From: owner-small-list-digest ford-trucks.com (small-list-digest)
To: small-list-digest ford-trucks.com
Subject: small-list-digest V3 #274
Reply-To: small-list ford-trucks.com
Sender: owner-small-list-digest ford-trucks.com
Errors-To: owner-small-list-digest ford-trucks.com
Precedence: bulk


small-list-digest Thursday, October 21 1999 Volume 03 : Number 274



=======================================================================
Ford Truck Enthusiasts - Ranger, Explorer, Bronco 2 and Aerostar
Visit our web site: http://www.ford-trucks.com/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
To unsubscribe, send email to:
majordomo ford-trucks.com
with the words "unsubscribe small-list-digest" in the body of the
message.
=======================================================================
In this issue:

FTE Small - re: 1996 4cyl upgrades
Re: FTE Small - Poll for Ranger 4x2 with 2.5l and 5spd
RE: FTE Small - 94 Ford Explorer Alternator
Re: FTE Small - Poll for Ranger 4x2 with 2.5l and 5spd
FTE Small - FW: [JEEP-L] interesting article
RE: FTE Small - FW: [JEEP-L] interesting article
FTE Small - Ham Radio
Re: FTE Small - Ham Radio
Re: FTE Small - Ham Radio
FTE Small - Aerostar spark plugs
FTE Small - Bashin'
FTE Small - Aerostar spark plugs
FTE Small - Aerostar spark plugs
AW: FTE Small - Aerostar spark plugs
AW: FTE Small - Bashin'

=======================================================================

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 06:57:51 -0400
From: Dwight Varnes
Subject: FTE Small - re: 1996 4cyl upgrades

> For the horsepower Ford changed the intake manifold for higher flow as well
> as they also put a set of Headers on them stock from the factory.

Would both these items likely be an easy upgrade to the earlier truck??
Anyone who can send images of the newer truck engine bay?

Picking up my 'new' truck tonight, woohoo!
- --
Dwight Varnes, insurance appraiser and car nut
1970 124 Spider (restored, mostly)
1986 Audi Coupe GT (bigger engine STILL at machine shop)
1989 VW Jetta GLI 16v (the wife's ride, tired but loyal)
1965 Buick Skylark conv. (unrestored, for sale)
1990 Ford Ranger 2.3 twin spark (coming soon)
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 08:51:05 -0400
From: David Cooley
Subject: Re: FTE Small - Poll for Ranger 4x2 with 2.5l and 5spd

At 08:39 PM 10/19/1999 -0700, you wrote:
>Hi Matt,
>
>I didn't know you were a ham? How many of there are us out here on the truck
>lists?
>
>I am kd6poc and do mobile 20 meter CW..

I imagine that CW is hard to send at 60 on the expressway ;-)
I'm N5XMT and 2m, 220 and 440 FM mobile (soon to be 6M FM when the GE
Master Pro get's re-tuned!)
===========================================================
David Cooley N5XMT Internet: N5XMT bellsouth.net
Packet: N5XMT KQ4LO.#INT.NC.USA.NA T.A.P.R. Member #7068
We are Borg... Prepare to be assimilated!
===========================================================

== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 06:53:15 -0700
From: Ray Scheidnes
Subject: RE: FTE Small - 94 Ford Explorer Alternator

Yeah, I recently had my slave cylinder replaced in my 94 Ranger 4x4. I was
driving near home one day not long ago and it blew up as I was entering the
freeway. I couldn't believe how much the repair bill was - around $800. It
was then that I discovered that the cylider is located inside the bell
housing, which must be removed. I thought it a good idea to replace the
other gaskets and what-not since the housing was already off. My clutch
lasted five and a half years with no problems, so I guess that I was
fortunate and its time was up...

