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I bought the purple truck

L

Lanse

Well-known Member
with 188k miles on it. Went up there, drove it around some, heard it run. Its a ranger w. 3.0 V6 and It throws some white smoke at startup, but otherwise runs fine, im told because it blew a head gasket, how much will this cost to fix??? Im going to have a local garage do it for me, i really dont want to screw something up. Its a $300 truck so that gasket work can't be cheap.

And the transmission. It isnt blown like he said it was, you just have to rev the engine up about 300-500 rpms before it jolts and starts moving. He says he put (too much) tranny fluid in and it helped alot. There was 50% too much fluid in there, according to the dipstick, but it was clean. Any ideas what could be wrong with it?? Once your moving, it drives and runs fine.
 
I'd say getting a head gasket done a good price would be $200 total but might end up more. It is pretty easy to do if you have any wrench time. The transmission I would say change the fluid/filter and make sure you don't have any plugged or creased lines and make sure air goes through them.
 
it would be a heck of a $500 truck if it were that easy.

When i change the filter on the trannsmission, how would i keep from draining all the fluid out?? Or is it inevatiable???
 
Crawl under...loosen all the trans pan bolts, take out some around three sides, leave a few loose on one side, the pan tilts, spills all the trans fluid, on you and ground or in the catch pan you provide, take the pan off and unbolt the filter from the valve body and change it out. put on new pan gasket, put back, don't overtighten bolts....go around and tighten some and then go around and tighten some more, don't distort the pan lip.
Put in new "called for" trans fluid.
You'll never get all the fluid out, the torgue converter keeps about half of it.
If this is a standard transmission....disregard.
 
There aint a drain plug??

Its an auto. I'd prefir a standard, but ya cant win em all. Anything else???
 
No drain plug it is supposed to run all the way down you arms to your armpits. normal stuff.


Excspt for a C4 pan I pulled once nothing came out. Was set up like jello ?
Strange.
 
Hey Lanse
My opinion based on almost buying one like it last year. My friend has a small shop, sells a few cars he gets at auction, had one with 180,000 mi that I was going to buy. when it sat and cooled off I would have enough time to light up a cigarette after restarting and putting in gear before it kicked in, would go in forward gear quicker than reverse. I drove this truck for a month while checking the auctions for the F150 that I eventually bought (gas hog, dont buy one), anyway my mechanic checked it out , said it was conv and front pump problem, expensive fix. My friend didnt want to sell that truck with the trans problem so he drove it himself for the next year till another friend talked him into selling it. The thing is still running, well over200,000 mi, hasent got any worse. So I say fix the engine and if the fluid doesnt smell burnt, just run it till it melts and go with a used trans if you want to keep it, it will probably run a long time as is if you fix the engine.
Bob S.
 
That transmission is doin the same thing that my sons ranger was doing. spend 25 bucks for a new modulator valve and it should fix the problem, it did on my sons.
 
You are/were ready to give up on your tractor project and now you've spent $300 on a truck with some potentially serious and expensive repairs needed. Don't be surprised if the truck needs a lot more fixing than you think.(read;MONEY)If you're not even going to drive it on the road, wouldn't it have been better to wait until you got your license and saved up to buy something that would require a little less fixing? The truck was $300 for a reason. Just curious? Dave
 
(quoted from post at 22:33:17 10/18/08) You are/were ready to give up on your tractor project and now you've spent $300 on a truck with some potentially serious and expensive repairs needed. Don't be surprised if the truck needs a lot more fixing than you think.(read;MONEY)If you're not even going to drive it on the road, wouldn't it have been better to wait until you got your license and saved up to buy something that would require a little less fixing? The truck was $300 for a reason. Just curious? Dave
Click to expand...

When you were that age, would you have had something like you're saying here cross your mind?? And, what would you think if an old, unenlightened dude suggested it?
Tell the truth now....

I grew up with stale (already read) Hot Rod magazines and HAD to have a Muscle Car. My brother had already had plenty so I had to have mine. Wasn't affordable to get one that was driveable, so I ended up with two '69 Chevelles that were growing behind an old barn in trade for cutting the brush and rose that was growing them in and cleaning the place up. One had a decent body and motor, but the frame, trans, and interior were shot. The other one had enough good stuff to make a decent solid car from the two. I was 14 and my buddy was 15 (no DL) with "TONS" of mechanic experience. Dad let me have the cars mainly becuase they couldn't be driven. By the time I was old enough for a learners permit, Dad registered the car for my Bday, my buddy drove "Frankenstein" to the Driver Testing Station, I took my test and got my permit and drove home. Ugly as H$ll, but wouldn't trade that experience for anything in the world.

