Ranger Rebuild

[Fordguy77]

So now that i am done with school and out of work for a while, its time to start rebuilding the ranger.
I'm planning on boring the block over .020, putting in a more aggressive cam, as well as porting my heads to match the intake as well as the headers. I am also going to port the intake to match the plenum. Luckily one of my friend who drag races has a full on home made flow system to test my heads when they are done to see any gains. I am not expecting much, but it will be cool to see what they do before vs after. I also figured this would be a wonderful time to replace my non functional t-case with a manual t-case.
The one thing that is in my favor about this is i already had an extra 4.0L for another project. So now i am just in tear down stage.
Heres some pics of the motor(previous owner took care of it just so great cant ya tell?)
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo11/21/03/2e30316bdb57__1274355927000.jpeg
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo20/d7/e2/668314616059__1274355959000.jpeg
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo28/8b/bc/56c042a1e60c__1274355948000.jpeg

[Fordguy77]

This motor has taught me a lot, just because someone says they work on cars and such, does not mean that they actually do. A friend of the :princess: decided that he wanted to help me back when this was still in the explorer. I told him to drain the oil....well come to find out the oil was never drained and he stripped out my plug :mad
Now if i was out home this would not be any big deal. i'd just drill a hole through the plug, and in goes the easy out and wala oil drainage. But because this is at the :princess:'s house, i am stuck drivng back across town to get drill bits, and easy outs :frown:

[Fordguy77]

So i came to the conclusion, that i need a new oil pan. After i drilled a hole in it (accidentally went to far) and let all the oil drain out, i then got ready to use my easy out, well i get the easy out installed and right when i wrenched on it to take out the bolt...snap...so i now owe my dad a 5/16thss easy out. So i decided to say screw it, rolled the motor over(at this point i stopped caring if i spilled oil) and to my surprise only a little antifreeze came out. I continued to remove the oil pan and discovered that it has been off before(miss matching hardware) and that it has a crack in it, might be why this leaked so bad in the first place.
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo14/e9/32/5cff137ce1bf__1274390091000.jpeg
Look towards the inside of this corner and you can see the crack.
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo30/ee/4d/131b8df18bcb__1274390106000.jpeg
If you look real hard you can see a piece of the easy out.
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo12/21/92/ceef03a531ad__1274390098000.jpeg
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/thumbnail/photo10/a5/d3/aa074caaf399__1274390086000.jpeg?tw=315&th=210&s=true

[Fordguy77]

So as of last weekend i managed to loose all storing rights at the GF's house. Which totally sucks and ended up costing me $400 buck i didn't have between finding storage, and gas, and feeding my friend who helped me. It pretty much sucks.

[Chris]

Sorry to hear that Chris, sounds like you found somewhere new though.

[Fordguy77]

Heres the only pic i snapped of the block bare, i just finished finding my machinist and will be taking the block to Area Auto, after talking with my grandpa's friends, as well as Scott from Arvada Auto Tech.
The Block is going to be Bored .020 Over, and they are installing the freeze plugs as well as cam bearings for me. Hopefully with a week turn around.
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo27/c7/45/f77d270b7176__1275398480000.jpeg

[Fordguy77]

Sorry to hear that Chris, sounds like you found somewhere new though.

Well i had a small storage unit at this one place, and decided to upgrade and it cost $$$ =[ So with all my parts i already had, then an extra FJ60 door set and tailgate and 2f, my brand new 14x10 is already filled! kinda sucks.

[Fordguy77]

Finally heard back from my machine shop and i am good to pick up my motor on tuesday!!!!

[1freaky1]

Chris that is some good noews on the block being ready.

[Fordguy77]

Still waiting on the machine shop, they had a bunch of race motors come in, so i got pushed to the back of the line. I have almost all my parts ordered, but still waiting on the machine shop and what they went with on the bore. I have to wait till Monday to order my new Cylinder heads.
So far i have;
Performance Cam
55mm Throttle Body
Headers
Gibson Exhaust System Stainless
BW1354 Manual T-Case(Finally Gonna Be 4x4)
New Rear Leafs (500# over stock)
Leveling Coils (Hopefully running 31's soon)
New Rancho Shocks
Steering Stabilizer

[Rob]

So far i have;
Performance Cam
55mm Throttle Body
Headers
Gibson Exhaust System Stainless
BW1354 Manual T-Case(Finally Gonna Be 4x4)
New Rear Leafs (500# over stock)
Leveling Coils (Hopefully running 31's soon)
New Rancho Shocks
Steering Stabilizer

Katie's gonna like that Ranger when you finish it. :D

[Fordguy77]

Katie's gonna like that Ranger when you finish it. :D

Speaking of that idea, shes sold on fixing the 77 up and using that for a dd all of a sudden, so my secret plans to keep the yota might just work out now.

[Rob]

Speaking of that idea, shes sold on fixing the 77 up and using that for a dd all of a sudden, so my secret plans to keep the yota might just work out now.

:lmao:

You're too young to be so devious. Does the '77 run?

[Fordguy77]

I have the block pulled, just need to spend money on some bearings and it'd be set to go, if i dont swap in the 4spd.

[Fordguy77]

Today I ordered the Cylinder Heads and Center force Clutch/throw out bearing. Parts should start arriving soon, cant wait to get this thing going!

[Chris]

Speaking of that idea, shes sold on fixing the 77 up and using that for a dd all of a sudden, so my secret plans to keep the yota might just work out now.

Maybe they aren't so secret and she's being very nice to you Cruiserboy ;)

[Rob]

Maybe they aren't so secret and she's being very nice to you Cruiserboy ;)

:lmao: Well, we all know women are smarter than men, so that's probably closer to the truth.

