I'm coming along well

[JoshT]

I mean that it feels underpower compared to the other vehicles I drove. I had 2 manual rangers with he 2.3 and they felt as powerful as this one. I also had a 2003 with the later version of the 4.0 (160hp vs 200hp) and they don't feel like the same truck. The last vehicles I owned had 300hp, 360hp and 250hp, so I guess it has something to do with that also.

That would be understandable when comparing it to those other vehicles, especially the 4.0L SOHC being such a similar platform, but not the 2.3Ls. I think a good tune-up, maybe a tune if you wanted to go that far, would likely perk it up a fair bit. Different gearing would likely help a bunch, these Cologne (2.8L, 2.9L, 4.0L) engines like to operate at higher RPM than what most are geared for and driven at. Lighter weight rolling stock could help, as could a shift kit in the transmission if you ever need to get it rebuilt.

Nothing wrong with keeping it a bone stock driver either.

 

[19Walt93]

Have you done any maintenance/ tune up stuff yet? I had a customer complaining of low power with his F250, he was convinced the car was plugged. I found the flat panel air filter so dirty the engine vacuum was sucking it into a dome shape. That was obviously an extreme case but little things like plugs and filters can make a noticeable difference. Slightly lower profile tires would have the same affect as a little lower gear for cheaper, just don't go too low profile or it will look dopey and the saggy pants Civic guys will mob you when you park.

 

[Steeven]

Have you done any maintenance/ tune up stuff yet? I had a customer complaining of low power with his F250, he was convinced the car was plugged. I found the flat panel air filter so dirty the engine vacuum was sucking it into a dome shape. That was obviously an extreme case but little things like plugs and filters can make a noticeable difference. Slightly lower profile tires would have the same affect as a little lower gear for cheaper, just don't go too low profile or it will look dopey and the saggy pants Civic guys will mob you when you park.

Yes I did some maintenance and yes, the air filter was dirtier than any filter I seen before. Oil is changed. It runs very good, so I don't know if I want to change plugs and risking breaking them... I will change the oil in the transmission and the differential this summer.

 

[JoshT]

Regardless of the age, I don't think you are likely to break the plugs on a 4.0L with 68k miles.

The big problem, that I'm aware of, with Fords and spark plugs was some.of the 5.4L engines. The spark plugs came out, but they brought the threads out with them. At 68k it's probably still the original plugs, and those shouldn't be any problem to remove.

 

[19Walt93]

That air filter was probably costing some power, an old engine would run too rich with a dirty filter, newer ones reduce fuel flow to match the air flow which would reduce power.
I've never seen a plug broken off in any engine in a Ranger. I have seen plugs blow out of 2 valve 5.4's and Windsor 4.6's after being replaced and not properly torqued, I've never seen an original plug blow out. The Windsor engines only had about 5 threads in the holes. The Romeo 4.6's had full length threads and never had a problem. The 8th digit of the VIN identifies the engine, Ford being Ford, a "W" means it's a Romeo engine. Three valve 5.4's were prone to plugs breaking because they'd get carbon build up on the extended threads in the chambers but my techs never broke any. They figured out quickly that warming the engine before removing the plugs was the key. They'd run the engine, shut it off and change the plugs on one side, then run it again before doing the other side. They'd usually spray penetrant around the base of the plugs first, too. We were not flat rate so taking their time and doing it right didn't cost them money.

 

[Steeven]

A lower(higher numerical) gear ratio would help power without doing anything to the engine. If it's a 4x4 it might be pretty expensive, though.

I just checked and its a 3.08. So good for mileage, but no so much to feel the engine's power.

 

[cbxer55]

The entire front end of mine, including the hood and wiper area, is blacked out. By me. Put a new grill on it a few months ago. It came chrome, I ordered it black. Had a vinyl wrap shop fix it up for me. Turned out great.

 

[sgtsandman]

I just checked and its a 3.08. So good for mileage, but no so much to feel the engine's power.

There’s your power problem. If you drive in a fairly flat area, a 3.73:1 axle swap or regear will make a big difference. If you live in a fairly hilly area, 4.10:1 would be a better fit.

I live in the Appalachian Mountain chain, very old and worn but still mountains. Even before I started doing things to my 2011 with the 4.0 SOHC, I found the 3.73:1 gearing it comes with to be a bit weak. Taller tires and other add ons later, it sometimes is no longer up to the task.

The 1998 Ranger with a 2.5 Lima engine came with 3.45:1 gearing and couldn’t get out of it’s own way. That drastically changed when I threw a 4.10:1 axle under it and the mpg never changed from what it was getting before. Now, it wasn’t going to win any races, mind you. I mean, it had a 2.5 Lima four banger in it. But it did have decent response and acceleration after the regear.

Lastly, as food for thought, the 3.45 and higher gearing might make better mpg on paper and might actually be true if you do a lot of Interstate driving but does not seem to translate well for mixed and city driving. As noted above, switching from the 3.45:1 to 4.10:1 gave identical mpg. With the higher gearing, the engine was over worked. With the lower gearing, the engine is reving higher. I’m expecting that I will get similar results with 2011 when I regear it.

 

[19Walt93]

I just checked and its a 3.08. So good for mileage, but no so much to feel the engine's power.

3.08's would help gas mileage if you live in flat country and never tow or haul anything. The overdrive ratio in your transmission is probably around 0.7:1 so those 3.08's will act like a 2.15 gear. To have an effective 3.08 ratio in overdrive you'd need 4.40 gears. A set of 3.73's or 4.10's would make a different truck out of it. Even 3.55's would help, the poor thing must be constantly downshifting and chewing up the transmission.

 

[Steeven]

Added LED bulbs, even if some people say it's a no-no. I also change the roof bulb with a LED 906 and it makes a great difference!