Do I buy this Ranger?? Educate me please!!

[Thuddles]

Whats up everyone! I have the option to buy an early ford ranger i believe 83. It was supposedly used as a Forest Ranger truck, the odometer is pushing 200k, and the standard transmission just went out. i think its 4x4 too...

Whats it worth?
Do i even bother?
Is this a good model year?
Pro's Cons of early model ranger ownership?
Whats it gonna cost to replace a transmission?
Is there costly maintenance thats required?
Educate me please!!!

I'm looking for a small work truck that i can use to go to the hardware store and small hauling jobs. Not looking for a daily driver, just want something I can rely on when i need it and be able to work on it if something needs replacing... Thanks for any and all help.

 

[Jim Oaks]

I'm guessing it has the 2.8L V6. They're pretty reliable trucks. They have a timing gear instead of a chain.

The only real issue is the TFI modules can go bad, and the rubber valve seals wear out. The seals are easy to replace without removing the heads if you use some compressed air in the cylinder. TFI is just a small plug in module. Some people convert the to an earlier duraspark ignition. This is all in our tech library.

Not sure on the cost of swapping out the transmission.

If I was looking for a small cheap reliable truck that was easy to work on, I'd definitely buy one. You don't have to deal with all the aging computer crap and fuel injection.

 

[Thuddles]

what would you say it's worth? I'm mechanically inclined but i would have to pay for the transmission rebuild.

is 200k a ton or just moderate?? what do people normally get out of these? I'm being told this thing was babied since it was just cruising at 15mph on fire roads for most its life

 

[Thuddles]

and TFI models?

 

[Dirtman]

83 is the first model year of the ranger. Very simple truck to work on. Price is entirely dependent on its condition. Anywhere from a few hundred bucks for a beat up rust bucket, to 5,000 or more for one in mint condition. Impossible to give a reasonable price estimate without seeing it. 200k is alot of miles but if it was maintained well it really doesn't matter much. With a bad transmission price should definitely reflect that. The cheapest way to remedy that would be to buy a good used transmission instead of paying for a rebuild.

The tfi module is the ignition module. They are easy to replace and not very expensive. Or like jim said, just ditch it for a duraspark ignition which is more reliable.

 

[ericbphoto]

Southern California? Probably not much rust. As mentioned above, its hard to say without pictures and more details. Probably a good deal if you can get it for $1,000 or less. But thats a wild guess based on my own preferences. I don’t know the market out there.

 

[franklin2]

I disagree with some of the comments above. I have a 1984 with the 2.8 v6, it will be just like the 83 you are looking at. While it has a carb on that engine, the control system is very complex. Tons of vacuum lines, solenoids and wires along with a computer. That is what the TFI module is they are talking about. The TFI module is the ignition module that is used all the way up through and in the fuel injection models. The truck you are looking at is almost like fuel injection, except it has a carb. If you get your head around this system, you can work on it. But parts are getting very difficult to find.

But, there is a way out. Many people do a conversion, I did it to mine. I bought my 84 about 2 years ago, I have been driving it about a year. When I first got it on the road it drove ok, not a lot of power, and when it would warm up it would start miss-firing at idle. I found out for some reason the computer was advancing the timing too much. I went and checked the codes on the computer, I had so many codes in there it was not worth it to me to trace down and spend a bunch of money on sensors and try to trace a bad spot in a wire somewhere. I found out you can convert these engines to a conventional ignition system and get rid of all that computer stuff and all that wiring.

If you get this truck, I would be prepared to do this conversion if it gives you trouble. All you need is a distributor out of a late 70's mustang II or a pinto with a 2.8 v6. Get a module to drive that distributor, and you are golden. You can then take all that stuff off the engine, you can actually get to it to change the sparkplugs and pull the valve covers.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

If you are gonna keep the truck I would bite the bullet and get the transmission rebuilt. pulling it out of the truck yourself will save about $500 in R&R. Still it will run about $1k give or take for a full rebuild, depending on parts.

Not sure where is socal you are but I really good (as in honest, savvy, and fair) transmission guy here in sun valley.

S K Performance Transmission · 9900 Glenoaks Blvd STE 1, Sun Valley, CA 91352

★★★★★ · Transmission shop

goo.gl

Other than that you can take a gamble and get a junkyard unit for about $350-$500. May run forever, may crap out, or may run forever but crappy...

 

[Shran]

If you get this truck, I would be prepared to do this conversion if it gives you trouble. All you need is a distributor out of a late 70's mustang II or a pinto with a 2.8 v6. Get a module to drive that distributor, and you are golden. You can then take all that stuff off the engine, you can actually get to it to change the sparkplugs and pull the valve covers.

He's in CA... I'm just assuming that a Duraspark swap is going to make it fail emissions. That is really the ONE thing I'd be hesitant about buying this particular truck... keeping all of the feedback carb junk intact and working correctly.

What's it worth? I've been buying trucks in similar condition for less than $200 for years. If you can hear it run and it runs good/no smoke I'd pay a little more for it.

Just keep in mind that drivetrain parts are going to be hard to find, be prepared for that. For those of us who can do engine swaps and stuff it's a moot point but it can be a huge headache for those who can't.

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Good point Shran. SMOG checks is a PITA here in CA. Cant even change the air intake unless its CARB approved, and even then some stations (that have probably been busted in the past) will give you a hard time about any CARB legal mods.

Some folks are lucky enough to own property in AZ or NV for out of state plates and avoid CA emissions.

Other than that its gotta be pre '76 to be exempt.

There used to be dirty smog guys that would pass you for an extra c-note, but they cracked down on that a few years ago, now it costs major bucks, if you can even find a tech willing to risk his license.

I wish I could do engine swaps and still get dmv tags. There would be a coyote in my ranger.

 

[Dirtman]

Why cant you just register your truck with the FAA instead of the DMV to avoid smog inspection? Afterall, a truck is just a really bad airplane...

 

[Eddo Rogue]

Why cant you just register your truck with the FAA instead of the DMV to avoid smog inspection? Afterall, a truck is just a really bad airplane...

Even more fees and politics....plus I think require proof of having a hangar. Its easier just to register it out of state.

If Ford made an airplane, would you fly in it?

 

[ericbphoto]

Even more fees and politics....plus I think require proof of having a hangar. Its easier just to register it out of state.

If Ford made an airplane, would you fly in it?

Heck yeah!!

 

[Dirtman]

Even more fees and politics....plus I think require proof of having a hangar. Its easier just to register it out of state.

If Ford made an airplane, would you fly in it?

Id rather fly in a ford airplane than a boeing 777....

 

[snoranger]

You sure about that mileage? First gen odometers only went up to 99,999.9, than they rolled over.