Im going to look at a 1990 extended cab ranger today. 2.9, manual 2wd. The body and interior are in really good shape, driven 3-4 times a week (100 mile round trips) and the a/c even blows cold. Owner says you cant even hear it running at stop lights...

Im wondering what to look for chassis wise that may be a show stopper? Places on the frame that are prone to crack, other bad spots to watch for etc.

I plan on putting some money and time into it to make it solid, a rebuilt motor and trans when whats in there dies...

This will be a little "project" truck to take my bike to the desert and the track. 2" lift and new wheels/tires.

Any insight appreciated.

 

Check the frame rails near the rear of the truck, could be some hidden rust.

Sounds like a solid truck.

Is this guy the original owner?

 

Used to have a 90 Ranger supercab 2.9v6, 2wd, FM146 5spd manual. Had it for a bit over 11 years & 239,000 miles. It was a good truck in every way and was not prone to troubles that others had with that engine and tranny combination. Thing that did it in was severe body rust under the windshield behind the dash. I've read a lot about how the 2.9 is famous for cracked heads and noisy lifters. The FM146 is said to not be as good as the Mazda tranny. If the truck you're looking at has been in Ca it's whole life then you should be set without severe rust issues. But to make sure, check the body mount supports on the frame and body which includes at the radiator support. If it has the original body mount rubber bushings, they may be severely collapsed and cracked. When the body mount bushings collapse they can let the clutch hydraulic hose get pinched between the body and frame. Also check the spring mounts for the front suspension and rear suspension for any rust issues. They like to rust away back east here. The 2.9 can have noisy lifters and crack the heads. If you can avoid overheating the engine you "may" not experience any cracked heads. After market heads are available that won't crack. The noisy lifters may be caused by an oiling issue inside the engine or that the lifters don't pump up as well over time. For the wheels, there are a couple of others that will fit as well. It's a 5 by 4.5" pattern. All Rangers up to current, Explorer/ Mountaineer wheels, Escape wheels, Mustang wheels. F150 is a larger pattern. If you go out in the desert make sure the radiator fan is in good shape and the fan shroud is too so it can pull air through the radiator like it should to avoid too much heat. You may even be able to get a heavier duty radiator. Ask around at some 4x4 shops. Try to get the most accurate total mileage that is on the truck. It's only a 5 digit odometer and it may have rolled over once already.

 

The current owner is a tattoo artist and traded a tattoo for it on craigs list. : )

Title is clean according to carfax. No other history there since 1993, no title transfers. Odd given it has tags that expired in jan of 2011. Could well be the original owner is sporting the tattoo. Its not a salvage or junk title so that and rust are all I really cared about. He says the original owner told him it spent its entire life in Riverside CA.

Cant wait to start working on this thing. Got wheels, tires and a small lift sourced on craigs list. Im really liking the craigslist lately...

 

Had one character in the VIN wrong. Heres the scoop:

One CA owner from new thru 2007
One CA owner from 2007 (traded it for a tattoo)
200,000 miles on the odometer (one rollover plus 97k) at last smog inspection.

SWEET!

 

That didnt go well... I knew I should have trailered it home.

Got about half way home and it died. Will run again when it cools down, its gotta be a module overheating or something. Ill tear into it tomorrow and start reading now...

 

Its got a very strong spark and perfectly tan plugs. Its not getting fuel...

I pulled the fuse box up to get a look at the fuel pump and the other relays under it, and its packed with dirt and grime, the connector that plugs into the OBD1 connector is full of dirt and tons of grime. Im guessing theres not much point in going any further until I clean all this up...

 

Did you check fuel pump shutoff switch to see if tripped? Should be located in area around passenger side kick panel.It has a switch on top you press to reset. Others have also mentioned giving fuel pump in gas tank a good wack to wake it up if it's acting up. Could also add a clogged fuel filter to list.

 

The switch was in. Im gonna clean up the connections and check fuel pressure. Then whack the fuel pump... : ) It was very quite and smooth when it was running, and the tan plugs.

The stock air box is ruined somehow, hoping somebody makes a complete cold air intake for it K&N preferably.

 

That connector was the OBD1 adapter, and all the dirt and grime were non issues as far as the starting problem...all the connections were good. Now they are clean at least.

I am getting a good spark. Just replaced the fuel pump relay, the fuel pressure regulator looks like a relatively new part with new hoses coming off of it.

No fuel pressure in the rail, no smell of gas anywhere... I hear the fuel pump go when I turn the ignition on (it wasnt making noise before I changed the relay). Just because it runs doesnt mean its working I assume? Fuel filter and fuel pump are the only other two potential issues correct. Forgot a fuel filter at the parts store.

 

New fuel pump and thing runs like a champ, no noises from the valve train or anywhere. Very quite... A rough idle but thats no doubt from the leaking intake system. Torqy little motor when its getting enough fuel.

Straight body, no rust on the chassis, tranny shifts sharp and solid, no smoke, nothing in the oil except used oil. Even the e-brake is adjusted right... A bunch of newer parts on the thing too including a radiator, the front of the motor has been opened up not too long ago by the looks of it. Timing chain service or something, doesnt appear the motor has been out of the truck.

The best $1400 truck Ive ever bought. LOL!

Im doing the whole dash carbon fiber, should be interesting. I just cant live with a tan interior.