Feeling a little snookered/bad main seal?

[agapeblues]

Getting my son's soon-to-be ride ready for inspection at the DMV for registration and making double sure everything is working good...been noticing after driving a little that crankcase oil dripping after shutting off the engine. I got under it today to check it out and can see some drips (not a lot) coming out from where the engine mates to the transmission, up by the flywheel. Also some crankcase oil on the trans pan, Is this an indication of a leaking main seal? Unfortunately the oil pan has been "customized": dip stick hole plugged and another hole rather poorly welded/brazed(???) above that AND the dipstick not really calibrated or long enough (?) to really indicate oil level...pretty funky, like some of the other not-so-cool "engineering" I'm finding on this ride. Feeling like the guy who sold me the Ranger may have snookered me a little...?!!! Any thoughts out there on my oil leak??? (Would try and post a picture(s) but have yet figured out how to on this site...didn't think I was THAT inept with PC stuff?)

[plowboy34]

Don't worry about the pic thing, I am one of them technically challenged people to. I usually have to have one of my kids do it for me when they come over....

As for the oil leak, it could be your intake, valve covers, head gasket. You need to look at the top of the engine and see if oil is running down. It's just a process of elimination. If the top of the engine is dry then more than likely it is either the rear main or pan gasket. If it is a one piece rear main you will be able to see it when you pull the trans and if it is a two piece you might as well change the seal while you have the pan off. Hopefully it something easy like a V\C gasket or even an intake is better than a rear main. Good Luck

[agapeblues]

Top of the engine is pristine except where the top (pressured) power steering hose is leaking a little around the fitting...soon to be fixed or replaced. I'm hoping I can find an easy leak to fix, but I be thinkin' it's the main rear seal. I might just pull the engine, replace the seal, get a new oil pan with a dipstick that really works AND re-do the engine mounts to raise the engine about a half an inch...Dang! I was hoping when I purchased this little bomb that I could avoid some major stuff, but maybe not. Always something. Hey, I've heard that somewhere...?
I don't have an engine stand but I guess I could just leave it on the hoist...???

[Dave]

The correct pan you need is right around '79' plus/minus a couple years. Available at most auto stores. Same goes for the right dip-stick.
Dave

[agapeblues]

Found the leak! The oil pan drain plug was a home made version (why I don't know...how much is a replacement?...not much) without a copper washer and after starting the old pick-me-up and crawling under to watch while it was idling I could see it weep around the plug. I assume when driving the wind would whip it up onto the bell housing and crossmember, hence the drips on them. Once it's cooled and oil drained, off to Autozone again! That's OK, I got some new front shock absorbers waiting fer me. I put some airlifts in the front to help with the added weight of the V8 and they work really sweet, but do magnify the not-so-good shocks.

[cgrey8]

When I did my swap, I upgraded my front springs because the stock ones were collapsed with the V6. I researched around to find which year Ranger had the stoutest springs...for anybody interested, that'd be the 97 Ranger Supercab with the 4.0L automatic. So that's what I replaced mine with. they are a bolt-in solution, but I DO NOT recommend them. They are noticeably stiffer than the stock ones and if I had it to do over again, I'd have just replaced them with what came in the 89. The weight difference between a 2.9L V6 and 5.0L V8 just isn't enough to concern yourself over. And for those that replace the heads with aluminum, you could easily have a lighter V8 than the stock V6.

I also went with the standard grade shocks for the 89 Ranger Supercab and they are much stiffer than the Monroe...Monroes are also about 3-4x more expensive too. But when I replace these, I'll know not to go cheap. The rougher ride from cheap shocks and ultra-stiff springs just isn't worth it. I've gotten used to it now. But I'd really like to have the old ride back.

The one upgrade I would highly recommend is upgrading the front (and rear) sway bar with solid-bar aftermarket units. Even with the 1" stock bar I have, there's still a noticeable amount of body roll. Adding the rear sway bar helped, but didn't eliminate it. The one thing I can't say enough good things about is the James Duff traction bars. The wheel hop is night-n-day. My old V6 used to hop like mad in the rain with a mild amount of takeoff. The V8, with a locker, doesn't hop. On really hard take-offs where the wheels are spinning, I can feel a high frequency shudder...but I only feel that when I'm under hard WOT in 1st gear or when I'm spinning them in 2nd & 3rd on wet pavement.