Hello all. I am Arlow, A few years ago I acquired a 1989 Ford Ranger with 2.9 liter V6. We have spent a lot of time the past few years in and out of mechanics shops, but I am looking to learn how to manage more of the repairs and maintenance myself as I got him to be my passion project car.

 

Welcome to the forum

Good truck to start with
Has the TFI spark system, and the EEC-IV 60 wire computer for fuel injection

1989 thru 1992 had same body design, 1988 and earlier had different front, and 1993 was the start of the wider body style used thru 2011
So you have either a 2nd generation or a generation 1A, it was called both, lol

1989 2.9l had the better heads on it
It can get noisy lifters, not a mechanical concern just noisy

If 2WD and manual transmission then you have an M5OD-R1(M5R1) very reliable manual transmission but does use ATF, yes automatic transmission fluid in a manual trans, NOT gear oil
If 4x4 then you have a Mitsubishi FM146, its an OK transmission, uses Gear oil

If automatic then its an A4LD, 2WD or 4x4, was reliable if rebuilt correctly, but was the FIRST Overdrive transmission so transmission shops often did a poor job rebuilding, they were "going to school" on these, lol, and when trans failed after a rebuild shop would, of course, blame the transmission, "a poor workman always blames his tools"
The A4LD was used from 1986 thru 2011 in various Ford Models, so 25 years, Ford would not stay with a bad designed transmission for 25 years, lol

If 4x4 then it has a BW1350 transfer case for manual or auto

 

Thank you so much Ron for all the great information.
It's a 2wd and I had no idea about the transmission fluid that will be extremely useful to know.

It idles rough, and used to die at stop lights and have to be restarted. It hasn't died at a stop light since I changed the idle control sensors, but it still sounds like it might stall at any minute.

I have been looking for bathe proper dude box diagram online because the fuse for the dash lights might be blown, but every diagram I have found is different. If it's not the fuse I'll have to remove the dash and replace the bulbs and I'm not looking forward to that.

When I got Harry I was actually looking for the earlier body style to match my grandfather's truck that got stolen, but I was really just happy to find a running square body I could work on.

Overall he's been a great little truck and a good learning experience, though most of my family is still laughing at my "investment" he's meant to be a passion project

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The original owner was a WWII veteran named Harry and he kept everything immaculate and filed every piece of paperwork from everything he ever did to the truck in the glove box unfortunately after Harry passed away his wife sold the truck to someone who didn't know what they were doing and let it sit forever before selling it to me, but after finding all the paperwork in the glove box I decided to name the truck Harry after the original owner who loved it dearly. I want to do him justice in continuing to care for the truck like he would want. (Though I'd imagine he wouldn't be to happy about the paint I have planned for it eventually)