older ford ranger?

[red90xj]

hey guys has anyone here had the oppertunity to own one of thse older ford rangers? they are the smaller version of the f-150 i beleive. i have come across a few and i am looking into purchasing one for myself. but i thought i should take a step back and ask a few opinions and maybe if you have a horror story or two about them to talk me out of buying one. that will be fine too. im mainly looking to buy one to use as a work truck. but i still want the offroad capabilitys and possibly the cheaper gas milage. thanks in advance for any info

cheers

[GSequoia]

How much older? What year range are you talking about?

[red90xj]

anywhere from 1980 i beleive to 1995? i dont know when they started making them. i made a phone call today to a guy who had an 85 so im looking for somthing newer preferably

[Root Moose]

If you can get something with either the 2.3 or the 4.0 you should be ok. Avoid the 2.9/2.8 if you can. (Bt/dt)

If it were me, I'd be looking for an MJ. :D

[GSequoia]

MJ's rock.

WIth the Fords though I agree, get the 2.3 four cylinder or the 4.0 V-6. Avoid anything between. The later (early 90's) 3.0 V-6 is a gutless wonder, my dad has one.

If you get the 4.0 (at least in the later range of your years) you'll get an 8.8 out back and that ain't bad. Also in those years the front axle is a TTB HP D35. The earlier ones have a TTB HP Dana 28.

I'd get a manual transmission if I were you and I would seriously consider a 2.3, especially if this will be an around town vehicle as opposed to a highway rig. The 2.3 is a solid engine.

[red90xj]

i guess its time i learned how to drive stick then haha thanks
keep em comming

[Root Moose]

The 2.3 is a solid engine.

Yep, and if the time comes where the truck is more play than work you can build lots of power on the 2.3 via forced induction. These the same engines used in the SVO Mustangs (for example)

[Slip Kid]

My sister has one with the 3.0, and that motor completely sucks. hers has very little power, will barely do 70, and it eats head gaskets. Other than that the vehicle seems solid. My uncle has a lifted one with a four cylinder, and he has no complaints about it, I havn't driven it but if he can take it on the highway with the tires he has, it must have more power than the 3.0....

[Clint]

I had a 88 super cab before I bought the XJ... We had it 2 months and had to replace the tranny 3 times. 1 yr later the motor ate it. We put in a good reman 2.9 and she ran good, but still a gutless wonder. The 2.9 would be OK if you don't beat on it, but avoid the auto like the plague. It's possibly the worst transmission ford ever used... Also check www.therangerstation.com (http://www.therangerstation.com) lots of good info.

[mavinwy]

The 2.3 is ultra reliable. It is a derivative of the one originally in the Pinto, so it has been around a while and has proven itself in many applications.

A buddy of mine has my old 2.3, manual 5 speed 2 wheel drive and it has almost 330,000 miles on it. A good run around truck.

Don't overload it though...remember that that old they were 1/4 ton.....

Mav

[xjtrailrider]

I've had several, go 2.3(early years) or 4.0(90 or later I think) and stay 5 spd. Don't expect much better mpg than your XJ!

[85xjwoody]

I have been around alot of the 2.9 rangers and broncoII's. As long as the motor has been taken care of it will be ok but no power unless you are in 4lo. Auto transmissions are junk. Try and find one with the dana35 front and an 8.8 usually comes standard but with 27 spline shafts and drum brakes.
I have seen alot of the 2.3's go for alot of miles but something about having eight spark plugs for a four cylinder baffles me still.

Kim.

[xjtrailrider]

Something that I forgot to mention is 86-up has FI. And really there is nothing wrong with the 2.9's, just that they have no power and poor mileage.

I don't have any experiance with the 2.8.

Also don't expect the Ford 4.0 to run like the Jeep 4.0, the Jeep motor will outrun and outlast, and that is from personal experiance!

I personnaly like the 2.3 best as long as you don't go overboard on tires without re-gear.

