The "what do you hate about your Ranger today" thread

[Tyler46]

I've seen a pair of rotors go for $100 on Amazon. But that's Amazon.
And then wheel bearings are $4 each at autozone. Easy.

[Neurotic Apron]

(Couple months ago...) But the fact my thermostat housing MELTED FOUR TIMES IN 5 MONTHS! Finally put her up for a couple months till an aluminum thermostat housing came in the mail. No more melting thermostat housing but now I think I have a leak along the head gasket. Not sure how to actually check it but I will figure something out.

Plus side though, got to drive my dad's Ram 2500 Cummins with the manual for two months! Miss that truck but glad to have mine back.

PS If anyone knows how to actually check and see if the head gasket is leaking without taking her apart I would appreciate it! Even suggestions would work for me (60 mile commute 5 days a week so I cannot really miss much by taking her apart.)

[99Ranger376]

Originally Posted by Neurotic Apron

(Couple months ago...) But the fact my thermostat housing MELTED FOUR TIMES IN 5 MONTHS! Finally put her up for a couple months till an aluminum thermostat housing came in the mail. No more melting thermostat housing but now I think I have a leak along the head gasket. Not sure how to actually check it but I will figure something out.

Plus side though, got to drive my dad's Ram 2500 Cummins with the manual for two months! Miss that truck but glad to have mine back.

PS If anyone knows how to actually check and see if the head gasket is leaking without taking her apart I would appreciate it! Even suggestions would work for me (60 mile commute 5 days a week so I cannot really miss much by taking her apart.)

Compression test, water in the oil, or looking for bubbles in the run off at cold start.

[shawn_house102]

Originally Posted by 99Ranger376

Compression test, water in the oil, or looking for bubbles in the run off at cold start.

It'd be coolant wouldn't it? Or is that only along the inside of around the cylinders?

[99Ranger376]

Originally Posted by shawn_house102

It'd be coolant wouldn't it? Or is that only along the inside of around the cylinders?

Yes that is what I meant buy water in the oil, if you get coolant in the cylinder, the overflow tank bubbles.

[GSF1200S]

Basically everything under the hood on a duratec I4 ranger in terms of working on it. I have never seen a car more needlessly difficult to work on. A water pump that slides into the block and seizes itself in where it requires hell to remove. A plastic intake manifold with plastic butterflys (that wear out and "clack") and a plastic actuator with a plastic ball and socket design (which can fail holding the butterflies shut washing the cylinder with gas ruining the rings), and which requires the drive belt and power steering pump removed in order to remove it. One of the bolts on the power steering pump requiring the tedious short stroke of a wrench to get out. The intake manifold being in the way of virtually anywhere you want to be. The egr valve requiring the entire driveline to be angled down to access it on the back of the engine. The plastic radiator (sadly most cars have this now). A throttle body that has a sticker which says "Do not clean me" on it- what am I going to do? Buy a new one every 30k? Let it get totally gunked up?

The alternator! Jesus. The clip and + cable are so buried the only way to safely remove them is to remove the passenger front wheel and access cover. Even worse, to get the alternator out you need to either 1) remove the ac compressor 2) unbolt the fan shroud to move it out of the way 3) unbolt the spherical canister from the inner fender, unbolt the inner fender and pull it down to allow the alternator to come out.

I could go on and on... At least the spark plugs are easy to do...

I love the truck and still enjoy working on it, but some of the design decisions seem totally ridiculous. Sometimes its to be cheap and sometimes its just plain stupid. The rest of the truck is a breeze to work on, and at least the duratec is supposed to last forever. Still, looking under the hood of my friends Hyundai Elantra is like a throwback to the 60s- everything is easier to get to.

[Tyler46]

Originally Posted by GSF1200S

at least the duratec is supposed to last forever.

And there goes the head gasket

[GSF1200S]

Originally Posted by Heyman46

And there goes the head gasket

?? Not sure I follow.

Coincidentally I thought I had a bad head gasket, but it turned out I was paranoid. Ive read over on the focus forums of guys blowing gaskets, but I dont see a ton of mentions here on the ranger forums. Do head gaskets blow a lot?

Ive seen one duratec lunch a rod bearing at 110k, one lunch the rings due to the stupid IMRC butterflies, and thats it. Am I missing something?

[Tyler46]

Originally Posted by GSF1200S

?? Not sure I follow. Coincidentally I thought I had a bad head gasket, but it turned out I was paranoid. Ive read over on the focus forums of guys blowing gaskets, but I dont see a ton of mentions here on the ranger forums. Do head gaskets blow a lot? Ive seen one duratec lunch a rod bearing at 110k, one lunch the rings due to the stupid IMRC butterflies, and thats it. Am I missing something?

No dude I was screwing with you. Haha

And nahhhh if your head gasket is blown you would know when.

[GSF1200S]

Originally Posted by Heyman46

No dude I was screwing with you. Haha

It worked.

[Texasfx4]

What do I hate about my ranger? The fact that it's a poorly designed/made fleet vehicle with next to no aftermarket support. But I still love the truck and wouldn't trade it for anything.

[MotorStuff]

Originally Posted by Texasfx4

What do I hate about my ranger? The fact that it's a poorly designed/made fleet vehicle with next to no aftermarket support. But I still love the truck and wouldn't trade it for anything.

I hate that you don't update/ post more pics of your truck on your build thread.

lol just kidding. Seriously though, lets see some more of it!

[Tyler46]

Originally Posted by texasfx4

what do i hate about my ranger? The fact that it's a poorly designed/made fleet vehicle with next to no aftermarket support. But i still love the truck and wouldn't trade it for anything.

^^^^^^

[Fitz]

I hate that it isn't a normal 4 door. I wish we could get rangers with a back seat that's big enough for an adult to ride in.

[TheBearJeweler]

Running 25psi and still this...