Dave
 
I'm with Dave. I bought my car off the back row of a dealer's lot when I was 15...Car cost me $95, I paid $25 down and $15 a week until I had it paid for...then I got it ready to go home. Spent another year working on things like putting on new brake lines, rebuilding the carb, saving up for 4 new tires, replacing belts and hoses, installing the 8-track player and the tach I got for Christmas[OK, it WAS a long time ago], learning how to do a tune-up on a Delco "window" distributor...

I think it's more of an educational opportunity for Lanse than ANY tractor will be, because he won't be as likely to lose his motivation...and "there's somethin' women like about a pickup man," as Joe Diffie sang it.
 
(quoted from post at 23:43:38 10/18/08) I'm with Dave. I bought my car off the back row of a dealer's lot when I was 15...Car cost me $95, I paid $25 down and $15 a week until I had it paid for...then I got it ready to go home. Spent another year working on things like putting on new brake lines, rebuilding the carb, saving up for 4 new tires, replacing belts and hoses, installing the 8-track player and the tach I got for Christmas[OK, it WAS a long time ago], learning how to do a tune-up on a Delco "window" distributor...

I think it's more of an educational opportunity for Lanse than ANY tractor will be, because he won't be as likely to lose his motivation...and "there's somethin' women like about a pickup man," as Joe Diffie sang it.
Click to expand...

What I wouldn't give for an 8 track player now......... Having flashbacks to a yellow tape of Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two that Dad let me have and the tape "Southern Fried Rock" were the only two I had (rest were borrowed/snuck from my brother's stuff. Then my technology advanced to the adapter that let you play a cassette tape with the 8 track player. And of course, the home-made speaker boxes made up of the biggest speakers you could salvage from the dump or behind the TV repair shop.
Modern technology is really cheating kids these days.
 
Lanse,

Considering your tractor experience, I don't think you would have too much problem replacing the head gasket. Get a manual for your truck and have at it. The cost of the job is mostly labor.

Now the trans is different situation, but if you have a clean place to work and the right tools I wouldn't be surprised if you could do that as well. The problem with replacing your transmission with a used one is that the replacement may be in as bad of shape as yours is.
 
For what you paid and what you are gonna do with it I would dump a couple packs of Silver seal or a can of Barsleak in it and just keep adding water and antifreeze and just go have fun in the field!
Make sure to clear where you are gonna drive with your Pa. I caught heck when I was your age for tearing up a bunch of new seeding. The thought that damaging it by driving and sliding around on top of it even frozen never entered my mind...Sure did get good at 4 wheel drifts though!
Anyway have Lots of Fun!
 
I would drai the fluid, put a can of Sea Foam Trans Tune in with new fluid and filter and see what happens. As for engine, put a can of bars leak in the radiator, see if that helps. It does wonders.
Jim
 
Look, if it needs serious work on it, it'll stay a farm truck and i'll runnit till it blows then sell un-melted parts and get atleast some of my money back. I was never ready to give up on the tractor, just quite p^ssed at it.
 
OK, its cheap and it may fix something so i'll do it. How would i put this thing in??? It sounds like the transmission would need a new filter and fliud even if the fluids clean, but it'll be open so i guess i'll do it anyway.

How would i install a new modular valve??? Where is it located???
 
you think that'll help?? Even if the coolant is getting in through the head gasket???

I talked to the guy who ownes the 160 acers around us, he said go for it.
 
Believe me, i'd screw something up. Something expensive and complicated. Theres one with a warrenty from a local salvage yard for $500, so it wouldnt be THAT bad.
 
thats crossed my mind, but the best i figure is running it would be better then letting the stuff sit in the engine and go down into the oil.
 
thats my theory, i guess i'll go for it. The fluid diddnt smell burnt, and was clean, so i'll try a modular valve. I allready have the number of someone with a salvage transmission, so even if i screw something up.....
 
Lanse,
Ya know, a bad modulator valve will cause the truck to burn white smoke. Might be a connection here.

Just a thought.

