1000 words

[85_Ranger4x4]

Now back on thread. I wish my 2.8L got 17 MPG. I got more like 10-13 before it was rebuilt. Didn't have it on the road long enough before it was totaled to know if the gas mileage changed. Of course your 2.8 was probably stock, mine as you can read in my sig wasn't. Even with the bad gas mileage I was very pleased with my 2.8, but yours is a 4x4 BII and mine was in a 2wd ranger, little weight difference there. I think I would be even more happy with it if I put the double pumper back on it, which I may do after I put it into the new body.

Mine felt like it had potential as a decent RBV powerplant, if it was up to spec I think it would have gotten around fine. It is a 4wd longbox Ranger, not sure how that compares with a BII though.

It was tougher than tough, I can't complain a word about its durability. Dad didn't think it would get me through high school, I just pulled it last January. I graduated in 2003.

 

[PetesPonies]

My 2.8 was a low mileage engine, 54K when I got it. I rebuilt the heads, added a metal cam gear, headers, Duraspark ignition with HEI and a 2100 Autolite. It barely got out of it own way and I felt 17 mpgs wasn't good enough for the lack of power.

 

[JoshT]

Mine felt like it had potential as a decent RBV powerplant, if it was up to spec I think it would have gotten around fine. It is a 4wd longbox Ranger, not sure how that compares with a BII though.

It was tougher than tough, I can't complain a word about its durability. Dad didn't think it would get me through high school, I just pulled it last January. I graduated in 2003.

You were in about the same boat as me. Mine was a 2wd long bed. I was the one who didn't know if it'd get me through high school, but that was really because I wanted to make it go faster, not because it wasn't reliable. During the entire time I owned it the only mechanical problem it ever had was a bad Duraspark II ignition module, and a bad gas gauge.

By the way, I graduated the same year you did. Glad to know I was not the only one rocking a 2.8L, first gen Ranger in high school.

 

[JoshT]

My 2.8 was a low mileage engine, 54K when I got it. I rebuilt the heads, added a metal cam gear, headers, Duraspark ignition with HEI and a 2100 Autolite. It barely got out of it own way and I felt 17 mpgs wasn't good enough for the lack of power.

I don't doubt you but that's odd. Mine had no problem getting out of it's own way, and I had the speeding tickets to prove it. It had well over 100K when I got it, and had been practically sitting for years unused. Heads were fine and had had a mild P&P done on the in the late 80s. Had stock cam gears, headers, duraspark, Offenhouser intake, and holley 390 CFM double pumper. Only reason I decided to rebuild it in 07 was because of the mileage not the power. In fact it was a .10 over rebuild using the exact same things that were on it before, plus a stage 2 comp cam, metal timing gears, and high volume oil pump.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

My 2.8 was a low mileage engine, 54K when I got it. I rebuilt the heads, added a metal cam gear, headers, Duraspark ignition with HEI and a 2100 Autolite. It barely got out of it own way and I felt 17 mpgs wasn't good enough for the lack of power.

Mine was stock everything complete with a leaking front and rear seals and oil pan. I could barely get out of its own way, but I know I ran it out of oil a couple times getting the hang of its oil consumption. It struggled on the highway unless I "ran hills". The last couple years it had problems blowing the dipstick out so I know it was in less than great shape.

You were in about the same boat as me. Mine was a 2wd long bed. I was the one who didn't know if it'd get me through high school, but that was really because I wanted to make it go faster, not because it wasn't reliable. During the entire time I owned it the only mechanical problem it ever had was a bad Duraspark II ignition module, and a bad gas gauge.

By the way, I graduated the same year you did. Glad to know I was not the only one rocking a 2.8L, first gen Ranger in high school.

Aside from the usual starter and alternator the only time it almost left me stranded was when the screws backed out of the stock rotor. And even then I coasted to within 20' of the driveway to my dad's shop. I shoulda chucked the carb (it was really tempermental/coldblooded) but I expected it to die at any moment and didn't want to put that kind of money in it.

Kinda crazy back then first gens were really common, there were 3 or 4 of them in the parking lot when I was in school. Now it is almost exciting to see another one.