goes downhill fast.

If there is a will, there is a way! I’ve even used special welding rods on a small AC stick machine to build the stud back up and then weld a nut to it.


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So, went to take the exhaust manifold off of my 1988, annnnnd.... The exhaust manifold stud holes turned to dust. F*********************!!!!!!

So, the photo is the teardown on the 1990 block. It has 86TM heads. Crap. No blown lower intake gasket, so let's find out if it's the head gaskets, or if it's the heads themselves that went.

Here's my logic: if the gaskets are intact, I'm screwed, and need to find heads for the 1988 block. I've read that some of the 2.9 blocks are not straight, and will cause cracked heads. Not sure if its true or not, but why risk it. Since the 1990 block has the wrong heads on it, I'm going to assume that either it's a block that has a tendency to blow heads, and my 1988 does not, or that it's a replacement engine. If the gasket is blown, yee-freaking-haw, slap a new gasket on them, new valve springs and seals, and drop them on the 1988 and button up rhe engine so I can stop walking everywhere. Toss the 1990 block on the stand to figure out later, and pull the M5OD to rebuild.

As a side note, not entirely bad that this happened. The 1988 exhaust manifold with the bad egr plug was Swiss cheese by time I got it mostly apart. Looks like time was not kind to it, and literally rotted holes all through it.

Oh. And no more manifold issues. Ever.

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Just for the sake of time, only listing what's been done.

Exhaust manifold issue has caused 11 straight days of wrenching, two of which I had to run the garage off of an inverter (no power). I went with dropping the 2.9 back in with an extensive rebuild. Rationale of keeping the 2.9 is that I need my truck back, and I keep reminding myself this may not be my truck in the future. Driving a borrowed Ford Fusion four banger is a daily reminder that I REALLY hate sedans.

Summary of modifications made to the engine: 1986 throttle body, JBA stainless headers, J & C Enterprises "improved" 2.9 heads with (I think) larger valves and (I know) much heavier springs, sealed power lifters, new pushrods, free floating rockers (will post exact dimensions of spacers my machinist came up with so others may use), have spare intakes from the 1990 to port and polish as time allows, 3g alternator, rebuilt injectors, new timing chain with ratcheting tensioner, new pickup tube for oil pump, CLEANED THE ENTIRE INSIDE OF THE ENGINE, electric fan, stupid cone filter intake, bosch O2 sensor, bosch iridium plugs (go ahead and yell at me), cap, rotor, and wires, msd coil (stock was cooked), set timing to 12 degrees, new capacitors in the ECU, and probably some other crap I'm forgetting. Went through the bottom end, replaced the rear main and crank seals, all gaskets that I could find blue fel pros to fit have been replaced with them. All other gaskets changed.

Have a weirdo ECU that came out of the 1990. Moates/others list the 1990 ECU as fitting a 2.8. No idea why. Going to make sure it works on my stock one first, then see what the difference is. Photo is attached of the 1990 box. Anyone recognize it?

I was extremely impressed with the guts of this motor. ZERO wear on cylinder walls. Literally zero. No signs of re-bore or hone use either. Just no wear. Every Mopar 440/383 and Jeep 4.0 I've torn down is in way worse shape than this was internally. Maybe from more extreme use. No idea. Found a whole 'buncha nasty in the oil pan and pickup tube. Something came apart in this engine at one time. No telling what it was though. No other damage found either. Crank, bearings, pistons, rods, etc. all healthy.

The 1/4 inch thick carbon cake I found in the entire lower intake tells me two things. One, sea foam doesn't do anything. Two, I had a problem.

M5OD has a new shifter kit. Guts checked out good. 1354 transfer case was full of water. It is now rebuilt. Both filled with Mobil 1 synthetic dex/merc. New clutch, slave cylinder, etc.

11 straight days of wrenching 8-14 hours a day. Many new problems found I need to ask about. I'm f*g exhausted and my knees are probably going to need replaced. My retired father (former Chrysler employee) is now hoarse and unable to speak from 11 straight days of chanting "this is why I don't like Ford."

Not going to mess with the Dana 35 yet. Still need to replace body bushings. I'm tired. I'm taking a break.

Oh, and because I really hate myself, keeping the 1990 axles in the truck, pushing it outside on gravel, and covering it. Because I'm starting the hunt for a V8.

Well. Drove it tonight on the test run. Made a few passes on a straight and level road. Then blasted Van Halen's "Panama" on the final pass.

Holy sh*t does this thing move like it never has before.

Life is good.