[Fordguy77]

So i am shopping for tires, and i have narrowed it down to these 2. Still trying to find some more reviews on the general.
http://www.4wheelparts.com/Tires/31x10-50R15-BFGoodrichAll-Terrain-T-A-KO.aspx?t_c=13&t_s=156&t_pt=100785&t_pl=829&t_pn=BFG89796
http://www.4wheelparts.com/Tires/31X10-50R15LT-General-Grabber.aspx?t_c=13&t_s=486&t_pt=101129&t_pl=102364&t_pn=GEN04568150000

[Rob]

I don't know anything about the General, but I run the BFGs on both my FJs and have been happy with them. By the way, you can get them for less than that at Discount Tire.

[1freaky1]

Christopher the General's are rated pretty good for a new on the market tire, They have done a lot of testing on them in races like the Baja's and Ford racing is using them on their trucks now and liking them! I am thinking seriously of going with them after I use up the new 35s I have.

[Brody]

General Tire Reviews:

http://www.offroaders.com/tech/AT-MT-Tires/General-Grabber-MT.htm

A decent Mud Terrain tire for the price. That about sums it up for the General Grabber. The General Grabber MT is General Tire's solution to the offroad market for what they call "extremely difficult terrain". While we don't consider the General Grabber to be an "extreme" mud terrain tire when compared to the Mud Terrain tires on the market, it does hold it's own in off-road applications. The General Grabber MT is very similar to the average MT tire on the market in looks and performance. In the mud, it does decent while the tread is above it's half life. It's not the best in mud but a little better than average. The lack of sipes in the tread design does reduce it's potential traction somewhat on the road especially in wet weather driving although a lack of sipes is common in average MT tires. The tire does flex very well when aired down into the teens making it a good rock performer though the tire does lack sidewall protection but the 3 ply construction offers moderate protection from rocks and trail obstacles. The tire also does well in sand and snow. Overall when you look at the price and what you get for it, the General Grabber MT is a decent Mud Terrain tire for the price.

http://www.offroaders.com/tech/AT-MT-Tires/General-Grabber-AT-2.htm

Something about weak sidewalls, which is something you do not want...:

http://forums.off-road.com/jeep-short-wheelbase/56790-general-grabber-m-t-how-good-they.html

Something about balancing problems:

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63127

Most people do not seem to think it is worth the $25 bucks saved over a comparable tire due to wear issuses, sidewall strength and balancing problems...

Your $$, though. I wouldn't buy them to save a few bucks over a better tire...

[Fordguy77]

General Tire Reviews:

http://www.offroaders.com/tech/AT-MT-Tires/General-Grabber-MT.htm

A decent Mud Terrain tire for the price. That about sums it up for the General Grabber. The General Grabber MT is General Tire's solution to the offroad market for what they call "extremely difficult terrain". While we don't consider the General Grabber to be an "extreme" mud terrain tire when compared to the Mud Terrain tires on the market, it does hold it's own in off-road applications. The General Grabber MT is very similar to the average MT tire on the market in looks and performance. In the mud, it does decent while the tread is above it's half life. It's not the best in mud but a little better than average. The lack of sipes in the tread design does reduce it's potential traction somewhat on the road especially in wet weather driving although a lack of sipes is common in average MT tires. The tire does flex very well when aired down into the teens making it a good rock performer though the tire does lack sidewall protection but the 3 ply construction offers moderate protection from rocks and trail obstacles. The tire also does well in sand and snow. Overall when you look at the price and what you get for it, the General Grabber MT is a decent Mud Terrain tire for the price.

http://www.offroaders.com/tech/AT-MT-Tires/General-Grabber-AT-2.htm

Something about weak sidewalls, which is something you do not want...:

http://forums.off-road.com/jeep-short-wheelbase/56790-general-grabber-m-t-how-good-they.html

Something about balancing problems:

http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=63127

Most people do not seem to think it is worth the $25 bucks saved over a comparable tire due to wear issuses, sidewall strength and balancing problems...

Your $$, though. I wouldn't buy them to save a few bucks over a better tire...
Thanks Pete, those reviews were helpful, but not direct information because this is a different tire all together than those 2. i am going to look into it a little deeper, because the general tire i am looking at it, is brand new, and supposed to be constructed better, 4 wheel parts gave them a good wheel for what its worth.

[Brody]

My friend Bren bought the Hancock Mud Terrains last year when he was looking at tires for his Land Cruiser 80 and has been very happy with them. He shopped around, too, and didn't pay an arm and a leg for them. They have done everything he has asked them too and they have been on his rig for about a year and are wearing well.

[Fordguy77]

Some of the parts came today
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs058.snc4/35243_424990853374_503218374_4562504_3239104_n.jpg

[Fordguy77]

My friend Bren bought the Hancock Mud Terrains last year when he was looking at tires for his Land Cruiser 80 and has been very happy with them. He shopped around, too, and didn't pay an arm and a leg for them. They have done everything he has asked them too and they have been on his rig for about a year and are wearing well.

Thanks! I'll have to look into them, thats the second time i have heard them mentioned recently.

[Fordguy77]

Leaf springs came today, coils should be here tomorrow.
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo17/2e/4e/3d8335179bd3__1279224917000.jfif

[Fordguy77]

Coils came today, i am super busy this weekend, but should be started on the ranger some time this week.
https://www.t-mobilepictures.com/myalbum/photos/photo16/05/70/46857f3ae01a__1279293393000.jfif

[Fordguy77]

Got the Exhaust
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs186.snc4/37638_427298013374_503218374_4619667_8357430_n.jpg

[Fordguy77]

Machine shop called. The motor is ready! Sweet day it is =)

[Fordguy77]

Will be picking up the motor tomorrow, and hopefully getting the ranger and all its goodies down to my grandpas for the overhaul. Planning on doing the suspension this Saturday, as well as dropping the Tcase and Transmission.

[Rob]

Planning on doing the suspension this Saturday, as well as dropping the Tcase and Transmission.


Not anymore!

By the way, Young Chris, Katie's going to have a pretty sweet Ranger when you're done. :)

[Funrover]

Man I am jealous, I wanna build!

