Short and sweet, if you have the ability and the knowledge to DIY your car maintenance, do.
I had a bad oil pressure switch in the Ranger, and after watching a couple of videos, I realized that these guys (and one gal) werenβt working the same engine. All the others were on the bottom, mine in the back, up top. Easy fix. A booger to get in.
THAT is Anti-Seize Lubricant #81343 if ya need a new shade for out on the town.
I also swapped a couple of plugs I think were fouled from my leak. Hopefully, this will fix the problem of the rough starts in the morning. But we will see tomorrow.
An oil change and some clean up later and I am hopefully good to go.
I saved time and I saved money. I also enjoy doing this myself. Experiences may vary.
I have to admit I did not have an enjoyable morning. The shudders and stutters are back.
I drove around a bit, and things cleared up. I was thinking that it might be bad plugs or wires again. But these shouldn’t have gone bad within the time since I’ve changed them out. I’m going to check them, but I did some research tonight and I may have found the culprit.
From what I’ve read on the Ranger Forums and a few other places in conjunction with some 1-A Auto videos, I believe I have seen all my symptoms for this being the problem.
I worked ahead today to lessen my load Thursday and Friday.
Tomorrow, I’m going in.
And a day off wrenching will still be better than a day on the floor in retail. Also, it’s a paid vacation day, and I need some time in my hands and out of my head.
This whole refurbishment of this truck is an ongoing thing.
I have a lot of cosmetic stuff to do. Chips in the paint for the most part. I’m actually thinking of a light spray over the major scratches and a dot here and there for the chips. Then a good buffing.
Not a lot of structural damage, amazingly, and not a lot of rust at all for a twenty plus year old truck.
It has been hot, and I didn’t want to do it. Today was a nicer day, and when it’s cooler, I spend a good deal of time in the garage.
Today I went with the fender flares that have been sitting in the garage for at least two months. (She may or may not have been eyeballing them at that time.) Theyβre a nice stainless steel and black rubber set that should last a long while with care.
I also did a bit of painting on the lowers under the doors and the front part of the bed with bed liner paint. It improved the looks and may provide some protection.
The plastic bumper covers are in surprisingly good shape but faded from their original gray. I went with black this time around. It suits the color scheme.
It’s nice to get out and improve and create. To do it myself. To get dirty again. Although, the shower did feel excellent.
I’m glad the weather is starting to change. It means more time for me in the garage/shop. I guess I may as well start getting things together.
Well, maybe Iβll get one done. The deeper you get into something the more problems you can find.
I went to YouTube last night to figure out how to remove the spool handle for the window, and despite the guy knowing that every spool handle came off the same, he was wrong. Instead of a clip to remove said handle, it was a Torx head bolt. Luckily, I have an abundance of tools.
The other problem I’ve run into is a bit of upholstery that has given up over the years, probably to heat. Things wear down. There’s no helping it.
Separation Anxiety
And so I have an armrest sitting in front of the wife’s bread box with Gorilla Glue (not a sponsor) setting up and a couple of paper/chip clips bag holding it all together.
This is a high dollar operation.
I’ve taped up and dropped the first coat on the main door panel for now.
It is 11:34, and now I wait.
13:14
That door is done.
It came out loads better than I thought it would.
And now, on to the other door.
Before and after.
Because you’ve seen the first one, the other is pretty much the same, so I won’t bore ya.
Yep. I was able to get both doors done and still have some time this afternoon.
There’s a lot to be said for doing things yourself. It’s not just saving money. You try new things and learn new things. Believe me; I mess up often enough, but there’s a lot of knowledge in mistakes.
It might be the paint fumes talking, but it’s been a pretty good day.
If you havenβt figured it out yet I like to do it myself.
I have an old truck Iβve been finding parts here and there for and it ainβt easy.
Ever since Cash For Clunkers the pickins are slim, so I work with what I can find.
Sometimes that means refurbishing a part and bringing it back to life.
It ainβt perfect, but it suits me just fine.
I find that the more I do of this the more little tricks I find. Practice makes perfect.
This was a quick job today to test some paint that Iβve just started working with. I also needed to gauge the space on this piece so that I can install some switches for cut offs on my power to my dash cam and stand alone GPS point. Iβm doing that so as not to put any drain to the battery when Iβm parked and in store at work. Not that either of those are big battery drainers.
