small-list-digest Sunday, January 17 1999 Volume 03 : Number 012



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Ford Truck Enthusiasts - Ranger, Explorer, Bronco 2 and Aerostar
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In this issue:

Re:FTE Small - '93 Ranger Temp Guage
FTE Small - Re:
RE: FTE Small - Re:
FTE Small - Radio Display...fixed at last!
Re: FTE Small - My Aerostar Stinks!
FTE Small - Re: 2.9 heads with better reliability
Re: FTE Small - My Aerostar Stinks!
Re: FTE Small - Ranger fuel sending unit
Re: FTE Small - Radio Display...fixed at last!
FTE Small - V6 swap - Questions
Re: FTE Small - V6 swap - Questions

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Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 08:09:04 -0500
From: "Mike McNany"
Subject: Re:FTE Small - '93 Ranger Temp Guage

My 92 4.0 Explorer's thermostat stuck open 2 years ago (around 70KMiles).
Contrary, to other posts, I found changing the 'stat to be a minor pain and
guaranteed knuckle scraper. Of course working with freezing metal in winter
doubled the aggravation. And the reason its called antifreeze is that it
will be colder than ice and still wet down your hands. You MUST have an
assortment of U-joints and extensions for your socket set. It had three
holddown bolts to remove, one easy, one hard, and one extremely hard while
holding back the belt tensioner. Of course you are working around the fan
blade. An assistant might help with the tensioner but I did it alone so I
don't know if there is sufficient "hand room" for two. Make sure you have
something (smooth floor or tarp) to find those dropped pieces on. Two years
ago but I think one bolt had to be removed and replaced in the socket, no
finger room and another had just enough room for the socket to break it
free. Used to change out a thermostat in 5 minutes, this one took 2 hours
(cut it in half if I wasn't fighting the cold in an unheated garage). Cost
$5.00 parts, scraped knuckles, and sore arm and finger muscles from the belt
tensioner. Savings $35 to $60 for one hour labor and no wait. I would still
do it myself but only in a heated garage.
Mike

I didn't pay enough attention to the thread a while back about the
temp gauge in the Rangers. Mine is a '93 with the 4.0 v6 and auto
transmission. It has 103k mikes on it.
Back during the summer, the gauge would read about the middle
of the word NORMAL, which seemed reasonable. Now, when the
outside temperature is in the 20's, it will not even get up to the low
end of the bracket around the word NORMAL. I have to run the
heater control all the way over to hot to keep it warm in the cab
with the window cracked.

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Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 08:02:48 -0700
From: "Robert M. Hansen"
Subject: FTE Small - Re:

At 04:13 PM 1/15/99 PST, you wrote:
>I have an 87 ranger with a 2.9l V6 that I have just discovered has a
>cracked head after only 108k miles. I am going to replace both heads,
>but I fear that the same problem will happen again to the remanufactured
>heads since everyone I have spoken to has said they have seen this many
>times in this particular engine. Anyway, I would like to know if there
>is something I can do to either re-enforce the new heads or am I bound
>to run into this problem in another 100k miles?
>
> Mike Fenwick
>
I think the answer is to go to a set of 4.0L heads. The valve covers are
different so if you want them to look alike you must change both heads.
These heads are stronger in the area where the alternator is. Your Ford
Dealer or a good automotive machine shop should be able to answer all the
questions you are thinking of. I think the valves are the same size, etc. etc.

Robert M. HansenMaster Tech
hansen grizzly.uwyo.eduDepartment of Atmospheric Science
rhansen uwyo.eduUniversity of Wyoming
307-766-3273 phBox 3038 University of Wyoming
307-766-2635 faxLaramie, Wy 82071

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Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 11:36:41 -0500
From: Burnett
Subject: RE: FTE Small - Re:

Robert M. Hansen wrote:

> >I have an 87 ranger with a 2.9l V6 that I have just discovered has a
> >cracked head ... Mike Fenwick
> >
> I think the answer is to go to a set of 4.0L heads.

While the 4.0L heads will bolt on to the 2.9L block, there is some
controversy over how well this will work. Apparently the coolant passages
don't match up perfectly and the chamber overlaps the cylinder bore, so
modifications are necessary. One recent post on Kunz Korner indicated a
Ford dealer recommended the 4.0L heads, but the poster didn't know if the
dealer had actually done this. Another post (by Sven Pruett - an expert on
Ford 60 deg. V6's) recommended not trying this swap.

If the 2.9L heads are available, even used ones from the boneyard (have 'em
magna-fluxed!!), I'd stick with them to avoid this potential headache.


Also, in my area approximate prices on new heads went something like this.
Bare heads: World Products - $200. Ford - $280. Assembled heads: World
Products - $310. Ford - $500.
(This is from memory so be sure and check it out yourself.)

Hope this helps.

Burnett 89 BII
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Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 14:35:33 EST
From: GGreenman AOL.COM
Subject: FTE Small - Radio Display...fixed at last!

I forgot to write down who sent the information regarding the radio display
bulb, but who ever that person was thanks; the # 74 instrument display bulb
that I bought at Pep Boys works just fine. The quickest way to get to the
bulb is to slide the radio foreword enough to get to the back of the radio,
(you don't have to take the radio out or unhook it) loosen the 10 mm nut on
the back of the radio and remove the top radio panel. Once the panel is off
you'll see the bulb socket connected to the display.

Regards,
Greg Greenman
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Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 16:28:58 -0500
From: Ken Payne
Subject: Re: FTE Small - My Aerostar Stinks!

Its the gas you're buying. Some gas has a high sulfur content.
Last time this happened to me, I switched brands and it went
away within one tankful.

