Yes the range for similarities of the Ford Ranger with regard to repair is from 1993 – 2006 but the gas tank pressure test is only for 1996 and older.

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Getting my 1993 Ford Ranger Splash – to Pass the Smog Test.
Passing your California Smog Check in 2008 and beyond is requiring you to jump through a brand new hoop. Now if your car or truck is older than 1996 when you go to have it smog checked it is a new state requirement to “pressure test” your gas tank.

So here is where my story begins. Like many of you I am pretty much a “paycheck to paycheck” kind of guy. The ratio of things needing ‘repaired’ or projects needing ‘done’ to cash flow in is easily 5:1. Don’t get me wrong, I love doing things myself. It is just dealing with injustice and bureaucracy that tends to set my blood aflame.

For those of you familiar with my writing, you know I acquired my 93 Ford Ranger for free. If you are interested in learning more about getting things you need free or cheaply, then you’ll definitely want to read my article “Getting Free Stuff - 101”, I would suggest you subscribe to my articles at the link below, that way when I update them and write new vital tips and tricks for urban survival you won’t be left in the dark wasting your resources.

Just about 2 months before my next smog inspection was due, I noticed upon topping off the gas tank, (which most of us can barely do these days without a co-signer) that the precious petroleum distillate was dribbling all over the ground. Uh-Oh, so naturally I did what most of you would do, I ignored it. After all it only dripped when I filled it all the way up, and then it was fine. Besides my days of eking out a living being a mechanic are over, I am riding a desk now.

The insidious plot hatched at the State, Ford Motor Company (and probably every auto manufacturer) is that now you have to pressure test gas tanks. Funny how this “law” just went into effect and like clock work my fuel filler neck starts leaking… I swear it’s like they are just targeting me with this crap. Actually if your reading this you probably just found out about the “plot” I just mentioned. I can’t be the only guy driving around in a 1993 Ford Ranger with a leaky gas filler neck hose.

Ok, the nice man at the local smog station says hey, if you know it drips it is going to fail, go fix it and bring it back then it will be ok.

3 months later I did bring it back, but I am getting ahead of myself. (Just to mention sure does suck not having enough $$$ to just drop off the damn thing have it fixed and then viola back on the road.)

So, I took it home, dropped the gas tank down and found a worn gas tank filler hose with several cracks around the end that fits to the tank. Ok, here is the insidious part. I remove the filler neck, (it looks like a glorified radiator hose) and I think this will be simple. I call the local parts stores; Autozone, Kragen, CarQuest, Pepboys, and NAPA. Guess what? They each in turn recommend I get the part from the dealer and or try NAPA because NAPA actually sells fuel line that big! I think hey I’ve got a shot to fix this. That is until I hear the rip-off rate of $20 per foot of hose that NAPA wants to charge. I beg and borrow the money, haul the filler neck in all its glory into NAPA just to have the counterman sneer and say “Nope, we can’t help you.” before I even finished asking the question. (Man that makes me angry. At least you could feign some interest & sympathy before you dispatch me out the door. Back to the cold cruel outside world I guess.) The hose is a dealer only item. Exasperated I decide to turn to the dealership. Brace yourselves.