> ----------
> From: George Kowal[SMTP:gkowal earthlink.net]
> Reply To: small-list ford-trucks.com
> Sent: Tuesday, October 19, 1999 10:12 PM
> To: small-list ford-trucks.com
> Subject: FTE Small - 94 Ford Explorer Alternator
>
> New to the list here, bought my 94 4x4 Explorer about 3 years ago when
> it had about 19K miles on it, now it's up to 176K miles, with almost all
> original parts.
>
> Just changed the clutch, clutch slave cylinder ( a good idea to change
> or check if you have the clutch done, since its INSIDE the tranny),
> shocks, brakes and ball joints done a few weeks ago.
> Almost all else is still original.
> A few days ago I heard a whining noise coming off the highway, then my
> battery light came on.
> Changed the alternator, by the way there's a stock 95 amp version, and
> an optional 130 amp version which you may have if you have more power
> accessories. Mine was the 95 amp, but they are interchangeable as far as
> I know.
> Went for a long drive and almost didn't make it back late at night due
> to constantly lowering voltage. Thought the new alternator was bad, but
> got out the multimeter and found a small blue colored 15amp fuse in the
> fuse box under the hood by the fender wall was blown. Replaced the fuse,
> now all is fine. the owners manual lists the fuse functions.
> Apparently the rear bearing in the old alternator blew and shorted the
> alternator internally when it failed, causing the fuse to blow. Still
> needed the new alternator after 175K miles, but just wanted to alert
> others as to the alternator fuse under the hood.
> Also a Ham Op here, KG2KC, earlier licensed as several other calls since
> about 1967.
>
> == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html
>
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 08:24:55 -0600
From: "Robert M. Hansen"
Subject: Re: FTE Small - Poll for Ranger 4x2 with 2.5l and 5spd

Hi folks,
I am WS7C at 7200 feet in Wyoming. Run Kenwood TM-733A 2m/70cm rigs in a
couple Explorers. I used to work RS-10.

73, Bob

At 12:35 AM 10/20/99 -0500, you wrote:
>de N0EGF, Diana. Ranger is a 98 XL 4X4 longbed with automatic, air, and
>payload package. Currently have a Yaesu 290 2m multimode perched on the
>hump, have run HF mobile with a Ten-Tec Argosy.
>
> 73s,
> Diana
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>dianas __ __ ____ ___ ___ ____
>dianas primenet.com /__)/__) / / / / /_ /\ / /_ /
> / / \ / / / / /__ / \/ /___
/-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>On Tue, 19 Oct 1999, Bad Brian wrote:
>
>> I am also a ham. i have a 30w kenwood 2m. working on code
>>
>> ----Original Message Follows----
>> From: Adam McLaughlin
>> Reply-To: small-list ford-trucks.com
>> To: small-list ford-trucks.com
>> Subject: Re: FTE Small - Poll for Ranger 4x2 with 2.5l and 5spd
>> Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 20:39:16 -0700
>>
>> Hi Matt,
>>
>> I didn't know you were a ham? How many of there are us out here on the truck
>> lists?
>>
>> I am kd6poc and do mobile 20 meter CW..
>>
>> Adam
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________________
>> >> == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html
>>
>
>== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html
>
>
Robert M. Hansen Master Tech
hansen grizzly.uwyo.edu Department of Atmospheric Science
rhansen uwyo.edu University of Wyoming
307-766-3273 ph Box 3038 University of Wyoming
307-766-2635 fax Laramie, Wy 82071

== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 14:10:28 -0500
From: "Tony Rio - (Chicago)"
Subject: FTE Small - FW: [JEEP-L] interesting article

Thought some here might be interested in this... Not sure how I feel about
it or if I believe it 100%

Tony
95 EB Explorer (wifes toy)
84 Thunderbird Elan (going to junkyard SOON)
80 Fairmont (wife's first car... she won't sell it)
99 Jeep Wrangler TJ (my toy)

- -----Original Message-----
From: Smith, Steven [mailto:smiths denver-rmn.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 1999 1:59 PM
To: 'jeep-l mailinglists.org'
Subject: [JEEP-L] interesting article


FYI..

Steve

http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.4x44u.com/PhilHowell/indx0799.html

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: jeep-l-unsubscribe mailinglists.org
For additional commands, e-mail: jeep-l-help mailinglists.org

== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 17:33:30 -0400
From: J Cope
Subject: RE: FTE Small - FW: [JEEP-L] interesting article

I don't mean to be skeptical, but I've never heard of this guy and I'm
seriously questioning the credibility of the information he was giving out.

JC
JC
'88 BII XLT
30x9.5 BFG A/T TA KOs
10k tow hooks
40ch CB
Removed airbox
K&N
Light bar
Headlight Stone Guards
http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://88biixlt.web.com/

- -----Original Message-----
From: owner-small-list ford-trucks.com
[mailto:owner-small-list ford-trucks.com]On Behalf Of Tony Rio -
(Chicago)
Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 1999 3:10 PM
To: Small-List
Subject: FTE Small - FW: [JEEP-L] interesting article



Thought some here might be interested in this... Not sure how I feel about
it or if I believe it 100%

Tony
95 EB Explorer (wifes toy)
84 Thunderbird Elan (going to junkyard SOON)
80 Fairmont (wife's first car... she won't sell it)
99 Jeep Wrangler TJ (my toy)

- -----Original Message-----
From: Smith, Steven [mailto:smiths denver-rmn.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 1999 1:59 PM
To: 'jeep-l mailinglists.org'
Subject: [JEEP-L] interesting article


FYI..

