It's a Volvo lover's dream!

Having developed a love affair for the Volvo Redblock engine, from owning and working on so many RWD Volvo's, I found myself very intrigued by the Ford Lima OHC engines, which is so similar.

It was difficult to maintain focus, with so many cool looking 4x4, 2.9L trucks for sale, but they were all so far from what I want. I want a low little shop truck. My first truck was a '75 Chevy LUV, but I want something better.

I found myself the perfect truck!

It's a '85 Short Bed, with 2.3L EFI engine. I really thought it was going to be a carburated truck, but was pleasantly surprised when I found this! Only bummer is it's an automatic, but that'll change in due time.

First priority is to make it run...I believe it has a snapped timing belt...and get it SMOGged and registered. Sell that camper shell, get four good tires on it, Herculiner paint the bed and install my diamond plate tool box.

Not bad for $300









This truck began life as a Department of Agriculture Official Use Vehicle, for the State of California. Pretty cool!

It's my favorite color for these old trucks, baby blue!

I copied the original Craigslist pictures, for y'all too.

 

Gave her some, the next day. I was so excited to get out of work, and start riddling with my new truck, and try to make it start.

I believed it was a timing belt, though the previous owner thought it was a starter. I called the local Auto Parts Store, and ordered up a new Gates timing belt, to be prepared.

Got home, with a charged battery and jumper cables. I could get the solenoid to click, but starter would not spin. I spun the crank pulley manually, to verify the motor was not siezed. It spins and feels like compression!

Fan off, accessory belt off, and timing cover off. Timing belt looks old, but fine. I still need to confirm timing and locate timing marks. Pulled starter and replaced it with a fresh re-manufactured unit...

Starter works Now!!! Sounds like compression!

I've left timing belt be, for now, as I want to get it started first.




No spark from coil...where do I start?

I found what looks to be a little distributor conditioner, it was loose in the engine bay...does it go here?




Also, while replacing starter, I found an orange wire that's in the same conduit as the starter ground wire...there was also a crimp ring terminal, with no wire on the starter bell-housing stud...do I just ground this wire?

 

I think it's the ECU...

Ordered a KNOWN GOOD unit out of a 85 a/t Mustang 2.3L on eBay...so we'll give that a shot.

Since there wasn't much else to do, until the ECU arrives, I thought I'd start cleaning this baby up.

Got the Camper Shell off and my tool box in...already looks better.

Swept the bed and washed her! There are a bunch of old carpet remnants from the previous owner, that I'll dispose of, when the truck runs.






I just love the wear & tear, and patina this truck has...LOVE IT!!!






The 'ol 65...from her days in the Department of Agriculture fleet. It's a cool piece of history.

 

ECU arrived....

I now know that '85 Mustang and '85 Ranger ECU's are totally different...didn't even fit the engine harness plug.

Bummer...hopefully eBay store will take it back...

Went back to the auto parts store, for a cheapo Ignition Control Module...the same one I bought last week. Ranger fired right up!!!

Just look at those belts spinning!




Took it for a drive around the block...automatic shifted horribly and slipped...checked fluid and it was LOW!

Went back to the auto parts store for some stuff, including ATF...




Now it shifts GOOD!

Got new wiper blades on, as it's the rainy season here, and old ones were going to scratch windshield.

Rest is tune up stuff...I'll do the timing belt swap now too.

Off for Registration & SMOG tomorrow!

 

Old spark plugs didn't look too bad...

Motorcraft Platinum Plugs...




One was pretty fouled, but not as bad I've seen...

I always like to put in freshies, anyway...

Went with the Autolite Copper Core...I've always had better luck with copper core plugs, so I went that route...Autolite was $0.50 cheaper, per plug.

Simple change...

On to the oil change and idle adjustment tomorrow.

 

Mad it official today!

Paid the back registration, current registration & transferred title...
I really wish people would keep their registration current, or go for Planned Non-Opp...

$701 to make it current...




SMOG needs to be done, but I want to work on my tune-up stuff first,
So I got temporary tags for 30 days, while I sort it out.


With my current tags & insurance, I'm free to roam the streets...

Went to fill up the tank, and hit up the auto parts store for a fresh Radiator Overflow hose & air filter...




On the ride home, car started running rough, with a total electrical malfunction...either the alternator or voltage regulator have gone dead.

 

Gitnice pair of Cibie H4's for The 'ol 65...




Light output of those old Sylvania's is just awful! I'm such a sucker for high quality, European Sealed Beam Conversions...so here I go! They'll look sweet, lit or not!

 

Let's just count this as the "before" picture...






Made my first trip in the truck today! Alternator seems to be working fine, so I took a chance and drove it down to the shop at work. It's nice to have lifts and a air compressor!

A tire mounting machine is handy too, when CL freebies show up like these...




My dream wheels for this truck! Jeep Grizzly's 15x7!!!

Dug up a decent set of tires at work, 225/60/15 for the front and 235/60/15 in the back.




All I had to do was buy a set of Acorn shoulder lugs, as to not damage the alloy's...




It's just a shame the hub bore is too small to fit the fronts; I'll have to visit a machine shop about that...






While I had the truck in the air, I changed the oil. New Motorcraft filter and Diesel 15w40 oil. I felt a loose hose, while trying to unscrew the oil filter. Upon further inspection, I found this, dangling and disconnected...




It appears like it could be for the coolant line, from water pump to cylinder head. There's a continuous hose back there...maybe this had been bypassed.

 

Sooo,

Seem's like wheel offset of these Jeep Grizzly's is Wayyyyyyyyy wrong for the Ranger.

According to the Tech guide here, a 15x7" wheel should get a 3.75" backspace, to be correct on a Ranger.

Ordered up some lug adapters to take up the 1.75" difference...



I'd imagine, the extra 1.75" will remedy the hub issue too.

In other news, timing belt is changed, and timing has been set to 10*...it was at 20*

 

Damn, this Ranger is kickin' my butt!

Supposed to be a SHOP TRUCK, to haul parts to and from the shop...

Currently it's providing more parts to be hauled to the shop's by way of other trucks...

I checked compression, to see why the engine is running so rough. ZERO COMPRESSION on #4 cylinder. Old school check to see if it was rings or valves, proved it's the valves.

Head off...




Just look at the carbon buildup on the #4 piston...




Head is at machine shop, getting rebuilt with fresh springs. They're gonna mill it 30 thousandths, to get me some compression!




Bummer as it is, I am stoked to have a freshly built head and higher compression. She's gonna be a screamer.

 

No compression?

More like NO VALVE!!!




Just look at the chunk of valve missing...WOW!

No biggie...the machine shop is going to replace it with a freshie!

Dropped off the intake manifold to be hot tanked too, so everything will be squeaky clean!

 

Nice truck! Good progress so far, keep us posted

 

LET THERE BE LIGHT!!!!

Cibie 200mm lenses came today, loaded up with some good H4 bulbs...




They look amazing, ON or OFF...




Cleaned up some parts, while my head gets redone...




And, I've got a nice, clean surface for the gasket to mate to, on the block...




My boss let me take the good pair of tail lights off the STX truck bed, in the shop, in exchange for my ratty, paint covered pair...

Much better!