Hello all,
Just acquired a nice 95 Ranger xlt supercab with 3L V6 and the 4R44E four speed auto tranny. Had no owners manual and I'm shopping for a Haynes manual...in the meantime need some basic answers to basic questions so I can start the servicing stuff:
1.) Which manual is best...Haynes, Chilton's, Clymers?
2.) Where is my jack and tire tool supposed to be located?
3.) What type of engine control codes...EEC-IV or OBD and where is the port for the reader/scanner located?
I've been driving Ford pickups since '76, but never had a Ranger before...except for my 69 F250 full size Ranger. Plan on doing an extended basic service...new fluids, filters, plugs, etc...probably get started tomorrow or Saturday.

 

1.) I am partial to Chilton
2.) Jack and tire tool should be in the bottom of the recess the passenger side jump seat folds into.
3.) The plug for the code reader hookup should be on the drivers side under the hood, near or on the firewall.

And hey, congrats on the Ranger.

 

EEC IV port is right next to the battery - between the battery and firewall.

Great truck. You may be able to get a repair manual on CD that you can read from your computer quite reasonably. Try e-bay.

Russ

 

Here's a link to an owners manual for a 96 Ranger which should be good for general reference.

http://www.motorcraftservice.com/pub.../96ranog1e.pdf

 

Thanks guys...much appreciated. Noticed last night that I'll be into the tailgate latch soon...left side works but right side seems to be stuck. After driving my 69 Ranger, this truck seems like a Caddy...leg room, AC, decent mpg...hope my wife doesn't hijack it. Oh yeah, the link above wants me to log-in??

 

I got a new unopened haynes manual thru amazon.com for $2 shipped, it only went to 92 but worked out for me. Your tailgate issue is probably a rusted up handle, they cost around $25 new. I had the same problem, had to open it with a screwdriver what a PITA.

 

Checked all the fluids...added some PS fluid, washer juice and coolant to the overflow jug. Tranny needs service, but oil looks good. Starts, idles and runs out great. Also found my jack and lug wrench and jack handle. I'll check Amazon for a manual.
My tailgate latch pulls okay and activates the slider/latch arm on the left side of the gate...can see that down in the gap...but the right side slider/latch arm doesn't retract when I pull the handle...a new lesson/adventure coming on that I'm sure.
Also found my EEC port. Can you use a jumper wire to flash the codes through the CEL like on my old 90 F150?
Thanks for your help.

 

Plastic linkage 'retainers' will fall apart after a while, and allow the linkage to get sloppy, making it hard to unlatch. When you get it open, get some spray lubricant, not WD as it is too thin, and squirt stuff into the latch pin area. Move the pin back and forth by hand, i.e., pressing it in and releasing it, until it moves freely. Repeat on the other side as preventive maintenance.
You can disconnect the levers near the handle in the middle, but good luck getting them back in place. You need to have a plan before you disconnect so they don't swing down to the bottom. You can then lube the handle linkage and pivots.
The EEC-IV code reading connector is likely under a plastic cover near or covering the starter relay and EGR vacuum solenoids. It is oddly shaped, with a bottom, two normal sides and a top that has three flats. Almost like a house in profile with a peaked roof., and a flat on top The books will tell you you need a jumper wire, and an analog VOM to read the codes. The jumper enables reading, and the VOM needle will move in response to the pulses. You count the pulses, pauses, and more pulses in groups to determine the stored codes.
Or you can buy a reader, they are being closed out at a lot of stores, that will make buzzing noises, and blink a light to indicate the pulses. It does have switches to enable/disable code reading.
If it is like other Rangers, the jack rod is stored under the hood, across the top of the radiator support, with one end in a hole in the inner passenger fender.
tom

 

Thanks for the info. Found my jack, topped off the tank and added some sea foam. Changed the air filter and fixed the tailgate latch with some baling wire and pliers...clip holding the latch rod to the latch was gone. Ordered a manual from Amazon too. Love the truck so far.

 

Clips for the tailgate latch are available from LMC truck.com. They will send you a free parts catalog by going to their website. It makes a handy reference for parts and they are a good place for ordering parts.

 

What you found is probably attached to your ABS module.....I am pretty sure it is for testing the ABS........95 rangers are OBD-2. ........All the manuals suck but I recommend Haynes only because more people have them.........that way you can reference actual pages......create a signature for best results from your posts.........

 

I think you can get something that will replace the OEM from the "Help" section at some auto parts stores if you don't want to pay the S/H charges on a low budget item. Take the pieces of the old one, and try to match the function. Maybe even available at the dealer.
tom

 

Re your question about which manual is best. I've always found that the factory shop manual is the best place to get the info you need. I bought the 2 manuals I needed (body/chassis & power train/drive train) for my new to me '97 XLT from the local Ford dealer last year for about $80 tax in. That's the Canadian price, they should be cheaper in the States.
I've tried Haynes manuals and found them to be incomplete in some cases, & not accurate in other instances. I used to buy the large Chilton manuals which covered 5 or 6 years of various makes, however, with the advent of more and more electronics, I decided that the factory manuals would be the best bet.
Andy

 

Okay, just noticed a typo on my part...in my original post it says 95 Ranger when it is really a 93...sorry bout that.
I found the EEC test port and SH1 port right behind the battery tray/box on the driver's fender under the hood, but haven't had a chance to jumper them together and flash the codes through the CEL yet.
Just for grins, and because I like to listen to Car Talk with Tom and Ray on NPR on Saturday mornings, I pulled, inspected and cleaned all the plugs this morning. The Autolite platinums were in really good shape but have no idea how old they are. The driver's front plug was out of gap spec though. All are pretty easy to get to except the passenger side rear plug and all came out with very little effort or cussin'.
Learned a valuable lesson though...one of my outboard customers wondered up to pick up his motor while I was finishing the job. With that distraction I managed to swap the rear two driver's side plug wires around, so it ran kinda funky and rough when I got back to starting it up and checking my work. Got online and found the firing order and corrected my mistake...truck now runs smooth as silk.
Also put a hitch ball on the back bumper today and ran the truck through the car wash.
The tailgate latch bar plastic clips looked so flimsy that I replaced the broken one with a couple of wraps of baling wire, then wired it to the latch so both sides work now. I've ordered stuff from LMC for my 69 Ranger F250, but their shipping costs for small items is just ridiculous so I won't be ordering clips from them.
Hope to get to the EEC codes soon.

 

Since you have just discovered that your Ranger is a 03 model rather than a 95, you should check to see if your automatic transmission is a A4LD model. I believe the model you listed in your 1st posting was first used in 1995.

I would also recommend the Equus 3145 Ford Digital Code Reader. It is available through Amazon.com for about $30. It will give you digital readouts which are easier to pick out than using the jumper method, especially if there are several codes stored in the truck's memory.

I agree with NS_ANDY that the factory manuals are your best source of information. I find them much more useful than either the Chilton or Haynes manuals.