I finally did it!
My 1997 Mazda B4000
I bought this truck August 1st of 2025 because I’ve been dying for a Ranger for the longest time. I bought it for $1000, 260,000~ miles, boat battery inside, engine ran horribly, and it needed a new clutch. That was the first time I heard the truck run. I was very novice to mechanics before this, just brakes, oil changes, etc. but I was filled with the most outrageous confidence that I could fix whatever issue any truck that came my way had. I settled on replacing this clutch. I pulled the transmission with many trials and tribulations, and came to the conclusion that I’m going to pull the engine. With the transmission out I started taking apart the engine bay and trying my best to remember where each bolt went.
Weeks later I found an engine hoist I picked up on Facebook marketplace, with this 1 TON lift, I did some VERY dangerous stuff to pull the engine out. Nevertheless it came out, I had no idea what I was doing except just, “take it apart”. So I did, and when it was fully disassembled I knew what all I needed to replace by then. I did NOT take it to a machine shop because I was BROKE. I regretted that. Eventually I got it rebuilt and everything put back together with much dismay because of my faulty memory of where I put all my bolts and parts.
Come Christmas last year, I attempted to start it. Cranking and cranking, no start, it had spark, it had fuel, it had air, but it did not have enough compression. Coupled with that, a brake line decided to give out and rust through. Filled with sorrow and dismay I left the truck to sit for a few months doing a couple things here and there to start taking it apart again. Eventually I pulled the engine back out with the transmission.
I actually brought the engine to a machine shop. (Thank you Shacklett automotive of Nashville TN). They had the engine for 4 months, and during this time I redid the entire suspension and brakes of the truck and redid the wheel hubs of the front end. I ended up having horrid alignment when it was done, but it was done.
Shoot to the last month or 2 I got the engine rebuilt in a few hours with a buddy, but a caveat to that is I had the most agonizing experience of pulling and installing the transmission 4 whole times.
1st time was a leaky rear main seal
2nd time was because the bell housing crushed portion of the wiring harness I had to redo
3rd time was because the rear main seal was leaking AGAIN
4th time was because the new starter blew up sending shrapnel all in the bell housing
All in all I took the transmission out of that truck 6 times. Each of those 4 times included taking the exhaust, driveshaft, and subframe out.
In the last few weeks I was really wrapping it up, but this truck kept throwing issues at me, with the last one being the clutch master cylinder giving out on me.
I replaced it and started it and it ran. It was amazing. I got an alignment, new tires, and now it’s running amazingly outside of my paranoia that any noise is something going wrong.
This truck has taught me absolutely everything about being a mechanic and what it means to solve issues and make the most of what you’re given, I’ve felt so many ranges of emotions while struggling with this truck over the last 14 months, but all in all I wouldn’t trade it for any new fangled thing or what have you. This is mine and I will make this thing go to 1 million miles.