Steve

http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.4x44u.com/PhilHowell/indx0799.html

- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: jeep-l-unsubscribe mailinglists.org
For additional commands, e-mail: jeep-l-help mailinglists.org

== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 14:43:30 -0700
From: Rick Horwitz
Subject: FTE Small - Ham Radio

Rick Horwitz, AB7FH

1993 Ford Explorer

Icom 706 HF
Icom 2800 VHF/UHF

President
Center for Amateur Radio Learning (W7ASC)
http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.w7asc.org

Editor
Ford Explorer Offroad Website
http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.4x4 central. com
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 19:39:49 -0400
From: "David A. Cooley"
Subject: Re: FTE Small - Ham Radio

At 02:43 PM 10/20/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Rick Horwitz, AB7FH
>
>1993 Ford Explorer
>
>Icom 706 HF
>Icom 2800 VHF/UHF


Rick,
Know of any good NMO mounts that will go on the explorer rear hatch (I have
a 97... Kind of wraps around on all edges) for ham antennas? I'm trying to
avoid drilling a hole in my Explorer. No thru the glass either... Had one
and it just plain sucked (Larsen)

===========================================================
David Cooley N5XMT Internet: N5XMT bellsouth.net
Packet: N5XMT KQ4LO.#INT.NC.USA.NA T.A.P.R. Member #7068
Sponges grow in the ocean... Wonder how deep it would be if they didn't?!
===========================================================
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 21:40:01 -0700
From: Rick Horwitz
Subject: Re: FTE Small - Ham Radio

David,

I have a multi angle adjustable mount that I use on my hood. I believe it's
made by Comet. It looks like it should work equally as well on the
hatchback. It has a wide mounting point with 4 allen head screws to hold it
in position. I believe it comes without an NMO or UHF mount, it's your
choice which to add to it.

Rick








- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------
"Off the Beaten Trail"
Dedicated to Ford Explorers prepared for "Serious Explorations"TM

Editor
Rick Horwitz
mailto:explorer 4x4 central. com
http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.4x4 central. com
http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://www.explorer4x4.com

"Warm winds blowin' heat and blue sky, and a road that goes forever"
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- ----------------------------
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 23:09:53 -0700
From: rgstein pacbell.net
Subject: FTE Small - Aerostar spark plugs

ROlson1039 aol.com wrote ------------------------------------------

In your letter you wrote that your plugs were in themotor for about
8000
miles. A plug should last at least double that, espeially in light of
the
newer fuel injected motors. If anything i would have cleaned off the
tips, inspected the porcelin for cracks, and regapped them before
re-installing the same plugs.

Yeah. The garage replaced these plugs as a matter of course. In fact,
they looked very good to me, aside from the inexcusable rusting of the
plug bodies: Shame on you Autolite/Allied/Signal for lousy metalurgy.
I'm not a fan of re-installing plugs. "They" say, always replace the
plug gasket rings when you put them back. Hah! You just go find a
place that sells those compressable rings.

When you go to a shop they markup the cost on the parts they
install so when they installed a set of plugs i am sure that you paid
at
least ten dollars more for them than if you had gone to the auto parts
store
and installed them yourself.

I would have. But I was so exhausted from changing the distributor cap
that I farmed out the rest of the work. Of course, in any other cars
I've owned, this would have been an easy half-hour job, at most.

Richard

== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 22:34:01 -0700
From: rgstein pacbell.net
Subject: FTE Small - Bashin'

"Ucen, Thomas, PRE" wrote--------------------------
Subject: AW: FTE Small - Bashin'

Loud exhausts are fun at a
racetrack but not in a residential neighborhood.
My Aerostar had a huge hole in the muffler a few months ago. I felt
rather embarassed driving around making such a noise.

Me -----------------------------------------------

Yeah, but were "you be like damn that Aerostar is lifted?"

Richard (with the yuppie ass)


== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 23:02:37 -0700
From: rgstein pacbell.net
Subject: FTE Small - Aerostar spark plugs

"Ucen, Thomas, PRE" wrote --------------------------------------------

>At 30,000 mls I installed Motorcraft platinum plugs into my '93 =
Aerostar
3.0L. The car ran great until someone told me to take them out.

