I have a water issue also on the 89 Ranger, it drips down on the parking brake. The first thing I would check is if there is a bunch of crap in the cowl, you can get in there through the wiper linkage access panels. I have sealed a bunch of joints there and behind the fender and still have the leak. I even pulled the trim from the windshield, it's one of my summer projects.

 

Ken:

You know, I think that I ran across your old post on that leak when I first found this forum. It was so old that I didn't want to reply to it!

I had that cover off already and it's clear. My parking brake spring,etc. is rusty too but I haven't seen water dripping yet and I really don't know where/how it's getting in. I used silicone rubber on the top and sides of the widshield under the rubber lip, no help but I can't say that I didn't miss a spot along the way. I replaced the thick seal that goes over the top of the door and down the windshield too.

One thing that I noticed is that there is a piece of foam rubber standing up vertically just behind the door hing. On the paasenger side that piece is lying back in the fender well. I guess it should be there but is it making things worse, I don't know.

Are you say that you patched something inside the cowl? I had everything pretty well taped up on the cowl along with a strip of tape where the windshield meets the cowl cover. I don't know when they started but on the F series the cowl lid/cover is plastic and is screwed down from ontop! You just pull the arms off and a couple of screws. Wish mine was that way.

 

The 89 that I have been working has the rubber floor so it makes it easy to see. I guessing your problem is on the drives side too. I did some work under the windshield trim because I thought I had done every other place. There were a few seams in the cowl on the 89 that I put a little silicone on. I also pulled the rear part of the front fender away and did some work in there. What I have found is that if I look up under the drivers dash, all the way towards the door, and I push some insulation out of the way there is a seam. This is were the water comes into the truck, and of course I can silicone that but what happens after a year or two is the seam rusts a bit more and the leak comes back. What I am tring to do is find the exterior source of the leak so I can stop it once and for all. I think this summer one of my projects will be to remove the fender all the way at see if I can find something. The last resort will be to remove the entire dash back to the firewall and the fendor and hope...LOL. By the way do you prefer Bill or William.

Ken

 

Ken:

Bill is fine. I pull the IAT to check inside the house. I read the temperature with a Amprobe Digital Thermo/Hygrometer which I think ran me about $70-$80 with my Ford discount. It was within that 15% range, so no joy yet!

I have a better code reader on the way that will do a lot more, KOEO, KOER, capture mode, etc. I was supposed to have it this week but now they say they're backorder, due any day! Of course, when I ordered, they were in stock! It may help or it may just confuse me!! It's a AutoXray brand, Pro Pack with PC Link. It'll do OBD I/II, the PC Link allows saving to a notebook PC and downloading updates. It could very well be harder to use in the truck while driving because of the screen(I hope it's backlite), the other one which I can/will return only had three fat buttons with bright LEDs.

My truck got soaked again too. I looked and seen some drops of water behind some black plastic piece just to the left of a large connector that goes thru the firefall. Just left of the clutch pedal. I can't identify the connector in my electrical manual. It looks like my leak is coming down the vertical part of the firewall. I so hard to your head up in there to see anything!!

 

Bill,

WOW, that will be a nice scanner to have, should allow you to run all the pinpoint test stuff. Let me know how it goes.

Sounds like your water leak is in a different spot from my 89. I know what connector you mean, it sounds similar to my 2000, it's the main wiring harness from the engine compartment to the passengers compartment. I'll try to look at the 2000 and see if I can notice any areas to look at. I know it's such a PIA to get up under the dash, LOL.

Ken

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 21-Feb-02 AT 11:25 AM (EST)]Ken:

I don't think that it will do pinpoint tests but it will show outputs from sensors like: RPM, coolant temp, etc. The capture mode sounds interesting because you could drive along and when you get a MIL, mark it. It will show the sensor readings before and after the MIL. Since I don't get codes all the time, it may help me.

I'm reading the PDF they have posted at their website. I'm at work on a wireless handheld PC now and don't have the URL but you can easily search for AutoXray to find them. I'd rather thumb thru a book then page back/forth on a file. They have PDF for the PC Link software too. Take a look, it may make more sense to you then me right now. I'm learning though!!

 

Bill,

That's an awesome scanner. It sounds like it will allow you to do almost everything you need to do for pinpoint tests. Below is cut from my manual, it's about scanner requirements, I don't think you need everything for pinpoint tests. I didn't know you worked for Ford.