[Fordguy77]

bailed on my hi compression idea because of time/money, just ordered a set of new heads that should be here this week, now i am just waiting for the new rods from ford...wish i could of found them somewhere else.

[Brody]

Thought you could use Chevy rods that were re machined to kick the compression ratio up. If my memory hasn't failed me, I think that I did this on the 351/400 in my F150 as it was a cheaper way to boost the compression than any alternatives, but that was also on a 77 Ford.

So maybe my memory is failing...seems you use re machined Chevy pistons. WTH, this was over 25 years ago...Here is a link with an article that describes how to stroke a 302 using the combination:

http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/ford_small_block_stroker_engine/index.html

It should open up some avenues that you may not have thought about. My bored and stroked 400 was cranking over 425 hp when I got done with it, but I had also decked the heads and did some port matching and polishing..

And another not so cheap:

http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/techarticles/engine/131_0604_1966_1977_ford_bronco_engine/index.html

And one more:

http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2002/04/331/

[Fordguy77]

Thought you could use Chevy rods that were re machined to kick the compression ratio up. If my memory hasn't failed me, I think that I did this on the 351/400 in my F150 as it was a cheaper way to boost the compression than any alternatives, but that was also on a 77 Ford.

So maybe my memory is failing...seems you use re machined Chevy pistons. WTH, this was over 25 years ago...Here is a link with an article that describes how to stroke a 302 using the combination:

http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/ford_small_block_stroker_engine/index.html

It should open up some avenues that you may not have thought about. My bored and stroked 400 was cranking over 425 hp when I got done with it, but I had also decked the heads and did some port matching and polishing..

And another not so cheap:

http://www.4wheeloffroad.com/techarticles/engine/131_0604_1966_1977_ford_bronco_engine/index.html

And one more:

http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2002/04/331/

Thanks for the info on that brody! Should help me when i redo the 400 next just to have a spare up and running. Sadly this is on the ranger with the 4.0l V6 and there just arent that many proven options out there for me to justify non stock rods in this one.

[Fordguy77]

I managed to get the rear leafs in, after fighting some 20yo rusted out hardware. ended up having to cut just about all of the bolts. I used a portaband for most of them, because the burning rubber and the position i was in using a cutoff disk was no fun. The bed of the truck sits about 3in higher than it used to with he overloading springs i put on, I imagine it will settle down a bit but it seemed pretty stiff when i was hopping around on it. Pictures to come tomorrow.

[Rob]

it seemed pretty stiff when i was hoping around on it

That thing's going to bounce around like my 40. :)

[Fordguy77]

I imagine so! But the overloads will be nice considering the abuse and use that truck gets. Its towed my 77 a few times, hauled complete 460's a complete Dana 35 and ford 8.8, a few motorcycles, and the little truck just keeps going. Hopefully the upgrades will make it stand up to the abuse it gets. I honestly have never had a complaint with this truck's performance even towing the 77. I am not too sure this one will hit the trails to much for a while though.

[Fordguy77]

Ebay to the rescue! New rods and lifters for only $400! Everywhere else wanted a minimum of $36 per lifter! Damn hydro roller lifters are really expensive i just found out! And ford wanted over $500 for a set of rods! Well i am to put the leveling coils on the ranger now. I'll be sure to post picks of the leaf change as well as the coil change as well as a comparison pic from the old suspension.

[Fordguy77]

So the new suspension is on the ranger, minus front shocks, having a hard time getting the right size. However i do have a few issues. As of right now the ranger has a reverse rake going on. I am not sure why, i put new overloading springs in the rear, which gave me just under a 1" lift from stock height, and i only put in a 1.5 leveling coil in the front of the ranger, so i could give it a better stance, and make it want to be more of a full size truck. Also, it appears that my front axle has moved forward because looking at my coils there is a definitely a lean to them, I'm not to sure what is causing this, as i followed the instructions for the lift coils to the letter. I am thinking about removing the front sway bar to see if that helps any. Also, i am in need of an alignment now, i have some major toe issues with the new springs, that and looking at the components and how hard they were to take apart, and the condition, i am pretty sure i just removed the factory suspension which is 20 years old. One of my rear leafs just fell off, as soon as i cut the bolt holding it in the shackle. and Heres some pics. Hopefully the front will settle down quite a bit, and i'll have enough room to clear 31x10.5's r15.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs182.ash2/44559_435633488374_503218374_4854575_1135223_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs152.ash2/40957_435633358374_503218374_4854570_2619569_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs154.ash2/41057_435633068374_503218374_4854554_1533967_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs069.ash2/36835_435632978374_503218374_4854553_7304850_n.jpg

[scout man]

what size front shocks do you need? I have piles.

[Fordguy77]

what size front shocks do you need? I have piles.

Something in this range 15.69"-16.92" Expanded 10.02"-10.92" collapsed, preferably toward the middle higher end of those ranges.

[scout man]

Wow, those are pretty short. I have a pair that is roughly 10" compressed and 15.5" extended. CLearly my measurements arent quite as precise as yours though. They are Gas-Adjust brand - gas filled shocks. Eye on one end and post on the other. If they will work for you I will let you have the pair for $40.

[Fordguy77]

I might have to snag those from you Steve. In other news i ordered Belltech 6400 Shackles to help raise the back of my ranger some, should gain around 2" of lift out of it which will give me a positive rake again. Also i am just now waiting on bearings and pistons to get here, and she'll be going back together.

