A real puzzler, where did I go wrong?

[tmwalsh]

If you have a cam with aggressive timing, you might be fooling the ECM into thinking you are under more load than actual, leading it to enrich the fuel mix.
Cam position sensor will not affect valve / piston geometry, so cannot hurt valves.
tom

 

[SoHK_alumni]

Surgery started today!

Almost like deja vu all over again!

Pulled the 5.0 out of the Ranger this afternoon. Whew!

Got the engine and trans separated, will start transferring the few bits I'll keep from the 1st onto the 2nd in the morning.

Ford came through with a pair if 4R70W accumulator springs so I'll pop off the pan on gearbox and get that done before the two big bits go back together and into the engine bay.

Don't know what I'm looking forward to the most: Getting the Ranger to run right or finding out what the heck is wrong with the 1st 5.0. Yea, getting the pep that has slowly faded back along with reasonable fuel economy will be great but man oh man do I HATE not knowing what's wrong.

Really does not matter, if all goes well, I'll get both answers and the 5.0 that runs right!

 

[SoHK_alumni]

Got nearly everything transferred from the 1st 5.0 onto the 2nd.

Trying to work out a better oil pan solution. I'd originally used a FRP dual sump pan but it's too deep at the rack and pinion and too wide at the left down pipe.

The OEM Explorer ones are shallower at the front, have a huge notch out in them for the down pipe but don't clear the front cross member at the rear of the cross member/front of the sump.

So, I've re-worked the lower front edge of the sump back to almost the drain plug. With the two sumps side by side, I've got nearly the same profile on the Expo sump now as the dual so I've hopes that I've gained the clearance needed for the cross member.

One "interesting" thing I found in the dual sump -- there was a heavy smear of metalic mud just behind the front drain plug. Bottom of the rear sump was clean. Thinking that my suspicion of a failing lifter or wiped cam lob (or two) is starting to carry some more weight. Gotta get the Ranger back on the road before I dig deeper but still, I WILL find out what's wrong in there!

 

[SoHK_alumni]

Well, the replacement is in and running -- always nice when it starts on the 1st try. Should have it fully back on the road tomorrow.

Do have an exhaust leak I need to track down and my 1st temp sensor solution is misbehaving. At 170°f, the dash gauge pegs and the "check gage" light comes on. Think I need to add a ground for the sensor.

As expected, I did find a broken spring in the 1st/2nd accumulator -- no idea what color that spring is that was mated to the yellow, I put in a std pair of white/pink springs. 1st to 2nd shifts are significantly improved.

Took the time to really add some clearance to the oil pan. Final solution uses the dual sump oil pick up and the modified Explorer 5.0 steel pan. The pan gave me fits brazing it, the metal was so stressed from the initial shaping that I was getting leaks inches away from where I'd cut and spliced the darn thing. Given the troubles and how thin the steel was, I opted NOT to do any cleanup of the brazing. Might not be pretty but it fits well and gives the clearance I need both front and back.

Do need to get a pic of the modded 3.0 fan shroud I installed -- a much better fit overall than the 5.0 Explorer one.