Ranger one - my son’s first Ford. 98 stepside build by 410customs

[Josh P]

I got a solution for your problem. We can make it look like an accident.

You try that and the cat will smack him in the ass with those razor sharp claws every time he walks by.

 

[410Fortune]

So yesterday I was able to get a 100% working instrument cluster

I had to change the oil pressure sender to one from a 2002 ranger

I had to change the coolant temp sensor (for the dash) with one from a 02 ranger

The ones in the 04 engine send incorrect signals for my cluster

Now I have working coolant gauge and oil pressure dummy gauge

Now that it’s fully functional it was removed so I can replace all
Bulbs and clean up/ customize the appearance

Cluster I’m using is from a 01 ranger will get cosmetic bits from a 02 trac

 

[BluIsBlue]

So yesterday I was able to get a 100% working instrument cluster

I had to change the oil pressure sender to one from a 2002 ranger

I had to change the coolant temp sensor (for the dash) with one from a 02 ranger

The ones in the 04 engine send incorrect signals for my cluster

Now I have working coolant gauge and oil pressure dummy gauge

View attachment 457545

View attachment 457546

Now that it’s fully functional it was removed so I can replace all
Bulbs and clean up/ customize the appearance

Cluster I’m using is from a 01 ranger will get cosmetic bits from a 02 trac

No ‘04 ranger cluster? I personally quite like those ones. Just can’t throw one in my rig because of PATS and other **** like that

 

[410Fortune]

Well…. I had the 04 Mazda cluster I was going to put in here but we ended up needing it for eddies 07 ranger so it went bye bye
I’m a bit pressed for time now so I figured priority one is get a working cluster I can come back and wire it to the 04-05 style later after eddies truck is sorted

 

[BluIsBlue]

Well…. I had the 04 Mazda cluster I was going to put in here but we ended up needing it for eddies 07 ranger so it went bye bye
I’m a bit pressed for time now so I figured priority one is get a working cluster I can come back and wire it to the 04-05 style later after eddies truck is sorted

Speaking of which, is it possible to mod one in to an older ranger or.. in my case.. an explorer if you do a PATS delete?

 

[410Fortune]

I believe it is possible to use the 03-04
(Maybe 05) ranger cluster in place of the old 98 cluster yes. However the digital odometer may never work… I’m still working on that one I am not sure how the digital odo is driven in the 03-05 trucks yet

I do have the 04-05 cluster working in eddies truxk, but in that truck there is no abs or airbags or cruise or check engine light so it is a very stripped down version of the cluster I will have to see if his digital odo is racking up miles

 

[410Fortune]

This truck is up and running
It’s getting a new windshield next week,
Title, registration and insurance.

My son has been driving for about a month now since his 16th b day
He has a nice jeep his grandpa gave him, but we are a ford family and we drive fords
So we are going to sell the jeep and buy a civic or Camry. He will have a ford ranger (custom hot rod 98 stepside) and a fuel efficient car for longer trips.

So I’ve been buttoning up this build and troubleshooting the bugs
This 98 ranger gets 04 Mazda drivetrain conversion (04 sohc 4.0 and 5r55e with 126k miles, refreshed on a stand) has been more complicated then a standard v8… mostly because the 04 ranger is way different then a 98 and I tried to melt the two together. I kept the 98 dash and truck side wiring and just installed the 04’engine trans and pcm. We had to tune the pats out of the pcm (thanks Gregg!! @allmyEXes)
Now I’m trying to get the 4wd shifting using the 98 ranger gem module and 98 motor and switch

I skinned”’the 98 dash with the 04 vinyl cover, airbag and we are using a 05 ranger steering wheel. The rest of the interior is 04 Mazda except for the bench seat that came from a 2010 ranger 4 cyl
She’s running the 04’mazda carbon fiber radio bezel and it has the 4wd switch… so I am determined to make the bw1354 e shift t case work.
Stay tuned

Also dealing with a p1131 which is lack of switching sensor 1 bank 1 reading lean
I already swapped bank 1 upstream sensor code remains…

I’ll get some pics and details
Shop is busy busy last few weeks
It is truck season in north Idaho!

I’ve been driving this sucker around she handles really nicely. New rear shocks going on today
It’s been a battle!