[Fordguy77]

If all goes according to plan i will have my ranger back on the road the first weekend of September. The build will have gone through just about the entire truck mechanically and should make it a solid dd with a basic build. The build basically included all of this.
Motor 4.0L V6 completely rebuilt bored .020-
-Compcam RV grind
-Ported and Polished heads and intakes
-DUI Ignition System
-BBK 65mm throttle body
-Pacesetter headers
-Gibson 2.5 in complete exhaust.
-Hyper-tech Performance Chip

Drivetrain-
-Rebuilt 5spd
-BW1354E to BW1354M swap
-Centerforce Dual Friction Cltuch
-Manual Hub Swap using Jeep Dana 35 Hubs

-Suspension
-2" Leveling Coils
- Rear Overloading Springs
-Belltech 6400 shackle swap

Tires-
Most likely 31x10.5R15 instead of p235, but i have been reading and seeing that it might fit 32's or a narrow 33.

[Chris]

Sounds great Chris, Katey should be happy and then you can start on the Cruiser! :D

[Fordguy77]

Sounds great Chris, Katey should be happy and then you can start on the Cruiser! :D

Thats what i thought, but all of a sudden shes taken a large interest in wanting to drive the 77. Still not sure if i am ok with that thought. Good news is, the FJ60 is becoming a trail dedicated vehicle, after the Ranger is back up and running.

[Fordguy77]

If this doesn't fix my rake i'm not sure what will.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs430.snc4/47348_439163383374_503218374_4943932_4896259_n.jpg

[1freaky1]

Chris I was just thinking about this situation you are having and noticed that the radius arm mounts look like they are in the stock location, Usually they get lowered too to accomodate the longer coils. If this is not done then you will have the same problem with the coils angling forward like that. Just another thought to look into. I remebered this after talking to you on the trail last week from past experiences with a lift on a TTB.

[Fordguy77]

Chris I was just thinking about this situation you are having and noticed that the radius arm mounts look like they are in the stock location, Usually they get lowered too to accomodate the longer coils. If this is not done then you will have the same problem with the coils angling forward like that. Just another thought to look into. I remebered this after talking to you on the trail last week from past experiences with a lift on a TTB.

That might be it. From everything i have read, there inst supposed to be any mods required for the leveling coils. Also in my head i could see how it would cause the spring to walk, but in my head it seems like it should of walked the other way.

[Fordguy77]

Extended radius arms could accomplish the same thing right?

[1freaky1]

Extended radius arms could accomplish the same thing right?
Let me look into that and I will get back to you, I will draw up some radius drawings and see what happens, but I am thinking that if the mounts are not moved it will still cause problems.

[Fordguy77]

Let me look into that and I will get back to you, I will draw up some radius drawings and see what happens, but I am thinking that if the mounts are not moved it will still cause problems.

Thanks a lot Sean! I appreciate it!

[1freaky1]

Ok Chris after doing more research on this look at the angle of your Coil Buckets, this is the factory mounting and it has quite a bit of angle to them, this is causing most of the angle in your coils but the added spacers or length of coils will make it appear to be much more plus the wheel well having more open line of sight enhances the view more than before so it is more noticable. As for the arc it will be close to the factory just a bit longer as far as travel. By lowering the radius arm mounts at the rear will gill give it a longer swing and not really correct that angle of the coils same holds true with using longer arms unless you plan on moving the mounts even further back meaning the length of the arms + an inch or two to try and pull the axle back to more of a stock location. Yeah the axle looks like it is sitting more centered now than previously(stock). For some reason the rangers w/ TTB the front tires never really sat centered in the wheel wells, always back from center.
I would take a look from under neath the TTB and see if it is still forming a straight line and not binding on the bushings where the axle housings mount to the frame cross member. If it is still straight with no binding then I would think you are ok, unless it is really bothersome for you then you can relocate the coil buckets to a more verticle position, more work than seems necessary and would probably give you more lift too. Hope this helps, let me know what you find out.

[Fordguy77]

Thanks a million Sean. I will check the coil buckets tomorrow, i never looked at them to hard. I am gonna check the TTB and the way everything is sitting in the brackets in the morning, and post my findings sometime tomorrow. Thanks for giving me some direction. :)

[1freaky1]

Not a problem Chris, also remember that until the suspesion is ran thru its natural arc your toe in and out will be out as will the camber too.

[AccordRanger]

Man i need to quit looking at this thread, you're making me want to start on the Ranger again. Which i dont have the money for.

Looking good though!

[Fordguy77]

Not a problem Chris, also remember that until the suspesion is ran thru its natural arc your toe in and out will be out as will the camber too.
Yeah, i noticed that when i just rolled the ranger off the driveway for a bit and pushed it back on that it helped out the toe in. Good news is that the TTB seems to be pivoting just fine. After i moved the ranger the angle on the coils also seemed to mellow, and i think your right as far as it being an optical exposure thing. Have the shackles soaking in some Kriol(industrial strength pb blaster) right now, and should be replaced sometime today.

[Fordguy77]

Motor is completely on hold, i cant get pistons till the end of the month even though i ordered over a month and a half ago...

[1freaky1]

Man that is a bummer deal especially when you are getting so close.

[Fordguy77]

So yesterday i put the new Belltech 6400 shackles on the ranger. It made me chuckle when a lower product was being used to lift my ranger. It seems to sit with a positive rake now. Also got the rig moved to my grandparents to start buttoning up once i get pistons in.
In Order- Old Shackle Measurement, New Shackle Measurement, Shackle Comparisons, Finished product.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs671.snc4/61109_444940573374_503218374_5073838_8290325_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs309.ash2/58891_444941223374_503218374_5073859_8105035_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs414.snc4/47765_444941063374_503218374_5073858_1377938_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs609.snc4/58941_444941258374_503218374_5073860_3461493_n.jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs652.snc4/61217_444941308374_503218374_5073861_4544391_n.jpg

[Fordguy77]

So i did some measuring today and it looks like i could clear 32x11.5r15s if i wanted, but i think 31s will do for now. I am ordering some parts to rebuild my spare dana 35 and 8.8 ford and regear for future mods. But the big news today is i have to switch my cam selection because they no longer make the parts i need to run the cam i wanted to!!! So its back to the drawing board but is only a minor set back, seeing as i still cant get .020 or 50mm over stock pistons anywhere, i am stopping at ford tomorrow to see if they carry them, but my gut tells me i am paying 3x what i would if i can find them somewhere else. So i've got about 60hrs left on this project and all i am missing is New Cam, Fuel Injectors, and Manual Tcase linkage and fluids. It sucks being so close to done yet so far at the same time, the pistons are really holding me up. I also might need a new steering box :frown:

[AccordRanger]

Looking better and better every time you post! keep it up.

