kishy's 1985 Ranger

[kishy]

On Saturday, I collected the axle and exhaust from Derek after a junkyard run. Thanks again for the floor space and hauling it back from the yard.

Yesterday, drained the rad flush/water mix. What came out was super gross, and since the rad was clean due to the 2.0 having been a clean engine inside and rad being new, that means the block was gross. Glad I flushed it.

After draining, I ran hose water (yeah, yeah, I know) through the block, as well as thoroughly in both directions through the rad and heater core until nothing but clear water ran out. Hooked it all back up, filled with a full jug of concentrate plus the balance in distilled water and that should be that (capacity looked like 6.8L, jug of concentrate 3.78). Installed correct lower rad hose at the time (application: 95 Ranger 2.3 due to extension pipe at bottom of water pump)

Meant to install the (correct, newly received) block heater but forgot. Draining and refilling again won't be the end of the world. Just sucks because I was right there already.

Installed a 94 accelerator cable. This fixed the geometry at the throttle, no more binding, no weird spacing issues. However I had to use spacers (for now, zipties) to take up slack at the pedal. I might use the newer year pedal if I determine that will take up the slack sans zipties. The pedals appear to mount in the exact same way, just with different arm curvature.

Truck put in some work hauling junkyard stuff as well as maybe 600lbs of computer stuff over the weekend. Pulls hard, even loaded down pretty well. Passing people in 5th without dropping a gear is something the 2.0 could never do in the time I had it.

Fuel economy was really good for the speed traveled. Not reporting numbers until I see how it behaves in more normal driving.

Previously outstanding concern still stands, worried about compression figures. Going to be retesting that soon though as engine was cold and cylinders were washed with gas at the time of the last test (which gave 130-140ish PSI)



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[gadget73]

If that thing sat a long time in a damp environment, the inside of the block may have gotten rusty from that. Cast iron gets pretty nasty/

[kishy]

If that thing sat a long time in a damp environment, the inside of the block may have gotten rusty from that. Cast iron gets pretty nasty/

It did somewhat. Most of its time in storage was in a warm garage/shop, supposedly, but unless it was also a dry warm shop, condensation in the water passages was very likely.

Further, in the months before I bought it, it was in an open shipping container, so not exposed to rain but definitely exposed to outdoor humidity.

Added some oil to the trans. Pennzoil Synchromesh is what's on-hand, but that's way too light for this trans which expects a proper GL4 gear oil. I figure the wrong stuff is still better than air.

Did a proper, correctly-executed compression test (as opposed to my wrongly-done ones before) and got about 180 on all 4. That's good enough for me. Healthy engine. Makes sense that it makes good power all over the tach.

[DerekTheGreat]

Yeah my cooling system in my K1500 was nice and clean, could see way into the radiator. Then the "new" engine went in and it was gross. I've flushed it twice, well two flushing sessions I should say where I took the hose, had water flowing through the outlet of the heater core and into the engine & out the lower radiator hose and then flushed the radiator itself again. Second time was earlier this year where I did the same thing but filled the system up with Prestone radiator flush and drove it for a week. Water flushed it after that, refilled with coolant and it's still not as clean as it was before this engine went in...

[VicCrownVic]

That reminds me, The Scab could use a flush. Derek, if you're saying you did your own flush at your place, schedule me in for next spring/summer.

[gadget73]

Original cooling system in the Towncar was absolutely disgusting. I never got it completely clean with the original engine. When I replaced the engine, I flushed things as best I could but apparently didn't get it all. It took 10 years of annual coolant changes and replacing every single part of the cooling system including rebuilding the engine again to finally get it completely clean.

[DerekTheGreat]

That reminds me, The Scab could use a flush. Derek, if you're saying you did your own flush at your place, schedule me in for next spring/summer.

Yup, it's the only way I know to get a thorough flush. Word, just pick a day, I'll want to do my truck again too. Might as well do TC and Firebird too, as the TC hasn't been done in several years and the Fireturd even longer.

Original cooling system in the Towncar was absolutely disgusting. I never got it completely clean with the original engine. When I replaced the engine, I flushed things as best I could but apparently didn't get it all. It took 10 years of annual coolant changes and replacing every single part of the cooling system including rebuilding the engine again to finally get it completely clean.

Yeah I'm guessing the donor engine for my truck was the same way. Least it doesn't really burn oil (1qt per 2-2.5k miles is negligible right?) so I'm doing the same thing, a flush every year until I no longer see filth in the overflow bottle or murky coolant in the radiator. Although this time it is looking much better and the thermostat isn't sticking closed as often as it liked to despite being a new Stant. Guess they're garbage now too.

[gadget73]

Any time I need to put oil in between changes bothers me. I found out the Continental uses 1 quart every 4000 miles. Oil change interval is 5000 so I had to buy a quart.

[IPreferDIY]

I just buy multiples jugs when it's on sale for real cheap, and one jug is designated for top-ups and whatnot. NBD.

[gadget73]

I dislike having to add oil to things for any reason. Its not about the container it comes in. If things leak or burn oil, I prefer to fix it rather than having to add.

[DerekTheGreat]

Tell that to the TSB's which state oil consumption as "normal." There are plenty of newer cars which chug more oil than my truck does so I'm trying to make myself feel good about it. All of the I6's we've owned? Fuuuuck, they'll go 5 or 6k miles and not use a drop. Wish I knew what it was with those motors, and they were trucks which weren't exactly taken care of, this new one with 187k or so on the clock.. Maybe my K1500 just needs new stem seals, I don't see smoke ever though. And right now I'm too cheap to buy a borescope and look for crosshatch in the cylinders.

[gadget73]

yeah I know what they say about it, I just prefer to set the bar a little higher. Some things just can't be fixed in a practical manner, but I'll put gaskets or valve seals in something long before I put up with it leaking oil and blowing smoke clouds. The Towncar did that for a couple of weeks, basically long enough for me to realize it had a problem, order valve seals, and find the time to install them. It was done in an afternoon, no big deal.

[DerekTheGreat]

NBD eh? Come change the seals on my Town Car please

What if the rings were shot? I'm too lazy and can't afford a rebuild, not like those are created equally or will even last as long as the factory engine did. Unless you have VCV's dad & his friend rebuild it for you haha

[gadget73]

if the rings are shot you'll be able to tell with a leakdown test. If they are, you rebuild another motor out of the car and then swap it in.

[DerekTheGreat]

Can't imagine they're shot after 120k.. I never see blue smoke outta the tail pipe. If I have to have that rebuilt, it'll be rebuilt with HO/'Sploader internals.