Itβs not just the finding and refurbishing, this is fun for me.
Itβs satisfying.
Itβs a thing that I can sit back from and say, thatβs done.
I wrote about fixing my truck Sunday. As a part of this ongoing project (and yes, thereβs a lot to do) Iβm going to be posting here and there about it. This blog is my daily outlet. This is why Iβm here.
πΌSome days are better than others…
Today was great!
Iβve been using OBDLink (Apple) with my OBD scanner. Itβs a nifty little tool that can drop all kinds of info on ya while youβre on the move. My primary concerns this week are engine coolant temp and the voltage on the battery. I replaced the thermostat several months ago. The battery was dead Sunday. So worth watching over. The MPG was a plus today.
I drove home with the A/C on this afternoon. I also fueled up at a station that may have had okay fuel. But as far as gas mileage Iβm pretty happy with either number.
Before I figured out the problem with the plugs it was getting 22/23 mpg. This is a huge improvement.
For a twenty two year old truck this is pretty phenomenal I think.
I have a little bit more mechanical to work on. I have some plans for the exterior and a few more improvements to the interior look and functionality.
Not a bad way to spend the day if thereβs a favorable outcome.
8:00 AM: Iβm starting off the day trying to figure the problem out with the truck and these spark plugs. And I may have found the problem. I think itβs the wrong set of plugs. Youβd think the guy at the counter would have some knowledge as to what heβs selling you but Iβve trusted too much in that. It would seem heβs wrong.
(Further on Iβll be talking about OβReillyβs. I didnβt get the bad plugs from there. – Credit where credit is due.)
Iβll be taking off to the parts place with a little more knowledge this time and the manual and truck info to back me up.
But first, church.
12:19 PM
Iβm at OβReilly Auto Parts and my man Chuck here confirmed part of a problem. I was sold single platinum plugs instead of double platinum plugs at the other parts place. The plug in five split and is causing misfire. These plugs couldnβt handle the workload.
We may be onto something…
1:00 PM: I got back home, stepped out of the car and directly to the truck. I went to work on replacing the plugs.
The Usual Suspects
I started at one and went to six. I didnβt pull a wire until I had the previous one gap checked, greased and seated. That fifth cylinder misfire was because of these old plugs. That would be number five in the lineup pictured above. Absolutely the wrong equipment for the application.
2:14 PM: After about an hour I was back on the road but it wasnβt all rainbows and roses, no. The battery had died and a cell had went bad so I was off to another OβReillyβs to see about a new battery.
The truck isnβt cutting back like it was and no check engine light. No misfire. This, for me, is huge! I love my truck but it has to be usable to stick around.
At this point I was only into this little adventure for blood, sweat, and $32.00 USD. I was dreading having to shell out for a new battery. They arenβt outrageous but they arenβt cheap either. And this battery was only a year old.
Mr. Gene
But then I guess there was a bit of βwhiskers on kittensβ. Turns out the battery I bought a year ago was under a two year warranty at OβReillyβs. Those fellas helped me out big time to day.
A BIG SHOUT OUT to OβReillyβs and to their employees. Gene and Jim in Camden, SC and Chuck in Lancaster, SC. They were super helpful and knowledgeable today.
And also, Iβm thanking God. Itβs getting hot and thereβs no air in the Escape. The Ranger has super cold air. I prayed over the truck last night hoping that this was the problem. I needed it and it was granted. So thank you Lord for the hands and mind to work the problem and the grace to let this happen.
5:50 PM: I havenβt eaten all day. I was all about getting this done. And now itβs almost supper time.
Time to shower, eat, and relax. Tomorrowβs Monday.
This has been thrown off the rails for quite some time. Iβve been having engine problems that I couldnβt figure out, but I think I may have sorted the problem.
It has to do with the plugs.
Theyβre gapped wrong OR thereβs a specific type for each side. A thing Iβve never seen or come across, ever (the specific type, not the gapping). At least thatβs what itβs saying in my owners manual. So I gotta take a peek at the plugs in there now.
If that solves the misfire it will be so much easier than what is next in line. Changing out a bad fuel injector. Something Iβm not qualified for but am willing to take a swing at.
SeegarsInSC 