Building a fuel efficient rig.

stevenf · 06-12-2008, 05:13 PM

Gas prices are killing me! I own a small Landscape/Lawn care business so gas has really started to hurt me.
A little about the rig I am wanting: I have an 89 BII that I am toying with. Im putting a D44 front and GM 12 bolt rear. I am wanting a powerful rig that is efficient both on road and off. My original plans were a 302 swap. When gas prices started really flying, the thoughts of bio deisel came to mind. I then started researching the Cummins 4BT 4cyl. deisels to enable the bio deisel. I realized that these engines are expensive to work on, parts are often hard to find, and the engines are hard to find and expensive themselves.
Right now Im torn on the deisel for its downsides. If you were wanting to make a really fuel efficient rig, What motor with what mods would you go with?
I was thinking low 3.0* gearing front and back with 31-32" tires. What engine would you want to toy with?

85_Ranger4x4 · 06-13-2008, 05:57 PM

2.3T would be my engine of choice. A turbo 4banger will make very good power and still get good milage.

Gabe8810 · 06-13-2008, 06:02 PM

A buddy of mine is playing around an electrical rock crawler he is almost done with it and the torque on this thing is insane. Ill keep you guys posted

stevenf · 06-14-2008, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 85_Ranger4x4

2.3T would be my engine of choice. A turbo 4banger will make very good power and still get good milage.

Is 2.3T the model or did you shorten 2.3Turbo? What did they come in, how do you find them?

IMenriched · 06-14-2008, 08:30 AM

pretty sure. Mustang and Thunderbirds...Rangers did have the option of the 2.3 but not Turbo'd

stevenf · 06-14-2008, 10:28 AM

What kind of milage and stock HP and torque can you look at with one of thoughs?

**rboyer** · 06-15-2008, 12:12 AM

I know a guy who does landscape/lawncare and the whole gas price thing is really hitting him too. He also plows snow in the winter so everything year round that he does requires gas. His main truck which he also uses for a daily driver is a diesel but I don't know what kind of mileage he gets. The big problem right now is that the economy is not following the rise in fuel prices fast enough so you can't really raise your rates immediately but sooner or later it will all catch up and you'll be able to charge more because everyone else will be forced to charge more also. The only way you're not hurting in something like that is if you happened to store away a couple thousand gallons of gas.

**Will** · 06-15-2008, 11:51 AM

If I were you I would get a small 4-cylinder 2wd pickup. My B2 with a 4.0 and 31" mud terrains gets 13mpg around town. Pulling a trailer, and full-size axles with whatever tires isn't going to improve that. A diesel can burn a lot of fuel if you want it to. If you try hard you can get about 40% better than a gasser--making your cost 20% less as diesel is more expensive at the moment. That diesel might save you $1,000/year in fuel if you don't use it to squirt black smoke on everyone all the time. How much can you install it for?

A 2wd 4-cylinder pickup will save you about $2,500 a year and pay for itself very quickly. And you can keep the B2 has a hobby and put the 302 in it.

Sevensecondsuv · 06-16-2008, 09:45 AM

I'd just get a 2wd 2.3 and beef up the rear suspension. Get some add-a-leafs and install a 4.10 8.8 axle from an explorer. 8.8's are at least as strong as a 12-bolt and have a huge load carrying capability.

You won't be able to break a 2.3 with any size trailer, you just won't be going anywhere very fast. 2.3 Rangers with beefed up suspensions can be very heavy duty little trucks. I'd be more scared loading up a half ton chevy with a 10 bolt and the crappy auto tranny than a 2.3 ranger with a stick and an 8.8.