Well, despite Ford claiming otherwise, I'd be nervous leaving any plugs
in the engine that long. But maybe that's just me.

> They =
were
not made for this sort of engine and could damage it, the spark is too
strong and blabla...

Oh? How do you know this?
Spark too strong is a lot of BS. A spark is a spark. It ignites the
gas/air mixture or it doesn't: period.

Is that true? Can platinum plugs damage my engine? I installed regular =
Bosch
plugs and the car also runs great.

It runs great because they are new. Platinum, shplatinum. What matters
is the heat rating of the plug, as another poster replied to you here.
The heat rating must be appropriate for your specific engine, and
sometimes should be varied one heat grade for unusual driving
conditions. Also, as was posted, the "reach" of the side electrode will
bust a piston if it is too long. Every plug mfr lists their correct
plug for your motor, and you can trust this info.

>Changing the plugs on the Aerostar is the worst job I ever had to do.

Yup. Aerostars are legendary for the misery of this job. Other famous
Aerostar miseries are associated with replacing the heater core and the
well-known agonies of replacing the 3.0's head gaskets: these
experiences lie ahead along your road of life. That A4LD automatic
transmission is a famous failure, too (some days, I want to meet the CEO
of Ford in a dark alley...).

Back to the spark plugs, I mentioned that I wasn't impressed with the
metalurgy of the Autolites I just had removed. The bodies of three of
them were rusted: this sucks! I expect better.

Typical platinum plugs give you a thin platinum center electrode. While
the electrode lasts a lot longer because it is platinum, it would last
better yet if the electrode were thicker. These same plugs use ordinary
metal for their ground electrodes, which wear at a customary rate. So
they may be better than "regular" plugs, but many people think that they
don't give such teriffic wear. The best platinum plugs use platinum for
both the center and the ground electrodes. Now, I could get behind
this. But, not if the damn body got rusty. This is just plain
manufacturer stupidity.

The car mfrs think that their making their machines so damn hard to work
on is justified by their use of parts, lubricants, and assemblies that
last a very long time. Hah!

Over the years, I've had good luck with NGK and Nippon Denso. Bosch and
the American brands have been lackluster performers. I became a fan of
the ordinary ND plugs. In fact, I'd expect the ordinary grade
(U-Groove) ND plug to at least equal the longevity of anyone else's
platinum plug. Nippon Denso is a subsidiary of Toyota. If I remember
right, they even install and come out easier due to accurate thread
machining and metalurgy. It seemed to me that the NGK quality went down
a tad when they began making them in Brazil, and when they made them in
the US, the quality was visibly inferior to their Japanese product, and
I switched to ND, which I really could have left in my Toyota motor for
a very long time. NGK claimed to self-adjust to the driving
requirements, covering a wide thermal range within each plug number.

Hey, how about more comments from other peoples' experience?

Richard


== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 20 Oct 1999 23:33:00 -0700
From: rgstein pacbell.net
Subject: FTE Small - Aerostar spark plugs

"H. Lee Purvis" wrote ------------------------------------------

Richard,

I'm not sure what to think of the discoloration. I've always used the
run of the mill Autolite's in my '88 3.0 (and my '71 Bronco 170). Never
had a problem with them.

No. This wasn't discoloration. The plug is the cheaper of the
Autolite's two platinum models. It has a black steel body, probably for
marketing reasons -- to look "sexy." I'd bet that the ordinary
non-platinum Autolites use a traditional stainless material, which
wouldn't have rusted on me. These plugs carry a 3-year warranty now,
but the more expensive ones with platinum side electrodes, too, have a
longer warranty and a more realistic body material.

I'm curious as to why you had a plug wire burn through. Any ideas as
to why that happened? I've used the Autolite
wires as well with no problems.

These are ordinary resistance "wire." These have a string core rubbed
down with graphite, providing a resistance path for the high voltage.
This fragile construction is the reason why it is important to never
yank on these "wires." Stretching them causes the resistance to go way
up in the stretched area. This increased resistance causes the
electricity to look for a more agreeable path to get where it wants to
go: ground.

