So I'm new to this site, and I'm new to Rangers. I bought a 1998 Ranger the other day, and I hope to fix it up a bit. Its going to my first car once I can get it finished up.

 

So, I had ended up selling my truck 06-19-2016. I had found a new car from a family member, but due to me not having a license until the next few weeks, I had just left the car in my family members back yard. Got the car out, finding out it had a blown brake line. Turns out to fix everything myself and get the car road worthy will cost just about as much as buying my old ranger back, which I plan on doing very soon if I can gather up the money.

My plans for it will be the following

- Front end conversion, looking at 03 front end.
- 3in Body lift, doing this I'll also take the bed off and remove some rust and throw some cheap spray paint down.
- With the body lift, I'll need to get new tires. I won't be able to afford them for a few months, so I might just wait for the body lift until I get the money to throw down on some tires and rims.
- I'll be looking into doing some sort of paint job, but that's not entirely important to me for the next year.
- I want to find some 40/40 seats to replace my 60/40.
- Aftermarket head unit and speakers.
- Building a custom center console to fill that gap if I turn my 60 into a 40.
- I'll probably end up getting one of those red led strips to add as another brake light under the tailgate.
- Replace cruise control buttons on steering wheel.
- Possibly replace the carpet with an indoor outdoor rug because I'm cheap and I've seen it look really nice.

Maybe do like CiegmannSody and bedliner the hood, rocker panels, tailgate etc
what he did https://www.ranger-forums.com/projec...-148040/page2/


Since the truck has sadly been sitting for the last year, driven maybe 10 times, I probably need to do a fluid flush.

 

Welcome back

Sounds like you have a good plan

 

The list will probably keep growing until I have the title in hand, at which point I'll probably start recording stuff for a project log.

 

So, I just sold my Lumina today. I feel like I can't get my Ranger back, due to the family member not wanting to sell it back, so whatever. However, I was looking at an 03 Ford Explorer, and I wanna possibly get it. If anyone has one, or has any tips on what to get as an actual first car - All these cars I've had I haven't actually driven....I don't have my license yet....next week is the week though.

I feel like I have a bit of a bias towards Ford, and I have no idea why. My brother has an Excursion and that's the only ford vehicle we have in my family....strange....

 

I prefer GM cars and Ford Trucks

The used GM trucks I have owned seemed to needs bits and pieces all the time, ***** and handles breaking, and water pumps and starter motors.
Used Ford trucks did need parts but was longer between issues.
Costs were the same just less bother with the Ford trucks

When driving, you "herd " Fords, steering is not loose just not direct, lol, actually can be more relaxing since you don't have to pay too much attention to keep it between the lines, just slowly drifts one way or the other, and just a little touch drifts it the other way, so herding not driving.
GM cars just seem to handle better and ride better.
I like Cadillacs, when the CTS came out I was hooked, and they are not that expensive for what they are, used, of course, lol

 

So, I had really gotten my hopes up on an Expedition, but that was sadly sold. I have now found a 2001 Ford Ranger 4.0 v6, with 140k miles. The only thing is, is that it needs new ujoints. So if I get it I'll have to replace them, and I'd likely do it myself. But this truck is basically equal to my last truck, same color, same engine, but its 4x4 with 70k less miles than mine, and it already has the 01-03 front end.

 

So today, I did a thing...





2001 XLT with 147k miles on it.

Needs a new tailgate, and u joints. Drove it 60 miles home, and I'm already in love with it.

lets gooooo

 

NICE!

Change the timing chain tensioners, 2 of them, sooner than later

 

Ugh, I'm already poor. How long can I wait to do them? And are they DIY?

 

Yes, DIY and not to expensive, and way less expensive than pulling out the engine

1997 to 2004 4.0l SOHC engines had a design issue with the tensioners, the pre-load springs would get weaker and not hold the timing chains tight on startup, this caused the chains to wear down the Guides on startup
After start up oil pressure takes over

But over the years the wear on the guides would allow more and more slack in the chains than the tensioners could overcome and guides would break which caused a rattle on startup and at certain RPMs, damage done
Engine needs to be pulled out to replace rear timing chain.

If your engine is quiet, no rattles, then tensioners may already have been replaced, or they didn't suffer from weak springs, this didn't effect 100% of the 4.0l SOHC engines, but is a known issue.

How to change tensioners video here: hwww.youtube.com/watch?v=-5mI-ah4qRQ

And thermostat housing removal here: How To Replace the Upper and Lower Thermostat Housing on a Ford 4.0L V6 SOHC Engine

Beside the PCV Valve elbows leaking air(easy fix), the thermostat housing leaking is the only other known issue for these engines

4.0l SOHC is a good reliable engine, most other engines, from any maker, have much longer lists of "known issue", lol.
And much more expensive to repair

 

Well, I already feel the rattle on startup. Do I need to pull the engine?

 

Yes, that should be on the "to do" list

It is an interference engine, valves and pistons share space in the combustion chamber, so it is possible to get bent valves and damaged pistons if chain slips, it is very very unlikely to happen, but possible.

People have driven these with on going rattle, but no one can say "how long" because each engine is unique in that regard.

I wouldn't Park it, just drive it and keep an ear out.
Some say synthetic oil helped quiet down the rattle, which is good, doesn't "fix" anything but less noise means less damage is occurring so longer drive time until budget permits changing out the timing chains, and better than just turning up the radio, lol.

I assume this is why the previous owner was selling this Ranger

You could try installing the 2 new tensioners, you will need them in any case, and if you just have startup rattle you could get a few years before you need to change the chains

 

So, I today actually got under the car and took a good look at it. It's a rebuilt title, and I had never known why...until today. The header panel looks like it took a good beating, but everything else still looks fine. Whatever. I also found out that I have a battery warmer and an engine block heater, and as I'm typing this it clicked with me. The car was originally from Wisconsin, no wonder it has a heater. I'll probably plug it in once it gets below freezing.

I also had to take the damn thing to a local shop, thought the transmission shifter cord was torn and I couldn't get into park. Turns out a bolt on the shift lever broke, so I got charged 100 dollars in labor costs to get it fixed. God damn it. That still doesn't explain the smoke that I saw once I got to the shop...I need to check that out.