A quick question from a new guy

[ks8780]

Hello all

I am going to look at a '98 Ranger xlt 4x4 5 speed with what I would guess to be the 3.0 engine. Truck has no air and probably no power anything so I'm betting it has the 3.0.

Looking at it for a school vehicle for my son. around 175,000 miles.

What are some things to look at on this truck. I had a 97 explorer many years ago and an 02 explorer but nothing with the 3.0.

Any specific things to lookout for ?

It is at a used car dealer and asking $2995. I have not seen it yet and the dealer did not know much about it either when I called.

Any advice appreciated.

Looks like a lot of good info on this site.

Thanks

 

[RonD]

1998 4x4 will have either a 3.0l Vulcan engine or a 4.0l OHV Cologne engine.

4cyl engines didn't come in Ranger 4x4's in '98

3.0l Vulcan was used from 1991 to 2008 in Rangers, very reliable engine, not a power house but did OK
4.0l was better for power and MPG wasn't too far off 3.0l, the fact it is a pickup truck so rides higher and the 4x4 brings that extra weight so neither was great for MPG, 16-20mpg around town, might get 22 on the highway...........with tail wind

1998 was the first year of Ford's Pulse Vacuum Hubs(PVH), these were automatic locking hubs for the 4x4 part, they were a bad idea, and Ford dropped them fairly fast for full time locked front wheels starting in late 1999, full time lock was called Live Axle and all model Rangers had this by 2001.
You can install manual locking/unlocking hubs or fix the PVH system if it fails to lock hubs.

Rangers tend to get rear leaf spring hanger rust, so check those, they are not expensive to replace if you can do it yourself, just takes time to remove bed and grind off the old ones.

Ford M5OD-R1 manual transmission was a good one, as long as it was kept full of fluid.
There were 3 rubber plugs at the top rear of shifter plate than would rot and leak, look for any leaks at rear of trans.
Again it is not an expensive fix to replace the rubber plugs with metal ones, but if leak is ignored and fluid isn't checked it can get expensive.

3.0l will have a Cam position sensor(CPS or CMP) that sits on the synchronizer at the top rear of the block, the synchronizer has bushings that fail and you will hear a squealing noise, these last about 100k miles, the synchronizer shaft also drives the oil pump so..................not something you want to totally fail, lol, replace it at the first sign, or sound, of trouble.

Rangers have a good history of reliability, alot of older ones still on the road and for sale, overall they are a good bet for a used car.
Check carfax or other sources to make sure it is a clean title not a rebuild

 

[ks8780]

Thanks for the reply.

I got the ranger bought yesterday. A nice clean high mileage truck.

PVH's seem to be bad and the odometer does not work. I bought it cheap enough that I can get it fixed up. Not a powerhouse but good enough for a 15 year old to run to school with.

I'm sure I will have more questions as we go along but this looks like the right place to find the answers.

 

[RonD]

Should be a good truck for him.
Probably need a new clutch in a year, lol, trucks are great for burn outs............

1995 and newer Rangers didn't use speedometer cables, speedometer was electronic and odometer was driven by a small electric motor and gear, the gear is plastic and could disintegrate as it got older causing odometer to quite working.

Google: ford ranger odometer not working

This is a good read, with pictures: http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Fall2008/odometer_worm_gear.htm

 

[ratdude747]

Should be a good truck for him.
Probably need a new clutch in a year, lol, trucks are great for burn outs............

1995 and newer Rangers didn't use speedometer cables, speedometer was electronic and odometer was driven by a small electric motor and gear, the gear is plastic and could disintegrate as it got older causing odometer to quite working.

Google: ford ranger odometer not working

This is a good read, with pictures: http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Fall2008/odometer_worm_gear.htm

A clarification: The old gears were not plastic, but rubber. Plastic ones don't have this problem; there is a guy on ebay who makes the gears out of delrin on a mini-lathe that can be hand pressed on to the existing motor. IIRC they had them listed for $10 a pop last I checked, cheaper than the offering from dorman ($50 ).

 

[enjr44]

The gear could also be destroyed by resetting the trip meter while the truck was going down the road (not stopped).