The required scan tool functions are described below:
Monitor, record and playback of PIDs (parameter identification, sensor readings)
Freeze frame PID data (readings at the time a code is set)
Diagnostic test modes (self test)/clear diagnostic DTCs (PCM reset)
Output Test Mode
Reset Keep Alive Memory
Digital measurement system (multimeter functionality)
Diagnostic monitoring test results (for OBD II on-board monitors)
On board system readiness (OBD II monitor completion status)

Ken

 

Ken:

Yep, I'll have 30 years at Ford Motor in November. I'm a Machine Repairman at a manufacturing plant in Michigan. We were spun off and are now called Visteon, Inc./Corp/Whatever. Formerly we were Sterling Gear and Axle Plant. We usta to make darn near every part in the rearend but slowly we're losing the work to outsourcing and becoming assemblers. We still machine the ring/pinions and axles from forgings. By mid-year, all sidegears will be purchased outside and we stopped making the small pinion gears years ago! We still the roll steel for the driveshaft and axle tube. We do have lines for the 4X4 Ranger and F series but I'n not sure how much of that is done inhouse because I don't work in that area. I'd guess not much!! We are just another supplier now but Ford is are biggest customer of course! We even do some work for a new Saturn product too!

I'm glad that your impressed with the scanner I ordered. I wish that I had it right now too.

It was warm yesterday and I still think that temperature is a factor. I got P0171/P0174 just after getting into the parking lot at work. This morning it was cooler, no codes. After work, I stop near home, no longer than five minutes, start it up and I get a code. I'm not sure if I got it just before the stop or after though.

One thing I noticed that the temperature sure took a dive after the stop and it was so short time. I have seen this before since the thermostat was replaced. I was thinking about the declutching fan. Not sure if I have any books that describe how it works. It does spin but with a drag on it. Put it this way, I can't shove it fast enough to make it even spin one rev. Is that normal? I seem to remember reading that you should be able to spin it a few revs. I got an oil change a while back and these guys said that the belt was cracked, so I let them do it because I didn't have the time to do it. Could there be any connection between the belt job and the fan? Just guessing without knowledge of how it works.

 

Bill,

That sounds like an interesting place to work, I guess I have a few parts on my truck that were made in your plant. The fan should not spin much, maybe an 1/8 of a turn. If it makes a lot of noise when the truck is running then it might be frozen/locked up. Let me know when you get your scanner, would love to know how it works and what you can do with it.

Ken

 

Ken:

That's about what the fan blade rotates, so it must be okay then. I still want to compare resistance of the IAT and ECT back from the PCM jack.

There were two vendors that had that scanner package at about the same price but I had to go with the one that was $3 cheaper. It wasn't that bad at $372, free shipping too!

I'll let you know how it works.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 26-Feb-02 AT 11:00 AM (EST)]Ken:

I compared the resistance of the IAT and ECT Sunday when it was in the 50s. The IAC read 51.7K and the ECT read 60.5K but it would probably take more time for the engine to reach the ambient temperature anyway.

I haven't gotten any codes since then, so I wondered if something wasn't making good contact in the PCM connector at the wirewall. Just as I was thinking about that sitting in the parking lot at work, my engines RPM starts bouncing around as its done before.

Why doesn't the varying RPM generate some type of problem code? I had just disconnected the code reader this morning when it happened but in the past, I've read it during/after the varying RPM and it read nothing!!

I should have the new scanner tomorrow or so they say.

 

Bill,

The IAT seems a bit low but I don't know if it would be the problem, it's probably telling the PCM that it's 60' air. Wonder what one costs? Loose conections can be a real PIA to find and they do happen. "Why doesn't the varying RPM generate some type of problem code?" Thats a good question since the PCM knows whats going on. How much variation do you have? I would wait for the scanner before doing much else, let me know.

Ken

 

Ken:

It varies about 200-300 RPMs. After driving for days with the code reader connected, I believe that I can consistantly cause the problem codes to appear. I think with a warm engine, from a stop, not much more than s slight punch will generate a code. I got it once by just racing the engine! I was able to cause the code(s) at will today!!

I was reading the pinpoint tests for the IAC. I noticed that my idle doesn't return to specs which is 750 -/+25 RPM. It was more like 1100 RPM. During those times when it varies, it's down to 500-600 RPMs.

If I can cause the codes, I should be able to use the capture mode on the new scanner.

 

Ken:

I forgot to answer about the IAT. I pulled it out, check it at room temperature and it was within specs.

 

I think your right, that scanner will really help with this issue. Good luck and let me know what you find.