[RayBecker]

I had an '86, 4.0 auto OD. Put 200K miles on it, added a Rancho lift and bigger tires and put another 75K on it, all without ever opening the valve covers. I had to rebuild the trans twice, but everything else hung together. I'd vote yes, but YMMV. Good Luck
Ray

[XgeekstarX]

you mean the old 70's f100 rangers or the little s10 style ones?

[Chero-King]

Yeahh like the above posts said, get the 2.3L, I have one in my 91 mustang and its a really solid engine. They dont have a ton of power but can be made to, with a lot of little modifcations like exhaust and forced air.

[Slip Kid]

there is a reason the odometers only go up to 99,999

[DaJudge]

I have owned an '89, '92, '93, and an '01. My sister had an '02.

They were good trucks. The only reason I traded the '01 for the XJ was availability of offroad parts and offraod capability.

As has already been said the 2.3 is a very good engine. In '89 they changed to distributorless ignition and a better injection system so I would recommend '89 or later.

My '92 had a 2.9 and it was OK but they will break heads if they even get remotely warm.

'01 had the 4.0...It was great!

Sisters '02 had a 3.0 and it sucked!

In '96 or '97 (can't remember for sure) they changed from the TTB to the current IFS. If you ever think you will lift it avoid the IFS.

Check out the Ranger Station:
http://www.therangerstation.com/

Glen

[GSequoia]

there is a reason the odometers only go up to 99,999

Yes there is. It is because pretty much all American cars has five digit odometers up to recent times ;)

I believe the only reason the XJ got the six digit is because of the european roots.

[Chero-King]

Yes there is. It is because pretty much all American cars has five digit odometers up to recent times ;)

I believe the only reason the XJ got the six digit is because of the european roots.


My 91 mustang has 6 digits...
















Sorry, just had to be an ass. :)

[GSequoia]

My 91 mustang has 6 digits...
















Sorry, just had to be an ass. :)

That's more recent times ;) My '66 Mustang has five!

[w_howey]

If you can get something with either the 2.3 or the 4.0 you should be ok. Avoid the 2.9/2.8 if you can. (Bt/dt)

If it were me, I'd be looking for an MJ. :D

I had both an 86 with the 2.0, and an 88 with the 2.9. The 2.9 was a fine engine. It is the platform that became the 4.0l

That A4LD tranny though wasn't really very good for Off-roading.

[Warrlord]

The 3.0's are slugs, the auto trannies go out if you look at them the wrong way. The '90-'93 4.0 heads are prone to cracking.........by this time, those years have most likely had the heads replaced already with the updated units. If you're gonna off-road it, stay with a '97 or older (the '98's on up have torsion bar ifs) But if you want more power, get a Comanchee, the Jeep 4.0 is more powerful than the Ford 4.0

I've had my '94 4.0 5sp for 6 years now & I don't have one regret with it. For off road capability, my Bro has a '91 XJ & our rigs are both built about the same way & niether one of us can out-do the other.

pic1 (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v320/Warrlord/RockRash/?action=view&current=m4.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch7)

pic2 (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v320/Warrlord/RockRash/?action=view&current=m11.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch14)

[red90xj]

Thanks for the info guys i think i may stick to the XJ for a little longer then.
im not really looking to out-perform the cherokee im just looking to get somthing that can haul a load of junk to the land-fill with no worries.
But i still may consider purchasing one of these fords when the right one comes by thanks again

[xjtrailrider]

If you want to haul stuff around get a trailer, the XJ is a great tow vehicle(as long as you have a tranny cooler) for loads up to 3500#. I tow with mine all the time!
http://img485.imageshack.us/img485/360/jeepboatsideview2lr.jpg

[93XJdude]

the ranger started in 1982 as model year 1983

[PosiDave]

try and get a 84-90.
with the 2.3 or the 4.0
stick theya re wonders.

my buddy had one and i loved it I am thinking about getting one as an offroad truck so i dont ruin my jeep. they are alot cheaper to.