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  #16  
Old 10-29-2017, 11:09 AM
ford4thot ford4thot is offline
2019 SSVT Ford 'Maro
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 14,636
Default Re: blkpnthr's 1985 Beater

Quote:
Originally Posted by blkpnthr View Post
I kinda like the character of the first gen Rangers, so even if it is a bit of a sh!tbox in various ways (and believe me, that title is well-justified), I enjoy doing the work.

I don't have any sort of auto repair background other than high school auto shop. Some may see that lack of experiencing coming through, but I think I do OK.

The wagon is...something else. If it weren't for having brought the Ranger back to life (and earning a bit of a confidence boost from doing so) I wouldn't have taken that project on.

I've taken the Ranger on a couple short test drives and the clutch fully engaging has moved a little further up in the pedal travel. Still nowhere near how bad it was before (almost completely off the pedal before it grabbed) but I'm wondering if maybe the normal, by-design engagement point is just a little high on these to begin with.

Oh well.

I did explore the possibility of getting a Turbocoupe 2.3T for it from the junkyard, but there were too many unknowns. Like why was the bellhousing attached to it but trans missing...implies the car was scrapped with trans gone...if the owner had the means to do that, why not keep the whole engine? Started wondering about cylinder head cracks or sloppy main bearings. Computer was missing so I wouldn't have been able to test run it soon enough to make use of the warranty, so I scrapped that idea.

Pulled the valve cover to try to figure out why it loses so much oil. Mating surface is totally screwed on the VC. Previous owner had already put on a PermaDry squishy rubber gasket, evidently chasing the same issue. I'll likely go back and get that 2.3T valve cover since it looked to be cast aluminum instead of stamped sheet metal.

I know all too well, I call mine the POS

My POS Craigslist Special 92 Ranger

Keep posting progress, not too many builds going on any more here
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  #17  
Old 10-11-2018, 08:40 AM
blkpnthr blkpnthr is offline
woohoo, truck things
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 51
Default Re: blkpnthr's 1985 Beater

Hey look, an update.

For various reasons I decided I wanted the truck to be EFI. I originally explored adding EFI to the 2.0, but ran into some roadblocks/concerns. A 2.3 engine became available to me so I bought that instead.

My 2.3 was used in ASTM D6201 fuel additive testing in a dyno lab and was never in a vehicle. It is 95+ hard parts (e.g. oil pump instead of aux shaft) but is set up (sensors and engine harness) for '94 EEC-IV which is one of the testing requirements. On TRS, I started gathering info and parts to be ready for the actual swap, because with the year jump and the fact my truck was carb, it was not going to be plug-n-play.

On September 14 I began the first actual work to the truck re: the swap, and detailed it with photos on TRS. I really recommend checking out that thread if you're into this sort of stuff. There's no point cross-posting the whole thing.

In summary the swap was done across about 20 days, on weekends and weekday evenings. The truck runs and drives now, with excellent power (compared to what it was) and this has also paved the way for installing a remote starter, an asset for a winter vehicle.

Work is not totally done but I'm driving the truck daily currently.

As automotive projects go, this was a new achievement in complexity and significance for me, and it's really rewarding that I seem to have pulled it off.

As you might imagine, this means I'm keeping the truck for a looooooong time.







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'85 2.0>2.3 5-speed
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