Found new project

[Bazowak]

Just found the next the candidate. I was actually looking for an older Ford F100, found a couple of them but then ran across this Ranger for sale and couldn't turn it down. It's an 88 2WD 2.9 5spd XLT. No apparent rust w/ one small dent in the roof top. It needs a major cleaning and tune up. Got it for $350 running and driving and one bum freeze plug back by the oil filter. This weekend I'm pulling the engine to replace the all freeze plugs and some other items, mainly just to clean it up a bit and put on a new oil pan gasket. I will get pics up this weekend. Now just looking for a roller engine core to rebuild and a C-4 to go with.

[dagger]

sounds like a diamond in the ruff. Can wait to see what it looks like. I love the older body styler when they are lifted or lowered. Not a fan of them being stock.

[Bazowak]

Well the diamond just got a little rougher this afternoon. What I thought was just a freeze plug turned into a head gasket and now a cracked head. But hey, it was only $350 dead presidents. At any rate I'm looking for another set of heads for it or another 2.9 to put in it for now. Plans are to lower it, and give it a mild 5.0 and C-4. At any rate I've got another Ranger to play with.

[Bazowak]

Not sure what to do about the heads. Now, since I have one head off I'm going to take the other head off and do both head gaskets. Now what I'm not sure about is which way to go with it. I can get salvage yard heads with 80 to 90 thousand miles on them for about $425 plus gaskets and new head bolts. Or from World products I can get the S/R 2.9 heads for $630 plus gaskets and bolts. I'm just not sure that I want to get salvage yard heads that have high miles and run into head cracks and gaskets again. I'm also not sure that I want to pay just over $800 for brand new heads, gaskets, and bolts for an engine that will be removed and junked.

I will be putting in a 5.0 but not for a while yet. I will be using the time to get what I need/want and fix what I have.

[Dave]

Either way you are going be buying new gaskets and bolts so the real difference is only $205.
Going with the used ones, shot in the dark if good or not, little re-sale value knowing the bad history they have.
With the World Products heads you are at least dealing with a known quality product. Not sure what you could get by re-selling them after awhile but you sure ought to be able to make up the difference of $205.
Dave

[Bazowak]

Man, this thing just keeps getting better and all I'm going to do now is share some frustration. Maybe some of you have had the same things happen to you.

So while still looking for a set of heads, I thought I'd go ahead and check out the rest of the engine. I pulled the timing cover and found out why it over heated in the first place. Had some huge piece of gunk in the water jacket completely blocking the water pump on one side. So now I'm that far in and I thought I should check the cam bearings as I have access to a boriscope and they are toast. Reinstalled the cam and spun it over a few times only to find that the cam actually wobbles in it's journals. So I then went to put the cam gears back on and was putting on the chain and dropped an apex bit into the oil pan.

So I picked up another 2.9 and now I'm in the process of doing a re-ring and bearing job.

Last night I at least got the heads off and there are at least for now no cracks but I did end up twisting off 2 exhaust manifold bolts but I can work with that.

Before tear down the engine seemed to have decent compression but man was it filthy inside. Lots-o-gunk.

I should just stop this madness and go for the 302 now. Thanks for listening

The frustrated mechanic

[Dave]

I'm alway amazed how one little problem leads to more and more problems and each one gets costlier than the last one. Winter is coming, got time to do the 302.
Dave

[Bazowak]

Yeah, no kidding. With the cost involved I might just be money ahead and go with the 302.

But hey, I got it for $350 and it ran. Can't expect too much.

[cgrey8]

If you do go the 302 route, do you already have an engine & tranny? Will it be carb converted and do you have a 302 carb intake and dizzy? If you already have all those pieces in place, then forget the little 2.9L.

But if it's going to cost you more to get all the parts together and it was never the intention to turn this Ranger into a V8, then stick with trying to work out the engine issues with the 2.9L.

As for all the issues in the existing 2.9L, was all that due to abuse and neglect? The worst my 2.9L ever had was leaky valve covers that leaked from the day I bought it till the day I pulled the engine out. Otherwise, it ran and ran and ran. When I pulled it, the compression was a bit weak, couldn't get 20MPG to save itself, and it couldn't hold itself at 75MPH going up a hill on the Interstate in 5th or 4th, but it never had the kinds of internal engine problems you described. I did change the oil regularly, used synthetic oil, and always ran 92/93 octane. I have no clue if those had anything to do with its longevity, but it makes me glad I did them hearing how the engine could've turned out.

[Bazowak]

Cgrey,
As of now I only have a small bell C-4. The intent is to convert but for now I will keep the 2.9. I've already gotten new cam bearings and the piston rings, rod and main bearings have been ordered. Right now I'm just waiting on a buddy of mine to finish with his engine hoist/cherry picker.

I also still have to drill out 2 broken exhuast bolts too.

[Bazowak]

Cgrey,

I guess I really didn't answer your question of the 2.9 being neglected. The answer is a big fat YES.

In Websters III Neglect and my 2.9 are there and in color as what not to do.

Cracked heads, nasty cooling system, milk shake oil, oil slathered external parts, crusty oily build up in and all over the engine bay.

The truck has also been victim to an exhaust system saws all hacker. Seems the previous owner got in some trouble after the truck died, needed money and cut the catalytic converter out to sell it. I guess salvage yards give money for these things. But instead of cutting the converter out, he cut the Y-pipe dyked the O2 sensor harness (found the other side so I just need a new sensor) and cut the back part of the system out as well.

So now I started working on the engine I got to replace the hacked up one. Ran into a couple of snags. This engine has so much crap build up if I could bag it/sell it I'd be a crap millionaire. So out came the pressure washer to help clean it up. Got to the heads and was cleaning inside the intake ports and found that the intake valve seats on one of the heads was bleeding water under pressure. Now my only concern is if it's just bad seats or the dreaded 2.9 cracked head beginnings.

So that's where I'm at now. After I got everything cleaned up a bit I oiled them down to help prevent rust. I'm thinking Monday I'll take the heads to the machine shop and look into a valve job.

I just want to make sure to do this right the first time so that it will hold together to get through the winter.

Can't say that I've had the luck w/ the 2.9's that you did. Wish I could get my hands on that one. Anyway, have a good rest of the weekend guys.

Frustration building.

[cgrey8]

My stepfather still has the engine. He had the thought that he would rebuild it, and find a way to carb-convert it to power his ZTR which currently has a seized 4-banger in it. So far, he's done absolutely nothing with it. He's even offered the engine back to me in hopes I'd take it back and get it out of his storage. So if you want it, you could have it. But the gas to come get it might not be worth the effort. I imagine finding a junkyard 2.9L would be cheaper and possibly yield a more reliable part.