Chuck
 
I wasn't the only one who took it that you were ready to give up on your tractor and "park it behind the barn". If the truck blows up, it won't be that easy to sell parts considering there are thousands of Rangers around. I just was trying to save you some money and aggravation. You don't really need a truck just to drive around in the field. Gunk, M & W(I think) and other companies make a block seal that claims it can fix head gasket leaks. Maybe you could try that first? What happens if you buy the $500 tranny and then it blows up? Then you're out $800. I thought you were on a limited budget but you seem to be buying stuff left and right. I'm only telling you this because I, like most others, have bought stuff more on impulse than a real need for it and it's cost a lot of money that I wish I had back. How are you going to afford gas? When you do get your license, you're going to want a good road worthy vehicle but you'll have less money because you spent it on a truck you didn't really need. Hopefully the truck won't need a lot of expensive repairs. Don't be surprised if it's not an easy thing to fix. Good luck with it though. Dave
 
There might be. I know the seller isnt mechanicially inclined, and i thought he could be wrong about this, but i dont know. No one will know for sure until i can get a new one in there.
 
I am on a limited budget, but im still cruising on C parts. Infact, im still selling some of them.

Paking it behind the barn would be tempary, until i cool down at it. Thats why theres allready a WC and a wheelhorse back there. If i were giving up on it, i'd said something about parting it.

I will try that, thanks. Someone said a bad modulator valve can cause the truck to smoke, so i'll try that first. Thanks dave.

BTW, if it hits the fan, 1. you can say i told you so, and 2, i'd gotten alot of experience from it, and a home-made trailer.
 
Lanse. In my experiance. If its a head gasket leaking in the combustion chamber, it will overheat immeadiatly. It will also hydrostaticly lock when setting for awhile. Antifreeze in the cylinders doesn't compress. Bernie Steffen
 
thats what i thought. I think some son of a b^tch offered to fix the engine and transmission for $1000 or something, if its a $30 part. Thats the only thing i could figure. seemed to run pretty good for a blown gasket.
 
Right on!!! Thanks, chuck. What about installing one??? Is there any more to it then bolting in the new one???
 
If memory serves me right (it's probably been 25 years since I replaced one) it just screws into the side of the transmission. A 10 minute job. I sure don't remember any heat shield on the mustang I replaced it on, but maybe it wasn't next to an exhaust pipe on that car.
 
You didn't say temporary and I was only trying to save you some more grief. It takes a little work to make a trailer out of a truck bed and you need a good welder to fabricate it for you. I get the impression that as soon as you get some money, you want to spend it on something else to fix. Maybe it's better to work on one project at a time? I don't know. Money in your pocket is better than it sitting in a pile of iron you can't use. I hope the truck is an easy fix and works for you. I just didn't want to see you get all discouraged because it didn't go as planned. Dave
 
Because I put so many miles on a vehicle and drive them hard to do it, I buy used cars that are 10 plus years old with the idea that as soon as repair costs come close to what it would cost for another one, I'd throw it away. That little puff at startup sounds a lot like just leaking valve seals and is pretty harmless. Can't advise you on the trans but remember years ago that when a shop did a filter change it included a band adjustment. May want to do some googling there. As for the headgasket, with the exception of my trctor, there was no "going" bad. When they went, they went and overheated immediately (my experience on 4 cyl VW's and a 6cyl Jeep). If you are getting water in the combustion chamber then you are getting pressure in your cooling system. Take the radiator cap off and see if things are bubbling and smells a little like exhaust.
Good Luck,


Dave
 
Morning sickness. Forward clutch seal is leaking and needs to be replaced. It energizes when the speed and pump oil flow is increased. Needs to be torn down and resealed.
 
cant be that bad, then. I ordered a manuel for it this morning. The truck doesnt get here for a week, so i have some time. Thanks for your help
 
Not that difficult but there are a lot of parts and they must be reinstalled correctly and they must be very clean. Any hard parts are going to be expensive. Probably cheaper and easier to find a good lowmileage tranny of the same make and vintage and put that in. You could always try some seal softener mouse milk if push comes to shove.
 
The 3.0 is the same engine as whats in a Taurus. Replacing the head gasket isn't that big of deal on them - especially on Ranger where you have a little room to work. More likely you need to replace the water pump too. The 3.0 Vulcan engine is pretty bullet proof if not low powered. The water pump kept getting cheaper through the model years and its not uncommon to find that the impellors are worn off some of the highe mileage units. When the pump fails the engine overheats and blows a gasket. Good chance the head is warped to.
 
yep, i've learned new words, how far i can throw a wrench, and how much money i can dump into something. Lotsa expierence
 
Got an '84 S-10 inwhich the transmission does the same thing. First start up of the day it takes forever when I put it in Drive. If I go to Low it goes right in, so, I gust go to Low, then shift to Drive after it gets moving. Werks normally the rest of the day. Next morning, SOS.
 
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