Upcoming;
abs delete
Explorer roof rack install
Instrument cluster refresh
Possible wire in Motorola 4wd controller from late model ranger so the transfer case will shift. 98 ranger gem module not happy not shifting
Monstaliner paint this summer
I have a tonneau cover for the bed we will keep eyes peeled for a stepside camper shell… rare like hens teeth

 

[410Fortune]

Okay so chasing code p1131
Have cleared it several times keeps returning
Swapped 02 sensor twice
Bank one sensor one lack of switching stuck lean
This means the pcm is not seeing the switching it would be expecting at b1s1 and it is reading lean
So since this is a conversion I checked all fuses associated with 02 sensors
I checked all wiring to and from 02 sensor
Two of the wires go directly to pcm, all checks out
The other wires are power and a sensor signal return
These wires are shared with the other two 02 sensors, again it all checks out
Lean condition will be voltage under 0.45 volts and sure enough this sensor on live data is flatlined 0.00 and only moves to about 0.05 volts during test runs
System indicates lean

So now that more then one sensor has resulted in the same code
I have verified wiring and power signals all connections
The next step is to check fuel pressure

44 Psi running

2004 sohc engine does indeed have a test port, In a Crappy location
That’s not gonna work spec for 98-11
Ranger is 55-72 (I like to see 64 psi)

So new Delphi pump strainer and filter will go in tomorrow, will lift the bed

Passenger side of engine back if fuel rail there is Schrader valve

Gauge hooked up

44 psi is the most it made

Weak sauce

I also took the time to clean the spades on every fuse in the truck

Ordered one of these

Amazon.com

For the abs pump delete

I rebuilt the transfer case shift motor
Still Flashing 4wd lights

I’m about to modify the instrument cluster - black out the abs light, add led illumintion and improve the looks

Next I’m gonna wire in a Motorola box, basically taking control of the ESOF away from the gem module and instead using the stand alone controller from a later ranger (hello moto)

2005 ranger parts truck outside for the moto box and pigtails

Oh yeah ranger has some upgraded headlights these have sequential turn signals built in! Snazzy

 

[BluIsBlue]

That thing is looking super! Wish I had a family member who built custom trucks. First truck ending up being a totally custom Ranger sounds rad. Your son is a lucky kid! Looks good. Are the shift motors different between the older and newer trucks? Any reason you can think of for why the shift motor isn’t playing nicely with the GEM? I’m surprised that you couldn’t get the GEM to cooperate

 

[410Fortune]

Well a 98 ranger has a gem and a 4wd control module which is basically two relays
The relay box is the part that goes bad and finding one of those anymore is tough ($150 on eBay 98-2000 ranger “4wd control module”
I am sure I could get this system working by doing a deep dive into its wiring and probably
Replacing that module box. No need. I collect these motorolla boxes because they allow me to use the 1354 or 4406 e shift t case in any of my conversions… they work with the same shift motor and the same dash switch
The shift motor did change part numbers after 2002, although internally they are all similar after 98
All the wires I need are available right there are the old gem module and 4wd control box, so wiring up the moto box is one of these things I do for conversions
This truck may also need a Dakota digital speedometer device, as the abs pump is what handled the signals from the 3 wheel speed sensors. Right now I have a speedometer but the pcm has no idea the truck is moving so … once I remove the 4wabs pump I will need something to translate the vss signal for the pcm

I have a good Dorman 97-98 ranger shift motor even though it’s a near new Dorman part I still opened it up and cleaned re lubed internals… Dorman almost put the grease in the right spots hahahaha
I did get the motor to turn a few times by resetting the battery… but each time it turns a little then the lights start flashing. So now inwill piggyback the Motorola box on top of the factory gem… the gem module still handles things like door ajar and dome
Lamp functions

Today she’s getting a new fuel pump strainer filter and new rear shocks to Match the front…

Then more test drives. I am working on this after hours as my parts have now finally shown up for the 92 explorer solid axle v8 5’speed project


Motorola box wiring for all you interested peeps

And for last nights homework I mapped out where each wire goes on a 98 ranger

 

[allmyEXes]

Following. Also, I'm glad that the PATS delete is working out!

 

[410Fortune]

Getting there

I Love the pats delete really cleans up the wiring.
I am about to add a key and tumbler and some door locks from a. 2010
Parts ranger I have.. nice newer stuff and then can lock the doors matching key

Filthy! Time to clean around the pump

Clean inside the fuel line ends … a Brush, some carb cleaner, a pick and some air goes a long way To cleaning up in prep for changing the pump and strainer

I made this plastic disk years ago
I use it all the time
Keeps debris out of the tank and the fumes / smell controlled in the shop

Factory 1998 pump!! She was still tryin!! 44 psi lol Ford tough!!

New precision pump and strainer installed

 

[410Fortune]

Done and back to spec .. she’s making 68 psi

Also installed new Wix fuel filter
Lucky for me there was already a k and n fuel filter so recent work = the fuel lines came right off after a good cleaning

While the bed is off perfect chance to install new rear shocks
And what do we find?

