"Nonster" (noahnic)
10/13/2015 at 11:13 • Filed to: None
2
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"Nonster" (noahnic)
10/13/2015 at 11:13 • Filed to: None | 2
| 8 |
Success! My 94 Ranger is officially back on the road! ( knocks on wood, shit my desk is formica..... )
When the land is released from winter’s frigid grasp I usually start daily driving the MR2 so I parked the truck in the beginning of the summer when it developed a severe coolant leak. I tend to pour plenty of time, effort, and money into my project car (currently the MR2), but I have a bad habit of neglecting my old DD/parts hauler/winter-beater when it comes to maintenance so it was long overdue for a new timing belt as well as a water pump and thermostat.
It didn’t help that the old Ranger seems to be indestructible. I’ve had the truck since I was 17 ( wait that was 8 years ago damn I feel old ) and it doesn’t seem to care whether or not there’s coolant in it, it thinks functioning water pumps aren’t strictly necessary, and is happy as long as 3 out of the 8 spark plugs on the silly dual plug head are firing.
Truck doing truck stuff
With winter right around the corner I decided I needed to wrap up the repairs. Between travel, autocross races, running foot-races, and general summertime shenanigans I haven’t had much time to work on the truck so the repairs have been scattered across the past month or two.
Truck practicing winter camouflage techniques
I was afraid that the problem might be a blown headgasket, but after some snooping around I determined that probably wasn’t the case. I ultimately replaced the the leaking freeze plug, the timing belt and tensioner, the water pump, thermostat, serpentine belt, spark plugs and wires, and changed the oil. The total bill for the parts is around 100 bucks, but it surely would have cost me more than the value of the truck to have it done at a shop.
You literally have to remove everything to get to the damn water pump and timing belt
I drove it to work this morning and she’s running better than she has in ages! That said, it still feels really weird switching from the MR2 to the truck. The steering in the MR2 is manual, heavy, and as precise as a scalpel whereas the steering in the Ranger is more akin to herding a donkey.
It could probably use a new set of tie-rod ends and an alignment, but for now I’m just happy to be driving my old friend again.
TheRealBicycleBuck
> Nonster
10/13/2015 at 11:43 |
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I didn’t know the 2.3l used a timing belt. The 3.0l uses a timing chain.
Do the tie-rod ends. When one let’s go, it makes for a hair-raising ride. Happened to me twice in my ‘94.
I drove mine daily for over 18 years , but recently decided to put it into semi-retirement.
http://oppositelock.kinja.com/taking-it-off-…
MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> TheRealBicycleBuck
10/13/2015 at 12:01 |
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We never found out if it was the tie rod ends or a control arm or something crazy, but just freshen up the suspension like TheRealBicycleBuick said.
http://jalopnik.com/wheel-came-cle…
My brother in law was lucky to walk away. Not saying they’re bad trucks, just saying, make sure nothing’s rusted out under there.
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TheRealBicycleBuck
> MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
10/13/2015 at 12:06 |
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“...like TheRealBicycleBuick said.”
You have no idea how many times I have typed my name in as Buick.
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MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> TheRealBicycleBuck
10/13/2015 at 12:11 |
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god damn it
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Nonster
> MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
10/13/2015 at 12:11 |
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holy hell, glad to hear that you brother in law was able to walk away, that looks like a gnarly crash. Thanks for the advice, I’m gonna try to replace those tie rod ends a little sooner now
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MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> Nonster
10/13/2015 at 14:37 |
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Yeah, he walked away with road rash, that’s it. Pretty amazing. Passenger seat would have been toast, thankfully he didn’t have a rider.
touring the brook - now with ZHP!
> Nonster
10/13/2015 at 17:32 |
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Nooice! It... Is... ALIVE!
Dingers Ghost, Champion Jockey
> Nonster
10/13/2015 at 18:54 |
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Do the tie rod ends. If there’s anything that will fail on a Ranger, it’s those. It happened once to my dad while he was driving mine (it was his at that point) and the last one I replaced was so close to the same thing it actually fell apart when we first touched it.
Anyhow, truck looks pretty good for a beater!
My own Ranger, Blue, says Hi!