Car questions

[Homerr]

I have a 2001 Ranger 4x4. I'm getting ready to do the brakes before boating season kicks in.<br /><br />Local shop wants almost $400 to do the job! NOT!<br /><br />Parts $90, turn rotors/drums $60<br />I'll do it myself thanks.<br /><br />Anyone have any improvements tips/tricks for the Ford Ranger brake system?<br /><br />My Dad has an old 70's Dodge motorhome (318).<br />It runs good, however there is a hesitation when you step on the gas. It will almost stall before the engine revs back up.<br />You look down the carb when you give it gas (not running of course) and it's squirtin fuel down like it should.<br /><br />Any ideas?<br /><br />H.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Car questions

Had similar problem with an old 318 Duster. Advanced the timing a little and it ran better, even in the rain which had been a real problem.

 

[Homerr]

Re: Car questions

Thaks Roscoe...<br /><br />I'll give it a shot.<br /><br />H.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Car questions

Yea homerr, just a little high.<br />I do brake jobs for $59.00 each end and that includes turning rotors/drums.<br />Your dads Dodge might have a bad power valve in the carb.<br />It is the valve that works when you mash the gas and squirts gas into the jets.<br />It works different when not running because there is no pull on it as there is when it's running and asking for gas.

 

[Homerr]

Re: Car questions

Well Bait..<br /><br />I thought of that too; not so much the accelerator pump, but that darn power valve.<br /><br />My Dad supposedly had a shop rebuild the carb, but who knows. The shop he took it to was (unfortunately) questionable.<br /><br />One strange observation however...<br /><br />I had to replace the right exhaust manifold gasket. After the job was done, I forgot to put two of the spark plug wires back on. Don't know which # of the cylinders, but lets say the first two from the front of the engine.<br />It started and ran pretty good without those cylinders firing! <br /><br />I'm just wondering if I may have a compression issue?<br /><br />I'm a Ford man myself. I can rebuild them in my sleep.<br /><br />Those darn Dodges!!!<br /><br />LOL<br /><br />H.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Car questions

homerr, what did the plugs look like when you removed them? That should have gave you some kind of sign as to condition of engine. I think if you had bad compression then it would show on the plugs as to different color or deposits on them.<br />Not only that, if it ran "fairly well" with 2 plug wires off, then it can't be to bad.<br />The dodge's ain't to much different than the fords in rebuilding respect, but I would say, look into the carb as your problem. Maybe this shop forgot something, like maybe the little BB. You know how easy it is to lose them things. <br />Let me know what you find out and if I can help out in any way, don't hesitate to ask.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Car questions

Turning the rotors and cutting the drums is easy but, replacing the rotors on the Ranger should only be about $25-29 per side.<br /><br />If the Dodge has a hestitation I agree w/Bait and it could be a bad power valve or it could be a vacuum leak. Check the carb gasket and squirt some carb cleaner (be careful!) around the intake when it's running at an idle. Any increase in idle will indicate a vacuum leak.<br /><br />Bob

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Car questions

To further Bob's comment on vacuum leaks, if the engine is real quite, you might also hear a hissing sound that would indicate a leak also.

 

[mellowyellow]

Re: Car questions

is there a screen in the pick-up for the gas tank?<br />had this prob. with an old van. had to drop tank<br />and replace screen. found pieces of what looked<br />like carpet??? floating around and when you gunned<br />it, they would plug pick up.<br />another guess.<br />good luck,<br />M.Y.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Car questions

M/Y, here's a tip on that problem.<br />If you suspect a pick-up screen stopped up, buy you a good in-line filter and then take a air hose and blow thru the gas line back to the tank, and it will blow the screen(sock) as I call it off and you can continue on.<br />This will also work sometimes on cars/trucks with the electric pump in the tank.<br />It will relieve some of the pressure so the pump will not have to work so hard. This will sometimes get you home or to a safe place to work on it.

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Car questions

Just a follow up. I have a 1985 Ford van that had a lot of rust in the tank and after 3 times changing the sock, I just bought me a good in-line fuel fiter, blew the sock off, changed the filter 3 times and have had no problems since. It's still running.

 

[Homerr]

Re: Car questions

Thaks for the advice guys.<br /><br />It's not the screen in the tank. I just took that all apart and re-welded it. <br />The output tube had broke loose from the plate and was leaking. A new one was (sit down) $150+ !!! and it was only available through the dealer.<br />The after-marker senders have a 5 hole pattern. A Dodge (and other cars I would guess) have a 6 hole pattern.<br />I did some reading on the sender breaking problem, and it appears to be fairly common in Dodges.<br />If worse came to worse, I ws going to make an adaptor from a 6 hole to 5. There was no way epoxy was going to hold the tube in place. It was a real mess. A little bit of light brazing, and I was set. Good as new. <br /><br />I think it's the power valve. The plugs looked all about the same on that side of the engine.<br />I also forgot about the vaccum leak test. I'll do that later today after it UN-THAWS out there!<br /><br />I think winter finally got here. Brrrrrr<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />H.