New to me

[mrxlh]

2002 Ranger. 2.3l 5spd swb. 11600 on the odometer. Couple of questions for you ranger guys.

1. How much extra crap do you have to buy and or replace to change a valve cover gasket, other than the gasket itself?

2. Are the door catches adjustable? Both driver and passenger doors rattle a little, or is it something else.

 

[slmann]

don't have any answers for you questions but have a questions for you. Is this a dd or are there other plans for it?

 

[mrxlh]

Not a DD, but an extra vehicle for the boat. My wifes little sister turned 17 and needs a vehicle for back and forth to school and work. I needed something a little "cheaper" to operate when I go fishing. A 1 ton dually for a 1200 lb boat and trailer is a tad of overkill. When we go camping, instead of making 2 trips with the dually, the wife will drive the ranger with the boat.

 

[john112deere]

I'm thinking that's new enough for the DOHC engine? I don't know much about them.

As to the doors...I've never adjusted the doors on either of mine, and I do not believe the latch mechanism itself is adjustable. I'm sure the hinges and striker are adjustable, and probably a pretty standard bodywork type process. (Some people are really good at this sort of thing. I'm not one of them.)

 

[slmann]

So will we be seeing some small mods done to make it a better fishing partner or are you leaving it alone.

Sorry for side tracking the thread.

 

[smokey]

I today m missed this thread.
Ian is right about the door adjustments.
You should just need the gaskets. One of the years you had to remove the throttle body if do you may need those gaskets.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Congrats on your new truck.

 

[m78]

If its anything like an 87, there would be nothing else needed for the valve cover gasket. They're notorious for leaking. Try re torquing every 1k miles.I've changed mine 3 times over the last 15 years.

The studs that the door latch catches sometimes looses the nylon bushing around the metal , causing rattle

 

[mrxlh]

I'll post some pic's in a minute. I adjusted the door catches. (Loosen the 2 screws into the door post and tapped it back a little. Worked like a champ.

I put a socket on a few of the valve cover bolts that I could get to pretty quick and a couple of them were a tad loose.

Oh, I have the permanent fix for the valve cover gasket leak, CAT glue.

If you cat clue a gakset properly (rubber, cork, or paper) and tighten the bolts. You can remove them after it is set. It will take a dead blow hammer to get it off!!!!. It is really similar to weather strip adheasive, except it has some space aged polymers in it I guess. The original which is not made anymore was known to cause cancer.

 

[mrxlh]

Well, here it is.

 

[O'Rattlecan]

Sticking with the white color scheme I see.

That's not a bad lookin truck, Lester.

Ryan

 

[mrxlh]

Here are the important pics.

Loosened the 2 bolts on teh catch and tapped it back twards the door post.

 

[mrxlh]

It has a few dings and dents (small) and insignificant. Everything works, no glass damage clutch is good, motor runs excellent, new radiator and hoses installed by the dealer.

I replaced the shocks on all 4 corners as the 2 rears were blown. I re-installed the dome light bulb, and put a new set of wiper blades on it. Valve cover gasket and serpentine belt are next.

The truck was bought new from the dealer I got it from. It lived its entire life at the downtown airport (hobby airport). It was maintained by the local dealership for all services. Clean truck, used, scratched and dented, but never wrecked, the front rotors are barley even worn.

As far as the mods go. All I plan on doing is getting a new seat and spare tire/spare tire holder (cable broke) from a local junkyard. I thought about replacing the floor mat rubber, but the messed up part will cover up easily with a set of floor mats.

It is a 2.3L engine 5 speed manual. 3:73 rear end. Is there any critical services that need to be done at 100K? (Timing belt ect, ect) I don't have any real money tied up in it to this point (under 5k with the shocks ttl and purchase price) but wouldn't mind hanging on to it for quite a while. I looked at some real junk for more than what I paid for it, so putting a couple hundred in it is not a big deal at all. Especially if I can get another 100k miles trouble free out of it.

 

[mrxlh]

Sticking with the white color scheme I see.

That's not a bad lookin truck, Lester.

Ryan

White is the new black.

 

[slmann]

looks good.

 

[DNFXDLI]

Decent looking find.

 

[73F100Shortbed]

Nice looking truck. Looks like it is in great shape.

 

[m78]

What ? No blacked out tail lights ?! Looks like its in great shape except for the vinyl, which I would check under the mat for moister.
They've made a few changes from what I know of. The last time I did my valve cover I used weather strip adhesive and it worked the best.
If I ever do it again I'm going to Cat.

 

[mrxlh]

Ok now I am confused. The manual says that 8 sparkplugs are required, however there is just one 4 pack coil on it with 4 wires. It does not have an access cover to change the timing belt like most models have, to not require you to remove the valve cover when changing the belt. So I am guessing it has a chain?

 

[O'Rattlecan]

I don't know about all that business but my buddy said he had to do 8 plugs on the same motor, similar-ish year.

Ryan