No choice left, I call up my local Ford dealer and try to brace myself. I get through to the parts counter and the first thing I get is another poor attitude of (I don’t care, next, next, next.) I ask about my 93 Ford Ranger, they ask me for a VIN number. I don’t have it on me, so I vow to get it and call back. I don’t fathom that the jerk behind the counter actually needs this bit of info, but rather doesn’t want to crack a book to look up my type of vehicle…. But 6hrs later when I get home from work, I don’t think about this mundane crap and so it goes like this for about 3-4 weeks, until one day I am out working in the yard, and I stop and reflect on my truck with the rear axel up on jack stands, and the gas tank hanging down with a rag stuffed in it. And I think I better get that damn number. Stupid Ford dealership. Some people don’t like the dentist, or to go to the hospital. Me, I hate Automotive repair facilities and the mother of them all, the dealership. Finally I have the stupid VIN number and a spare 15 minute break, and I remember to call the dealer. So, I do. I get the counterman on the phone and give him the VIN number and the needed part “Gas Tank Filler Hose”. He types for a moment or two and then all too happily announces that it will cost me $379.99. I am in shock. I ask him if it comes with a new car attached to the end of it, or at least a new gas tank, and the answer is no. He doesn’t care, and I am not paying $400, plus a smog check $60, plus a pressure test $20, plus my now overdue registration fees. AHHHH! It is a lousy stinking rubber hose bent in two places! And get this; you know why NAPA Autoparts can’t help me? Because the damn hose is proprietary! It has one size opening on one end and another size on the other end, so that no matter how bad you want to, you can not just buy a couple feet of way over priced fuel line ($20/ft) and replace it. Ford has tried to create a part so unique that only they can provide it, and with the help of the State, everyone who has a weathered, worn and cracked hose will have to replace it to the tune of damn near $400 plus installation. I assume that if you are going to spend $400 plus what ever the hourly rate to install this thing you must be an idiot. You might as well take that money and plunk it down on new car. Get real FORD!!

Ford's Replacement Hose

Ok, I have calmed down a bit now. It feels better to have gotten that out. Now you know why the last place on earth I would ever turn for help is an automotive dealership. Just the word dealership makes my stomach turn. Here is what you have to do to fix your 1993 Ford Ranger’s filler neck leak, (and likely other makes and models playing into this evil game) and this fix will only cost you about $50-$70. Take your filler neck hose down to a “halfway decent” muffler shop. Have them duplicate the length and the bends and weld together two different sized pipes to accommodate the different sized ends. Most places can and will do this. I got it done at a shop that I love and trust with all my exhaust work, “Speedway Muffler” out of Rancho Cucamonga, California. These guys are awesome. And they got it done for $30. They made my new filler with some extra length on the ends, so I used my air compressor and cut-off wheel to trim it according to where I would be placing my fuel hose couplings, one at the gas tank and one at the end of the filler intake under the fuel door.

Now you are going to need 4 hose clamps. I got 2 of mine from the local dollar store 2 for $1. Then I reused the 2 that were already on the old filler hose. You have to cut one of them off as it is molded in the rubber.

Off to the next place trying to rape my wallet, NAPA Autoparts. At least they sell fuel hose big enough to fit over ends this big, but at $20 per foot with a 1 foot minimum I would half to spend at least $40 to put 2 new pieces on the ends of my newly fabricated steel filler neck. First of all you only need about 4” worth of hose for each end. Here is how to slash your cost on this one. The part that goes bad on the filler neck is likely to be the bottom bend as it is stretched out more than the top one to fit the gas tank. So you still have over a foot of viable hose left. As for the larger end buy NAPA’s way over priced $20 fuel hose, then for the smaller end, just cut what you need from your old filler hose. ($20 for 12 inches of radiator hose sized fuel line... I think I just vomited in my mouth a little) Over time gasoline makes the hose brittle. The upper portion of the hose has almost no gasoline exposure because of the much smaller filler line that goes through the gas filler hose. By the way, you are going to have to put some serious elbow grease into getting that inner hose through the bends in your new steel filler. But with a little soap & water, a pry bar, and the help of a decent bench vise, it can be done.

The new fuel hose fit easily over the large end of the new steel filler. But not so easily over the steel insert that fits the gas tank. So, once you’ve got the smaller inner hose inside the steel filler, attach the inlet portion and tighten it up. Now work the steel gas tank insert into the bottom, (larger) coupling about an inch or so. Place the steel insert and coupling into the gas tank and clamp. Next route the new filler up through and around the frame and attach the gasoline inlet to the truck body. Lastly as you raise up the gas tank couple the new steel filler to the tank and tighten the last hose clamp. That is pretty much it for the most part. Total spent $51 and lots of my precious time. Approximate total saved $400.00. Feel free to send me any portion of the amount you saved thanks to this article... or better yet, post a comment!!

Now for the sad part, it took about 3 months to complete this repair, between time, weather, and money. Actual time under the truck was around 10 hours. Over the course of about 2 days. The gas tank heat shield is a real bear but I am sure it is essential, so don’t go taking any short cuts. What is sad, is I dropped $20 in the gas tank and another $80 at the smog check station, just to have the guy fail me! (insert non-Christian explicative here…. I almost did.)