Rear axle vent tube mia and vent was packed Full of dirt

Notice the aluminum rear d shaft
Late model ranger
Custom front to back

Add Vent hose, brushed off all the dirt, bed went back on can’t wait to test drive and see if the lean code is licked

 

[donalds]

I had mud dobbers clog mine twice I bought a vented cap for the end of the hose

 

[410Fortune]

Funny you posted that right when I was adding one to the rear axle
I keep those vents around from all the trucks I crush

So the 02 sensor code returned! Now that she has proper fuel pressure the difference is obvious.
The truck fires up immediately, no more “long crank”’and it runs way better as well…’tons of power compared to before
Excellent!
However bank 1 sensor 1
Still showing no output voltage on the scanner and sure enough code 1131 re appeared on the test run… so back to the shop we go
Plan was to check wiring and signals at 02 sensor. So I mapped it out, the wire colors that are actually on the truck.
So here is where it gets interesting
As we all know sohc engines have 3 02 sensors
But in the 04-05 wiring book 4 sensors are shown. Weird
98-03 wiring books only show 3?

The wiring on my truck is 04
Bank one sensor one has wire colors that match sensor #22 in the books
Sensor 22 did not exist in 98-03
I confirmed the wires from my 02’senaor colors and pin locations at the pcm match the book for sensor 22. I then confirmed the other two sensors in the truck are 12 (downstream) and 21 which is bank 2’upstream.
Using my multimeter I tested continuity from each sensor to the hego fuse and also to the pcm

So here is where the change comes in

For some reason in 2004 ford changed the wire routing to the bank 1 upstream sensor. Instead of coming down the spine of the trans it now comes down by the timing cover and then back to the exhaust pipe
The wire colors also match what’s shown in the book as sensor 22 and it feeds pins 61 and 96 at the PCM

In a 98-03 sensor 22 does not exist…
Sensor 11 would be the b1s1 in those trucks feeding pins 61 and 93

Here’s the catch and why this rabbit hole
It dawned on me
All my wiring checks out, no breaks in the harness, fuse is sending power all connections are good? My truck is not working why?

My pcm has been flashed to a different year!!!
. It was flashed to be a 2003 sohc auto with pat’s turned off
So I needed to wire my 02’sensor to be 2003’
My pcm was looking for b1s1 on pins 61 and 93
So at the pcm connector I moved two wires
And now the bank one sensor one is outputting voltage to the pcm and the code should go away

That was fun
This is the kind of stuff I get myself into
1998 ranger running a 04 engine and trans with 04 wiring harness, but my pcm is for an 03…. This one threw me for a loop

I found the issue by mapping out what is actually on the truck and comparing it to the 98, 2002’and 2005 Ranger books I have.
Essentially I made my sensor 22 into sensor 11
The 2004-05 book shows 4 oxygen sensors but only 3’exost on the truck
If your sensor wiring connector is blue then you have the wiring for sensor 22
If it is grey and comes down the back of the spine you have wiring for sensor 11
They are both the same sensor and only one physically exists on the truck… but at the pcm all the wires are there…. Very strange ford strange indeed
I sorted it out and we are up and running
Off to the next challenge
Now this truck can be driven to town next week for its new windshield and I can finally rest

@allmyEXes labeled the pcm so well I was able to lookup the calibration codes and determine my pcm is now flashed to be a 2003 model year

All the testing mapping eventually leads to
Moving two wires so the pcm can see the sensor wired on the truck side

See bank 1 sensor 1 returning flat voltage
Equals the reason for the code

How I got here

Notes comparing 2005 Book Vs 2002 and writing down what actually exists on the truck. Lots of poking and probing of wires with multimeter

You can see 2005 shows 4 02 sensors even thought only 3 exist

Earlier books show the correct 3’sensors

 

[Kirby N.]

These are the kinds of issues mortals like me would never figure out and just deal with a code for the rest of their life.

 

[410Fortune]

Outside! Ready for shakedown test 2

Front t bars have been adjusted waaaay down. Redneck kids I got this truck from had it maxed out and the cv axles were ratcheting. You can’t get more redneck than these kids…. Way out in bfe is where we got this truck (3 hour tow) and it had a coyote skull zip tied to the headache rack and a “full send”’sticker on the passenger airbag. This was the kids dream truck until engine number 2 didn’t run right and they posted it for sale. How much you guys wanna bet the engine was fine and it was low fuel pressure thay caused them to assume the engine was trash? Truck came with two ohv 4.0 And so far both of them look fine inside and out (rebuild and using them on other builds)

People assume because fuel pump is running and some gas sprays out that the pump is fine…. Wrong!! That was ok back in the days of 8 psi fuel systems…not okay after 98 when they need 65 psi

These were before the 02 sensor fix
Still running great



Proper fuel pressure 4.0 sohc hot start



Right before hockey game last night I finally had voltage from the 02 sensor I can move my brain onto the next challenge

These conversions… man they can be a challenge. But after solving puzzles like this I am empowered and reminded of why I do this



One badass restomod 4 door stepside

 

[GRNMACHINE]

Just went thru all 3 pages, Incredible and Beyond Impressive Build!!!

 

[410Fortune]

Thank you!

Still lots to do but mostly downhill now
I have it handled!
We all drive some sort of spare parts restomod around here

 

[donalds]

That's the trucks name spare parts