[Brad]

Really looking forward to seeing this back on the trail! :thumb:

[Hypoid]

Good luck with the parts quest! It seems more and more parts are made from unobtanium alloy.

[Fordguy77]

Good news is despite comp cams willingness to have any costumer support, The people building my heads and i have found enough information to make it all work, it just means switching to a 10degree retainer and lock, a little more costly but itll get the job done.

[Fordguy77]

Good luck with the parts quest! It seems more and more parts are made from unobtanium alloy.

Unobtainium is officially my new favorite word.

[Fordguy77]

PISTONS PISTONS PISTONS!!!!!!!!!! I finally have pistons!!! Well sort of they will be here by Tuesday!!!! Now for injectors, push rods, and a rocker arm assembly!

[Fordguy77]

Push rods, and injectors are ordered! Now for rocker arms! It should be reassembled next weekend! then for the fun stuff!

[Rob]

PISTONS PISTONS PISTONS!!!!!!!!!!

So did you get some pistons? :)

I'm too lazy to search for the answer, so remind me again who gets to drive this truck and what it's purpose is. Is it for the trail while you're putting too much engine in the 60?

For us old lazy guys, you should list your rigs in your sig line and their purpose and project status. I like quick reference material. :D

[Fordguy77]

Signature updated.
The Rangers Purpose- My primary transportation to and from work. It gets the best gas mileage out of all my vehicles at a whopping 24 highway 20 city. I gave it a little lift because i didn't like how low it sat, i know its a little truck but i am used to big trucks, so i thought i would at least get it up to 31" tires to give me the bigger truck feel. I also switched to the manual tcase because try as i might could never get the electronic case to work. With all the being said, one day i will have a brand new vehicle for work, and want to build up my ranger, so thats why i went so performance oriented for the motor build. Ive also used this rig to tow several vehicles, granted not by choice, so i figured a little power boost would be great. I also am going throw a spare set of axles i have for it and rebuilding those, so my rig will be mechanically new and should last me a long time.

[Fordguy77]

So did you get some pistons? :)

I'm too lazy to search for the answer, so remind me again who gets to drive this truck and what it's purpose is. Is it for the trail while you're putting too much engine in the 60?

For us old lazy guys, you should list your rigs in your sig line and their purpose and project status. I like quick reference material. :D

Too much motor???? whats that? I know that if i did a performance build on the 2F, i might be a little happier with how it performs and such. It just bugs me how much more i have to be in low range than i should, just to get the gearing to get the fj up a small short hill. My new motor will probably be more of a stock built motor to gain significant power, but not be a crazy part breaking super horse.

[Brody]

Is it for the trail while you're putting too much engine in the 60?

Is there such a thing? After all, there is a reason that Chevy V8 are very popular swaps for all manner of older Toyota LCs, including 40s.....

Looking good Chris!

[Fordguy77]

My pistons have arrived!!! Starting tomorrow i am going to be reassembling the block. Once its reassembled i am going to yank out the motor,transmission, and tcase and start installing away!

[Fordguy77]

Well my mom wasnt to thrilled with the idea of me baking my connecting rods in the oven to expand the wrist pin hole, so i went and bought a new toaster oven! That good news is now i have my very own parts cooker!!! :D I also just got home with some dry ice to cool the wrist pins to help shrink them some :)
Gotta love interference fit parts!
Off to install some parts!

[Fordguy77]

Good news is i have now got all the rods and pistons put together! I only managed to get one wrist pin stuck in a rod out of position but luckily it was only out by about 1/16 and it was solved by a quick dead blow hit before the rod cooled and the pin heated up back to normal.

[Hypoid]

Well my mom wasnt to thrilled with the idea of me baking my connecting rods in the oven to expand the wrist pin hole, so i went and bought a new toaster oven!
Ya know, if you had just moved some welding supplies around, you'd have a new use for that rod oven. :D

[Brad]

Excellent Christopher! Keep us updated with some pics!

[Fordguy77]

Well i've spent the last 3 weeks working 7 12's again, works starting to pick up more and be like it used to be, which is great in the wallet, but bad for the progress of motor building. So the mix blessing is i am laid off again( I work industrial construction for those of you who don't know so lays off are normal all the time.) for about a week! Im off to go assemble the short block today and hopefully have a long block by monday. I am taking my time and going slow making sure everything is just right. I also picked up the cylinder heads last night and once again Area Automotive has done some great machine work for me! They were recommended to me through Arvada Auto Tech. Low prices and great work!

[Hypoid]

once again Area Automotive has done some great machine work for me! They were recommended to me through Arvada Auto Tech. Low prices and great work!
Good to know!

I have stopped in when they had some cast valve covers for an FE. I shoulda bought those suckers.

[Fordguy77]

So that bad news is the #4 main bearing i was sent was bout .010 to small to fit the way it was designed. Now waiting for main bearings! This sucks as i really want to get this thing up and running!
This Bearing Is To Small To Fit
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs027.snc4/33730_455877618374_503218374_5299445_3880037_n.jpg

In here
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs007.snc4/33735_455877603374_503218374_5299444_4960680_n.jpg

[Rob]

Can't see the pics, Chris. :confused:

[Fordguy77]

Should Work Now Rob

[Hypoid]

I had a similar problem getting mains for my Jeep. I couldn't get the "select fit" shells because they have been discontinued. I've measured all my journals and come up at the fat end of the tolerances, so I bought a set of standard bearings from NAPA. The night before install, I take them out of the box and find one half-shell that is marked .010" undersize. I take them back to the warehouse for exchange to find I have the only set in the State of Colorado. I asked for the box of .010 under bearings to see if my standard half shell was in there: None in the State of Colorado. Friggin unobtanium!