superspook · 07-25-2008, 08:06 PM

or look around for a 1986 2wd 2.3 diesel turbo ranger like i got. gets 33 m/gal

06-12-2008, 05:13 PM	#1
stevenf Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 110 Rep Power: 10 iTrader: (0)	Building a fuel efficient rig. Gas prices are killing me! I own a small Landscape/Lawn care business so gas has really started to hurt me. A little about the rig I am wanting: I have an 89 BII that I am toying with. Im putting a D44 front and GM 12 bolt rear. I am wanting a powerful rig that is efficient both on road and off. My original plans were a 302 swap. When gas prices started really flying, the thoughts of bio deisel came to mind. I then started researching the Cummins 4BT 4cyl. deisels to enable the bio deisel. I realized that these engines are expensive to work on, parts are often hard to find, and the engines are hard to find and expensive themselves. Right now Im torn on the deisel for its downsides. If you were wanting to make a really fuel efficient rig, What motor with what mods would you go with? I was thinking low 3.0* gearing front and back with 31-32" tires. What engine would you want to toy with?
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06-13-2008, 05:57 PM	#2
85_Ranger4x4 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Between Omaha & Des Moines Year: 1985 Make: Ford Model: Ranger Engine: 5.0 Class: 4x4 Used For: A weapon of massive consumption. Posts: 11,201 Rep Power: 51 iTrader: (0)	2.3T would be my engine of choice. A turbo 4banger will make very good power and still get good milage. __________________ 1985 Ford Ranger Custom, 4x4, PA 3" BL, 5.0 HO wannabe, C5 Transmixer, 31 spline T/L 8.8 w/ disc brakes. Build Thread My Ranger is not old; no one would call her old. She has a bluff bow, lovely lines. She's a fine truck: weatherly, stiff and fast... very fast, if she's well handled. No, she's not old; she's in her prime.
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06-13-2008, 06:02 PM	#3
Gabe8810 Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Year: 1996 Make: Ranger Model: XLT supercab Engine: 4.0 Class: 4x4 Used For: Wheeling Posts: 373 Rep Power: 12 iTrader: (0)	A buddy of mine is playing around an electrical rock crawler he is almost done with it and the torque on this thing is insane. Ill keep you guys posted __________________ 1996 Ford Ranger 4x4 5.5 inch lift w/3"BL 32 inch BFG Muds Mounted on 15x8 Rims james duff pre-runner bar NEW TUBE DOORS
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06-14-2008, 08:30 AM	#5
IMenriched Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NE Iowa John Deere country Year: 1986 02' Make: ford Model: ranger f150 fx4 Engine: 2.9 & 5.4 Class: 4x4 Used For: exercise and DD & hauling college kids stuff Posts: 1,494 Rep Power: 14 iTrader: (3)	pretty sure. Mustang and Thunderbirds...Rangers did have the option of the 2.3 but not Turbo'd __________________ IMenRiched By the power of Lord Jesus 2 are willing to die for you. one is a soldier, but the 1st was Jesus Christ ~few appreciate either~
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06-14-2008, 10:28 AM	#6
stevenf Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 110 Rep Power: 10 iTrader: (0)	What kind of milage and stock HP and torque can you look at with one of thoughs?
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06-15-2008, 12:12 AM	#7
rboyer Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Year: 1994 Make: Ford Model: Ranger Engine: 4.hoe Class: 6 inches! Posts: 764 Rep Power: 13 iTrader: (8)	I know a guy who does landscape/lawncare and the whole gas price thing is really hitting him too. He also plows snow in the winter so everything year round that he does requires gas. His main truck which he also uses for a daily driver is a diesel but I don't know what kind of mileage he gets. The big problem right now is that the economy is not following the rise in fuel prices fast enough so you can't really raise your rates immediately but sooner or later it will all catch up and you'll be able to charge more because everyone else will be forced to charge more also. The only way you're not hurting in something like that is if you happened to store away a couple thousand gallons of gas.
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06-15-2008, 11:51 AM	#8
Will Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Columbus, Indiana Year: 1989 Make: Ford Model: Bronco II Engine: 4.0 Class: 4X4 Used For: a chicken house Posts: 5,858 Rep Power: 10 iTrader: (1)	If I were you I would get a small 4-cylinder 2wd pickup. My B2 with a 4.0 and 31" mud terrains gets 13mpg around town. Pulling a trailer, and full-size axles with whatever tires isn't going to improve that. A diesel can burn a lot of fuel if you want it to. If you try hard you can get about 40% better than a gasser--making your cost 20% less as diesel is more expensive at the moment. That diesel might save you $1,000/year in fuel if you don't use it to squirt black smoke on everyone all the time. How much can you install it for? A 2wd 4-cylinder pickup will save you about $2,500 a year and pay for itself very quickly. And you can keep the B2 has a hobby and put the 302 in it. __________________ '83 Ranger cab, '89 B2 frame, 4.0, C5, D35/8.8, 4.10s, Lockrights. '87 Chevy crew 6.2 Banks turbodiesel TH400 GearVendors 4.10 14-bolt Detroit '96 VW Passat Tdi '00 Ford E350 15-pax Powerstroke '09 Suzuki TU250X '04 Moto Guzzi Breva http://willwills.com/
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06-16-2008, 09:45 AM	#9
Sevensecondsuv Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Rockford, IL Year: 1989,1990,1992 Make: Ford Model: F150, Ranger, Explorer Engine: 4.9L,2.3T,4.0L Class: 2wd,2wd,4x4 Used For: Towing, Speeding, DD/4x4ing Posts: 1,123 Rep Power: 14 iTrader: (1)	I'd just get a 2wd 2.3 and beef up the rear suspension. Get some add-a-leafs and install a 4.10 8.8 axle from an explorer. 8.8's are at least as strong as a 12-bolt and have a huge load carrying capability. You won't be able to break a 2.3 with any size trailer, you just won't be going anywhere very fast. 2.3 Rangers with beefed up suspensions can be very heavy duty little trucks. I'd be more scared loading up a half ton chevy with a 10 bolt and the crappy auto tranny than a 2.3 ranger with a stick and an 8.8. __________________ 2011 Ford Ranger XLT Ext Cab 2.3L 5-spd - DD 1992 Explorer Sport 4wd 5-spd 1995 Ford F-150 Custom 4wd 4.9L ZF5 coming soon! 2005 Lincoln LS 3.0L V6 - Wife's Past: 1990 Ranger 2wd 2.3L Turbo Last edited by Sevensecondsuv; 06-16-2008 at 09:47 AM.
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07-25-2008, 08:06 PM	#10
superspook New Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 6 Rep Power: 0 iTrader: (0)	or look around for a 1986 2wd 2.3 diesel turbo ranger like i got. gets 33 m/gal
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