Managed to burn up some of the clutches in my Ranger's automatic last weekend. Originally lost all but 2nd gear, but after doing a fluid and filter change, I managed to get the rest of my forward gears back. However, the truck will not disengage from 1st gear when in Park, Reverse, or Neutral. If I have the truck in park, I can feel it under load. When I put it in reverse, it feels loaded, but doesn't go anywhere. When I put the truck in neutral, it goes forward as if it's in drive.

So I have no reverse now. Which is an incredible nightmare. Luckily, I can still drive the truck down the highway like nothing's wrong with it, I just can't pull into parking spaces and expect to go backwards unless I park on a hill.

So my little Ranger will be getting a transmission swap, and it will never shift it's own gears again for as long as I own it. That's right, it's getting a 5 speed. I've been reading threads upon threads on the Ranger forums about it, and it's definitely do-able, but the Anti-Theft system and new PCM are gonna be a real hassle.

All of this trouble with my automatic has now made me re-think my decision to run a C6 in the F150 when I get around to tinkering with that truck again. The C6 is a stout transmission, but it's a power robber. Depending upon how much I love the 5-speed in my Ranger, I may just decided to throw an NP435 in the F150.

On a final note, does anybody want some clutch material?

 

CL is a blast - like the guy that advertised the 351M/400. So I sent him a text message and asked which one it was, thinking maybe he had two. He said "It is a 351M/400" so I told him they are two different engines and sent him two links to sites including Bubba's. He kept advertising it the same way but wouldn't answer my texts.

However, once in a while you get lucky. Like the 400 I picked up today for $40, and am supposed to get the flywheel for it in a bit as well. The guy was extremely nice and helped load it. And, as I said previously, Jon was over today showing off his new-to-him F150 4x4 Ecoboost. (Wow! Just WOW!!!!) He mentioned that with that truck he's rethinking his build on grandfather's F100 and may go with a lighter trans than the ZF5 since he doesn't need to tow. I remembered something from looking at CL before he came and showed him an M5OD & 300 from a '90 that the guy wants $300 for the pair. Jon was pleased since that not only gets him the tranny but gets the EFI manifolds he wants for his engine. So sometimes it can be good for parts, and sometimes for laughs.

 

Cold started the truck to move it today. And it cranks WAY faster than it used to.

 

Ripped the truck apart today. Pulled the steering wheel and instrument cluster. Cleaned them a little. Pulled the turn signal switch out and found out I got the wrong part. Two day wait until that is fixed. Pulled out the old add-on cruise control. Had a hot wire in it that fried the battery. So, I got a new battery. Pulled the grille in an attempt to remove the condenser. No AC lines or compressor in the truck. Still lots to do. Brakes tomorrow while I wait on new parts. Looking to clean up and dress up the engine when I build it.

 

Took it for drive today out in the country, with the dog riding on my shoulders, and a .45ACP in 1 pocket and the clip in the other. That was after driving it into the city to drop my son at work. Not sure which one I'll drive to go pick him up, since both are almost out of fuel......



Oh, the battery wasn't dead, just had a loose connection......

 

It's a magazine not a clip...

I'm a LEO firearms instructor and love saying that...

Drop and give me twenty..

 

I prefer "loading the cylinders" or "fill the tube" over loading a magazine. Don't like them much.

 

Ok, so it was a loaded mag. with 230 gr +P JHP rounds.

I stopped out in the country to let Jake have a romp, and didn't want any snakes to sneak up on me without evening the odds......... A bit warm today.

 

You ever try to hit a moving snake with a pistol? Or, maybe I should say with a pistol with a slug in it? I have and wasn't too successful. But, the handloaded shot shells in the .38 sure made a difference. #8 shot is pretty effective on a snake at close range.

 

Yep. Copperhead met .357 slugs. Well, he wasn't moving much, just coiled up and darting side to side, cause the dogs were dancing around, one on each side.........
Got him with the 1st shot, but added 5 more, just in case.......... The last 2, I was undecided on aiming at the head, or the body a few inches away.

 

Put $40 in the gas tank tonight. Still getting crappy mileage. This thing really hates a combo of cold weather, intermentant wheel cylinders, and short trips. 8 MPG again, technically 7.8 but I don't wanna think about it. On the plus side I got 87 octane Shell gas for $2.93 a gallon.

 

Mags are ok if you can "tune" them in. My new CZ455 switch barrel rifle came with plastic mags instead of the older metal mags. I've been having issues with feed jamming and couldnt feed rounds at more than dead slow pace, real handy when I'm trying to knock off a dozen rabbits at once. So I've had to send it back under warranty as I can't tweak the feed position, they can frig around with the machining of the mag block and fix the damn thing.

 

I prefer magazines.... I like my M&P9 and my AR-15 also my Remy 700 technically has a magazine even though it's only 4+1. It costs about $10 bucks but a mag dump from an AR is so satisfying...

 

Internal box magazines are fine by me. Easy to load. My Remington 721 holds 4+1 as well. I'm a revolver type of guy. Never cared much for the new polymer stuff. I like them, but to a steel and wood gun, no.

 

I'm fine with wood but I like to use my guns and metal/polymer is much more durable. If you do much of anything with a wood gun it looks bad because it scratches easily. ARs are much more practical for hunting too because they are so modular. Wood guns look great hanging over the fireplace haha