Good news is that the mains installed in 1989 were still on the tight side for oil clearance. NAPA saved me $90 at the expense of my OCD.

[Brody]

One of the hard won lessons I learned, too. The second or third engine I rebuilt myself (I have since quit and now leave this to professionals..), I spent a huge amount of time on it. I had the heads decked, port matched and polished everything, roller rockers, had it overbored, blah, blah, blah. I DIDN'T check the crank bearings for consistency. Lovingly put it all back together and it lasted all of 1 1/2 minutes before it spun a main bearing. Turned out that one of the bearings was under or oversized...don't remember, it was over 30 years ago. Hard lesson learned.

Since then I have simply gotten a long or short block with a guarantee from a reputable company.

[Fordguy77]

. Turned out that one of the bearings was under or oversized...don't remember, it was over 30 years ago. Hard lesson learned.

Since then I have simply gotten a long or short block with a guarantee from a reputable company.
I have had a few bad experiences, but just learned from them and went forward. I really enjoy rebuilding motors, its one of the only memories i have with me and my Grandpa(Dads side, was a machinist and showed me all sorts of stuff when i was little), Today my other grandpa helps me, but its not quite the same. This motor is my first 100% solo rebuild though, so my paranoia is about 500% higher than it normally is, so i am going slow and checking everything.


I had a similar problem getting mains for my Jeep. I couldn't get the "select fit" shells because they have been discontinued. I've measured all my journals and come up at the fat end of the tolerances, so I bought a set of standard bearings from NAPA. The night before install, I take them out of the box and find one half-shell that is marked .010" undersize. I take them back to the warehouse for exchange to find I have the only set in the State of Colorado. I asked for the box of .010 under bearings to see if my standard half shell was in there: None in the State of Colorado. Friggin unobtanium!

Good news is that the mains installed in 1989 were still on the tight side for oil clearance. NAPA saved me $90 at the expense of my OCD.

Im not sure weather i stuffer from extreme paranoia about rebuilding everything in a exact manner or if its OCD. One thing is for sure when something doesn't seem quite right or appears out of order it defiantly bothers me.

[Brad]

That just means your normal Chris. I do the same everyday and I do it for a living. :thumb:

[Fordguy77]

That just means your normal Chris. I do the same everyday and I do it for a living. :thumb:

Glad to know its normal. Guys at work think its weird i approach things in a methodically fashion, often double or triple checking things! But beats getting yelled it when its wrong!

[Hypoid]

Miss one minor detail and you get to do it all over again, if not more than you planned. :help:

By the time I was born my pops was a Journeyman Elevator Mechanic. Before that he was a Machinist. I grew up knowing basic procedures because anybody who spent time in the shop had the example to follow. When my projects started taking up bench space, the old man would grill me through whatever process, start to finish: He'd help you think the project through. He'd show you how to check your work. He'd challenge you to find out "why", if something didn't look right, feel right, or act right. He was pretty good at what he did. :wrench: I have a tendency to sweat the details.

Good catch on the bearings! :)

[Fordguy77]

In other news, today was still productive granted i have no bearings at this time. I spent a great day with Katey( the :princess: ) working on the ranger. She was tired of just helping me and wanted to learn how to actually work on cars. She then learned to remove driveshafts, the t-case, and the transmission all on her own. She just left me to helping break the stubborn bolts, and the heavy lifting! It was awesome to see her having so much fun helping work on a rig for a change!

[Brody]

Next you are going to have to show her how to apply full body English, breaker bars, leverage and all the other stuff that people use to work with very stubborn parts....

[Fordguy77]

Next you are going to have to show her how to apply full body English, breaker bars, leverage and all the other stuff that people use to work with very stubborn parts....

Amazingly enough it was only 1 bolt she couldnt get to break, and i had a harder time than i expected with it. It was even sprayed down with this stuff called Kroil(industrial grade knocker loose, makes pb blaster look like a joke!) And today when we went to the junkyard she pulled out another BW1354m with Linkage with me just handing her tools. This is really starting to make my life easy! The Good news is i actually found shift linkage for my BW1354, and a complete other bw1354 Tcase!

[Robert B]

seems you got down graded to tool hander..er :D and your one bolt sounds like the 2 on my bumper that i snapped the heads off they were so stuck... -.- i want to do the 2-3 things left on mine and be ab;e to drive it arg im going crazy ... so how much is left on the ranger anyway???

[Fordguy77]

Well to be honest a lot and at the same time not very much. If i ever get this bearing issue solved i can have the block put together in a day maybe 2 depending on how the groove goes. While i have the Engine/Transmission/Tcase/Dirveshafts removed i plan on giving the underside of the rig one hell of a bath and checking for any rust/repairs needed. Right now all looks well but who knows whats under the dirt. The frame could probably use some rust cleaning(a few spots of surface rust is about all i can find) and a coat of rust protector, but i have been saving up for a while now to get the ranger repainted and undercoated and such, so i figured i would let them mess with that so i dont have to :D Oh and i have to come up with some money for tires! Thats the killer right there!

[Fordguy77]

To sum it up, i have everything pulled, just waiting on to go back together with this bearing issue. The weird thing is when i pulled the bearings out of this motor i had to lower halves to make my #4 bearing, and now i have a true upper lower and have fitment issues.....I am going to get out the Dial Caliper and start micing the differences between the 2. Worst comes to worse i'll pay the machine shop to get me bearings and install the crank for me and let them deal with the issues! ;)

[Fordguy77]

Bearing issue resolved!!!! Should have a long block sometime tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Fordguy77]

So just a little update. I didn't realize i had let this thread go neglected. Me being the genius i am accidentally bent a oil scrapper ring so this project has been on hold for well over a month now waiting for damn rings! I love how reman companies have started shortening production and keeping less and less on the shelf. Leading to month waits for them to fire up the proper dies so ic an get some rings! I hope to have this up and running shortly after the new year.

