First Ranger
#1
First Ranger
Hey guys. I bought my first truck, a 94 Ranger XLT 4x4. It's equipped with the V6 4.0 and is in pretty decent shape, despite 300,000km (mostly highway).
There's nothing major that I need to do to the truck, just replacing some seals and bearings... also I am planning to touch up a few surface rust areas where the paint has chipped.
My one concern right now is the damp floor on the driver and passenger side. I may need to redo the front window (it has a bit of rust near the top roof seal, and it seems to bulge a bit of the seal out, which could be the problem.)
The other water leak seems to be in the wall behind the driver side, where the caddy seat is. When I flip it down, there's a bit of dirt and water in there. After reading a bit, I'm thinking it could be the 3rd brake light perhaps? The seals around the windows seem fine. I drilled a little hole at the bottom to help drain it, but I need to find out how it's gotten there in the first place.
This truck does have a sunroof, but the roof is perfectly dry and there is no stains or previous signs of water leakage from it so I dont think that's the problem.
I'll get some pics of the truck up soon though, it's pretty nice and I got it at a great price.
Rangers rock :D
There's nothing major that I need to do to the truck, just replacing some seals and bearings... also I am planning to touch up a few surface rust areas where the paint has chipped.
My one concern right now is the damp floor on the driver and passenger side. I may need to redo the front window (it has a bit of rust near the top roof seal, and it seems to bulge a bit of the seal out, which could be the problem.)
The other water leak seems to be in the wall behind the driver side, where the caddy seat is. When I flip it down, there's a bit of dirt and water in there. After reading a bit, I'm thinking it could be the 3rd brake light perhaps? The seals around the windows seem fine. I drilled a little hole at the bottom to help drain it, but I need to find out how it's gotten there in the first place.
This truck does have a sunroof, but the roof is perfectly dry and there is no stains or previous signs of water leakage from it so I dont think that's the problem.
I'll get some pics of the truck up soon though, it's pretty nice and I got it at a great price.
Rangers rock :D
#6
the water in the front, on the passenger side could be your heater core. trucks old enough that that might be gone. keep an eye on your heater temps in the truck. if it's not heating up very well, that's it. is there a odour in the cab when the vents are on? any steam? where in canada are you?
post pics.
post pics.
#8
Hey guys, I'm going to go take some pics of it today and post them up. I don't think the engine has been rebuilt before. It's running on 302,000 km mostly highway driving, and it was meticulously maintained by the previous owner (power spraying it weekly during winter time, regular oil changes etc).
As for the leakage, I don't think it's the heater core because I don't smell any antifreeze odor in the cab, but I haven't had the heater on either. It seems like it's probably coming through the firewall or something, because I couldn't see any leakages from the window. Once I get it back out of the garage I can soak it down and find out where it's coming from.
I found out that one the bearings in the passenger front spindle welded itself into the inside of it. I had someone at a machine shop take a look at it and they heated it up and ripped it out for $20.
By the way, how do you guys pack the spindle bearings with grease? Just push it in as much as possible? The other bearings I packed fine, as my uncle showed me how but this bearing is a little different.
Btw Morris, I'm up in Northwestern Ontario. Thunder Bay yeehaw!
As for the leakage, I don't think it's the heater core because I don't smell any antifreeze odor in the cab, but I haven't had the heater on either. It seems like it's probably coming through the firewall or something, because I couldn't see any leakages from the window. Once I get it back out of the garage I can soak it down and find out where it's coming from.
I found out that one the bearings in the passenger front spindle welded itself into the inside of it. I had someone at a machine shop take a look at it and they heated it up and ripped it out for $20.
By the way, how do you guys pack the spindle bearings with grease? Just push it in as much as possible? The other bearings I packed fine, as my uncle showed me how but this bearing is a little different.
Btw Morris, I'm up in Northwestern Ontario. Thunder Bay yeehaw!
#10
The 4.0 OHV is a good motor. Doesn't have as much power as my 4.3 Vortec, but then again only one of these motors is still running. I'm going to have to ask for pictures before I give any advice.
Kidding, I love to kid. The only problems I have had with three 4.0 OHVs are oil leaks, misfires, and that whining power steering pump! I would be worried about the previous owner power spraying the engine. Cables corrode too easily on these things. Keep an eye on your started power wire. Mine went bad and I was away from home when it decided to quit.
The water leaks are annoying. The heater core has water flowing through it all of the time. Sometimes, and I haven't seen it on a Ranger yet, there is a vacuum valve that only allows water to flow through the heater core when the heater is on. My '92 Explorer didn't have that but my Mom's '95 Explorer did. Best way I have found to see if the heater core is leaking is to turn on the defrost/defog and see if the inside of the window steams up.
To pack the spindle bearings, put a bunch of grease in the palm of your hand. Take the bearing and run it through the grease in the directions that the rollers roll making sure the rollers pick it up. Once you put it back on the truck, try to pack in as much as you can and then seal it up. Of course you need to keep all of this grease away from the rotor. I would also spray some brake cleaner on the rotor before putting the wheel back on.
On a 4 wheeling trip I was on we had a trailer that lost both bearings within five minutes of each other. We were lucky enough to be right by an Advance Auto Parts when the second one blew. Got the bearings and raceway off of one side with a hammer and screwdriver. The other side required a torch. Thank God we had a plumber with us that used his work van as a tow vehicle!
Kidding, I love to kid. The only problems I have had with three 4.0 OHVs are oil leaks, misfires, and that whining power steering pump! I would be worried about the previous owner power spraying the engine. Cables corrode too easily on these things. Keep an eye on your started power wire. Mine went bad and I was away from home when it decided to quit.
The water leaks are annoying. The heater core has water flowing through it all of the time. Sometimes, and I haven't seen it on a Ranger yet, there is a vacuum valve that only allows water to flow through the heater core when the heater is on. My '92 Explorer didn't have that but my Mom's '95 Explorer did. Best way I have found to see if the heater core is leaking is to turn on the defrost/defog and see if the inside of the window steams up.
To pack the spindle bearings, put a bunch of grease in the palm of your hand. Take the bearing and run it through the grease in the directions that the rollers roll making sure the rollers pick it up. Once you put it back on the truck, try to pack in as much as you can and then seal it up. Of course you need to keep all of this grease away from the rotor. I would also spray some brake cleaner on the rotor before putting the wheel back on.
On a 4 wheeling trip I was on we had a trailer that lost both bearings within five minutes of each other. We were lucky enough to be right by an Advance Auto Parts when the second one blew. Got the bearings and raceway off of one side with a hammer and screwdriver. The other side required a torch. Thank God we had a plumber with us that used his work van as a tow vehicle!
Last edited by BigDaddy; 10-11-2008 at 07:24 PM.
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