My wires got oily from an external oil leak. Oily wires hold dirt: a
conductive mess. If one of these wires touches ground (say, the valve
cover), and somebody (sloppy mechanic) yanked on a nearby stretch of the
wire, the electricity jumps through the insulation and zaps itself to
the valve cover, bypassing the rest of the wire and the spark plug gap.
Thus, your engine misses and you get a hole burned in the wire. You
should see this wire: the area around the hole is black and brittle from
the heat.

The cause of my engine's missing was this wire, and probably high
resistance in the entire wire set (this does happen over time). Also
consider that high wire resistance coupled with typical modern wide plug
spark gaps will cause arcing and rapid wear in the distributor
cap/rotor, which was the case for me, too.

The shop I took the Aerostar to used what appears to be a very nice
retail-packaged wire set (sorry, I don't have the specifics handy).
This set uses a spiral stainless conductor, and some kind of neat
advanced snap-on/off connectors. They are lifetime waranteed, so I'd
expect the workmanship to be good, too. And note very well: the thing
that makes many "premium" aftermarket wires fail is the ratty attachment
of the terminals to the wires: the product of a manufacturer who won't
pay the workers for the extra 1/2 minute per terminal to do it right.
You'd think that with them all running to third world assemblers that
they'd get enough profit to shell out for this at that .26 per hour that
they're paying. Hah!

Did I explain this clearly enough?

Richard

== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 09:54:33 +0200
From: ThomasUcen premiereworld.de
Subject: AW: FTE Small - Aerostar spark plugs

- -----Urspr=FCngliche Nachricht-----
Von: rgstein pacbell.net [mailto:rgstein pacbell.net]
Gesendet am: Donnerstag, 21. Oktober 1999 08:03
An: Ford Truck List
Betreff: FTE Small - Aerostar spark plugs

"Ucen, Thomas, PRE" wrote --------------------------------------------

>At 30,000 mls I installed Motorcraft platinum plugs into my '93 =3D
Aerostar
3.0L. The car ran great until someone told me to take them out.

Well, despite Ford claiming otherwise, I'd be nervous leaving any plugs
in the engine that long. But maybe that's just me.

When do you change yours? Every 20,000 mls or even less?

> They =3D
were
not made for this sort of engine and could damage it, the spark is too
strong and blabla...

Oh? How do you know this?
Spark too strong is a lot of BS. A spark is a spark. It ignites the
gas/air mixture or it doesn't: period.

I didn't know this. A shop I had the Aerostar in due to an emmissions
problem (MAF) told me this. I also thought this might be crap but I'm =
not a
trained mechanic and better save than sorry.....

Is that true? Can platinum plugs damage my engine? I installed regular =
=3D
Bosch
plugs and the car also runs great.

It runs great because they are new. Platinum, shplatinum. What =
matters
is the heat rating of the plug, as another poster replied to you here.=20
The heat rating must be appropriate for your specific engine, and
sometimes should be varied one heat grade for unusual driving
conditions. Also, as was posted, the "reach" of the side electrode =
will
bust a piston if it is too long. Every plug mfr lists their correct
plug for your motor, and you can trust this info.

They are now about 20,000 mls "old" and still run great. The Bosch =
plugs I
bought were (according to the list) the correct ones for the 3.0

>Changing the plugs on the Aerostar is the worst job I ever had to do.

Yup. Aerostars are legendary for the misery of this job. Other famous
Aerostar miseries are associated with replacing the heater core and the
well-known agonies of replacing the 3.0's head gaskets: these
experiences lie ahead along your road of life. That A4LD automatic
transmission is a famous failure, too (some days, I want to meet the =
CEO
of Ford in a dark alley...).

Ouch. Is there an easy way to pull out the engine? Buying a US-car in
Germany is always something exotic and therefore expensive when repairs =
come
up. But then the Aerostar was the only van that would my demands. It's =
my
first Ford and I love it!


Richard


=3D=3D FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info =
http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html
== FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 21 Oct 1999 09:58:41 +0200
From: ThomasUcen premiereworld.de
Subject: AW: FTE Small - Bashin'

Yeah, all the chicks were looking.....and thinking: "who's the moron =
with
the broken muffler?"

Tom
'93 Aerostar long, not high, 3.0L

- -----Urspr=FCngliche Nachricht-----
Von: rgstein ....

---

To access the rest of this feature you must be a logged in Registered User Of Ford Truck Enthusiasts

Registration is free, easy and gives you access to more features.
If you are not registered, click here to register.
If you are already registered, you can login here.

If you are already logged in and are seeing this message, your web browser is blocking session cookies. Change your browser cookie settings to allow session cookies.