[Fordguy77]

My piston rings have arrived!!!

[Fordguy77]

Update to a long neglected rig.
Needing Injectors and Rocker Arms, Otherwise its a good looking block i think.

[Mporter]

Sweet that thing will be nice

[Brody]

That is going to be nice, Chris!

[Cr33p3r]

Chris that is looking great so far, what years do those headers cover? Also what brand are they? That is my next mod for the motor in mine.

[Fordguy77]

90-94 and there pacesetters. I am looking for some headers for Kateys 2000 Exploder right now, and i'll be sure to post up what i go with it.

[Hypoid]

How about an update?

One of the RMFTC guys had his crank snout chewed up by an aftermarket damper. I linked him to this thread. :)

[Fordguy77]

Well there isnt to much to update at the moment. As most of you know i have been working pretty much non stop since march this year, and have had little to no time to spend on my 500+ projects. The motor is currently sitting inside the engine compartment waiting for wiring, and a drive-train. I have the dana 35 currently pulled and is being set up for a cut and turn. Like the Zimmerman Explorer but with only leveling springs for lift. I just recently got laid off again and am hoping for sometime to get over and get the transmission and finish the Mechanical Tcase mod. I will have pictures tomorrow or by the weekend.

[Fordguy77]

Update Time!
I never believed anyone when they said as you age life starts to pass you right by, and well you all were right. I've spent 600 of the last 900 days on the road for work, and when i have been home sporadically, I have had little to no time or motivation to touch any of my projects. As buying a home of my own becomes a dream edging ever closer, its changed my views on things, and I now have the push I need to get these things going.
Its sad to say that this build has continued to move backwards rather than forwards over the last few years like so many of my other projects. The good news is both this and the 77 are finally starting to near completion.
The first motor ended up being an epic fail on my part to pay attention to some smaller details, and ended up having to scrap out the motor, minus all the internals i had put into it. Luckly i still had another spare 4.0L laying around and i had it sent off to the machine shop at the same time as my 77s 400. It just got back from the shop in the form of a short block and is awaiting my return when I finally get some time off.

Upon its completion(hopefully soon) the Ranger will now boast these mods;
Front Axle-
Cut and Turned TTB Dana 35 from Camburg
Converted from auto to manual hubs using Warn 37780(made for jeeps) hubs
Rebuilt spindle to spindle
Running 4.11s

Rear Axle-
31 spline 8.8 out of an explorer
Rebuilt spindle to spindle
LSD with 4.11s

Tranmission-
Rebuilt Mazda M50D-R1 5spd

Transfer Case-
Swaped from a BW1354E (Electronic case), to the BW1354M (Mechanical case)
With a fresh rebuild

Steering-
All new TREs
New Steering Stablizer
New Power steering pump and hoses
Rebuild Steering Gearbox

Suspension-
Skyjacker 2" Leveling Coils Up Front
New Rear Leafs with Increased Capacity (1750per spring vs 1250per spring stock)
New Shocks All Around
BellTech Lowing Shackles for a Chevy 1500= 1-1.5" Lift in a Ranger

Engine-
Rebuilt from the ground up 4.0L OHV V6
Bored .020 Over
Comp Cams- 49-422-8 For Mid To High End Improvements(not recommend for automatic)
Ported and Polished Heads
Ported Intake Manifold and Plenum
BBK 66MM Throttle Body
Pacesetter Headers
Hi Flow 2.5" Cat
Borla Stainless Steel 2.5" Cat Back System

Tires-
33x10.5 R15 BFG KMs
However I am probably dropping back to a 31 since this is going to be my work truck and It'd be nice to squeeze a little more out of the fuel with less tire.

Thats about the most comprehensive list i can come up with at the moment. However there are a few things I am still looking at doing.

Such as;
Skyjacker extended radius arms
Bumpers both front and rear
Headlight restoration vs new lights

And the big one, a good quality tune. Sadly my rig is obd1 So tuning options are limited, but i am hoping to run a SCT chip switch with a few tunes. Granted I am limited on how much tuning I get because of the 5spd. Im hoping to have 20hp over stock, but will be happy with just stock numbers and running rig at this point.

[The StRanger]

Gawd It sound sweet
Gawd I need to get on mine !!!

[Cr33p3r]

Sounds like it is making some progress Chris.

[Fordguy77]

Some Update Pics. Progressing slow but steady.

[glacierpaul]

At least your moving forward!:thumb:

[Fordguy77]

Update Time Again.

My procrastination has finally caught up with me. Last Monday my Grandparents told me they were getting a new driveway put in this coming Wednesday. Needless to say the truck was completely disassembled mechanically again, as my original rebuilt motor ended up cracking. However I had all my parts to complete the job again I just never got around to it. As luck would have it I ended up being switched to a graveyard swing shift the same day I was told about the driveway. Which allowed me to put in 8-10 hours working on the ranger a day, and still putting in 10 hours in at work.

Since last Monday the following has occurred-
*Engine Dropped In
*Transmission & Tcase Installed(twice forgot the pilot bearing the first time)
*Driveshafts Installed
*Motor Was Dressed
*All Electrical Connections Were Made
*All Vacuum Lines Installed
*Front Suspension was Knocked back to Stock
*New Calipers on the front
*New Clutch Line
*Radiator Installed
*All Fluids Filled

Still Need To Do-
*Wrap up the fabrication on the exhaust
*Fill Gas Tank
*Re-install the Bed(was pulled off to pull the fuel pump and clean the tank)
*Bleed the brakes and clutch

And The Best For Last
TURN THE KEY!

As of the moment she cranks wonderful, just haven't fired her yet.

