Check the rear shackle mounts for the leaf springs. Likely not an issue where you are, but thats about the number one ranger rot spot.

Other than that they will run effectively forever.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

Thanx ! .

I'm a Yankee born and bred so I don't buy rusty vehicles unless they're below scrap price .

This thing is I think, a one owner non beach vehicle so I think I'll be O.K. .

I've been looking up parts, filters , timing belt and water pump, power steering fluid, U-Joints so on and so forth .

I remember when P.S. fluid was ATF .

My Foster boys are keen to see and ride in it~ our 13 Y.O. is fat, no way 'round that ~ he wears a 38" adult waist trousers and belly flops over that, he was worried he couldn't fit in a small truck

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Its a non interference motor so you can always just change the timing belt when it breaks. I am always much more relaxed about intervals in a motor that wont get damaged.

Concerning your son, im a big guy and DDed for work a 94 single cab for a long time. Snug but not too cramped. They made the cabs bigger going into the 2000s by a few inches in length if i recall, your son will have no problem fitting unless hes got super long legs.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

This. They are a massive, massive PITA too. Lucky you arent in thr rust belt. It took my entire "BFH" toolbox (multiple sledges, torches, grinders, cutoff wheels, etc) to get the old shackles off my explorer (identical to ranger underneath). I think I ended up even cutting a piece out and rewelding and boxing the frame, can't remember. I do remember the inspection shop telling me its not worth the effort and to scrap it...and me not believing them...live and learn I guess.

Anyways, the cabs are less friendly to tall guys than wide guys. I am 6'0 and I remember being a bit stuffy in our delivery ranger, which I think was identical to yours but a few years older. Unless you are trying to go 3 wide, he should be okay.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

THANX GUYS ! .

I had no idea if it was an interference engine, BT and did that with my ex psycho-b*tch girlfriend in "you really don't want to be here Boyle Hights" on a Friday night....

Yes, I'm wise to not live in the rust belt, I grew up Down East working on total rust buckets so I know the dangers .

I'm 6' but I have a short inseam at 32" so I can fit most small vehicles easily .

Demarkis is 13 and maybe 5' tall so no troubles with his legs, he's fat but still should fit into anything I can fit.....

Yes, the cab is better sized than my old Datsun 620 pickup or the Ford Courier I drove n the early 1970's .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

I’m not at all sure, but I’m under the impression that the engine previous to the 2.5 was non interference, but the 2.5 IS an interference engine. I only mention this to suggest that you research it and make sure you don’t proceed on an assumption without knowing for sure. You have a neat vehicle there it would be a shame to wreck it.

The 2.5 Lima is non interference, all of the Lima engines are non interference afaik. The mazda 2.3s that later came in them were interference.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Well thank TBO for the research. I thought that the pinto engine that was in the early ones was the 2.3. I’m pretty sure that the pinto engine was non-interference and I know that the pinto engine was really simple to replace the belt. The belt on a non- interferference engine eases ones mind, since in the event of belt failure the results is not catastrophic.

This is my worry, that the belt would snap and bend all the valves, that was no fun the last time on an '82 Escort L (base model stripper) no less and of course, just after I'd spent a couple years peaking and tweaking the details of everything else .

I asked my son (he's a modern vehicle Mechanic) and he thinks the GATES brand belt will be fine, skip all the other off brand ones .

He's a Subaru nutter, er Enthusiast and used to build up good used engines from junked Subies after the belt snapped . on those the valves not only break, so does one cylinder head, the plastic covers and God alone knows what all else .

(He grew up watching me patch dead VW air cooled engines also from junked cars) .

He insists on *only* the Subaru factory belts so I wanted to ask what he thinks before buying a new timing belt .

To - day I chased down a load of parts, water pump, U-Joints, filters and a nifty METAL tailgate handle to replace the plastic crappo one Ford uses and is of course broken .I don't know if I'm up to a cam belt job, the last one I did was a VW Rabbit and it wasn't hard, I'm just physically FU-BAR , we'll see .