At 12:54 PM 1/15/99 -0800, you wrote:
>Help!!
>
>I bought my '92 Aerostar 3.0 last November. I went on a trip of a few
>hundred miles soon after I bought it. In December, I drove on a longer
>trip. I noticed an odor perhaps three miles starting up the vehicle
>while it was warming up on the freeway. The best I can describe the
>odor is having the heady aroma of a burning mixture of sulfur and
>sewage.
>

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Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 18:27:02 -0500
From: Tim Turner
Subject: FTE Small - Re: 2.9 heads with better reliability

Try the heads from 'World Performance'; much beefier in the failure
prone area (that Ford denies having a problem with). I'm not sure where
you can get them from, but a call to 'Edwards Machine Shop' In Castle
Hayne NC can get you the info. (That's who we always use at the shop.)
As I recall from earlier conversations with the owner if only one
cracked the other will probably be OK but you might want to ask him
(John Edwards); the number is 910-675-1108.

Tim Turner/Maqnic Mechanic
Custer Auto Repair
Wilmington NC

mike fenwick wrote:
>
> I have an 87 ranger with a 2.9l V6 that I have just discovered has a
> cracked head after only 108k miles. I am going to replace both heads,
> but I fear that the same problem will happen again to the remanufactured
> heads since everyone I have spoken to has said they have seen this many
> times in this particular engine. Anyway, I would like to know if there
> is something I can do to either re-enforce the new heads or am I bound
> to run into this problem in another 100k miles?
>
> Mike Fenwick
>
> ______________________________________________________
> > == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html
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Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 18:37:16 -0500
From: Tim Turner
Subject: Re: FTE Small - My Aerostar Stinks!

Richard wrote:
>
> Help!!
>
> I bought my '92 Aerostar 3.0 last November. I went on a trip of a few
> hundred miles soon after I bought it. In December, I drove on a longer
> trip. I noticed an odor perhaps three miles starting up the vehicle
> while it was warming up on the freeway. The best I can describe the
> odor is having the heady aroma of a burning mixture of sulfur and
> sewage.

An old girlfriend of mine described it as 'Elephant farts' as I recall
:-) Usually it's caused by an overly rich mixture. You might try
replacing the Oxygen sensor first and if it doesnt clear up retieve the
fault codes and let us know what you come up with.

>
> Lately, I've been smelling the same odor in the cabin. Now, it is
> strong.

You might also want to check for a small exhaust leak allowing it into
the cabin too for sfety's sake. As to the TSB about the computer I'm
sure the first step is to make sure all ELSE is well with the EEC-IV
system before resorting to a new brain.

Tim Turner/Manic Mechanic
Custer Auto Repair
Wilmington NC
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Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 18:59:38 -0500
From: Tim Turner
Subject: Re: FTE Small - Ranger fuel sending unit

Donald Paauw wrote:
>
> I just saw this on the 80-96 list and was wondering if it may be the
> reason my '88 Ranger fuel guage is dead.
>
> ... but the gauge that drops to
> empty is because the float gets porous, fills up with fuel, and eventually
> drops.

More often it's wear on the windings inside the sender, but there are
times that the float goes bad; my '85 B-II will actually indicate Full,
but 60 miles later it's empty. Substituting a good sender at the
harness shows a properly working guage, but I havent got around to
replacing it.

> Has anyone ever looked into a bad sender? The dealer wants to sell me an
> entire fuel pump assembly which may develop the same problem.

That's the only way they sell it :-( So if either the sender OR the
pump goes bad you're stuck. The pump alone is available on the
aftermarket but to my knowledge not the sender. You could keep driving
it until the pump fails then replace it all! :-) Another option would
be to talk to some of the tech's at the dealer and see if one would save
an old unit from one being replaced for a bad pump (Just make sure to
Ohm out the sender to make sure IT's not afflicted also); I got a sender
for mine this way. Hmm... Come to think of it, it was out of a Ranger;
if you're anywhere around Wilmington NC stop by and you can have it.. I
doubt I'll replace mine anytime soon since I've been putting up with it
for 2 years now.

Tim Turner/Manic Mechanic
Custer Auto Repair
Wilmington NC
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Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 20:15:45 -0800
From: Tim Bowman
Subject: Re: FTE Small - Radio Display...fixed at last!

Glad to be able to help. It's amazing how many variations there are
of those quite similar FOMOCO radios.

Tim Bowman
71 Ranger
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Date: Sat, 16 Jan 1999 22:09:57 PST
From: "Joe Mitchell"
Subject: FTE Small - V6 swap - Questions

I have a few questions on what is involved in an engine swap. I have a
91 Ranger w/ a 2.3L and would like to upgrade to a 4.0 V6. What all
needs to be replaced for a new engine to be brought in? Any advice or
tips, or if you have done this yourself, please e-mail me! Thanx in
advance..
Joe

ps- If anyone knows where I could get a Ford windshield sticker (goes on
top of windshield, reads "FORD"), please e-mail me...thanx.

______________________________________________________
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Date: Sun, 17 Jan 1999 01:50:53 -0700
From: "Doug Crann"
Subject: Re: FTE Small - V6 swap - Questions

http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.ford ranger. com/messages/54387.html

try here..............
- -----Original Message-----
From: Joe Mitchell
To: small-list ford-trucks.com
Date: Saturday, January 16, 1999 11:13 PM
Subject: FTE Small - V6 swap - Questions


>I have a few questions on what is involved in an engine swap. I have a
>91 Ranger w/ a 2.3L and would like to upgrade to a 4.0 V6. What all
>needs to be replaced for a new engine to be brought in? Any advice or
>tips, or if you have done this yourself, please e-mail me! Thanx in....

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