Right here would be a great time for you to be thankful you have read this article this far down. Because if you’re reading this you are going to benefit from some true wisdom without having to screw it all up first and learn it the hard way. (like me).

While the tank was down, I neglected to check the rest of the lines coming off of it for integrity. Being that most of the parts on this truck were installed in 1993, I am probably going to need some new rubber lines. See, when they leak test your gas tank, they will fill it with a few pounds of Nitrogen. Before they fill it up though, they clamp off the rubber line that goes to the charcoal canister in the front of the engine compartment. (Didn't know your vehicle had a charcoal canister? Yeah, I like to use mine to grill chicken while I'm driving...)
So, when it failed I looked at that line and behold it is as rotted and cracked as the gas filler was. That’s right you guessed it, I will now have to drop the gas tank again in order to change out the entire length of this vapor line. I am so tempted to just plug off the tank so the line will be of no consequence. There ya go, that's the little gem of wisdom I promised you, that you probably weren’t thinking of, I know I wasn’t.

It gets better you know. My truck has failed the 15mph test. And the really nice guy doing the smog checks, yeah, he didn’t seem to give a care about even trying to hint at what needs to be done to pass. Unlike that guy, I won’t leave you my faithful reader hanging though. What has to happen at this point, is 2 new catalytic converters. (Yes they actually do, do something to clean up your emissions...)Yay! To the tune of $280.00 oh, and of course another round of smog testing for an additional $80.00

My catalytic converters are over 10 years old. What the hell was I thinking? I remember, I was thinking “please, please just pass the smog check so I can stop driving the gas hog to work.” There is your proof that being “nice” and wishing hard, doesn’t result in squat.

A few closing tips at this point.

1) If possible, you really need to know your smog technician, after all a lot of technicians, do a little courtesy, “what if” test or inspection and are able to tell you if you’re likely to pass and what is likely to be wrong. Choose your technician wisely.

2) Run that car for a good solid 20 minutes at freeway speeds, to really heat up that exhaust system. It will burn the fuel more efficiently and give you the best edge you can get for a pass result.

3) Make sure your EGR valve (if equipped) is not blocked off completely with carbon.

4) When buying parts at any parts store, do comparison shopping from different parts stores and from the same as well. One time, I saved over $100 on a price difference between 2 different AutoZone stores in town on the same exact parts. Kind of funny but it works.

So, my tags are paid, I've wasted around $100 bucks on a failed smog test. And I need to find a way to scrounge up $280 for 2 new cats…(catalytic converters). Guess I better start praying, cuz, I can’t solve this cash flow problem on my own. I will give you all a “praise report” once I receive God’s answer on this one.

Until Next Time, Happy Smog Testing…

CJ

UPDATE AND PARTIAL PRAISE REPORT

Hi all, the saga is not over. It is May 23, 2008. I have not had the privelidge of driving my truck, even though I am still paying for the insurance on it. I have not dropped the tank or changed the vapor line.

God has in-fact, bestowed several hundred dollars [$2,100]unto my household. But, as you can imagine, fixing this darn truck was not our priority at the time...(dumb)

I have invested about $220.00 or so on acquiring and refurbishing 2 beautiful, vintage, Craftsman 103-23070 Wood Lathes. I am not sad, or regretful of having acquired more shop equipment. I will get this truck fixed when it is supposed to be fixed.
I just figured an update was in order. I may get to it, once I have worked a few more deals to sell off stuff I don't need.

FINAL UPDATE - 8/25/08
Ok, I know this is not some riveting story that anyone actually keeps checking back on, but I figure I will write a closing to it anyway. As of this month a lot of tough things have happened in my life. Things like my wife saying "Hey hunny I want a divorce".

So I did sell off some un-needed stuff like the Ford Ranger. I let it go for a $1000.00. I pretty much sold it 20 minutes after listing it on craigslist. :) Made the deal within an hour, went home from work early, met the buyer and sold it just a few hours after I listed it.

A happy ending of sorts.

Thanks for reading!

FreeCracker4Jack