It has a MOTORCRAFT serpentine bent on it so only two belts to run everything, pretty simple .

I looked under the hood in daylight and yes, it has factory AC, still no dash AC button so I guess that's passe' these days, you chose which vents you want open then dial up the desired temperature and presto ~ it does the rest .

The manual tranny takes Mercon V ATF, I guess all the never boxes do this, I remember BMC products began using engine oil in their manual boxes in the 1950's, many were ruied by American Mechanics filling then with 90W gear oil.... bad, VERY bad .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

You are doing due diligence with this truck. I think it will pay off with really good, reliable transportation. As a bonus I think you will find it a little fun to drive.

Yes, I'm tinkering on it, this morning at Norm's it refused to start, I'd looked under the hood and noticed the corroded battery terminals so I popped the hood for a look and one of them had -broken- (!), I gently wiggled it and off we went, I bought some more parts and special tools (TORX L wrenches) , drove it home and dismounted the battery, washed it and set aside then spent an hour or two washing the cable ends & clamps in a container of baking soda and water, scrubbing with the old tooth brosh S.W.M.B.O. uses to clean the toilet dried every thing off and smeared with conductive grease, it ran fine so I ran errands all day and am learning the RPM's it likes to run at,, the clutch takes up pretty quickly and the throttle only has a short throw, very different from my usual old vehicles .

I took the tailgate apart, cleaned and greased the latches and mechanism, opened the package with the new Dorman "metal" tail gate handle and Lo ! it's plastic just like the old broken one except $15 more than the dealer wants ofr the plastic one....

Sigh .

I re assembled it all and the tail gate works smooth as butter now, I'll keep an eye out for a metal one in the junkyards .

As I was stopping to by S.W.M.B.O. coffee on my way home some jerkhoff ran into me, the driver's door, with his headlights off then jumped out and began screaming "! did you all see that ?" while waving his arms around, he was going to drive off and leave me until he noticed me taking his picture and tag number with my cell 'phone .

He basically rammed me, God alone knows why, the cops refused to preform a normal F.S.T. on him in spite of to me seeming drink or high .

I saw him coming and got really scared I was going to be hurt again, the Adrenalin jolt it gave me didn't wear off for a long time, I'm still nervous .

So now the driver's door and left fender are smashed, the dang door won't open, I'm partially disabled and need a cane to get around, working my way across the seat isn't any fun .

Dammit ~ I was really beinning to like this rig and now I'm sure it has more damage than the vehicle's dollar value .

My Foster buys really like it too .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Sorry to hear of the accident Nate!

You'll get it fixed and still be able to enjoy the little truck! I hope the mope has insurance.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Aww man!!!! That’s just not fair. It’s hard to think about at first but the good news is that you weren’t hurt. Hang in there. You should be able to get parts at the wrecking yards easily. They made a ton of them for several years.

What a bummer.

Yeah, two steps forward, one step back it seems .

Because of my previous injuries getting in the passenger side and working around the shifter is tricky and uncomfortable, at least it still drives O.K., I went to kaiser and had the Doctor look at my neck, he says to take my usual pain meds and let him know if any worse pains occur .

I'm off to get a collision report and see my insurance co., they say they'll go after his insurance and even have a contract body shop so unless they total it (the cab's bent in under the door) I'll prolly let them do the repairs and I'll try to supply a good used door and pay the extra to get it re sprayed out of my pocket .

I _was_ going to write about fixing the stuck / broken tailgate (done) and how I plan to try and polish the hazy headlights, on and on, now all that will wait to see if I get to keep it, I doubt I can afford to fix the collision damage on my own, I have a budget plan worked out to have the purchase paid for my Spring, this changes every damn thing .

I'm pissed the responding officer flat refused to give the other driver a field sobriety test....

Stay tuned, this new chapter of Nate's endless foolish follies will continue .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

This is a really rotten deal. I assume the person that ran into you had no insurance. Some Christmas present he gave you.