[Fordguy77]

Update Time Again:
I was able to meet my deadline and get the ranger going. As of now she has an incredible 3 miles on the new engine, and seems to be doing good so far. Today I was able to knock some things off the punch list. I finished putting on the exhaust, had to get some new isolators for the hangers as the old ones were destroyed when i cut out the old exhaust. Also finally got some O2 sensor plugs and plugged up the open holes, its nice not to have any exhaust leaks. I also replaced all the tie rods in the steering system. And lastly I started on some roll on bed liner.

[The StRanger]

Very Nice. Now i Need to get off my Arsk and get mine done !!

[Chris]

If any of you Ranger folks know of a nice one for sale, let me know. My son will be moving back to CO and wants one. Preference to unmolested or modest lifted. Thanks!

[Fordguy77]

If any of you Ranger folks know of a nice one for sale, let me know. My son will be moving back to CO and wants one. Preference to unmolested or modest lifted. Thanks!
Ill keep my eye out for ya. I am actually helping run a "Ranger" facebook page with about 20K people on it.

[Fordguy77]

So since the rough country springs turned out to be so bad, I am going out on a limb and making my own leveling kit utilizing Jeep Cherokee springs. A lot of people have used 3" lift springs off Cherokees to gain 6" of lift. I figured why not use some stock springs to try and get 2"? I might have to cut the springs down a little bit, but Im hoping it wont come to that.

[carpenle]

Hows the SBF run?

[Fordguy77]

Hows the SBF run?
I wigs it was a sbf but I opted for being different and built my V6. It should have between 250-300hp at the wheels given the builds I stole a lot of build info from. Which isn't overly impressive but it's near double factory output so it should be fun. I haven't really gotten to get into it much yet as it's still in break in, but I'm happy with the results so far.

[carpenle]

Ha Ha looked like a 302 when I first was looking at it, now I see it only has 3 sets of valves :oops: Should be fun truck!

[Fordguy77]

Ha Ha looked like a 302 when I first was looking at it, now I see it only has 3 sets of valves :oops: Should be fun truck!
Haha no worries a lot of people are thrown off by my early 4.0L because of the aluminum intake. A few years I'm they went to a composite, so at first glance to a lot of people it comes off as a 302. Yeah it should be a lot of fun, honestly it was a fun truck stock so it could only get better with these mods! Got the 31s mounted today.

[carpenle]

Looks great with the 31's!:cheers:

[The StRanger]

Very Nice..

[Fordguy77]

So right now she has around 110 miles on the rebuild, and everything seems to be coming together. The 1354M swap worked out pretty well, just need to figure out what to do with the space from the old electronic shifter. I am thinking it would be a great spot to put my AFR gauge. Another issue i need to address is where the O2 sensor is mounted. The new headers moved it about 1" up into the passenger side header, rather than being in the collector. Its causing an excessive Rich condition and throws an occasional CEL because of it. Its so rich it burned 15 gallons to go 110 miles!
http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38196&stc=1&d=1409624224
http://www.frontrange4x4.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=38195&stc=1&d=1409624224
https://scontent-a-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/p403x403/10592894_538974649538052_7356897458358054457_n.jpg ?oh=6c93fe1b091c252e475fbffde945dc3e&oe=54917A10

[Fordguy77]

So its been a long while since I have updated this thread. So I thought I would give it some love.

I finished my manual Tcase Swap, it looks great, big thanks to Mike for finding the elusive boot/bezel for the 5Spd Manual Tcase. Most importantly I can actually use 4wd for the first time since I bought the Ranger in 09.

While I was converting things over from automatic to manual I did go ahead and snag some manual hubs as well. I ended up going with the ones for a Jeep Dana 35, as they are of more solid construction than the ones marketed specifically for rangers/explorers and nearly the same price. They install right on with no issues, Ill never understand why warn doesn't market these ones for the ranger as well. I did modify them to stay retained to the disc, when taking the wheel off. By design they are just slip ons, and it is rather annoying. I got the idea from my E30 actually, as the disc is retained to the spindle the same way.

Due to the large change internally, with compression, cam, head flow, intake porting etc, my computer hasn't been able to properly cope with it all, so I will be needing to custom tune it. I figured since I need a wideband afr anyway for tuning, and I had no use for the electronic 4x4 switch I might as well kill 2 birds with one stone. Made pretty quick work of the bracket at work, just used a hole punch, and sheered the piece to size. I did have to do a little trimming on the actual dash, but you'd never know unless you took my panel off.

I was having a bit of a cooling issue when the truck was sitting around at idle. I believe this to be a combination from running far to rich/lean as the current exhaust set up has the only 02 Sensor in the wrong spot, so it is only reading exhaust from one side instead of 2, so its constantly bouncing from too rich to too lean all the time at the moment, with that and being open at the header. As well as I never finished putting the fan shroud back on.

So today I went ahead and removed some more of my dysfunctional AC system to make room for a Pusher fan, as well as modified the fan shroud into a 3/4 shroud for easy install/removal(lets be honest, i was to lazy to remove the clutch fan to install the shroud, then put it back on with no room haha). I wired the new aux fan to run thermostatically, with a manual overdrive. The only thing I did that is slightly out of the norm, is I wired it to a 12V constant. The upside to this is if my rig is over heating, I can turn off the truck but the fan will keep running to help it cool off. The downside is there is a very small potential I could kill the battery, but only if my thermostatic switch went out, and defaulted in the "on" position. So I am willing to take that risk for the pros.

Aside from that shes running well, and should be my Daily Driver again, after being down for nearly 6 years. And some of you thought I could never finish anything hahaha.

[The StRanger]

Glad to see it back.

[Fordguy77]

Slowly knocking some more items off of the punch list.
Took the time today to clean both the headlights, as well as the turn-signals. Also, swapped the chrome grill out for a black one, and installed an HID conversion as well. Hopefully helps with driving at night.